Colorado Central Articles From — October 1997

Column by Hal Walter

Agriculture – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

During haying season, if you drive out Hermit Road, due west out of Westcliffe, you might notice a huge monument to a way of life that is disappearing at an alarming rate as our region changes from a rural, mostly agricultural, economy to a growth-for-the-sake-of-growth development economy. Read the rest of this article

Letter from John Rothermel

Religion – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

Prisoner wants outside help for ancient rites

Dear Mr. Quillen:

I hope this finds you well. I am John Rothermel, a Godi — that is, a “priest” of Asatru — here at Buena Vista Correction Facility.

Several months ago, I was told by Suzanne MacDonald you had agreed to print a letter in your magazine on our behalf.

I apologize for the delay in writing you. I have been trying to work with the administration here, but with little success. So, I would greatly appreciate any assistance you could afford us. Read the rest of this article

Letter from J.T. Mosier

Prisons – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

Chico residents thrilled by benefits of new jail

Editors:

Congratulations, dear friends and neighbors in Chaffee County, on being selected to receive a state-of-the-art jail tailored to cash in on the boom in bed-and-breakfast facilities for convicts in transit. Read the rest of this article

Letter from Paul Martz

Mining – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

There’s a lot more to it than just staking a claim

Editors:

I’m still trying to understand some of the points that Ken Wright was trying to make in the September edition of Colorado Central. I agree with, and certainly sympathize with, some of the things he says about the West and those of us who actually live and work here. I am further heartened to read that he is no longer a strict constructionist tree-hugger. However, his article repeats several distortions that the environmental movement promotes about the Mining Law of 1873, and I object to that. Read the rest of this article

Letter from Laurence Budd

Development – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

Jeff Donlan had it right

Dear Mrs. Quillen,

I have just read the September 1997 copy of Colorado Central, and did not miss the point that Salida is having growing pains. We live near a small town in central New Mexico, and we too are having similar pains. Read the rest of this article

Review by Martha Quillen

Inspiration – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

Passing Through: Reflections On Life
by Joe Black
Life Vision Books, 800-348-9953 Read the rest of this article

[amazon-product]0195090764[/amazon-product]Review by Ed Quillen

Colorado History – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

Buildings of Colorado
by Thomas J. Noel
published in 1997 by Oxford University Press
ISBN 0-19-509076-4 Read the rest of this article

Article by Marcia Darnell

Publishing – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

I was shoved into the brutal world of magazine publishing by a devious manipulator known as Ed Quillen, for whom I blame for all my ensuing woes.

In the winter of 1995 I suggested to Ed that he and Martha should expand Colorado Central’s area of coverage throughout the San Luis Valley.

“And if you need another editor, I can help you,” I said, coyly, trying to suck my way into a new job. But my ploy backfired. Read the rest of this article

Essay by Ed Quillen

Salida legal system – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

Seldom does one see constitutional issues argued in Salida Municipal Court, which generally functions as a Robin-Hood-in-reverse economic machine.

Most defendants are young and many are poor. They plead guilty and are fined and assessed court costs. Their money goes into the city treasury, to be spent on more police to protect us from the young and poor who hang out on street corners rather than at the Elks’ Lodge, or for more safety enforcement to protect us from people who can’t afford to bring everything up to code at once. Read the rest of this article

Sidebar by Erik Moore

Local History – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

The Yellow House, along with the partially restored Maysville schoolhouse, is one of the last standing reminders of the flash-in-the-pan existence which many before-the-turn-of-the-century mining camps experienced in Central Colorado.

The name Maysville was in honor of the hometown in Kentucky whence came Gen. William Marshall, the discoverer of Marshall Pass. Read the rest of this article

Article by Erik Moore

Local History – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

Wouldn’t it be neat to move to the mountains, buy some splendid but decrepit old Victorian house, fix it up, open up a bed and breakfast, then live happily ever after? We did that, but we had to get to the ever-after part before things started going happily.

Cheri was born and raised in Littleton. I began my Colorado career at the age of nine months when my family moved to Denver. We are aging baby boomers now. We quit the city in 1983 and moved to Salida. Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

Geography – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

Back in our December, 1995, edition, George Sibley of Gunnison wrote about his geographic discovery: Headwaters Hump, a rather ordinary 11,862-foot protuberance south of Marshall Pass between Windy Peak and Antora Peak.

Despite its middling elevation, Headwaters Hump (our name; the USGS has no name for it, and George calls it Headwaters Hill or Madre de la Agua) has a distinction. It is the only mountain on this planet which drains into the three great rivers of the Southwest: Rio Grande, Colorado, and Arkansas. Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

Internet – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

Internet service in Central Colorado has been in a flux lately. The first provider to offer local service, Rocky Mountain Internet, has withdrawn from the area.

RMI, based in Colorado Springs and a strong presence along the Front Range, arrived about two years ago, in the fall of 1995.

It quickly gained hundreds of customers, which meant growing pains as it tried to add lines and had to wait on US West, which meant its customers had to endure busy signals, and then slow connections when they did get on. Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

Anza Day – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

If you missed Anza Day on Aug. 22 in Poncha Springs, you missed some fine presentations, although you probably stayed drier than the 120 or so people who came.

Anza Day celebrates the first recorded visit to Central Colorado. It was a military campaign against the Jupe Comanche led in August of 1779 by Juan Bautista de Anza, then governor of the Spanish Province of Nuevo Mexico. Anza, with 800 men and 2,500 horses, camped at the site of Saguache on Aug. 24, crossed Poncha Pass, and camped at the site of Poncha Springs on Aug. 27. Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

Colorado Central – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

Your magazine is in the mail…really.

Some of our subscribers mentioned that their August editions arrived much later than usual. So late, indeed, that many despaired of ever getting it at all, although, as best we know, they all eventually arrived. Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

Wal-Mart – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

The Grand Opening of the Big Box happened on September 10. It was welcome, since it came after weeks of being unable to find many varieties of merchandise at the old Wal-Mart because inventory was being moved (and being unable to find some of the stuff anywhere else in Salida, since those stores had closed after Wal-Mart No. 1 opened in 1986) . Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

Media – October 1997 – Colorado Central Magazine

From time to time, we hear people talk of starting new radio stations hereabouts. Several years ago, it was in Leadville, and more recently, Salida.

And then we hear that the money needs are great and the licensing process is lengthy and difficult.

But that may not be the only route to radio. The Valley Chronicle in Paonia recently reported on a different approach taken by Angel Babudro, a North Fork resident. Read the rest of this article