The cliffs which gave Turret its name are to the rear of the
photographer in both shots. These photos look across the Arkansas
Valley to Shavano and Antero Peaks. When the 1902 picture was taken,
Turret had a population of one hundred ninety-five and was reached
by stage from Salida. Note the residences on the hill at the far end
of the main street where the 1960 shot caught a sod roof and amateur
chimney.
[Illustration: D.K.P., 1960]
“When I went to Turret in 1932 to operate a mine, there were
thirty-seven inhabitants, three of whom were old timers, since they had
been there from the 1890’s. One, Pete G. Schlosser of Illinois, claimed
to be the first man to eat tomatoes and thus prove they were
non-poisonous. Another, Emil Becker of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, had
been the most active prospector of all, discovering mines and selling
them. He was a former big league ball player, having pitched to Connie
Mack. One of his old teammates, Billy Sunday, visited Becker when the
latter was running a saloon in Turret, and that is a story in itself.”
In 1960 Turret had fifteen houses standing. The largest (which may have
been the Gregory Hotel) was painted white, cared for, and evidently
inhabited as a summer home. Two or three others appeared also to have
been redeemed from the mountain rats by weekend sojourners. But the
remainder were true ghosts.
Turret has a stimulating view of Shavano and Antero Peaks and the
Collegiate Range. It is unique for the castle-like cliffs which stand
guard to the east and which gave the town its name....
Bonanza, or Bonanza City, dates from early in 1880 when gold was found
along Kerber Creek. An episode occurred about the naming of Bonanza
which is probably unique in the annals of Colorado. The city fathers
decided on Bonanza City as a name. In consequence the town was so
incorporated in December, 1880, but they changed their minds. One month
later, in January, 1881, the town was re-incorporated as Bonanza. This
has led to considerable confusion during the years—some historians
claiming that Bonanza is one of Colorado’s seven incorporated
“cities”—which it is not.
The town’s boom began in the summer of 1880 when there was a rush to
Kerber Creek. Four towns sprang up of which Bonanza is the sole
survivor. For a few it had a population of some fifteen hundred while
thirty-two businesses tended to Bonanza’s needs. But the district’s ore
was a disappointment—far from bonanza. It proved to be low grade and
also refractory. In the mid-1880’s the town almost died.
Then Mark Beidell imported new machinery for the Michigan mine and mill
and proved that the ore values could be recovered for small but adequate
profit. Slowly others emulated this example, and by 1900 the Bonanza,
Exchequer and Eagle mines had been re-opened. More mines such as the
Wheel of Fortune, St. Joe and K. O. also produced steadily. The ores
were largely lead, zinc and silver with a little copper.
Bonanza has never died. In 1910 it had a population of one hundred. Some
thirty people were still living there the year around in 1960, the men
actively mining and hoping for the price of metals to rise. Many
buildings were standing, at least half of them deserted.
Bonanza is unique in our collection because of the anomaly of its name—a
real misnomer.
[Illustration: Charles Goodman, mid-1880’s; D.P.L.]