The Freight Blockade of 1879  

As the rush to Leadville was in its height during 1879 the lack of sufficient freight carriers at first caused complaints about long waits and stock piles growing fast.  “…..”  

It didn’t take long before the freighters present saw an immense chance at profit.  It was reported in the….. “…….”  Prices were beginning to grow beyond belief..”..” 

At some point the town of Fairplay had had enough and decided to..”..”   

‘More transportation from the end of the track is badly needed.  Goods for the local trade are constantly running short and our merchants are unable to replenish their stocks although the goods are lying only thirty miles off.”

“It is stated that the rate of freight on ore from Alma to the end of the track is higher than it used to be to Denver or even to Golden.  Still the ore rolls out and the returns roll in.”

“And still the cry goes up for greater means of transportation from the depots at Webster and other points, where freight is piling mountain high on account of there being an insufficient number of teams to transport it.   We are told that as high as four cents a pound is    being paid from the end of the South Park road to Leadville, and many merchants have to wait weeks for their goods in face of this high tariff. Complaints are heard upon  every hand of the uncertainty of freight orders from Denver and the east.  This is not as it should be, as it will work great injury to both the shippers and the South Park road, and a remedy should be sought at the earliest moment possible.”

“Freighting still continues brisk and rates high. At all shipping points for Leadville freight is piling up and teams enough cannot be procured to remove it.”

“Best, Clark Co., forwarding and commission merchants at Webster, have purchased sixty head of mules, with  the intention of putting on a fast freight line…”

“Bests,Clark & Co. reported shipments from end of track at over 1,00,000 pounds…..plenty of teams…freight cleaned out and warehouses empty.”

“It is reported that three hundred ox teams are on their way to Webster from New Mexico, and that about two hundred more are making for the same point from Deadwood, Cheyenne and Sidney.  When this immense fleet of ‘prairie schooners’ arrive they will surely cause the freight rates to lower and merchants to rejoice at the sound of the ‘whoa haw’ and pistol-like crack of the ox-whip as they heave in sight.”

“The stage companies advertise a ‘reduction in fare’….an attempt at extortion having failed’.”

“The Boston and Colorado Company’s agency at Alma has stopped shipping ore and will let it accumulate until better rates that the present can be made on freight to Denver.”