April 1929
Copies of The Aspen Times from October 1903 until 1911 are missing from the Colorado Historical Society’s archives and the Pitkin County Library’s microfilm reels. We decided to bring you the news from 75 years ago instead.
April 1929
The monthly Pitkin County Commissioners meeting had this reporter tearing his hair out.
The Board of County Commissioners convened in regular session at 10 o’clock Monday morning with all officials and The Times man present, Chairman Smith presiding.
Up to the noon hour and most of Monday afternoon the Commissioners were busy inspecting and passing the usual batch of monthly bills. Just routine work that should not have taken more than an hour, and wouldn’t had not Commissioner Brown proved so conclusively that he was uninformed in the usual duties of a county commissioner. The Times will not go into detail because it doesn’t wish to be accused of prejudice.
But The Times WILL give two years’ subscription FREE to the first man or woman (Brown family barred) who will attend any meeting of our commissioners, remain there an hour, and not say that Commissioner Brown is the most uninformed man in the usual duties and courtesies naturally expected from a public official of so great importance …
Just why Brown so acts as to cause those who have listened to his ramblings, bickerings, old womanish fault-finding and questioning, to become disgusted to the point of nervous prostration, is a picayune beyond our comprehension. …
Monday’s stormy session was closed at 4 o’clock p.m. and the courthouse again became a place of restful peace.
Tuesday morning the Commissioners again convened with a prayer for harmony, and started their labors.
An appropriately named mine sparked hope in Aspen for a 20th-century silver boom.
The Hope Mine has “it” and by this “it” we mean it has three feet of spar ore that assays 170 ounces silver and 12 per cent lead to the ton. And this means the Hope is about to prove to be the greatest silver mine in the world.
This rich ore is found 60 feet below the tunnel level and gives the Hope the world’s record of finding high-grade silver as such a depth.
April 1954
The end of the ski season 50 years ago was remarkably similar to spring 2004. The paper reported,
Angie’s White Kitchen will be closed for the next two weeks. Vacation time.
Charlie Paterson, son of Steve Shanzer, is home for furlough from Ft. Ord, California. Charlie will report back to Camp Hale, Colorado.
Dr. Robert Barnard entertained the members of the Ski Patrol and their guests at cocktails in his home, dinner at the Red Onion, and more entertainment at the Golden Horn Monday evening.
Mr. and Mrs. Friedl Pfeifer and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Iselin honored the members of the Aspen Ski School and their guests at cocktails and dinner Friday night at the Pfeifer home.
This item appeared in The Denver Post. The “Denver Diary” revealed,
A great tempest seems to be brewing in the Aspen teapot for ’tis rumored the innkeepers are not overly anxious to have Denver clientele but would rather cater to the freer spending (so they say) eastern skiers. Says one lodge owner: “Denverites are too chintzy.” … we hear many [innkeepers] are eager to band together to force localities to obtain licenses for weekend renting of their cottages there. Seems they are underbidding the lodges and it’s beginning to hurt.
Burnham Miller, the president of the newly formed Aspen Lodge Owners Council responded in a letter to the editor,
Aspen lodge owners are really a group of nice folks … we know we have to handle all sorts of people with varied tastes but we are happy to be hosts regardless of consequences. … Denverites are welcome to Aspen and in Aspen lodges. … We are trying through our lodge owners association to establish health and sanitation codes to better protect our clientele from Denver and elsewhere … There is little we can do to prevent maliciousness with a typewriter or in conversation but we can supply you with the facts.
April 1979
“Aspen elections: full house, jokers wild,” a headline apt then and now.
The paper reported,
Aspen elections are generally anything but dull ” what with gonzo journalists and cartoon lizards turning up on the ballot with astonishing regularity …
Aside from the fact that a crowd of nine have filed to run for the three available council seats and a gang of four are vying for the job of mayor, there’s the fact that one candidate is pulling out all the stops and running for both jobs at once.
That candidate is local attorney Jim Moore who told the Aspen Times that he thinks having his name on the ballot twice will give him a better chance of winning once …
“Beside,” added Moore, “I kind of like having the opportunity to ask people to vote for me twice.”
If political campaigns were not enough amusement, there was always the inimitable Aspen State Teachers College.
It’s spring prom time again in Aspen, and the Aspen State Teachers College has the jump on the high school with a prom this Saturday, April 14.
The dance will be held at 9 pm at the Paragon, and dress is formal, or along the lines of what you wore to your high school prom.
Kenny and the Seniors, better known as Tumbleweed, will provide the dancing music. Admission is $5, or $4 with ASTC identification card.
