Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-08-05
The Semi Centennial Of Jewish Pioneering in Colorado

IdI vi JCV
three most exciting days In the early
Jewish history Of Colorado were April
90, 1876. when Milton Schayer was
horn; April 20. 1876, which Witnessed
the birth Of Stella Anfengcr; and May
/, which capped the climax by pre-
scntlng the Jewish colony with the
twin Eppsteln girls-,lulia and May
Mrs. Ernest Morris and the late Mrs.
Adolph Morris, respectively.
our readers are not compelled 10 be.
llcve this paragraph, hut tradition has
II that the opposition Of Congress to
the admission of Colorado ms state
was definitely broken down when WASH
lngton heard Of this avalanche OF
babies descending on the population OF
Colorado; the net Of admission was
formally signed within four months
thereafter.
Miss Seraphine, an older sister of
the Eppstein twins, who was later
married into the pioneer Pisko family,
has the distinction Of being the first
Jewish graduate of old East Denver
High.
CASHING FOUR OF A KIND
We are told that when anyone sat
down to Jewish poker game in those
days and inquired what bonus he
would get for holding four queens in
his hand, he was told to take them
down to Solomon anL--Ieitler and
have them cashed. Joseph Solomon,
Arriving late in the seventies, gave up
short-lived livery stable to enter the
| jewelry business and help out the
roughnecks who were short on cash
and long on guns and other trinkets,
while his partner, Emanuel Heitler,
watched to see that the clients re-
Trained from sleight-of.hand crafts
manship.
There are those who, looking upon
the present magnificent establishment
Of the May Co., can remember the
days when young Dave May, after
drifting about in the mining towns
of the state, bought out little dry
goods shop on Larimer street, while
he boarded with family of modest
means near the store.
The Jewish physician of the seven
ties was DIR. John Elsner, whose office
is still where it used to beat 14th
and Curtis. Babies came in generous
numbers in those days, and DR.. John
worked fast and furiously to keep up
with the pace set for him. And it
took mothers of more than ordinary
hardihood to cope with the conditions
of life existing in Colorado fifty years
ago. One eanapt help being i'm
pressed that practically every Jewish
family counted fifty years ago. The
Jewish families were respected and
self-respecting; God-fearing men and
/ "oihSii WIZ SaNC WuOtCSoIlC lulkc
to the early Jewish community in the
state 1t is told, as an instance, that
several of the first Jewish families
unable to get kosher meat in pioneer
Denver, refrained from eating meat
except when one of their number went
on trip to Chicago. At such times
the man making the trip was delugec
with enough orders from his neigh
bors for Jewish meat and other Jew,
ish delicacies to fill car. Little won,
der that those contemplating the TRIP
kept it as secret as possible. But they
got along; the tone of the pioneer
community was marked by unassum-
ing friendliness and genuine fellow
feeling.
In keeping with the traditions OF
personal liberty, when a raid was
made on the hapless Chinese of the
city, the frightened yellow inhabitants
found refuge in the barrels and boxes
lying in the cellars of the Jewish
dealers.
RELIGION AND PHILANTHROPY
A leader in encouraging the relig
ious life of the pioneer Jews was
Henry Plonsky. Mr.. Plonsky was the
perennial organizer of congregations
and synagogs; his memory as first
president of the Beth Hamedrash
Hagodol is preserved in a stained
glass window of their present build
ing. The first regular home of Tenn
pie Emanuel was at 10th and Curtis
then at oath and Curtis, which later
housed the B. NJ. H. when Emanuel
moved to its present site, and now
houses the Beth Joseph congregation
The tradition of Jewish philan-
thropy was fostered by David Kline
whose boot and shoe shop, listed in
the Denver city directory of 1875, was
a meeting place for the discussion OF