Pueblo County, Colorado
Pueblo News 1872


Page contributed by Karen Mitchell, news items contributed by Jean Griesan and Karen Mitchell. Our utmost thanks and appreciation to Jean for typing these up.
These news items are being extracted from the local newspapers. They are in chronological order. To search for any given name use your browers "Find" button.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 1872 Four wagons loaded with wool belonging to Ferd. Meyer and Co., Badito, passed through town yesterday going to the end of the track.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 5-16-1872
A fine drove of cattle, owned by the Hamilton Brothers, down on the Cucharas, passed through town yesterday, on their way to the Denver market.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 5-22-1872 Major D.W. Crane informs us that the other day three Ute Indians passed his ranch, going south. Their horses exhibited signs of much fatigue, and from certain indications he judged that something important was going on. He considers it prudent to prepare for the blast, and will stock up with a quantity of ammunition today. We hope that these reports will prove to be greatly exaggerated, but, at the same time, the citizens of Southern Colorado should be prepared. A Ute war must be avoided if possible, but if it comes, we should have our guns cocked and primed, and give the red devils enough of it. We hope to give some more authentic information regarding the outbreak in a day or two.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 5-22-1872
The San Juan Country Threatened With a Ute War
Mr. Fred Walsen, of Walsenburg, which is situated on the Cucharas, about fifteen miles north of the Spanish Peaks, arrived in Pueblo, yesterday, bearing news of a startling character regarding the Ute war, which first broke out a few days ago near Terra Amarilla, New Mexico. Mr. Walsen says that on Monday last he met Capt. Eckles, of Fort Garland, who informed him that the entire Ute nation was starting out on the war path, and that the whole San Luis valley region was in a blaze of excitement. Ula, the head chief of the Utes, has sent a courier to Fort Garland informing the commandant of that post, that the braves under him were determined to make trouble, that he could no longer control them, and that if the worst came he should go with his people. In Costilla, Conejos and Saguache Indian outrages have already commenced, and a large number of men have been deprived of their houses and cattle and in many localities the settlers are fleeing for their lives. It is reported also, with how much truth we could not learn, that a company of soldiers sent out from Fort Garland have had a fight with the Indians, which resulted in three of the party being killed while a number were wounded. At the new mining town of Loma, on the Rio Grande, two stores were entered and sacked by the Indians, and a number of cattle and mules taken. The settlers, as we remarked before, are in a perfect frenzy of consternation, while the most crafty and experienced predict that we are on the verge of a Ute war that may be protracted for years. There has been signs of such an outbreak for some time past, and if the numerous reports coming in are to be depended upon, the tragedy is about, or has already commenced.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 5-31-1872
Judge Matt Riddlebarger, one of the solid men of Badito, favored us with a pleasant call last evening, with a budge of items from that section of country.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 5-31-1872
Mr. John Latshaw, a member of the “art preservative”, is back from a short trip east.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 6-8-1872
We received a call yesterday from Capt. C.D. Hendron, from the Cucharas. He reports everything lovely in that part of the country, and that Walsenburg has not yet been attacked.

Colorado Daily Chieftain 7-16-1872 Cannot something be done towards fencing in our cemetery.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 7-17-1872 Cannot something be done towards fencing in our cemetery.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 7-17-1872 NOT DEAD - Jose Pedro Gonzales, the Mexican who was shot through the lungs by a Texan on the Cucharas a few days back, was not dead at last accounts, as was at first reported. He will probably recover. Much blame attaches to the sheriff who followed the assassin to Trinidad, and although close at his heels, took no steps towards his arrest.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 7-17-1872 Sent up - A Mr. Apodaca, who mistook several of Hon. J.M. Garcia's cattle for his own, down Trinidad way, passed through town on Sunday headed for Canon City where he will remain the guest of Captain Walter for two years.

Colorado Daily Chieftain 7-18-1872
Any person who will give me information of my son, Wm. M. James, who was enticed away from the ranch of Mr. Dick Steel, twenty-five miles below Pueblo on the Arkansas river, will confer a great favor. He is twelve years old, and when he left home he wore a white hat. Address, T.Y. Barber, Greenwood P.O., Col.

Hon. Matt Riddlebarger and Capt. Ripley favored us with a call yesterday.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 7-18-1872
Not Dead
Jose Pedro Gonzales, the Mexican who was shot through the lungs by a Texan on the Cucharas a few days back, was not dead at last accounts, as was first reported. He will probably recover. Much blame attaches to the sheriff who followed the assassin to Trinidad, and although close at his heels, took no steps towards his arrest.
Colorado Daily Chieftain, July 18, 1872
FORT GARLAND, C. T., July 8, ''72.     
    EDITOR CHIEFTAIN: - I have just returned from a two week's horse hunt in Pueblo and Huerfano counties.  I found everything in its proper place except the horse.  On the Huerfano crops are good, but so much land planted as usual, though enough perhaps to supply all.  The Greenhorn and St. Charles are planted from end to end.  I have never seen better crops, or so much land in on those creeks.    

     I stopped a night with Uncle Zan who was at home undergoing a severe attack of lamentation.  He said he had returned a day previous from the races, and was not satisfied with the result of them; you know the balance.  John Hicklin still stays on the Greenhorn, and is overflowing with industry and profanity.  He still curses that "enchanted duece."   

      The work cattle belonging to a Mexican lumber train made a raid on the Hicklin Brothers' crops, and cleaned up a hundred and forty dollars worth.  This shoud be a warning to freighters and travellers.   

      John Warner was busy branding a large herd of cattle, and initiating himself in the cattle business.   

      I attended some of those roundups that we read of.  The system is a good one in my opinion, but do not approve of the stray part of it.  I will not give my reasons, but leave those concerned to do so.   

      The grass in that portion of the territory is better than I have ever seen it.  There is plenty of water for farming purposes, though it has been very little needed.  Take it all together, the Greenhorn and St. Charles country is improving beyond all expectations, and, in no very distant day, Southern Colorado will work on the near side of independence.  

       On my return coming up the Huerfano, the gentler sex of that creek could be seen flying in the direction of Mr. Seabring's, where they said there was to be a fandango-baille-hop-dance-party, and my word for it Mr. Editor, there was one there.  

       I stopped at Butte Valley a few minutes and saw Joe Abrahms shuffling up goods and making a noise equal to fifteen young kittens on a bearskin, though he said that was his business.

        After a few miles travel homeward bound, I found H. L. Lefton tearing things in a similar style as Joe.  There I flew up for the night.  I was well fed slept well and was asked to call again.  I had almost forgotten the meeting of Calach (?) Coniatch (?) Horace Greeley, or whatever he calls himself, with about two hundred of his Ute brethren going north.  He said they were not on the fight, notwithstanding they had passed ----- Walsenburg.

        I crossed the range and made my way straight to San Luis, where court had just adjourned.  There was no business of interest transacted at this term, and we are all glad of it.  Judge Bradford and E. J. Hubbard were the only members of the bar present. 

        Judge Bradford's family visited San Luis during court week.  Tommy said he was looking for a few items, but could see nothing but natives.

        Judge Hallett and party departed for Conejos yesterday.  They have our best wishes with them, and we hope to see them again.

        Crops are somewhat backward here, but there is an abundance of good grass and fine trout.

        Do you know, Mr. Editor, of anybody that would like to buy a grant?  If so send them over here.  I understand that Gilpin wants to sell his.  He says he will sell improved lands for a few dollars an acre, and take it in three cent postage stamps at $2.50 a hundred.

        A. Grant, will do for president, but I would not advise new comers to settle on one.  If they want a good ranch let them come.
Colorado Daily Chieftain, July 18, 1872      
   Pueblo Chapter, R. A. M.  The regular convocation of Pueblo Chapter is held on the second Saturday evening of each month; S. H. Bowman, H. P.; C. H. Williams, Secretary.      

   Pueblo Lodge No. 17, A. F. & A. M.  Pueblo, Colorado.  Regular communications the second and fourth Thursday evenings of each month, at 8 o'clock.  C. J. Hart, W. M.; Aug. Beach, Secretary.      

   I. O. G. T.  Emery Lodge No. 39 Pueblo.  Meets every Tuesday night, at the public school house, at 8 o'clock.  John Irvine, Jr., W. C. T.; Josiah Hughes, Secretary.      

   Try those claret punches at the St. James.      

   A few more refrigerators left at I. Freunds.      

   Taos flour $7 per sack - warranted - at Sayles & Miller's.      

   Mora flour $6 per sack, all the time, at Sayles & Miller's.      

   A good lunch to be had at all times at the Cosmopolitan.      

   A large lot of new potatoes just received at John Jenner's.      

   Engineer Fosdick was surveying Chase & Hall's addition to Pueblo yesterday.      

   The best morning drink or the best tonic for invalid, and the most pleasant beverage at all times is the celebrated Wild Blackberry Bitters, to be found only at the Cosmopolitan, Main street.      

   On the list of first-class houses in town first comes the St. James restaurant, where good things to eat and drink are so plenty that clerks are threatened daily with being discharged on account of their lengthy stay at meal time.        

Mr. Ruffner opens the Rio Grande Hotel to-day to the public.  All should go around about dinner time, as he promises to do the fair thing to all.  His table to-day will be loaded down with good things.        

Mr. Jerome Crocker, the merchant tailor, from Denver, arrived yesterday evening, and is stopping at the Chilcott House.  Parties who desire to order suits of clothes, will find him in one of the parlors of the house ready to receive orders.        

We understand that our townsman, Mr. Wildeboor, contemplates seriously, the building of a new hotel on a grand scale, near the present site of the Drovers.  The idea is a good one, but it strikes us that the location might be improved.        

Sealed proposals for the furnishing of beef to the graders on the Canon branch of the Denver and Rio Grande railway will be received until Monday, July 21st, by Capt. Schuyler, at the office of the Denver and Rio Grande railway.        

PERSONAL. - Mr. Charles Devaroe, advance agent of Dr. Paul M. Brennan, is in the city.  The latter soon intends to treat our citizens to a course of medical lectures.        

Wm. E. Pabor, secretary of the Colorado Springs company, favored us with a pleasant call yesterday.        

Hon. Matt Riddlebarger and Capt. Ripley, favored us with a call yesterday.        

AUCTION SALE. - Will be sold by public auction, Friday and Saturday, the 19th and 20th inst., corner of Santa Fe avenue and Fourth street, at S. Arkush's old stand, a stock of goods, comprising in part of dry goods, lace goods, gloves and hosiery, fancy goods, notions, etc.  Those goods will be offered in lots to suit the wants of merchants and families.  Ladies are particularly invited to attend.  Sale to commence at 10 o'clock A. M.  Terms - cash on delivery.   W. B. THOMPSON, Auctioneer.       

  We noticed several wagon loads of new early Rose potatoes in town yesterday.  They were raised on the ranch of Prof. Boggs, and he informs us, that for family use, he has indulged in that luxury for five or six weeks.       

  I have on hand a complete assortment of metallic and other coffin trimmings, etc., and will promptly attend to all orders for undertaking.   G. W. PERKINS
Colorado Daily Chieftain, July 18, 1872 
THE STEAM PLANING MILL.
Full Account of a New and Important Enterprise.      

   Yesterday morning our reporter actuated with a laudable desire to hunt up a good, fresh local item for the hundreds of readers of the DAILY CHIEFTAIN, stepped into the new steam planing mill, the machinery of which has only been disturbing the echoes of Pueblo about a week.  He was cordially received by the gentlemanly wide-awake proprietor, Mr. Redfield, and under his pilotage proceeded to inspect and study in detail the many features necessary to every well regulated first-class steam planing mill.      

   The motive power is supplied by a steam engine which boasts all the modern improvements and performs its work as noiselessly as a family sewing machine.  The engine room is set apart from the main building, which is of frame, 35 x 40 feet, and supplied with all the conveniences for such an institution.  The specialty consists in dressing all kinds of lumber demanded for building purposes and in manufacturing doors, windows, sash, blinds, mouldings, frames, palings, etc.  On the first floor, we find machines of the latest and most approved pattern, all connected by gearing, so as to run together or separately, consisting of a planer, matcher, cut-off saw, two rip saws, and joiner and also swing wheels and grind stone, for the use of the workmen.  Here the rough lumber is cut and dressed to the desired proportion, and then passed up to the second floor, where the carpenters hold forth, and where we find four circular saws, mortiser, tamping, blind slat, tenant and grooving machines, all in perfect order.  Here the door and window frames are put together, as also the cornice, mouldings and blinds.  Around the walls, benches are arranged for the carpenters, and each man has his particular department to attend to, thus obviating all hurry and confusion.  About thirty workmen are now employed, and when all the machinery is put in running order, work will be furnished for many more.  As yet, the mill is unable to supply the demand, a flattering guarantee, that such a branch of industry is required in Pueblo, and that it will be well supported.  

       Mr. Redfield will devote his principal attention to furnishing and constructing private residences and business blocks, and he has already secured many of the most important contracts in the city.  His superior facilities for preparing the lumber, enables him to bid down to bottom figures, and the consequence is, that he finds many of the most important of our projected building improvements upon his hands.  He has now contracted to complete the Barndollar & Lowther block on Main street which will consist of two stores and a banking room, the Prebyterian church, the Morgan block, the Thatcher block, besides any number of private residences.  The Thatcher block on Santa Fe avenue will be a fine affair with iron front, French plate glass, and galvanized iron cornice.  The Barndollar & Lowther block will also have an iron front with plate glass, and when fully completed, will compare favorably with any building in Denver.  The iron front for this, was placed in position by Mr. Redfield, yesterday.  

       Manufacturing is a hopeful sign, and we are glad that Pueblo has at last broken ground in this respect.  Such institutions tend to make a place self-reliant and self-sustaining, while they invite skilled labor and create a fund of capital which is not fictitious, but kept circulating for the benefit of the local community.  There is no earthly reason why this should not become an important manufacturing point for the supply of Southern Colorado, and now that a start has been made, we believe that it will.  We have a splendid and inexhaustible water power, which is only waiting to be utilized to become a source of immense revenue to the town and surrounding country, and if someone would start a woolen factory at once, he would find his original investment doubled in less than a year.  Manufacturing is what is needed to build up our town, and every movement tending to bring about that result, should be fostered and encouraged.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 7-24-1872 Taxes will be collected for Huerfano County at the store of Ferd. Meyer and Co., Badito, Wednesday, July 10.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 7-24-1872
Jumping Claims
Attempted Murder on the Cucharas
Some time ago, an honest, well disposed man, named Denton, who has a large family dependent upon his daily exertions for support, took possession of a claim on the Cucharas, a few miles west of Walsenburg, and proceeded to improve it, with the idea of making a permanent home. Mr. Denton had remained upon his claim but a short time, when another party, named Brown, father and son, came in and took the claim adjoining. One of those trivial disputes concerning boundary lines, so common in a new country, soon originated, and the result was that Brown pulled up a number of stakes, claiming a portion of Denton's land as his. He further said that he intended to hold it, at all hazards, and that he would blot out from existence the first man who attempted to dispossess him. The disputed territory was covered with a fine crop of grass, and on Friday last Mr. Denton took his scythe and went to mowing, congratulating himself, while doing so on the splendid growth of upland verdue, which dame nature had placed at his disposal. While thus engaged, and sweltering in the perspiration caused by honest toil, Mr. Denton glanced over his shoulder and saw Brown and his son coming toward him, armed with guns. Knowing the threats that they had made and suspicious that they were coming for no good purpose, Mr. Denton threw his scythe upon the ground and secreted himself behind some bushes, to await further developments. He watched for some time, but could see nothing of either Brown or his hopeful son, and he came to the conclusion that they only intended to scare him a little, and had gone back. Impressed with this idea, Denton emerged from his hiding place, and picking up his scythe, was about to resume his work, when all at once there came a sharp, sudden, deadly crack of a rifle, while simultaneous with the report Denton felt a ball ripping along between his undershirt and body. The direction showed that the ball had been aimed directly at his heart, but the marksman miscalculated the distance, and the ball fell short, passing between the shirt and abdomen, but not breaking the skin. The little circumstance had the effect however, of convincing Mr. Denton that he was not wanted there, and he went without waiting for further explanation, while Mr. Brown came the next morning and took possession of the hay, but was soon after served with a warrant for his arrest procured by Denton. This of course will lead to an examination and possibly some new developments. As the case is stated to us it seems to be an outrage on the part of Brown, demanding the most prompt and severant punishment of the law.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 7-26-1872
Yesterday the republican voters of this precinct met at the court house. The meeting was organized by electing Capt. James Rice, president and Capt. J.J. Lambert, secretary. Mr. H.C. Thatcher, at the request of the president, stated the object of the meeting to be the selection of eleven delegates to attend the republican county convention, to be held at the court house Saturday next. On motion of Mr. Irving W. Stanton, a committee of three was appointed to select the eleven delegates. The committee consisted of Messrs. I.W. Stanton, H.C. Thatcher, and W.H. Chapman. The committee submitted the following names as delegates to the county convention: Col. M.H. Fitch, J.R. Lamkin, H.O. Rettberg, Capt. J.J. Lambert, J.D. Miller, Lewis Conley, Dr. P.R. Thombs, H.A.E. Pickard, J.J. Thomas, J.B. Rice, Ferd. Barndollar. On motion of Mr. Chas Dunbaugh the report was accepted. If the sidewalk in front of Peabody &Jordan's was repaired, walking would be easier. Free Lunch – I will serve to anybody a free lunch every morning from 9˝ to 11 o'clock, at my stand on Main street. Alb. Dyes H.A.E.Pickard, Captain of the Soapweeds baseball team. It was reported on the streets yesterday that James A. Puttick, a well known brick presser, had "hopped the twig" at an early hour on Thursday. We are pleased to state that such is not the case, as Jim called upon us last evening in the flesh (?) and desired us to inform his anxious friends that he is not yet dead, and he hopes to live long enough to kill the squaw that wounded him at Fort Union, from which time he dates his trouble.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 8-3-1872
Card From The Sheriff of Huerfano County
Ed. Chieftain – In your issue of July 18, in a local "Not Dead", you take occasion to say "much blame attaches tot eh sheriff who followed the assassin to Trinidad, who, although close at his heels, took no steps towards his arrest." The idea conveyed is that the sheriff of Huerfano county, where the killing was done, is the one to whom much blame is attached. I had no information of the killing till late in the evening, about nine o'clock. The deed was done early in the morning, but no warrant was delivered to me, and I knew nothing about the affair until informed by a man living on the Cucharas, who said that five men were after the assassin. I was called to the Cucharas the third day afterwards, and asked at once for assistance to proceed after the murderer. Three of them were in the gang and I wanted assistance, but could get no person to volunteer so I returned home. You will please understand that the sheriff referred to was not the sheriff of Huerfano county. Thomas Sproull, Sheriff of Huerfano County.
Colorado Daily Chieftain 9-24-1872 Mr. A.T. Seabring of Badito is in town.


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