Hist.qxp 11/21/2005 1:15 PM Page 1 MANY ENJOY THRASHING MINE CAMP HOUSE SUPERIOR HISTORICAL COMMISSION MINING SLIDE SHOW MACHINE COMES TO TO RETURN HOME The Superior Historical TOWN The possibility of a house moved out SUPERIOR HISTORIAN Commission’s second evening of the Industrial Mine Camp after the program on October 27, 2005 Second World War being returned to VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3 WINTER 2005 DECEMBER, 2005 featuring Jim and Beth Hutchison’s Superior is looking more and more presentation on mining in the Northern likely. The Superior Historical Company, the parent company of Colorado Coal Fields was enthusiasti- Commission is also quite excited by the JOSEPHINE ROCHE, Superior’s Industrial Mine as well as cally received by the more than 50 prospect of this rare building someday other mines in the northern Colorado people in attendance at the Superior housing a museum for the town. A “GRAND OLD GAL” “It Is Better To Have aWide coal fields. Town Hall. The home, now located at 144th and How did this proper young lady born Having delivered their program often Zuni streets in Broomfield, was once a Awake Woman Than a Drowsy on the Nebraska prairie become in the area, The Hutchison's part of a group of nearly 30 company The Superior Historical Commission Man” Denver’s first policewoman, run an entertained the crowd with an houses situated near the Industrial is happy to announce the recent —Julesburg News, industrial corporation, join Franklin outstanding slide show of coal mining Mine south of Coal Creek in Superior. donation of a vintage thrashing machine September, 1937 Roosevelt’s cabinet, develop a friend- history in the Superior, Lafayette, and The four room houses were rented by by the Dougherty Historical Museum ship with luminaries such as Eleanor Louisville areas and beyond. The miners from the Rocky Mountain Fuel to the Town. The Case machine was Roosevelt, Frances Perkins, and John photographs featured in the slide set Company for $7 a month. used to thrash grain on farms near L. Lewis, and direct the coal miner’s are of the numerous mines in the When the mine closed for good in Longmont according to Museum pension fund? region from the 1880’s to the 1940’s 1945, the company sold the A pensive Josephine Roche, circa 1915, once owner Doug Dougherty. It was It appears that in spite of her family declared, “I have only one hobby and that is including scenes of miners and buildings and the purchasers moved manufactured under patents going back background, Josephine’s ideals were humanity.” equipment deep in the mine shafts and them to various locations throughout to 1895, although this particular forged in the crucible of America’s tunnels. the area. Armed with her Master’s in social machine was probably built in the Progressive Movement, epitomized by Jim Hutchison’s credentials on local Jennifer Dunn, the liaison work, Josephine was appointed 1920’s. It was pulled into the field by Theodore Roosevelt’s zeal to effect mining are impeccable. His between the Town of Superior and the Denver’s first “lady cop” in 1913 and teams of horses or tractors. It was then reform from the presidency. After grandfather, James Hood, sank many Historical Commission, has worked was charged with supervising dance connected to the tractor, either steam Josephine earned her Bachelor’s degree mine shafts in Boulder County diligently with the developer that is halls, dealing with gamblers, or gasoline, by a leather belt that could from Vassar and Master’s degree from including the Industrial Mine shaft here putting in a new subdivision on the prostitutes, hustlers, and wayward be as long as sixty feet. The tractor Columbia University, she joined her children. She worked closely with in Superior. In addition, his father Broomfield site and is donating the The remarkable and eventful powered the belt which turned the parents in Denver, where her father Denver’s famous Progressive judge, worked in various Lafayette mines and house to the Town. If all goes existence of Josephine Roche began in machinery involved in the thrasher, directed the Rocky Mountain Fuel Ben Lindsey, to steer women and volunteered for the crew to rescue the according to plan, it will be moved to the unremarkable village of Neligh, separating the grain from the chaff. Company, second only to John D. children away from the steamy life on trapped miners in the Monarch Mine the ball field park locale in original Nebraska in 1886. Her life path then The thrasher is now located at the old Rockefeller’s industrial empire in Denver’s wild side. Lindsey said that disaster of January, 1936. Superior in 2006. ran a course that would take her to ball fields on west Coal Creek Drive in Colorado which included the Colorado Roche could “break up a dance hall row Jim did a fine job of narrating the Vassar College, Denver, Colorado, original Superior and will eventually be Fuel and Iron Corporation steel mill in or riot in front of a saloon better than slides while Beth ably operated the Washington, D.C., and would project incorporated into a developed city park Pueblo and countless coal mines any experienced policeman.” projector. The Superior Historical her into unusual stops along the way, and historical campus on that site, throughout the state. In addition to Progressive zest, Commission thanks the Hutchisons for MEETING TIMES FOR such as law enforcement according to plans by the Town’s Parks Josephine no doubt had a precocious their most impressive presentation. officer, industrial manager, and Recreation Department. We are HISTORICAL nature which showed up in a discussion presidential cabinet member, and labor grateful for Mr. Dougherty’s COMMISSION with her father, John Roche, during union official. generosity! CHANGED her youth. She asked to go into a coal Hers was an unusual route given her The regular monthly meetings of mine and John denied her request, background: born in privilege and the Superior Historical Commis- saying “it would be too dangerous.” recipient of an exclusive education, she SUPERIOR HISTORICAL sion will take place in the eve- Josephine responded with youthful evolved into the classic progressive COMMISSION nings starting January 5, 2006 at logic, asking “How is it safe for the reformer, advocating an end to special Errol Walligorski — Chair 7:00 P.M. at the Town Hall. The miners?” It was this attitude that privilege and championing equality and Denzil Acklin — Vice Chair hope is that this will enable more motivated her to make the mines of the fair treatment for industrial workers. Bob Morgan — Treasurer people to attend and participate Rocky Mountain Fuel Company safe And it is these subjects that make her Larry Dorsey — Secretary and in Commission activities. Please A Denver Times advertisement from 1922 for places to work and for the miners to be important to the history of Superior. In coal from Superior’s Industrial Mine and the Editor of Superior Historian Come! treated more fairly. 1928, Josephine Roche assumed the Gorham, near Marshall. Image courtesy However, the tragic incident in 1927 presidency of the Rocky Mountain Fuel Marjorie Kupfner. Hist.qxp 11/21/2005 1:16 PM Page 2 “I haven’t had a vacation for more than twenty years, but I’ve had fun.” —Roche on the 1934 campaign United Mine Workers managing the Superior News pension fund until 1971. She died in By Frank Nichols 1976 at the age of 90 accumulating a wages at $5.22 per day (although he Ten Years Old huge list of accomplishments and From the 1947 Boulder Daily Camera did also lower the price of coal) in an accolades. Eleanor Roosevelt attempt to subvert Roche’s strategy. In nominated her as one of America’s I’m going to have a birthday party a dramatically unusual display of their great women; she was considered to be August 16. I’ll be ten. regard for Roche, Rocky Mountain the subject of one of Colorado’s two Art Symanski ran a shiny new nail in Fuel miners proposed to accept only statues in Statuary Hall in the Capitol his foot. half of their earnings, thereby in effect, building in Washington, D.C.; she was Jimmy Luxner has hives. loaning her $80,000. named America’s most prominent Neva West of the 4-H girls went to Her competitors suggested that this business woman in a 1935 poll of the fair at Longmont. Gerald “loan” was her way of trying to sneak in executives; she was made a member of Zancanelli got grand champion on his a pay cut. However, her deeds were so Here Miss Roche meets with her personal the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame. calf. Eleanor Carlson has three ribbons appreciated by the miners that it was friend and confidant, John L. Lewis of the She was affectionately called a “grand now on her Palomino colt. Peggy, my once said, “The miners who love her United Mine Workers, one of the most old girl” by UMW members and “good sister, got green ribbons on her cookies contend she is the only woman who recognizable faces in America in the 1930’s and dress. and 1940’s. old soul” by coal miner Louis can stop production at a mine only by Amicarella, and ultimately remem- The Phillip Asties (sic) have a baby her presence. Miners stand in a bitter campaign. bered as “Denver’s Joan of Arc” for her boy. They had five girls and one boy respectful homage – hats in hands – as As a result of that primary campaign, courageous deeds on behalf of the same as us.