Supreme Court says Rosita to remain Custer County Seat – Peaks of the Past

(Originally published January 18, 2024)

(Information was gleaned from copies of the Wet Moun­tain Tribune unless noted otherwise, all from the third week in January.)

140 Years Ago – 1884

The Sierra Journal (Rosita)

As we go to press, a telegram from Denver furnishes the pleasing information, that the Supreme Court, has determined the county-seat contest in favor of Rosita, thus affirming the decision of Judge Hayt, rendered in March of last year. We congratulate the citizens of Custer County, on the determina­tion of this question, which has vexed the county so long, and especially the friends of Rosita – that the “Little Rose,” is the victor. It is the earnest hope of the Journal that all feelings of bitterness that have heretofore divided the people of Custer County upon this question will be forever buried.

The Dora post office has been reestablished under the name of Gove, with Mr. Georganna Foster as postmistress. The new office is near the Govetown station on the D&RG railroad, and will supply the wants of the people of that place and Texas Creek Valley. This is the shipping point for the people of Texas Creek and has a prospect of becoming a town of no small importance.

We take this opportunity to correct an error that appeared in the Journal of last week in regard to Jas. A Melvin. He was not the first treasurer of Custer County but was the first elected Treasurer of the County. W.F. Gowdy served as trea­surer from the time the county was formed, until Mr. Melvin was elected. Mr. Gowdy was appointed to the position by John L. Routt, then governor of the state.

Col. Frank Alumbaugh, of Iowa, will conclude a course of lectures on temperance here tonight. Col. Alumbaugh is a strong advocate of the temperance cause. His lectures here have done a great deal of good for the cause, and over one hundred and twenty-five people have signed the pledge. He will leave here tomorrow for Silver Cliff, where he will address the people in the evening and then go to Coal Creek, where he has a weeks engagement. He is a good speaker and thoroughly understands both sides of the question from per­sonal experience, and has aroused a number of our people to an activity that is surprising for a quiet town like Rosita.

100 Years Ago – 1924

Harry Dieckman of the Valley sustained a painful injury to a kneecap one day last week, the result of having been kicked by a horse.

Harry Falkenberg sustained a badly sprained ankle last Friday, the result of slipping on the ice. He has been loco­moting about on crutches since.

All railroads entering Denver from twelve western and southwestern states have granted a special rate and one-third for the round trip to Denver during the National Western Stock show week.

George Walker and Frank Sanders, with a wagonload of horse and sheep meat, left Tuesday on a trapping expedition into the Blackburn country. Casper says the boys are out for big game, anything from grizzly bears to elephants.

The Cañon and Florence papers, when violent weather prevails there, show what blessed climates they live in, gen­erally, and often erroneously, say how much more severe the storm was up in the Valley. In their report of the recent cold snap, we observe that it was colder down on that old Arkansas River, where it registered 19 degrees below zero, than it has been here yet this winter. In the Florence Citizen of last week some galoot reported that the Westcliffe train made only one trop during the week on account of the snow, when, as a matter of fact there was only one day the train didn’t make its regular trop. Only a slight error.

40 Years Ago -1984

If you stick a straw into a glass and suck, the level of the liquid in the glass will go down evenly all over, not just where the straw is. That is one reason a local rancher gave for the concern over the Round Mountain Water and Sanitation District’s Recent application for underground water rights to the intermontane trough of the Wet Mountain Valley – an underground aquifer that covers approximately 40 square miles in Fremont and Custer Counties. The water district’s applications for water rights are based on a 1978 U.S. Geo­logic Survey report that described the intermontane trough in the valley as a closed underground basin that is filled by now melt runoff. Therefore, the district says the water in non-tributary, unappropriated water is open to claims.

Firemen were still struggling to contain a hay barn fire at Dr. Boyer’s ranch south of Cuerno Verde Tuesday night. As of the Tribune’s deadline, the volunteer firemen had returned to town once to refill their water tanks. The fire was still going strong an hour after the first alarm was received at 4:40 p.m.

Jeff and Richard Hobby, along with Joe Simons, moved a collapsed doe to a tree that was free of snow, hoping the exhausted animal would recover. It was gone the next morning.

It pays to advertise. That truism applies to businesses, of course, but also works well with entire communities such as the Wet Mountain Valley. The Southern Colorado Tourism Council which covers the 19 southern counties in Colorado including Custer, has been increasing its promotional activi­ties in the past few months and results tend to show that the efforts are paying off. Two Westcliffe residents are members of the council board: Bob Halenda, who is on his second term as vice-president, and Don Bishop, who was elected to his first term as secretary.

10 Years Ago – 2014

Real Estate sales improved slightly, but still down by half from the peak in 2005. Building permits also remained stag­nant, with only 44 new home permits purchased. The peak was in 2002 with 134 purchased.

Mark O’Brien was awarded the Sheriff’s department employee of the year for his detention duties.

A building on South Sixth Street in Westcliffe that is under construction is just three feet below the building limit for the town of Westcliffe. The building owned by Adam Blejwas will be the new office of for his construction company.

Local Dave Cruickshank was appointed as chairman for the Wet Mountain Rotary Van Service by the local Rotary Club.

Lifelong resident Mary (Reis) Kastendieck died on Sat­urday, January 18 at VALI Assisted living.

Services were held for Phyllis Kastendieck who passed away on December 21, 2013.

Harvey Geroux passed away on January 16 after a long illness.

1 Year Ago – 2023

The Westcliffe Planning Commission (PC) held their first regular meeting of 2023 on January 4. On the agenda under New Business was a discussion of a “3-Mile Plan” for the town, to be adopted after a review of the town’s Master Plan and a revision of Title 10 of the Town Code.The 3-Mile Plan is being prepared in compliance with Colorado Revised Statute Section 31-12-105(l)(e)(D), which deals with annex­ations, and states that any annexation within a three-mile limit of a municipality’s existing limits must have a plan that accounts for infrastructure such as public utilities, roads and bridges, and parks and other public spaces. During discus­sion, Mayor Paul Wenke stressed, “We are required by the state to have a 3-Mile Plan – we have no immediate