Across The Fence: Old Julesburg brought plenty of 'new' to the area

Tucked neatly in the crook of Nebraska's Panhandle, Sedgwick (Colo.) County has bragging rights to the only two Pony Express stations in the state.

Following the southern banks of the South Platte River, the Pony Express dipped down into the extreme northeast corner of Colorado Territory after leaving Diamond Springs. The first westbound stop in Colorado was South Platte and the second was Julesburg. Following the Overland Stage route, the Pony Express took advantage of the existing stage stop where Jules Beni had established a trading post nearly a decade earlier.

It was in the early 1850s that the big, burly Frenchman built his trading post at the spot where Lodgepole Creek leaves Nebraska and empties into the South Platte. The location proved to be an excellent choice.

In 1859, due to Indian hostilities along the Leavenworth and Pikes Peak Express route, the Jones and Russell Company moved their stage line north to the old Fort Kearney-to-Denver road that followed the South Platte, and built a station next to Jules Beni's trading post. The stage company hired Beni to manage the stage stop and the following year the Pony Express made Jules the agent of the express station and the 25-mile route between the South Plate and Lodgepole stations. That section of the route became known as Jules' Stretch and the thriving trading post, stage stop and Pony Express station became known as Julesburg.

The year 1859 was the year of the discovery of gold in the Rocky Mountains and torrents of prospectors flooded the road to the Rockies. Julesburg prospered and soon boasted a blacksmith, a mercantile, boarding house, dance hall, saloon and other establishments offering varied entertainment. The booming prairie burg became a busy gathering place for trappers, traders, buffalo hunters, prospectors and the all too frequent dregs of society who thrive on mischief and mayhem.

In the early 1860s, the rush for gold and the rapidly increasing settlement of Anglo immigrants forced the regional Indians into a state of war. The Cheyenne and Sioux tribes were witnessing the loss of their homeland and retaliated in the only way they knew. Stagecoaches and wagon trains were attacked and burned, whites were killed and scalped or captured and tortured. There were robberies of gold shipments and horse stealing was commonplace.

Although all of these misdeeds were blamed on the Indians, there were frequent eyewitness accounts of white men in the raiding parties. And due to the fact that many stagecoach robberies targeted the largest gold shipments, Jules Beni was suspected as the ringleader. Although no proof was ever obtained against him, The Overland Stage Company dismissed Beni and replaced him with Joseph "Jack" Slade.

The loss of his esteemed position sparked the fire of revenge in Beni, culminating in gunplay that left Slade seriously wounded. Jules believed that Slade's wounds would be fatal and disappeared into the wide expanse of the boundless prairies. It is believed that Jules continued to exact revenge on the stage company through several successful robberies but he was never apprehended.

Slade, whom Jules thought to be dead, recovered from him wounds and vowed revenge, promising to cut off Jules' ears and use them to decorate his watch-chain. The feud ended when Slade, along with a few of his men, ambushed Jules at the Cold Springs Station in eastern Wyoming. Jules was tied to a corral post while Slade methodically shot off each of Jules' fingers.

In his excruciating pain Jules begged to be killed, a wish that Slade promptly granted, then proceeded to cut off the ears of the dead man. Slade did dry and cure one of Jules' ears, attached it to his watch chain and proudly displayed the trophy that dangled from his vest pocket.

Mark Twain, traveling by stage along the Overland Route, in his book "Roughing It," wrote, "As we neared Julesburg, stories of Slade were heard on the coaches and at every corner. Slade was feared from Kearney west, more than the Almighty."

In 1864, Camp Rankin was established about one mile upriver from Julesburg and was soon after renamed Fort Sedgwick. Although the fort was strategically placed along the Overland Trail, it was far from any usable timber, the nearest supply being a substantial distance north at Ash Hollow. Wood gatherers required protection from marauding Indians by the fort's troopers on their travels.

In the early stages of establishing the fort, the Army was authorized to purchase a local ranch that included a sturdy adobe house and two wells. Around these, Fort Sedgwick was built with cedar logs from Ash Hollow and Cottonwood Canyon to the east.

During the years of 1860 to 1864, Native hostilities had increased and finally exploded in violence in retaliation for Col. Chivington's massacre at Sand Creek. On Jan. 7, 1865, a large force of Cheyenne and Sioux were seen around Julesburg. A full garrison of soldiers were dispatched to pursue them but met with deadly resistance. In the skirmish, 14 soldiers were killed. The remaining force returned to the fort and with the help of the fort's howitzer, fought off the ensuing attack. The following month, on Feb. 2, a band of nearly 1,000 Indians returned to Julesburg and attacked the settlement. The residents fled the town and found safety at the nearby fort where they helplessly watched the town burn to the ground.

A year later, in 1866, Julesburg No. 2 was established about three miles downriver from the ashes of the old. In June 1867 the Union Pacific Railroad was laying track on the north side of the South Platte and Julesburg literally picked itself up and moved across the river.

Julesburg No. 3 was an end-of-track town as the Union Pacific made its way west. As did all end-of-track towns, Julesburg became the "hell on wheels" community of gamblers, prostitutes, hard living and casual killing men. During its peak times in perdition, Julesburg was known as the "wickedest city on the plains."

Among its most notable ruffians was a bully of a teamster known as "Blacksnake" Lachut who came into town in 1867. It is told that when a somewhat inebriated railroad worker stumbled clumsily into "Blacksnake," the bully lashed out with his whip that coiled around the hapless drunk's neck. Lachut then dragged his victim through the streets then removed the coiled noose from around the poor man's neck and proceeded to rip the flesh from his bones with the lash. For nearly three years the citizens of Julesburg endured the bullying of Blacksnake Lachut until he finally left town in 1870.

In the midst of brutality there is often some beauty. Such was the case of Gipsy, a mysterious and exotic dance hall girl who was known to foretell the future.

It seems her specialty was the ability to predict impending death, a feat that she had accurately performed regarding the untimely demise of many. Ultimately shunned by the community, who feared her company, the tormented Gipsy drifted into the crowded saloon and announced that she would not see the morning sun. The following morning she was found in her bed at eternal rest.

But as the tracks moved west, the temporary tent town pulled up stakes, rolled up its canvas, left behind the litter of discarded lumber and forgotten dead and disappeared, like the smoke from a U.P. locomotive. By the 1920s a few graves remained visible on the old "Boot Hill," but by the late 1950s nothing remained of the town or the cemetery. Julesburg No. 3 had dissolved into the dust and been whisked away by prairie winds.

In the 1880s, the Denver Branch of the Union Pacific connected with the Transcontinental Railroad at a place called Denver Junction. Being somewhat near the sites of Julesburg 1, 2, and 3, the railroad town was soon renamed Julesburg and the well earned, but gruesome, notoriety of Old Jules Beni was preserved.

In the faded glory of days gone past, Horace Greeley who urged a generation of adventurers to "Go west young man" visited Julesburg. And it was at Julesburg that 18-year-old William F. Cody would earn the name "Buffalo Bill" when he was hired to supply meat for the hungry, rough-hewn laborers who cut the grade and laid the rails of the U.P. Railroad.

Today, Julesburg No. 4 is the county seat of Sedgwick County. The old Union Pacific Depot is now a museum full of the history and memorabilia of the community. The flagpole that once stood beside the parade ground of Fort Sedgwick now holds aloft the "Red, White and Blue" as it flutters above the town library. The 1,200-plus residents of this historic town proudly preserve its history and warmly welcome all comers to "The Town That Wouldn't Die."

M. Timothy Nolting is an award-winning Nebraska columnist and freelance writer. Contact Tim via email at [email protected].