Chaffee County Republican Newspaper. Newspaper from December 16, 1927.

The Chaffee County Republican Established 1881 –No. 2344 Buena Vista. Colorado, Friday, December 16, 1927 $2.00 per year Buena Vista – The Gem of the Rocky Mountains Some of The Old Time Stories Told in Pictures and Words – How, in the Early Days, Some Progressive Citizens Made a Pilgrimage to Granite and Swiped the County Records – Some Successes and Many Failures – Brighter Prospects

HOW CAME TO HAPPEN In the balmy days of Colorado, when the hills and valleys of the Rocky Mountains supposedly glittered with gold, silver, lead, zinc and copper, when the miners in the old Lost Canyon placer were picking up nuggets of gold off the bed-rock, when the California Gulch placers were in full swing yielding up the yellow metal in great qualities, some progressive prospectors, looking for new fields to explore, strayed away from the beaten path and be held the collegiate range all tagged up in her autumn garb of bright and glorious colors – Buena Vista. Later a little hamlet sprung up in the shadows of these world-famous peaks – Princeton, Yale and Harvard – and it was decided, after beholding the glorious autumn garb that these old peaks could put on their annual fall festival, on Buena Vista as a name for their little village. With the coming of Denver, Leadville & Gunnison and the Denver and Rio Grande railroads, which arrived close together – the former over the rolling countryside and the latter by way of the Arkansas River, things picked up wonderfully, the population springing from a few dozen to about 2500 within a few weeks. All passengers and freight for Leadville and points along the west side of the Continental Divide was transported from here by stagecoach and freight wagons for many months. The town was a real hummer those days especially at night. This was Buena Vista in 1879-80. When the D. & R. G. Extended its road to Granite a large portion of the freighters moved on to that point – our little city settled down to real business – outfitting prospectors, miners, and tie-hacks, and furnishing rough amusements for all those who cared to partake, and there were many. This condition prevailed until ‘93 when the great mining slump took place. After which the population dwindled to about 1200, and mining and prospecting faded away with many a fortune still unmade. Many of those who went through the early day struggles have passed away or left for other parts. Among those left in Buena Vista and who will undoubtedly be pleased to read our feeble version of the early days of this once lively burg can be mentioned Ernest Wilbur, W. W. Fay, Dave Simonson, A.J. Pelta, Mrs. John Hiltz, Judge Newitt and W. J. Hunt: who gave valuable assistance in making this historical addition possible. Before their time, we rely upon oft-told stories of years ago. We wish to thank above persons and all others for the assistance given in furnishing data for this issue.

“RUN WILD FROM BUENA VISTA TO GRANITE AND RETURN.” -FISHER The above message was received about 10 o’clock one evening in the early part of 1881 from superintendent C. W. Fisher of the South Park railroad by conductor Ernest Wilbur. This followed another message which will be received at 6 o’clock that evening ordering him to stay in Buena Vista; the first message also ordered him to get further instructions from attorney J. Marsh Casson, who was in the law and real estate business at this place. The yard man of the South Park was instructed to have ready as soon as possible an engine, two box cars and one flat car, and full crew. When everything was in readiness Wilbur wired headquarters: “ready to go.“ When he loaded his train he discovered 15 men fully armed with revolvers and sawed- off shotguns in waiting under the leadership of Casson. 10 minutes after final orders were received the train steamed out granite, then county seat of Chaffee county, barely reaching Riverside in time to get on the siding for eastbound train. After this train passed Wilbur proceeded on his way to Granite where he came to a stop at the lower end of the Granite siding. Wilbur then explored the little mining camp, formally the county seat of Lake County, for about three quarters of an hour, returning to the train he reported all the inhabitants deep in the land of dreams. Then the train was run up the siding to point in front of the courthouse, located nearly opposite the station. At this point the Armed Forces proceeded to load the records and paraphernalia on the county. The task completed, the train ran back to Buena Vista. The records, on arrival here, were placed in a box car near where the Lettuce Association packing shed stands now. At 8 o’clock next morning, upon going to the boxcar, J. Harvey Johnson, County Clerk, was found busily engaged in taking care of the county's books. Nobody seems to know how Harvey came from Granite or how he got into the car. The reason for the action taken by J. Marsh Casson and others in securing the records and bringing them to Buena Vista was: In 1879 the state legislature divided Lake County, making that part south of the line just north of Low Pass Creek, Chaffee county. Later an election was held for determining the location of the county seat. The towns of Buena Vista, Lathrop, St. Elmo and Nevitt were contestants for the honor, with the results that Buena Vista came out winner, with Nathrop a close second. Chas. Nachtrieb, a prominent ranchman and landowner near Nathrop, being very desirous of having the county seat located at that place, heid himself to Denver, and indeavoring to initiate injunction proceedings against removal of the county seat from Granite to Buena Vista. J. Marsh Casson, heavily interested in Buena Vista real estate, anxious to secure the county seat for Buena Vista without court proceedings and a long delay, got in touch with South Park railroad officials and managed for that company's participation in the affair. And so came Buena Vista to be the county seat of Chafee. The county records were first placed temporarily in a building just north of where the association office is located; later taken to a building near the Snidlinger & Niles lumberyard, then to a building near where the Lincoln Garage now stands. After the completion of the Hiller-Halik Opera House now the W. O. W Hall, the county set up business in the corner rooms of that building. All belongings of the county remained in that building until completion of the court house in 188…. At the time of these strenuous doings the South Park and Denver & Rio Grande operated jointly over the tracks between here and Leadville. The County officers at that time were: postmaster, Aaron Wade, deputy, and Miss A. G. Hiltz, at that time, 18 years ago, was clerk. Later the office was moved to a building near where Ed. Mateer’s Barn is located. From this location the postoffice was moved to the corner of Main and railroad streets, where the Stevens and Bay Mercantile Co. now holds forth. The building on that corner was of rame structure and burned in the fire of 1889. By the heroic efforts of Miss Bell Graham Clerk and Rec., Harvey Johnston. Treasurer, A. B. Jones. Assessor, H. J. Hills. Sheriff, Bob Ray. Supt. of Schools, Jos Hollister. Surveyor, Sam Day. Judge, Sam Sindlinger. Coroner, Dr. Matoon. Co. Commissioners, Chas, Montrose, Stephen B. Kellogg and Jas. Hutchinson.