Show VOW NOW SOLDIERS SPRING GOT ITS irs NAME soldiers spring is situated about one mile west of the cou bouny llly court house house in monticello and was named in honor of a company of united states soldiers who camped there for about two mon hs july and augut august t 1887 this company of cavalry came from port for lewis colorado now discontinued which lies 22 miles west of durango colordo colorado these soldiers were sent here to protect mornan colonists who were located at what was then called montezuma Monie Monte zuma zurna 1 crek but later named verdure which is located 7 miles south oj of this small band of colonists came from bluff city and their leader wi bishop F I 1 jones they numbered about twenty y five the carlisle cattle le company y J at that time claimed fah wf of the he cc country try around the bue and n elk MOUT ins and considered i his band ban of f homemakers invading their h e range r n e early in june a bunch of cowboys getting loaded up on red liquor concluded they would intimidate and run out this bunch of s anda and a cowboy is much like his hi rel red brother the radian indian when whiskey y Is inside liim so being well armed hilti winchesters Win chesters and colt six I 1 shooters with plenty of cartridges they concluded to shoot up the settlers camp that was alon along gAhe the creek coming out at brecknock breck neck speed down the hill above the home seekers scamp amp they began to shoot up things in general the women and children sought shelter from the bullets that around them but the men thought the cowboys wore were only anly trying to scare them which was true so they stood their ground and tied lied to reason with the drunken cowboys asking them to please stop shooting as they might accident lyl kill someone the shooting finally eased ceased and some of he cowboys bei hegan to talk you nesters desters ne get to hell out of here back to bluff city cit here you belong or we will move you and in a rough way in four days bishop jones replied we are bona fide settlers seeking homesteads and we are going to to stay and we think the government will back us up in this better look out you mormons cormons Mor mons as we ve are coming coining back with this shot e cowboys departed soon after their departure bishop jones held it a mcw wow with his companions companion and they decided to seek protection from f rom 1 the soldiers at fort lewis bishop jones saddled the best horse obey ey iad I ad in the outfit and struck ek out f for or yort tort lewis lew is the distance was i ailes but after changing horses at mancos he reached fort for lewis in 22 hours and a company of cavalry reached the scene of couble two days day later the soldiers at once established a camp at what later was called soldiers spring and no trouble was had T lor some time with the cowboys soon after the soldiers arrived ai rived bishop jones and a small bunch cf the settlers started surveying with crude instruments a di dijah ch out of north montezuma creek near soldiers spring to cover lands in and around where monticelli monticell now stands this survey and some ditch work vork was completed in the late fall of 1887 in april 1888 bishor jonea jone und and the other homesteaders came and established permanent residence finished ditches plowed plaited and built the first cabins for their families soon after as possible pos sibl tie tae pi sneers built a school ch chorea churea chur urea cli and sn n hall trees were planted both fruit and shade trees and dodty these shade shadi trees stand as a monument L to the old Vio pioneer information from mrs v I 1 1 I jones chas E Wal toh Art munroe inroe redd also personal knowledge of the writer |