Turning Back the Pages
30 Years Ago-December 28, 1979
On Christmas Eve the Olhausen’s Candy Shop was prominently featured on the P.M. Magazine television show.
The Elks New Year’s Eve dance commences at 8:00 p.m. with no host cocktails and dancing from 9:00 to 1:30 a.m. Appropriate New Years celebration equipment will be provided. Tickets are $3 at the door.
The physical education teacher at Gilpin Re-1 School is developing a curriculum for a sex education course.
Enrollment at Gilpin Re-1 presently stands at 291 students.
The new face behind the counter of the Central City Post Office will be Charlotte Keim. Central had been without a postmaster since Max Robb went to work in the Nederland office on June 9, 1978. The smiling face behind the counter at the Black Hawk Post Office will continue to be that of Tony Trujillo, who says he’s going to stay right where he is.
Bids to install 1500 feet of guardrail on Missouri hill will open in January.
Commissioners from nine counties, including Gilpin, and the president and secretary of Colorado Counties, Inc., met with Governor Lamm and his Front Range Project staff on December 21 in the Governor’s office. Commissioner Van Cullar told the Governor that Gilpin and Clear Creek Counties should represent themselves on the various committees, rather than be included in the four Councils of Governments suggested because of their small populations and the different nature of their problems.
Arthur B. Johns, native of Gilpin County, died December 19 at Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Denver. He was 78 years old.
Joe Morales is the new officer hired for Central City’s police force. He is 21, single and currently resides in Denver. He has no prior law enforcement experience. His last job was with a fence company in Denver, prior to that he served in the Marine Corps.
Fred Meyers, Superintendent of Gilpin School, acknowledges the Accountability Committee is having trouble recruiting members but assured the School Board the committee will be able to complete its work on accreditation of the school district.
County Public Health Officer, George Mathews, reports that things are doing well with Black Hawk water and Mel Blake is doing a great job.
During the later years of his life, Big Ben Hillhouse displayed his Christmas spirit by decorating a pine tree alongside 119 south of Black Hawk. Since Ben’s death, Linold Begg and Bob Thompson have continued to decorate the tree in Ben’s honor. This year Tyler Hall carried the tradition a step further by adding battery powered lights, but the battery didn’t work.
A design proposal for a new gymnasium was presented to the Gilpin Re-1 School Board members at their December 20 meeting. The proposed gym project, estimated cost of $548,519 for the building, would cover a total of 11,600 square feet. The design has limited seating; only 266 people can be accommodated on the bleachers. The presentation included plans for a solar greenhouse attached to the gymnasium which would be used to provide much of the heat for the facility.
Dave Lucas is opening up a barber shop in the guest house next to his home at 227 Eureka street.
On Christmas Eve, Dennis Kilyk of Pinecliffe, allegedly returned home from work to find signs of burglary and a large amount of money missing. The case is under investigation.
The Copper Broiler is serving breakfast on New Years Eve starting at midnight.
60 Years Ago-December 30, 1949
Gussie and Vic Robertson, who have been operating the Toll Gate Café and Tavern for the past year in the old K. of P. building on Main street, are moving their business across the street into the Elks building. The new name of their tavern will be the “Midway Bar.”
Walter Ziege, the Service Officer for Gilpin County informs us that during the past year $11,768.00 in pensions and benefits has been issued to both World War I and II veterans of Gilpin County.
Either the wind, a culprit or carelessness was responsible for the complete wrecking of the Packard car owned by Mrs. Maude Russell Monday evening. The car had been parked in the lot behind the Methodist church, and whether by intent or wind, it careened down the street, hitting the corner of the church and was found wrapped ‘round one of the small retaining walls in front of the new building adjacent to the Opera House.
If Christmas cards are an index of popularity, Billy Hamilton can claim a championship.
The cross on the shrine of Ida Kruse McFarlane, on Academy hill, is further enhanced by the addition of lights with a holly color and is a most gorgeous sight.
Good news it is that leaders of the Central City Opera House Association paid a visit to Central Monday. Their purpose: to study conditions of the Chain O’Mines Hotel and prepare a program for improvements and rebuilding that will insure an all year round hotel for the community.
The old one about being fair, fat and forty has been succeeded by a new saying which goes slim, svelte and sixty.
Traditionally, the wassail bowl should be an ornament of graceful design; its contents should be warm and spicy-with sweetened wine, ale, sugar and nutmeg. Custom dictates that, at the stroke of 12 on New Year’s Eve, the head of the household should sip the mixture and then pass it among those present.
Henceforth, when patrons of the Festival start down the aisles of the famed Opera House, there will be no danger of their stubbing toes and going face down on the floor. An order for new carpets at a cost of $3,000 has been given by Association officials.
Important events that have occurred on New Year’s day throughout the ages:
38 BC The era of the caesars began.
1349 AD Edward III, king of England, slaughtered and defeated the French before Calais.
1735 Paul Revere born.
1737 Calcutta, India captured by the British.
1776 First Union flag of 13 stripes unfurled by George Washington
1792 Kentucky admitted to the Union.
1801 Union of Ireland with Britain
1814 American dragoons attacked the British who had seized Buffalo, NY
1815 General Jackson repelled British when they attacked New Orleans
1825 Great Britain acknowledged independence of South American republics
1863 Emancipation of Negro slaves became effective by Lincoln’s proclamation.
1907 U.S. pure food law put into effect
1913 Parcel Post system inaugurated
1919 New Year’s Day declared legal holiday throughout the country except in Massachusetts and Washington D.C.
Close to 40 members of the Square Dance Club appeared last Friday to enjoy the Christmas party so beautifully arranged by a group of the lady members.
A scientist gives the opinion that thinking causes ulcers. If that is true, we know a lot of folks who ought to be immune.
90 Years Ago-January 2, 1920
Central City Lodge, Order of Elks, celebrated the annual home gathering of members in this city on Saturday evening last, with a dance at the lodge room followed by a fine turkey supper at the Central City hotel. One hundred and thirty were seated at the tables at one time, and while enjoying the spread, were entertained by vocal and instrumental music.
At this time the United States is producing well over 40 per cent of all the silver in the world.
Eighteen barrels of denatured alcohol, said to have been intended for sale as whiskey, were seized by internal revenue agents in New York. There was enough poison in these eighteen barrels if their contents were consumed as whiskey to prove the death of at least 70,000 persons.
Two good games of basketball were played at the Armory Hall last Tuesday evening between the girls and boys teams of the local high school and the corresponding teams from Arvada high school, the local girls winning 4 to 0 and the boys losing 36 to 17.
Commencing today the several enumerators will commence on their job of taking the census which they are expected to finish in the cities in two weeks and in the country inside of 30 days.
Many people have adopted the excellent habit of settling up all of their bills the first of the year. We’ll be right here waiting for ours.
Senator Smoot of Utah, introduced a bill in Washington D.C. providing that gold certificates of the United States payable to bearer on demand should be made legal tender in payment of all debts and dues public and private.
Dorothy Gish in “The Hope Chest,” in five reels and a Ford weekly will be the picture program at the opera house, Saturday night.
It is great to be a dad-when the Christmas bills float in.
Practically all silver certificates have been withdraws from circulation. The silver dollar can be sold as bullion for more than the dollar is worth as a circulating medium.
Begin reading the new serial story “The Devil’s Own,” a romance of the Black Hawk War by Randall Parrish, in the Weekly Register-Call this issue.
Radium is worth $3,000,000 per ounce-and is accepted on subscription at this office.
Died: In Nevadaville, December 26, 1919, John C. Chapple, aged 44 years.
George Fritz and son had their holiday rush on Friday when it required both their touring cars and truck to bring the mail and passengers to Apex.
Jenkin Davis, the county assessor was a business visitor to Apex Tuesday, going from Apex to Tolland and then to Denver over the Moffat road.
Census taker Louis has been given the Rollinsville and Tolland section, so scattered a district that it will be necessary for him to have a permit to ride on the freight train.
The area in cultivation in the state this year, including native hay but not including orchards, is approximately 5,500,000, or fully 1,000,000 acres more than has been shown by the estimates for any preceding year.
Do your shopping early. Only twelve months until Christmas.
Taken Up: A mouse-colored female jack. Owner can have same by paying for feed and advertising to the Humane Officer, Black Hawk.
Jobs were found for 1,027 unemployed ex-service men in the state-wide campaign of the Committee for Relief of Ex-Service Men and Women.
No, don’t ask us to divulge the names of the first bridal pair of the new year. Just wait and keep on guessing.
An extra session of the legislature has come and gone. The sedition bill will save Colorado a great deal of trouble in the end. In fact, this is probably the first time in the history of Colorado that a Governor who called an extra session emerges with a better standing and increased prestige with the people.
Keep moving. 1921 is just around the corner.
120 Years Ago-January 3, 1890
The New Year was ushered in by the ringing of church and fire bells and the blowing of the whistle on the Colorado Central locomotive.
The school boys of the city are having a great time in skating on Missouri lakes. The ice is in splendid condition.
The total production of metals in Gilpin County for 1889 amounted to $3,334,300 an increase over last year of over half a million dollars.
Last evening a little after 7 o’clock John McGinnis was stabbed in the left groin by Pat. Mackey in a fight at Richardson’s saloon. McGinnis was taken to Dr. Davidson’s office who dressed the wound which was quite deep. McGinnis is now lying at the residence of his mother on West High street. The chances are that he will have a serious time of it if not properly cared for. No arrest was made, no warrant having been sworn against Mackey.
This morning deputy sheriff W.J. Wells sold what is known as the Rippon residence in Russell district, at sheriff’s sale, for the sum of $341.89 to the Hawley Merchandise company.
During last year, a number of new discoveries have been made, in Gilpin county’s gold and silver belts that go to make up the mineral area of the county. The mines on Tip Top mountain and those in the vicinity of Wide Awake and Perigo are making an excellent record for the amount of work done. This can be said also of the new discoveries made in Mammoth gulch and at the head of Fall river.
The new engine, ordered some time ago by the Tramway company of this city, arrived in Black Hawk on this morning’s freight. In size, it is fully, if not larger than the engine “Russell” employed by this company and is named “Quartz Hill.”
The Russell choir, under the leadership of Mr. Griffith Hughes, have returned from Idaho Springs covered with honors, having carried off a prize.
Those on the streets last night about 11 o’clock might have witnessed a splendid meteor, which for an instant lighted up the streets. It seemed to come from the northeast going southwest in its flight.
Women are like nuts, not fruit. They are soft and tasteless when they are unripe, and they harden with age. Marriage is simply a process of canning, and they keep their flavor for all their life if they are properly canned.
A lad named George Harmon ventured too near a prospect hole on Silver mountain yesterday and fell in. Two miners near by heard his cries for help and rescued him. The lad now avers that he will attend Sunday school instead of prowling around mountain sides on Sunday.
At midnight Tuesday, December 31, a number of prospects north and west of Central were relocated by persons having great faith in them. Now, if they will only develop them, they may prove regular bonanzas. But we shall see. The reporter knows of four that have been relocated every year for the past five years.
If in any house there should occur a single case of typhoid fever or diphtheria, test the drinking water at once. Procure an ounce of saturated solution of permanganate of potash from the druggist. If, when a drop of the solution is added to a tumbler of water, its color is changed to a brown it is not fit to drink.
59,765,800 pounds of ore and 29,956,000 pounds of tailings were shipped to the smelters of Denver, Pueblo, Kansas City and other smelting centers from Black Hawk during 1889.
The raffle for a horse came off at the Teller House Tuesday evening, a tie being made on 41 at high dice.
John F. McNair, county assessor, while on his way from his residence in Black Hawk to the Catholic church, in this city, dropped dead on Lawrence street near the junction of Casey avenue. Cause of his death was inaction of the heart.
The rifle match between the Central and Black Hawk teams, shot yesterday afternoon on the Black Hawk range, was closely contested, resulting in the Black Hawk team winning the match by one point, 397 to 396. Two teams each of seven men competed. The distance was 200 yards off-hand on the decimal target.
John Davies, alias “Jack the Devil,” was arrested yesterday afternoon by deputy sheriff W.J.Wells for the larceny of thirty dollars in silver money and a silver watch valued at twenty-five dollars from the Chinese laundry on Lawrence street.
The revival service at the Methodist church last evening was well attended. Meetings every evening except Saturday.
The body of Charles Hicks, who has been missing from Russell since December 21, was found yesterday at the bottom of an abandoned shaft 100 feet in depth below the Burroughs mine on Quartz Hill. It is evident the man lost his life on December 22 while returning to Russell from Nevadaville. The manner in which he met his untimely end is shrouded in mystery.
Mr. Nate Stevens, who lives in Pennsylvania gulch, is over from that section of the Banner county. A few days ago he visited Ward, which he thinks the coming camp of Boulder county. He represents that the NiWot, Madeleine, Utica and Boston companies as working full forces of miners and all that Ward district lacks is better facilities for the transportation of ores to the valley smelters.
A bill to require railroad companies to provide separate cars for whites and blacks has been defeated in the Couth Carolina House of Representatives.
A man in business without an advertisement in the newspaper is like a grave without a tombstone, a book without a tongue. Neither one is known.