Theresa V. Francis

“ By hard work and ingenious use of materials familiar to her through the years of teaching arts and crafts in the Marble and other schools, she established an independent living for herself. By patiently and accurately answering dozens of questions thousands of times, and by friendly help to all of the people who stopped at her roadside stand every summer, Theresa has made many friends for herself and for Marble. By her enthusiasm for, and faith in the future of Marble, she has done more than any other person toward bringing her beloved town back to life. ”

“ Healy, the motorman, stayed with the balance of the train, as did the Mexican and the little girl. The runaway cars held the track until the turn at the loading station in the yards, when everything turned over on the curve and smashed into splinters. Healy was caught beneath a huge block of marble and was crushed to death. He probably never knew what struck him. The Mexican was slammed onto the ground with such force that death was instantaneous. ”

“ The scenic grandeur of the Crystal River cannot be excelled; sometimes narrow canyons, precipitous cliffs and steep waterfalls; sometimes broad valleys heavily wooded with stately ponderosa pine, Engelmann spruce, Colorado green spruce, blue spruce, Douglas fir, the narrow leaf cottonwood, and the quaking aspen; carpeted with waist high ferns, Oregon grapes, and kinnikinnick (sometimes called Indian tobacco) interspersed with brilliant flowers of every hue, and often rare plants found only in much warmer climes. ”

“ It has always been easier to enter Schofield from Crested Butte than from Crystal, but now with the opening of a jeep road between Schofield and Crystal City all that has been changed and today a new Schofield is in the making. This time it is to be a 40-acre tract of modern buildings containing a 24-housing unit, a motel, and a store. None of the over-night constructed mining shacks this time, but modern log cabins built to withstand the elements at this nearly 10,000 foot elevation.
Leaving Schofield, the Crystal River goes through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. ”

“ The natural resources are unsurpassable. It is an often stated fact that the Crystal River area from Schofield to Redstone bears the heaviest concentration of known minerals in the United States. Millions of dollars worth of coal deposits, undeveloped; billions of dollars worth of pure white marble waiting to be made into buildings, memorials, and statuaries; gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc deposits that haven’t been scratched. Yes, Mother Nature has been very generous in this fabulous valley. ”

“ The Welcome J. Neals who also own mining claims and a house in Crystal City, come every year from Mooresville, Ind., and bring their friends and relatives for a delightful summer’s vacation where the weather is just right, the scenery unsurpassable, and the elusive trout waiting to match his skill against that of the tourist. ”

“ Now it is a popular summer resort, Prospect Ranch Cabins, owned by Jim and Gus Darien and run by the Gus Dariens of Carbondale.
Any article or series of articles treating of the advantages of the Crystal River Valley as a vacationing playground would not be complete without mentioning one of the prettiest camping and fishing spots in the state, Bogan Flats—located five miles below Marble. The Forestry Department supplies the tables, seats, fireplaces, and restrooms. There are many quiet nooks in the river where the ingenious trout lurks and seldom does any fisherman go away empty-handed. ”

“ The demonitization of silver in 1893 and the inability to get adequate means of transportation for lead, zinc, and other ores, the town of Crystal City was practically depopulated soon after the turn of the century until 1916. Then it again looked as if the prospectors’ dream might come true: the population again rose to several hundred; the Lead King mine, the Black Queen mine, and the Sheep Mountain tunnel were reopened; the smelter and concentration mill were reconditioned; a blacksmith shop, cook house, and bunk houses were located two miles above Crystal City on Rock Creek. ”

“ During the winter months the mail was brought up from Marble by a carrier on snowshoes, who as a rule could get through with very little trouble. But once when a very deep feathery snow had fallen he was unable to get through for over a week. The egg supply at the store was exhausted; so they decided to send a man down to try to get some. He made it down all right but had to wait several days for the snow to crust over before coming back. Then he carried the case of eggs strapped on his shoulders the six miles back to Crystal City. In the meantime the price of eggs soared. ”

“ Olyn Parker, Denton, Texas, are another couple who have shown their faith in the valley by investing in Swiss Village Resort one mile above Redstone and are happy to see its increased popularity every summer.
Reese Lewellyn of Glenwood Springs has charge of the Mid Continent Coal & Coke Co. that is working the mines up Coal Creek and making coke in Redstone. They are using a fleet of large trucks to haul their products to the railroad at Carbondale. It is rumored that eventually the railroad will be extended to Redstone to accommodate this growing industry. ”

“ Four miles below Redstone the Crystal River runs through a district that contains several hot mineral springs that have medicinal value comparable to any in the United States.
Soon the canyon widens, sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other, into fertile meadows especially adapted to raising strawberries, raspberries, cherries, and apples. A little farther on there are large ranches bordering it. These raise potatoes, oats, alfalfa, and hay; they all depend on the never failing Crystal River for irrigation. ”

“ The route down our valley from Crested Butte to Carbondale and Glenwood Springs is becoming quite popular for those traveling on horseback, as the distance is considerable shorter and can be made in about two days. If our wagon road were only completed there would be a large amount of freighting done on this road and it would not be long before the mail route would be extended down the valley. ”

“ High tension lines were run to the mill and to the quarry, and all the company houses were wired for electricity. Upon the completion of all this, work was really in production.
It took the trained mind of an engineer, Commodore A. J. Mitchell, to see value in the calcium carbonate (marble) deposits that had taken eons to form and place in such a position that man could extract large blocks from their beds; it took the indominable courage and optimism of a man like Col. C. F. Meek to see the possibilities of developing an industry that would make Colorado famous ”

“ Aug. 25, 1917, Marble Booster newspaper:
“Crystal mines are in their infancy. It would take a million men a thousand years to exhaust the hills up that way of their silver, copper, lead and zinc.”
Many interesting stories are told of the early days in Crystal City by some of its first settlers. One told by F. W. (Dad) Reyland was that one wintery day when the snow had drifted above the doors of many of the buildings, they decided to liven things up a bit by having a dance. Now the dance hall was one of the buildings completely covered by snow. ”

“ When we got there and shoveled out the plow and side track, Pop asked me if I would run the fan on the plow. Everyone was tense and excited. The motorman most of all. The plow had never been tried out and no one knew whether the brakes would hold or not; and the road between the quarry and the town was known to be the ‘steepest, slickest, smoothest railroad in the world.’ Captain Bill Hafner showed me an article in a magazine called Rock of Ages, published somewhere in the east, making that assertion. ”

“ Many nice guests came our way that first summer and stayed in our cabins. Since then many people—and they are such lovely people—have come our way and happy are the memories of their laughter ringing out over the place in summers and falls.
“We derive genuine pleasure in seeing our guests happy. Most of them are people who love a quiet vacation away from cities, close to nature. Many enjoy riding into the high country to see nature at its best. So very many enjoy fishing while others like to ride, hike, rest, or play games. ”

“ Good fishing and hunting, a delightful summer climate, and scenery that can not be duplicated, bring in more and more people every year and it is fast becoming one of the better resort sections of the western slope. It is often referred to as “The Swiss Alps of the United States.”
At present Beaver Lake Lodge and Cabins owned and operated by the Wade C. Loudermilks, formerly of Buckeye, Ariz., is the only tourist accommodation in Marble. But once a person stays in the clean, modern cabins or partakes of the delicious meals served in the lodge, he is sure to return again and again. ”

“ Citizens around Glenwood Springs and Carbondale are all anxious to see the toll road built up the river as it would give them another outlet to Crested Butte and in fact all Gunnison County would be benefitted by the construction of the road. ”

“ Fond are our memories of gatherings in the living room in front of a roaring fire in the huge fireplace listening to the guests tell of the big fish that got away, or the hunters tell of their day’s experiences in getting their elk, deer or bear.
“Our fondest wish is to keep Redstone and the surrounding area always a place where people like to return year after year, and that God will grant us many more years to live in this lovely spot.
“Yes, we love Redstone and to us the area in and near there is some of the most beautiful country we have ever seen. ”

“ As one would get ready to jump—a tree, or a trolley pole, or a ledge would show up right in the face of the one trying to find a space wide enough to make a safe landing. The snow was deep and jumping at that rate of speed made some comical sights; some landing on others and rolling down the hill together. ”

“ Harris own numerous lots and two cabins in Marble and several mining claims in the Crystal City area, that they feel confident will warrant their investment, and faith in the valley.
Mr. and Mrs. Ted S. (Marion) Wallace of Tucson, Ariz., have purchased several lots and a house in Marble. They expect to modernize it and spend part of their summers there away from the heat in Tucson.
Oscar McCullum, a government employee of Washington, D. C., has a summer cabin in Marble. While his work takes him to all parts of the world, he and his family manage to spend some time each year there. ”

“ C. F. Meek owned controlling interest in the Colorado Yule Marble Co. composed of stockholders from Philadelphia and other eastern cities, and was the president and general manager. Knowing how to handle men as well as finances he was very popular with the company employees. Under his management orders came pouring in and soon Colorado Yule marble was being used all over the United States: From Houston, Tex. to Chicago, Ill.; from Washington, D. C., and New York City to Portland, Ore., Los Angeles and San Francisco, Calif. ”

“ They decided it was and on Aug. 5, 1958, after many months of hard work, the first jeeps came through from Crested Butte to Marble. In 1959 they hope to improve the road enough to permit passenger cars to come down; but no vehicle without a 4-wheel drive could make the trip up the canyon.
The first group to make the trip over the new road was composed of the following people:
Leaving the punch bowls the river runs another mile and a half before the North Fork from Lead King Basin joins it. ”

“ The wagon road up the Crystal River from Carbondale is progressing quite favorably and our citizens are in hopes it will be completed this fall.
THE MARBLE CITY TIMES and Clarence Chronicle Sept. 8, 1893
In the Little Jessie mine on Yule Creek, there is from four to six feet of lead ore exposd in the workings, which runs well in lead and silver. The ore body is opened up in two places and shows up well. ”

“ The Collins, Tidwells, and Fowlers are holding on to all their mining claims and town property in Crystal City. They say if they never realize all their investment, they will at least always have a wonderful place to spend their vacations. ”

“ Next, the river flows through Chair Mountain Ranch, also once a part of the Osgood Estate. The Earl Z. McCullys bought it from Mrs. Lucille Osgood McDonald in 1943, had it ready to open as a guest ranch in 1947, and ran it as such until the fall of 1952 when they sold it to the Ray Somers of Mountain View, Calif., and Mr. and Mrs. (formerly Mrs. Lola Kemp) C. H. Patterson of Farmington, N. Mex. ”

“ GLEANINGS From Old Valley Newspapers
Some interesting, or at least amusing items taken from the Crystal River Current, Crystal City, Colo.:
Oct. 9, 1886
Bar silver $0.97 per oz.
Lead $4.50 per 100 lbs.
Our miners are wondering if James N. Bennett, our next County Commissioner, will do anything toward extending a wagon road up Crystal River next fall.
Bill Benton came over the divide from Crested Butte on Monday with 75 jacks loaded with hay for the J. C. Osgood Coal Co. Hay and grain are very scarce along the valley as the demand is greater than the supply. ”

“ And in 1952 he bought approximately 1,700 acres from the company and now runs 2,100 sheep in this area every summer.
Our tourists with very few exceptions are awed and thrilled by our magnificent scenery. George Rosenberg, managing editor of the Tucson Daily Citizen, Tucson, Ariz. is no exception. He and his family vacationed in Marble and Carbondale for the first time in 1958. His enthusiasm for Marble is recorded in a story with pictures, he published in the Citizen, Aug. ”