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This week in history Oct. 23, 1920: Climax mine makes tax arrangement during dispute between Lake and Summit counties

Compiled by Summit Daily Staff
As reported in the Oct. 23, 1920 edition of The Summit County Journal: On the island of Rapa, the men are outnumbered by the women seven to one: there are 150 women on the island and only 20 men. Men are in such great demand that the women invent ways of serving them so as to win them for husbands. Feeding the men, as illustrated here, is one of the common methods employed by the charm school of Rapa.
Image from Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection

This week in history as reported by The Summit County Journal the week of Oct. 23, 1920.

Agreement made regarding taxes in Climax district

A “friendly suit” in the form of a complaint against Lake and Summit counties, and against the treasurers of those counties was filed yesterday with the clerk of the district court by the Climax Molybdenum company in regard to payment of taxes by that company.



The company’s main holdings lie in the disputed area which the county line suit was was waged over, and as the suit is a present waiting judgement of the supreme court, the molybdenum company is at a loss to know which county is entitled to taxes. The company states that it is able and desirous to pay all taxes assessed on their property, and is especially desirous to avoid all penalties for the non-payment of the taxes.

The company offered to deposit in the court the amount of taxes that may be payed upon the decision of the supreme court. They also asked that the court issue a restraining order against the two counties to prevent their starting proceedings against the company towards collection of the taxes.



Attorneys for the two counties entered into an agreement, wherein the company would not be required to make a deposit in the court, and no action would be taken against the company by either county until the boundary case was settled.

Tonopah Placers Company denies false rumor of shutdown

Last Sunday’s news of Denver carried an article stating that the Tonopah Mining Company of Nevada had abandoned their Breckenridge operations, known as the Tonopah Placers Company. The article in question was taken from the Financial Review and was supposed to have originated in the eastern office of the company.

To people in Summit County, who know the Tonopah Placers Company has been operating steadily, it appears as a joke. The local company has been making preparations for working as long as possible this winter and is making plans for next summer’s operation. Manager J. E. Hopkins stated that no shutdown was contemplated as far as he knows.

Pioneer resident dies after long period of illness

Nels Pehrson, who as a carpenter and builder had a large share in the upbuilding of this district since the 1880s, died at 1:35 p.m. last Saturday at his home on South Main Street. He was 74 years of age and had been confined to his home with sickness for over a year.

Pehrson was born at Malmo, Sweden on Aug. 14, 1846. He came to the U.S. at age 20 and went to work as a carpenter and joiner in Chicago where he married Katherine Matilda Larsen in 1872. On account his his wife’s poor health, he came to Colorado in 1879, she died in Denver in October of that year.

Pehrson came to Breckenridge in 1880 to build the Arlington Hotel for Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Ecklund. He liked the place, got interested in the mining game and remained. When advancing age compelled him to retire from active vocational life, he could point to many structures in the district which he had a prominent share in building. As a side-line he devoted much time and money to the development of mining prospects, though he never made a “stake” worthy of the name.

Summit County Republicans held rally last evening

The opening ball of the fall campaign was thrown last evening for the Summit County Republicans. A rally was held at the G.A.R. Hall and from all accounts it was a chilly reception for the audience as well as the speakers. The hall was very cold and only a few people turned out.

Local news notes from all around Summit County

  • The lower blue stockmen who have been grazing cattle on the Dillon range during the past summer will begin riding that range next Monday to gather their range stock. Close to 1,500 head of cattle have been grazing that range and it is expected to take 10-14 days to gather them.
  • Several lower blue ranchmen were in town this week disposing of their potato crop. Many of them are also offering beef for sale locally rather than ship it to Denver.
  • Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Travis are said to have abandoned their car trip after a two day’s journey to Kremmling. They took the stage from Kremmling to Wolcott and caught the California-bound Rio Grande train.
  • W. F. Wanious of the Jessie Mine force drove over the Hoosier Pass yesterday. It took two hours and forty minutes to reach Fairplay from Breckenridge and he reported 14 inches of snow on top of the pass.
  • Norwood Courrier entertained 10 of his little friends to a Halloween party at the Denver Hotel this afternoon in honor of his sixth birthday.


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