John Herron

Interviewee: John Herron
Interviewer: George Madsen
1964 June
T137 – 2012.026.0313- Side A
George:
Several weeks ago we had John Herron, long time Aspenite, on this program and after the show was over we asked listeners to call and if they wanted to hear more of this type of programming. Well, the response was the most fabulous that KSNO has had since it’s beginning three months ago. People wanted to hear more about Aspen and especially they wanted to hear more of John Herron.
John, it’s nice to have you here today. And let’s go right into some of the stories about Aspen’s fabulous silver mining days.
First of all, what nationalities were resented, represented here, John?
John:
Well, George, from the beginning Aspen was a city different from all other mining towns. Then as now, it was something set apart. Newspapers, Journals, magazine reports on Aspen called it unique, picturesque, the Crystal City of the Rockies. Engineering and mining journals even called it a dimple in the mountains. Aspen and the word famous were synonymous from the start. It was a city of young men and women, made up of in the main of the following groups: there was a large number of Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, and another group of Irish and another one of cousin Jacks, our English, there were some Welsh, a few Scotch, a considerable number of the Isle of Man, Canadians and quite a few from the south. It was a city of intense pride.
George:
Let’s talk to that point, right now. How much pride was there here, John?
John:
It was a city of intense pride. Rivalry with other cities was almost a fever heat. To one who lived in Aspen, no other place was its equal. It was a close-knit community. It was civic minded and wanted only the best for Aspen. And of course, in 1892, when Aspen had reached its zenith, it was rich, the sky was the limit, but in one short year it faced disaster like Pompei and almost disappeared. It’s impossible to realize that Aspen had ten times as many people in 1892 as we now have.
George:
Is that right? Gees.
John:
I have already told you something about the mines and mining in Aspen. How the Hayden geographical and geological survey of 1878 brought to the attention of the prospectors and mining interests that silver could be found in the formations of Aspen. How B. Clark Wheeler and Charles Hallam, acting for Dave Hyman, bought the Smuggler, Durant, 1001, the Monarch, the Steele and the Mose for $5000 down and $160,000 total. How Charles Hallam and B. Clark Wheeler filed and laid out the townsite of Aspen. How Clark named Aspen for the Aspen trees. How J.D. Hooper took a six months lease on the Aspen he had only 45 days left of a six months
lease when he hit the bonanza and in 45 days he mined $600,000 worth of ore and piled it in the streets in Aspen. How this started the lawsuits and litigation which cost the Hyman, Cowenhoven, Brown, Butlers and Jerome B. Wheeler interests some two million dollars before it was settled. Hyman won the lawsuit, but compromises were made; All the properties at law were joined in one company called the Compromise Company. How in 1890 in December, the Mollie Gibson Consolidated Mining Company discovered the richest body of silver ore ever found. The average ore per ton some 600 ounces and carload lots of 20 tons brought a payment of $75,000.
George:
Boy, those were the good ol’ days, John.
John:
It was terrific! And the Mollie alone some ten million dollars were paid in dividends in seven years. How in 1894 while diamond drilling in the Smuggler Mine they encountered the largest nugget of silver ever found. Some 1850 pounds. This nugget at present prices would be worth $37,000. How in 1910, deep sea divers were brought from New York to pack the big steam pumps in the Free Silver Shaft. This was the first time anything of this nature was attempted, in reference to mining. It was finally successful and as a result, from 1910 to 1918, that mining ceased in the lower levels of the Smuggler and Della S, some 11 million dollars of ore had been mined. How the Midnight Mine, under the management of F.D. Willoughby, became the economy of the town during the 1930s and 1940s. How Herron brothers operated the downtown mines, the Smuggler, Silver King, built a mill and operated it until 1952. How at present, the only operation is the Richmond Hill Exploration Company now driving the Highland tunnel to cut the Midnight Mine ore body.
George:
That’s a pretty good summation of Aspen’s, did we say fabulous past? It was probably more than fabulous John?
John:
Oh, it really was. It was a wonderful place. With many, many thousands of dollars being produced every day.
George:
Well now, what kind was of life did this rich economy impose on the citizens, John?
John:
Aspen was a city of iron and wooden picket fences and wooden sidewalks interlaced with a checkerboard of well-kept ditches filled with clear mountain water. Trees, one for each lot in the block, nine trees in all. They were built alongside the curb and ditches. It was a city of horses, mules, jackasses and Shetland ponies. It ranged from the four and six horse team of the big greys hauling the ore wagons with their heavy iron rims through the beautiful span of matched horses and the elegant carriages. The pack trains of 100 to 150 jacks with their panniers loaded with supplies either carrying ore or supplies to the mines. Everyone had some form of transportation. Aspen was called the city of homes. As soon as the mines, miners, as soon as the mines began to produce millions of dollars the men that owned the mines, in many instances, became
millionaires. And they built fine homes. Starting in the block, the house now owned by Fred Glidden, west for four blocks on Hallam Street was known locally as millionaire row.
George:
I can believe that with all the money going around in town. Let’s talk about some of the other buildings in the community, John. I understand that there was even a Red-Light district?
John:
Yah, everyone had a pride in their homes. Flowers in all the yards and it was really a beautiful city. Aspen had its Jerome Hotel with all the known conveniences of the time. We had the Wheeler Opera House where the best shows then on the road made stops only in Denver, Leadville, Aspen and Salt Lake and then on to the coast. We had three schools: the Washington, Lincoln, Garfield and a High School with 1200 students. We had 39 lodges, the Masons alone had six and the Odd Fellows, five. We had Woodmen of the World, the Red Men, Women of the Woodcraft, lobe toners (??), high burnings, every lodge know to man (with laugh) must of had a lodge in Aspen.
George:
You were probably inmost of them John, huh?
John: (laughs)
I joined one or two. Everyone joined something. There were 10 churches, and among the number was one for Negros. There were six unions, there was one even for the barbers. Over 40 saloons and three very high-class gambling houses. They had roulette, faro, blackjack and poker games. There was a Red-Light district of four blocks on Durant Street. And if you arrived on the Colorado Midland, in order to get to the Jerome Hotel and the other parts of the city you practically had to walk through the Demimonde district.
George: (laughs)
Another form of recreation. How about some of the other things in town? I understand there was quite an interest in bicycles here, John.
John:
There surely was. During the last part of the ‘80s and all of the 1890s, the craze for bicycling swept the United States. And, of course, came to Aspen. And Aspen became crazier than anywhere! There were women bicycle clubs, men’s clubs, men and women clubs, the women with their bloomers and the men with their blazers and little blue caps with the insignia of a bicycle on the peak. As a result of this craze, and to accommodate Aspen’s baseball team, for Aspen belonged to the state league composed of Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Leadville and Aspen, a ¼ mile bicycle track and baseball grounds was built just across Castle Creek bridge, now where the golf course is.
George:
Oh yah.
John:
This track and baseball grounds was completely enclosed in a high board fence. There were two large grandstands and bleachers on each side. I have seen it as a boy some 1000-1500 people attending the races and the baseball game. As an outgrowth of the bicycle races in Aspen, the Colorado Midland and the Denver Rio Grande inaugurated what is known as the road races. This was a race by bicycle racers from Basalt to Glenwood Springs over a county road. There was intense excitement over this race. All the towns on the Western Slope entered racers; Grand Junction, Leadville, Glenwood, Delta, Montrose. The race against time and over the years the best racers were known and handicaps were set-up for the slower ones. Both the Colorado Midland and the Rio Grande would have eight or 10 coaches filled with spectators. Wherever possible the train would slow down to allow the passengers to watch the contestants. I suppose you could say these road races were in a way like the boat races of Yale and Harvard or Oxford and Cambridge.
George: (laughing by both)
We had a little culture here too John.
John:
Right.
George:
How about horse racing, was there any interest in this?
John:
Yes, there was. The ¼ mile track and baseball park across Castle Creek soon became too small because Aspen turned to horse racing. And so the ½ mile track for all kinds of horse racing and baseball games was built out where the Aspen Meadows now is. The outline of the track can still be seen. Here again they built grandstands; these stands had refreshment booths underneath. There was a judges stand for horse racing, and along where the Copper Kettle is now was built some 100 covered stalls for horses. Races, racing horses came from all over and it is said that Dan Patch, the greatest trotting horse of time, of all time, ran on the track. I myself think one of the most beautiful races is a harness race.
George:
John, in the, as a boy I imagine you have some grand recollections of the Fourth of July celebrations here.
John:
It was a great day in Aspen, George.
George:
Tell us about them.
John:
The Fourth of July was really a great day in early Aspen and there was only one place that such a celebration was held. This was beautiful Hallam Lake. Aspen Street at that time ended on the edge of the embankment above the lake. From Aspen Street down the embankment, a set of
stairs, six or eight feet wide with a railing led to the bank of the lake. Over and across the lower end of the lake a wooden sidewalk with a railing led to an acre and a half of well-kept lawn. At the edge of the lawn and on the bank of the lake was a Pavilion, some 100 feet long and 50 feet wide, complete with dance floor and a stage. To one side of the pavilion was another building about the same size. Here was a complete kitchen with long tables and benches and able to feed 100 to 150 people. Along the whole northern end of the lake ran a gravel path, some four to six feet wide, and in among the trees were giant swings. On the Fourth of July, this picnic ground and park of Hallam Lake was a scene of foot races and tugs of war. But the main event was a single and double handed drilling contest. Prize money was a $1000, $600 for the first prize, $250 for the second and $150 for the third. There were many side bets for a $1000 and then it was over, fights broke out all over the place.
George: (laughs)
John:
In a single-handed contest, a granite stone was drilled by one man. And in 15 minutes, he could usually drive into the stone 16 or 17 inches. In the double-handed, the man would drill as much as 37 or 38 inches. I think the record was some 42 inches made in Leadville, Colorado. After the drilling contest, all would find their way into the pavilion, on the stage would be given a burlesque or mellow drama, after which, about nine o’clock, it would be dancing for the rest of the night. Hallam Lake was a gift from Charles Hallam to Aspen. It was a unique and beautiful park and picnic ground. I only wish we had it back, as it was in early times.
George:
Oh, I guess there are many of us that wish we had that back. John, you’ve given us a good idea of summer activities here. And I am sure there are a few more that we’ll have to hit on a later program. May I make a suggestion? Could you return on Monday, June 15 and we will go into more summer activities and some winter activities too?
John:
I’d be very glad to George, if your listeners like to hear the things of dear old Aspen I’ll be glad to tell them about it.
George:
I’m sure they do. And thank you very much John. This is Commentary for today.