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This week in Summit County history: ‘Leslie Westerman still seeking a place in army’

Compiled by Breckenridge Heritage Alliance
This Week in History

This week in history as reported by the Summit County Journal 100 years ago, the week of Sept. 18-22.

Leslie Westerman the only son of Col and Mrs. C.L. Westerman, having lived in an atmosphere of intense patriotism all his life, has made not less than seven different attempts to enter the army and “do his bit” at the battle front. But up to the present time he has always been rejected because of the fact that he has several times been operated on for varicose veins in one of his legs. The results of the seventh effort have not yet been learned, as it was only begun yesterday, when he left Denver for Fort Riley in hopes of being given a place in the quartermaster’s department. He is willing to surrender a lucrative position he has for some time occupied in the Brown Palace Hotel.

Roby meets a considerate holdup



While Carl Roby, member of the Mesa County draft contingent, was escorting a lady home last evening, he was held up at the point of two guns and robbed. After taking all of his money, one of the robbers was overcome by remorse and handed Roby back a dollar with the remark: “You may need it.”

Dredge No. 1 again forging ahead



The Number One dredge of the Tonopah Placers company is again working now on the east side of the Colorado & Southern railway track. The temporary track around the boat has been abandoned and the rails laid over the former right-of-way, so the trains are now traveling over the old route. The new wagon road has less completed for travel by the Tonopah company. This dredge will now work up the Blue River valley on the east side of the railroad grade and the new Yuba dredge, now being built, will complete the duty of tearing up the west side of the valley in search of the yellow metal.

Girl heads engineer students

For the first time in the history of the University of Colorado, a woman has become president of the Combined Engineers, an organization composed of all engineering students. Miss Elsie Eaves is the young lady, and has come to the office due to the fact that the president-elect, Donald K. Rymer of Denver, entered Fort Riley last May and received a second lieutenant’s commission. The result is that Miss Eaves, who was elected vice president by the members last spring automatically becomes president.

Women drive war automobiles

Between 150 and 200 women soon will be driving military motor cars behind the French front.

Women have tried since the beginning of the war to enlist in the automobile service. The Club Feminin Automobile was the center of this group, and it had secured the signatures of several hundred of the thousand women in Paris who hold licenses to drive motor cars. The passive resistance of the different war bureaus held them back until now.

The women are obliged to enlist for three months and to agree to submit scrupulously to military rules and disciplines. They will in the beginning replace motor ambulance drivers in the foreign sanitary sections who are transferred to other services. Later on they may replace men in other automobile sections.

The Breckenridge Heritage Alliance is a nonprofit founded to promote and protect Breckenridge’s unique heritage. The organization offers year-round guided tours and hikes. Go to breckheritage.com or call (970) 453-9767.


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