Historical Survey Report 1992 - Laserfiche WebLink

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THE 1870's Colorado's fortunes, (and Boulder's, as Bixby pointed out), looked dim by the middle of the 1860's. Almost simultaneously, several factors contributed to ensure not only the survival of the territory, but lead it into statehood as well. Hill's successful smelting process for gold extraction at Black Hawk elicited renewed interest in eastern capital invest- ment in Colorado's mining industry. Now more technical and ex- pensive lode mining operations could proceed with a greater assur- ance of profits. Silver mining, which had developed as early as 1864 near Georgetown, came to the fore in the 1870's with the discovery at Caribou in 1870, and the fabulous wealth of Leadville in 1878. Despite theseimprovements in the mining industry, Colorado promoters were only too aware that without sufficient railroad connections to ease the high costs of transporting ores by wagon, the economic situation would remain precarious. Failing to en- tice the Union Pacific through the rugged Colorado Rockies, Denver and Golden entered their celebrated rivalry during the late 1860's to connect their cities with the U. P. at Cheyenne. 1870 marked a milestone in state history when the boosters of the Denver Pacific, through raising donations and passing bond issues, were first to achieve the life and death connection to the north. The Kansans Pacific also reached Denver from the east that year, as well as an extension of the Colorado Central from Golden. Denver's future. had:become considerably more secure. The Colorado Central continued to build north, and importantly for the future development of Louisville, reached Boulder and Longmont in 1873. Also in that year, a branch of the Denver Pacific, the Boulder Valley line, reached Boulder from the east via the coal banks at Erie, providing a significant link in intercity commerce between Boulder and Denver. Not only was the territory now assured of a growing network of rails to transport its mineral wealth, but the existence of vast coal deposits on the eastern plains near Boulder gave a remarkable boost to furthur investment.