Time Machine: 145 years ago, Red Cliff settlers prepare for battle with Ute tribe
Vail Trail/Vail Daily archive
40 years ago
October 5, 1984
Goliad Oil and Gas Company, the Dallas, Texas-based company that owned a majority share of Vail Associates, sent an investment adviser to Vail to perform an appraisal of Vail Associates, the Vail Trail reported.
Vail Associates president Harry Frampton told the Trail the adviser will look over Vail Associates’s books, assess what the company owns, and look at its position in the community.
Frampton said investment advisers help groups evaluate their investment in a company and help sell companies.
“But he said a sale doesn’t always follow an evaluation,” the Trail reported.
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Goliad and its owner, Harry W. Bass Jr., acquired Vail Associates in 1976. Goliad owned 46.5% of the 1.5 million common shares outstanding in Vail Associates and all of the 500,000 shares of Vail Associates preferred stock, giving it nearly 60 percent of the voting stock in the company.
“Ever since Goliad bought VA there have always been a number of people interested in purchasing VA,” Frampton said. “That’s nothing new; there’s always an interest.”
80 years ago
Sept. 29, 1944
Eagle County high school graduates Russell and Delbert Kellogg, while serving in the U.S. Navy in the Hawaiian Islands, were able to see the location where their brother, Wilbur Kellogg, was killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The report came from Alfreda Kellogg, nee Yost, who had heard from her husband, Russell, the Eagle Valley Enterprise reported.
Wilbur Kellogg was a fireman first class on the U.S.S. Arizona.
120 years ago
Sept. 30, 1904
A 15-carload trial shipment of gypsum out of Eagle County looked promising for forming a new industry near Eagle, the Eagle Valley Enterprise reported.
Charles Draper, manager of the gypsum output, told some local businessmen in Eagle that the 15-carload trial went over so well that another 20-carload deal had been contracted.
“He also said that he had traveled over Utah, Montana, Arizona, Idaho and New Mexico and that the gypsum taken out at this point excels all others for the manufacture of cement purposes he had found anywhere,” the Enterprise reported. “He further stated that if the manufacturers can make satisfactory terms with the railroad companies for shipment, there is no doubt in his mind that several mills will start up at this place. This will give Eagle its first real substantial industry.”
145 years ago
Oct. 6, 1879
A telegram from General J.C. Wilson in Leadville was sent to Governor Pitkin on Oct. 6, 1879, with Wilson saying he was readying for a potential conflict with Native Americans in Eagle County.
Tensions were high following reports that Indian Agent Nathan Meeker and his employees had been killed by a Ute campaign near their settlement at the White River Ute Reservation on Sept. 29.
Leadville was made the base of operations to mount a defense of settlers in the Eagle River area, should such action be needed. Much of Western Colorado was part of a Ute reservation at the time following the Ute Treaty of 1868, which created a reservation that ran between the White and Yampa Rivers in the north, the New Mexico border in the south, the Utah border in the west, and the 107th meridian in the east. The 107th meridian runs through Eagle County just west of Gypsum.
Wilson, on Oct. 6, said couriers had reported “a small party of Indians at Battle Mountain,” and those couriers were requesting arms and ammunition, which Wilson could not furnish.
“Report to me is that there are only about fifteen guns in that district,” Wilson said in his Oct. 6 telegram to the governor, which was printed in the Oct. 8 edition of the Rocky Mountain News. “Can get plenty of volunteers if I only had arms and ammunition. Can you in any way hurry along the twenty guns for Eagle River and the ammunition you shipped? Am I authorized to arm and equip, as best I can, a squad of men to go immediately to the relief of the men on Eagle River?”
Governor Pitkin, later that day, responded by saying Wilson has full authority to do what he deemed best to protect settlers.
“It seems proper to retain military companies in Leadville until we know where Indians are appearing in force,” Pitkin said. “If you can send picked hunters, owning rifles, to hunt Indians on Eagle River, that will be most effective now. Movements must be governed by information constantly reaching you. Take all necessary responsibility to protect settlers. Arms and ammunition went by express. Will send more today if possible.”
In Red Cliff, townsfolk constructed a small fort of stone near the junction of Turkey Creek and the Eagle River, according to townofredcliff.colorado.gov.
“The fort was named Fort Arnett, after a Mr. Arnett,” according to the Red Cliff website. “The residents stayed near the fort on alert for several days. When no Utes appeared, life returned to normal.”
