The Senior Voice - March 2008

The Senior

I O C V E March 2008

Local Attractions • Scenic Places • History • Money • Health • News

North Colorado Ghost Pioneer Rancher Klug InJohn Northern

Town Colorado

Frontier Madam Longs

A Lively Story from Early Wyoming Pioneer

Peak

Climbers

Ghost Outlaws Towns In Early Near Colorado

Central City

Cover Skiing Picture: Steamboat

coyote near Springs Estes Park, see page 3

2 • March 2008 • The Senior Voice

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s I talk to my constituents in Colorado, there is no doubt that overall health care reform is needed in addition to Medicare program changes. In places like Larimer and Weld counties where many people are uninsured—13 percent uninsured in Larimer county and a staggering 49.6 percent in Weld county—the current health care challenges are overwhelming and simply cannot be tolerated. Given the rising costs of health care and the impending retirement of the baby boom generation, Medicare has been under scrutiny by many Americans because people are concerned about the long-term stability of the program. In 2008, Medicare will cover an estimated 44.6 million people. The federal government will spend just under $390 billion to fund the program, and the Congressional Budget Office estimates program spending will double over the next 10 years. We will have to take big steps to

make sure we control Medicare spending. However, we must also ensure that we keep premiums and co-payments affordable, and we must pay providers fairly so that Medicare patients have their choice of high-quality physicians. Every citizen, especially retirees, must be given the assistance needed to make informed health care decisions. All of us need to become responsible for our own health and the health of those we love. This means an increased understanding of and access to preventive services so that we can avoid costly treatments, such as dialysis, and work together to fight preventable illness, such as diabetes. When our family members do face chronic illness, we must coordinate their treatment properly to ensure that they are getting the medical and support services they need in the most efficient way possible. This means having all the health care providers working with a

By U.S. Senator Ken Salazar patient’s doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc.—talking to one another so that we can avoid duplicate treatments and medical errors. The best way of doing this is through the use of electronic medical records, with precautions taken to protect the patient’s privacy. We must invest in our providers and facilities to make sure we have the infrastructure to provide patients with the quality of care they deserve in their own communities. This means having enough doctors and hospitals to serve Medicare patients no matter what part of Colorado they live in so that people do not have travel hours to get help when they are sick. These are just a few of the ideas we are considering in the Senate, and I am happy to see such an active and thoughtful debate on how to best serve our nation’s Medicare participants. ________________ You can call Senator Salazar’s Fort Collins office at 224-2200. ■

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The Senior Voice • March 2008 • 3

The Senior

Ghost Towns from the 1800s VOICE Published Locally Since 1980 VOL. 28, NO. 4

email [email protected] www.theseniorvoice.net PUBLICATION INFORMATION The Senior Voice newspaper has been published locally the first of each month since 1980 for residents age 50-plus.

ADVERTISING For rates, call 970-229-9204; or see www.theseniorvoice.net. Ad deadline is 20th of month.

Wolfgang Lambdin Advertising Director Associate Publisher Fort Collins (970) 229-9204 Nevadaville in the 1800s. Colorado Historical Society. By Bill Lambdin

C

olorado and Wyoming have many ghost towns that are fun to discover when you’re hiking or driving in the mountains, and they can put you in touch with the area’s colorful past. These wild and woolly places were established over 100 years ago and represented the hopes and dreams of the first settlers. Fortunes were made in some of them. Lives were shattered in others. Two of them were Nevadaville and American City, both near Central City, Colorado. You can reach the location of Nevadaville just one mile southwest of Central City on the road that goes to Kings Flat. Nevadaville was settled mainly by Irish and Cornish miners soon after Colorado’s first big gold strike near Central City in 1859. It grew rapidly. By 1861 it had a post office, several stores and homes, nearly 20 gold mills and hundreds of residents. At one time Nevadaville’s population reached 1,200 as get-rich-quick dreamers swarmed over what prospectors called this “Gulch of Gold.” One resident who arrived in 1860 described the scene this way: “Everywhere people could be seen picking at the ground. Men and women spent hours digging up bits of earth and washing it in a basin or washtub. At night, they would go home disheartened and weary. But

in the morning, they were just as hopeful (that) they were all going to strike it rich.” Very few found gold that way. But the large mines paid good wages, so people flocked to Nevadaville. A miner could make $3 or $4 a day, “almost as much here for one day’s work as he could (make) in Massachusetts for a week of toil,” said The Rocky Mountain News. Nearby American City was located nine miles northwest of Blackhawk on the road to Apex and toward the James Peak jeep road. Sitting on the Continental Divide, American City was a high, cold and windblown place. Pine tree branches in this area grow only on one side because the wind is so fierce. These conditions and few productive mines meant a short life for American City. Settled in the 1890s, it was a ghost town by 1920—except for one hardy resident, Mrs. John Anthony Cook, a wealthy woman who kept a summer cabin there until the 1930s. Today you will find other summer cabins. But it is nothing like the rollicking days of American City’s boom time when the old Hotel Del Monte could accommodate 100 guests and was the scene of glamorous social events to which ladies wore evening gowns. As you stand in this windy, desolate place, you have a hard time

imagining ladies in fine gowns and ostrich-feathered hats. But pioneers went to great lengths to have a good time and bring some semblance of civilization to the West. Early historian Caroline Bancroft said the ghost towns are reminders of a way of life that is now lost but was the mainstay of the region for half a century. When you visit them, she said, “You come away awe-struck by the prodigious energy and enterprise of the pioneers. Their feats of transportation over villainous terrain, and of building dwellings and even towns on the face of cliffs or at the top of mountains, were so herculean as to seem incredible.” Most of the old towns and their log cabins have crumbled, worn down by time and reclaimed by the mountains, which stand silently as if nothing had happened. But you can still find the location of the towns. And if you listen carefully—with imagination in the peaceful stillness of the mountains—you can hear the cries of joy and sorrow that echoed through these places long ago. ________________ COVER PICTURE: A coyote in the mountains above Estes Park. Taken by Fort Collins professional photographer Gregory Mayse. See his photos at Trimble Court Artisans in Fort Collins, at the Art Center of Estes Park, and at www.gregorymayse.com. ■

SALES OFFICES:

Ft. Collins and Greeley (970) 229-9204 Loveland and Estes Park (970) 482-8344 EDITORIAL DEADLINE Announcements and stories must be received by the 10th of the month. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Senior Voice welcomes readers' letters and contributions. Enclose a self-addressed envelope and return postage to: The Senior Voice, 1471 Front Nine Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525, or email [email protected]. The Senior Voice assumes no responsibility for damaged or lost material submitted by readers.

© Copyright 2008 The Senior Voice EDITORIAL OFFICE:

1471 Front Nine Drive Fort Collins, CO 80525 (970) 223-9271 email [email protected] www.theseniorvoice.net No material may be reproduced by any means without permission of the publisher.

Dr. William Lambdin, Publisher

4 • March 2008 • The Senior Voice

Early Greeley Rancher John Klug (Editor’s Note: Greeley historian Hazel E. Johnson wrote the following story years ago.) By Hazel Johnson

S

o vast were the John Klug land holdings southeast of early Greeley that old timers referred to it as “Klug country.” One person recalled a dance when the handsome Klug was there with his date, the beautiful Lillian Waite. She was the niece of Governor Davis Waite, who served from 1893-1895. Klug had homesteaded in 1891, and the couple married that year. Frontier life for the 17-year-old Lillian was daunting—no neighbors, plenty of rattlesnakes. Any spare time she had, Lillian spent digging sage brush from the yard and getting a fence around it so their son, Raymond, could play outdoors. One day a man appeared at the

kitchen door and asked for a sandwich. Lillian supplied it. He left and mounted his horse. She locked the door and looked out a window. There was the man again, on his horse, demanding money. She replied, “I’ll see.” Instead of money, she grabbed a Colt revolver and pointed it at the man, who was now standing outside the window holding a long knife. As he cut a gash across the screen, she fired the Colt. He left hurriedly—Lillian firing two more shots in his direction for good measure. The Klugs were the first to have telephone service in the area. Lillian said, “I hauled everything for that telephone line in my car except the poles.” When in Denver, the Klugs stayed at the Albany Hotel. It was there they met Theodore Roosevelt, who expressed a wish to spend some time on a ranch. At the Klug’s invitation, Roosevelt

John Klug with his wife and son. Hazel Johnson Collection. spent several days with them, one day on the range with the cowboys, eating from the chuck wagon. Lillian was considered Weld County’s foremost horsewoman, always riding side saddle. She wrote the words to a successful song titled “Love Made the World a Dream,”

which sold over 500,000 copies in New York City. In 1930, Klug sold 20,000 acres of his ranch—reportedly for $2 million dollars. They later lived in Greeley. John Klug was killed in 1945, at age 80, while trying to ride a wild stallion. ■

Attention People with Medicare:

The clock is ticking! Don’t wait! You only have until March 31st to decide whether to change your Medicare health plan.

After March 31st, you’ll be required to keep your current plan until January 2009. Some exceptions/restrictions may apply. If you are not satisfied with your current Medicare coverage and are considering a change, you may want to consider the convenience of a Humana Medicare Advantage health plan. Humana offers an all-in-one Medicare health plan that includes Part D prescription drug coverage and more, for a low monthly plan premium. If you have Medicare Part D coverage, come to an informational seminar to find why you should expect more from Humana.

For an appointment (yes, we still make house calls), to find a seminar near you or for more information, call:

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The Senior Voice • March 2008 • 5

Important Issue By State Senator Steve Johnson

C

anadian company Powertech has received approval for uranium exploration drilling in northern Weld County and is exploring the feasibility of mining operations. Powertech owns the mineral rights, a property right. The exercise of rights carries with it responsibilities, one of which is not to harm others. So while Powertech has a property right to the minerals, the state has the right to place conditions on that right to protect the public health and safety and the environment, which it does through the permitting process. Local residents are very concerned about uranium mining in the area, and so am I. Many of the people who live in the area have been there for generations. Their land is their life savings. They are counting on the state regulatory process to protect them, and we will not let them down. The process being proposed is in-situ leach mining, where oxygenated water is pumped into the aquifer containing the uranium to free it from the ground. It is then pumped out and recovered. The problem is it is impossible to remove all of the released uranium from the groundwater. It is reported that over 30,000 people depend on this groundwater. Where this technique has been used in other states, contamination of the groundwater has resulted. Colorado has limited experience

regulating this type of mining, so I have been working with Reps. Fischer and Kefalas on bipartisan legislation to make sure our mining regulations are as up to date as possible to protect us from potential problems. A key component of our legislation is to require that the groundwater not be degraded in any way. In other words, the ground water will be as clean or cleaner after the mining is finished as it was before it started. Monitoring wells around the operation will be done continually. Powertech has claimed it will not degrade the groundwater, so let’s hold them to that assurance. If they cannot provide assurances to regulators of this, then they will not be issued a permit. Colorado’s past history points out the need for adequate laws to protect us from mining disasters. The Summitville mine disaster and cleanup in Southern Colorado has cost taxpayers over $200 Million. We must do all that we can to prevent a problem in our area that will threaten our health, safety, and be costly to clean up. Mining is an important part of our state’s heritage and economy, but it must be conducted responsibly. Insuring that this happens is one of the key responsibilities of state and local government. ________________ You can call Sen. Johnson’s Fort Collins office at 223-8045. ■

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6 • March 2008 • The Senior Voice

Your Questions on Investments By Scott Burns Financial Writer

1100 N. Taft #2, Loveland Don’t miss this splendid patio home in this well maintained, pet-free environment! Main floor living with no stairs. Scads of places to store things. Open and flowing floor plan - the master even has a private bathroom. All appliances included. Moments from Downtown Loveland and a few blocks from scenic Lake Loveland! Extra area beyond living room looks over shady patio out back. Priced below comparable sales! This is outstanding and ready to go, so call me today! $154,900. MLS #545734.

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Q: I am retired at age 60 with about $900,000 (21 percent in fixed-income, 73 percent in equities and 6 percent in cash). My financial adviser suggested investing about $50,000 in a REIT. I owe about $32,000 on my home and recently purchased a car, financing only $12,000. I have no other debt. I guess I am in pretty good shape, but I worry constantly. Should I be doing something else such as pay my house off? A: There is no cure for Nest-Egg Anxiety. It is part of the retirement package. We all worry when we’re no longer working because we’re depending on things even further from our control than our jobs. The best way to tame the anxiety is to focus on what your resources can do for you and whether you are living within your resources. With financial assets of $900,000, you’ve got a sustainable retirement income of about $36,000 a year plus your eventual Social Security benefit. You’ll also benefit from deferring taking Social Security benefits until your full retirement age rather than taking them at age 62. You should make decisions guided by your tax bracket, knowing you can have gross income of $41,500 as a single person without exceeding the 15 percent tax bracket. If your $900,000 nest egg includes

some money in a regular taxable account, it would be a good idea to use that money and up to $40,000 from your deferred accounts to pay off the mortgage. The car loan, however, should be kept because it probably represents the depreciation you can expect in the next two or three years. I think the REITs idea is a good one, particularly after the drubbing they took last year. Dividend yields are attractive again. A small REIT commitment will work to increase the overall yield from your portfolio. It’s nice if an adviser has you in a fund that makes the unrelenting but ever-changing lists of Great Funds to Buy This Morning, but no one should ever count on it. The best way to evaluate your adviser is to make a list of the funds you hold and check their long-term performance and their annual expenses with a reporting source like Morningstar. If the expenses are average or less and the returns are average or better, you’re probably getting reasonable care. If the expenses are higher than average and the returns are lower than average, you need to think about changing advisers or becoming a selfdirected investor. ________________ Scott Burns is a longtime financial writer for The Dallas Morning News and other papers. He does not sell investments. Send questions to: [email protected]. He answers some questions of general interest. ■

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ush administration officials want high-income Medicare participants to pay higher premiums for Part D drug coverage. The proposal would require the higher premiums of individuals with annual incomes over $82,000 and couples with incomes over $164,000. Officials estimate that the change would affect only about 5 percent of Medicare participants if it went into effect in 2009. But it would affect many more in the future because the income levels would not be adjusted

for inflation. That would be similar to what has happened with the taxation of Social Security benefits. Originally few retirees paid taxes on their benefits, but now many do because the income levels were not adjusted for inflation. Some Democrats like Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Montana) said the proposal to require higher Part D premiums probably would not pass this year. ■

The Senior Voice • March 2008 • 7

Timnath History

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The former Timnath Hotel still stands. Photo by Arlene Ahlbrandt.

T

he little town of Timnath east of Fort Collins was established in 1882 by settlers who arrived in covered wagons. It was once called Sherwood because the Sherwood brothers had a stagecoach station there. A local preacher, Rev. Charles Taylor, suggested the name of Timnath, after the place in the Bible where Samson went to find a wife. The town’s Presbyterian Church was built in 1888 and will celebrate its 120th year in 2008. Its beautiful stained glass windows were brought from Bavaria long ago. For many years, the largest building in town was the Timnath Hotel, shown in the photo. Built in 1905, it served as a hotel until the Depression years of the 1930s. The hotel’s main floor had a dining room, kitchen, barber shop and drug store. The building is now a private residence. Until recently, the population of Timnath was about 230 people living in approximately 90 homes. Last year, the new Harmony Golf Course opened, and developers plan many new homes and stores. The population is expected to reach 10,000 in the near future. No matter how much the town grows, the little church will always

be a landmark for this quaint little town. ■

3950 John F. Kennedy Parkway Fort Collins • 970.267.0993 www.fortcollinsdentalarts.com

Alissa R. Ferguson, D.M.D. H. Arthur Missirlian, D.D.S.

8 • March 2008 • The Senior Voice

Colorado Crosswords By Tony Donovan

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ACROSS 1. Ivan and Nicholas 4. Utopian colony in western Colorado originally named Pinon by the Colorado Cooperative Company 9. A first for Arthur of the “Golden Girls” 10. Support used in buildings or bridges 12. Extremely 15. Hosp. staffers 16. La ___ Peak is the 5th highest in Colorado 17. Dog house? 18. Honolulu’s home 20. Mountain town founded in 1963 and named for a state highway engineer 21. According to a nursery rhyme, where you might find 3 men 22. Site of the Japanese internment camp in Colorado named for a Cheyenne Indian girl 23. Windsor employer 25. Celebrated, as the New Year (2 wds.) 28. Org. headquartered in Langley, VA 30. Prefix for ton or cycle 33. Nuggets head guy 34. Saturn model 35. Cheer in Chihuahua 36. Fort ___ helped protect settlers in the San Luis Valley 38. Number of Super Bowl rings Elway has 39. Frequent to a poet 40. Does yard work 41. Cannon of films 42. Prime follower 43. ___ Abe 45. ___ Summer Range 47. State seal, for one 51. Diamond . 52. Washington County town between Akron and Yuma 54. Like a “C” grade 55. Supposed source of mysterious sounds at

ANSWERS

the Stanley Hotel “Waiting for ___,” Odets’ play Energy unit, briefly Barnes & Noble section Town straddling Boulder and Weld Counties 61. Some MIT grads (abbr.) 62. ___ Chekhov 63. Gown 57. 58. 59. 60.

DOWN 1. Good time for a morning coffee break 2. Ice queen ___ Cohen 3. English translation of #16 across 4. Annual event staged in Denver each January 5. Russian river or mountain range 6. Front Range “Fort” 7. How prayers are often said 8. Coffee or ash holder 9. Where Sorenstam won her first U.S. Women’s Open event in 1995 11. Cote cry 13. Northern Arizona town near the Hopi Reservation 14. Put two and two together? 19. So. Cal rival 23. Potter’s need 24. Small Elbert County site just east of Elizabeth and named for Indians in the area 26. Washington County town east of Brush named for an Ohio city 27. Fescue or gramma 29. Author unknown 31. Small and spritely 32. Captain’s shout to passengers when a bad storm comes up 37. Cupid 41. Cotillion celebs 43. Rockies’ star, at first 44. Tried out 46. Buena ___. 48. Earring locales 49. ___ Park 50. “E” followers 52. Table spread? 53. “___ ___ were you...” 56. Sulphur Springs beginning?

Colorado Crosswords are created exclusively for The Voice by Tony Donovan, who lives in Loveland.

The Senior Voice • March 2008 • 9

A First for Women B

ill Nye was editor of The Laramie Boomerang newspaper between 1876 and 1883. He later became known world-wide for his humorous writings on early Western life. Wyoming had just become the first government in the world to consider giving women the right to vote, and Nye made much of the legislation. A South Dakota editor asked him for an assessment of the issue, and Nye replied: “Wyoming is justly proud of our women. She votes quietly, intelligently and pretty independently. She does not recognize the political machine and never goes to caucuses. She votes for men who are satisfactory regardless of the ticket—and this scares the daylights out of the men.” For a little fun, Nye then quoted an imaginary railroad man serving as a legislator who commented on women’s right to

vote: “It is a kind of wild train on a single track, and we’ve got to keep our eye peeled or we’ll go into the ditch. It’s a new conductor making the first run…Female changes the management of the whole line and may put the entire outfit in the hands of a receiver in two years. We can’t tell when Wyoming may be side-tracked with a lot of female conductors and superintendents, and a posse of giddy girls at the brakes.” Then Nye quoted an imaginary miner serving as a legislator: “Women can give this territory a boom that will make her the bonanza of all creation. We’ve got a mighty pretty blossom rock already in the intelligence and brains of our women. Let us be the means of her advancement and thus shame the old and mossy civilization of other lands.” The miner added:

By Margaret Laybourn

“I think that when a woman has marched a band of hostile boys all the way up to manhood and give ‘em a good start and made good citizens of ‘em with this wicked world to buck, she can vote all day as far as I’m concerned. I bet my pile there ain’t been a measure passed by our august body this winter that will show more mineral in five years.” And from one final legislator: “It’s funny to me that woman— who suffers most in order that man may come into the world, the one who is first to find and last to forsake him, first to hush the cry of a baby in a livery stable in Bethlehem and the last to leave the cross—should be trusted with the souls and bodies of generations and yet not know enough to vote.” The legislation passed, and Wyoming became the first place on earth to grant women the right to vote. ■

Wyoming Governor Nellie Ross was America’s first woman governor.

L]Zc^iXdbZhidndjg]ZVai]XVgZ!^i¼hc^XZid`cdli]Vi \ddY egdk^YZghVcYe]nh^X^VchVgZi]ZgZ[dgndj# >i¼h Vahd c^XZ id ]VkZ V ]ZVai] eaVc i]Vi XVc ]Zae ndj \Zi bdgZ [gdb ndjg BZY^XVgZ WZcZÄih# New West Physicians is a primary care group serving the Denver metropolitan area with 48 physicians practicing in 13 clinic locations. Under the direction of Kenneth Cohen M.D., F.A.C.P., New West Physicians has developed extensive programs in outcomes research, quality improvement, quality incentive-based reimbursement and clinical research. Dr. Cohen is a practicing internist who has served as the Medical Director of New West Physicians for the past 12 years. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado 9g#@ZccZi]8d]ZcB#9#!;#6#8#E# School of Health Sciences and the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy. Dr. Cohen was also featured in Denver’s 5280 magazine earlier this year. 66GEœBZY^XVgZ8dbeaZiZœegdk^YZYi]gdj\]HZXjgZ=dg^odchœ AARP® MedicareComplete® provided through SecureHorizons® health plans ]ZVai]eaVchbVn^cXajYZWZcZÄihhjX]Vh/ are the only Medicare Advantage plans accepted by New West Physicians. ™ Bdci]an ]ZVai] eaVc egZb^jbh hiVgi^c\ Vi % IdaZVgcbdgZVWdjindjgBZY^XVgZdei^dchl^i]66GEBZY^XVgZ8dbeaZiZ ™ EgZY^XiVWaZ Xdhih [dg YdXidg k^h^ih VcY bZY^XVa hZgk^XZh egdk^YZYi]gdj\]HZXjgZ=dg^odch!XVaaHZXjgZ=dg^odchcdlVi/ ™ LdgaYl^YZ ZbZg\ZcXn XVgZ VcY XdkZgV\Z l]Zc &"(%(",&)"(%%%>9'(%%&*IIN&"-++"-('"-+,& ndj igVkZa -V#b#id*e#b#BHI!VcnYVnd[i]ZlZZ`!dgk^h^illl#VVgebZY^XVgZXdbeaZiZ#Xdb# ™
10 • March 2008 • The Senior Voice

About Second and Third Marriages By Ron Rutz, Attorney

Perfect Eyeglasses Prescription

“I found my ‘hole in one’ at Kirk Eye Center. The fit was perfect first time, and I see better than ever.” — Patty Seaser Fort Collins

P John W. Colvin, OD & John D. Kirk, MD, FACS

3650 East 15th Street Loveland, Colorado

669-1107

atty Seaser is a busy woman, and searching for the right eye doctor was a problem. She tried large and small practices, but didn’t get an accurate prescription or the attention she needed. After seeing Kirk Eye Center ads and a friend’s recommendation, she booked an appointment. “I was so impressed with the professional care of Dr. Colvin and the staff. They really listen and make you feel as if you are their only customer. Most of all, Dr. Colvin was ‘dead on’ first time with my prescription. Now I am seeing my best – whether it is golfing, skiing, or getting up close with reading or needlepoint.”

w w w. K i r k E y e C e n t e r. c o m

Q. I read your column on Marital Agreements and want to take exception to your position that such a document is essential in second or third marriages. If my new spouse doubts that I will keep my word, then we should not marry in the first place. A. A request to do a Marital Agreement still carries the stigma of suggesting distrust of a future spouse’s motives, but far less so than just a few years ago. I have seen surviving spouses vacillate on previously made promises for a variety of reasons—the long passage of time since one spouse’s death, the financial and health needs of the surviving spouse, pressures from the survivor’s side of the family, treatment by the descendants of the deceased spouse, etc. Unless waived, such as through a Marital Agreement, the surviving spouse possesses rights against the estate of the other spouse under common law or statutory authority, often to the chagrin of the deceased’s descendants. Here are some of the claims that can be made by a surviving spouse against the estate of the other: Regardless what the deceased’s Will provides, up to half of the deceased’s augmented estate might be claimed. Additionally the survivor might file for a family allowance, an exempt property allowance, and other things that could take much of the deceased’s estate. The perpetrator of such estate claims does not need to be the surviving spouse. The agent or even the personal representative might be in a position to pursue claims. Even state Social Services might get involved under certain circumstances. All in all, a Marital Agreement will calm the rough water But the process to make a Marital Arrangement “bullet proof” in Colorado is a bit complicated. The major stumbling blocks often are the need for two attorneys, one representing each person, and the complexity of the document. Unless done right, either side could make arguments such as the

following: • Not knowing the rights that each had, the release was not effective. • Not knowing the value of the assets, a fully reasoned decision could not be made. • Not being represented in making these legal choices, an impartial person could not explain the significance of what was happening. Thus, instead of complicating the emotional and financial atmosphere of the proposed relationship, such a document done right can increase the chances of marital bliss. Finally remember that a Marital Agreement can be done both before or after marriage, although the later is usually harder to do. ________________

Attorney Ron Rutz will answer question sent to 2625 Redwing Road, Suite 180, Fort Collins, CO 80526, phone 223-8388, email [email protected]. ■

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The Senior Voice • March 2008 • 11

Medicare Options By Michael Frost Healthcare Writer

T

he first three months of 2008 offer people a chance to ensure they’re covered by a Medicare Advantage plan that’s best for them, if they want such a plan instead of traditional Medicare. Until March 31, Medicare allows its beneficiaries, in most cases, to change the medical coverage they receive. (There are exceptions, and the open enrollment period does not allow beneficiaries to add or drop Medicare prescription drug coverage.) On April 1, with rare exceptions, you’ll be locked into the medical coverage you have chosen for the rest of the year. People who currently participate in traditional Medicare coverage as well as a Prescription Drug Plan may enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage if they choose to do so. Those already in a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage can change to another Advantage plan or enroll in traditional Medicare and a drug plan. Enrollees in a Medicare Advantage plan that does not offer

drug coverage may enroll in another plan or change to traditional Medicare. About 9 million seniors participate in the Medicare Advantage program, which provides members health coverage—including benefits generally not found in traditional Medicare—through private health plans. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) offers tools to find and compare Medicare Advantage plans in your area. See www.medicare.gov or call 1-800MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Also see: Medicare and You 2008, a handbook published by CMS, is a good resource. See www.medicare.gov/ Publications/Pubs/pdf/10050.pdf. America’s Health Insurance Plans, a national association of health insurance companies, offers www.healthdecisions.org/guide, a helpful online publication. See www.benefitscheckup.com, which offers the Benefits Check-Up tool from the National Council on Aging, and is co-sponsored by Humana Inc. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation provides a wealth of useful

news, background and details regarding Medicare at www.kff.org. ■

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he Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing announced the Colorado Cares Rx program that provides Colorado residents with a convenient way to buy generic prescription medicines at a discounted price. Cost of a 90-day prescription is $20, $30, or $40 depending on the medicine. The Colorado Cares Rx program is a mailorder program. Prescriptions are easy to fill and are conveniently delivered to the individual’s home. Individuals and families qualify based on income and family size. A single adult can earn up to $31,200 while a family of four can earn up to $63,600. Individuals can have other health insurance coverage. The Department has partnered with Rx Outreach to offer this program. Colorado Cares Rx is not funded by state dollars. For more information and to get an application, call 303-866-3144 or see www.coloradocaresrx.com. ■

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12 • March 2008 • The Senior Voice

Local Events and Information Antiques Appraised Get three antiques appraised for $5 each at the Fort Lupton Community Center, March 14, noon to 7 pm. Call 970-284-0921. Greeley Libraries Film “Enter the Dragon,” March 7, 6:30 pm, Farr Library. Book Club meeting, March 10,

6:30 pm, Centennial Park Library. Lunch and Learn meeting on the Cache la Poudre River Heritage Area, March 11, noon, Centennial Park Library. Afternoon book club meeting, March 18, 1:30 pm, Farr Library. Evening book club, March 19, 6:30, Farr Library. Mystery novels meeting, March

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20, 11:30 am, Centennial Library. For information, call 506-8614 or 506-8500. Red Feather Lakes Library Story hours for preschoolers, March 15, 1 pm, and March 28, 10:30 am. Free computer class on email and internet, March 19, 2 pm. Free movie “Around the World in 80 Days,” March 22, 2 pm. 9 Health Fair, April 19, 7 am to noon. Ongoing events: Ruth’s Art Gallery displays. Knit and Stitch groups. Writers groups. Watercolor society. Men’s and women’s book groups. For information, call Sarah Myers, 881-2664. Fort Collins Libraries Used book sale, March 7, 10 am to 6 pm, Harmony Library.

Puppeteer Patti Smithsonian, March 12, 10:30 am and 7:30 pm, downtown library. Cooking with herbs, March 15, 11 am, downtown library. Puppet shows, Harmony Library, March 17-18; downtown library, March 19-20. Call for times. Mayan ruins video presentation, March 26, 7 pm, downtown library. Docudrama on Madame Marie Curie, March 28, 6:30 pm, Harmony Library. These are just some of the events. For more information, call 221-6663. ________________ Editor’s Note: Senior Voice deadline for events and similar articles is the 10th of each month for publication the following 1st of the month. Email: [email protected]. ■

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The Senior Voice • March 2008 • 13

Indian Peaks Wilderness Area

You Deserve To Enjoy A Warm Fire!

By Lois Hall

I

f you’re driving or hiking around the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area west of Longmont and Boulder, you will see places with interesting stories associated with them. Satanta Peak. This was named for a famous warrior, Chief Satanta of the Kiowas. He was highly respected by the military as a capable adversary in war and gracious host in peacetime. Soldiers said he served them excellent food and told stories with wit and humor. He acquired a bugle, which he used to confuse the military in battle. When the cavalry bugler sounded “charge,” Satanta would sound “retreat.” After leading his braves in several battles, Satanta was captured and sent to a Texas prison. To humiliate him, the army put the six-foot chief on a small pony, his feet lashed together under the horse’s belly. But even after the long journey to Texas and much ridicule, he looked and behaved like a chief. An observer said: “His muscles stood out on his gigantic frame like knots of whipcord—his form proud and erect in the saddle, his perfectly immobile face and his motionless body.” Niwot Mountain. Niwot came from an Arapaho Indian word meaning “left handed.” This 13,000foot peak and the town of Niwot near Longmont were named for Arapaho Chief Niwot. Some said he lost the fingers on his right hand and used his left; others said he was left handed. He was one of the first chiefs white gold seekers met when they came to northern Colorado in 1858. One settler said of him: “Chief Left Hand was the finest looking Indian I have ever seen. He was over six feet tall, of muscular build and much more intelligent than the average Indian...When wearing his war bonnet and full warrior’s regalia, he looked every inch a chieftain.” Niwot learned to speak English and was highly respected by both Indians and whites, becoming a chief when he was only about 23 years old. He was killed at the 1864

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Chief Satanta. Colorado Historical Society. Sand Creek Massacre in southeastern Colorado, when Col. John Chivington’s troops shamelessly slaughtered mostly women and children. Some settlers said Niwot survived and fought against Gen. George Custer at the Battle of Washita in Oklahoma. But most historians say he died at Sand Creek. Niwot expressed regret that the Indians and whites fought so much: “All of my time was taken up on the warpath,” he said. St. Vrain Creek. Named for two brothers, early fur traders Ceran and Marcellin St. Vrain. About 1837, they built a trading post near this creek a few miles west of presentday Gilcrest, before the creek flows into the South Platte River. They traded with several Indian tribes to get buffalo robes and other valuables they could send east. Marcellin St. Vrain had a Sioux wife who helped him greatly in dealing with the tribes. In 1843 explorer John Charles Fremont stayed at the trading post to celebrate July 4th with the St. Vrain family. St. Vrain Glacier and St. Vrain Mountain were also named for the brothers. ■

 

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14 • March 2008 • The Senior Voice

Remembering Norman Rockwell By Joe Votz

I

n 1939 Saturday Evening Post illustrator Norman Rockwell went to Arlington, Vermont, for a summer of relaxation—and stayed for 14 years. His neighbors there regularly appeared in his Post cover illustrations, and his cheerful portraits of rural family life made Rockwell world famous. Although the world hs speeded up and the simple days of Rockwell’s America seem to have vanished, a journey to Arlington is a trip into the past. Relatives of the townspeople who posed for Rockwell still live there. Many of the buildings pictured in his magazine covers, and his house near the bridge, are still there. When I visited Arlington in the 1980s, I remember that the people had not lost their quiet reserve. They were shocked if a visiting flatlander (non-Vermonter) wanted to know if

they asked Rockwell to let them pose for paintings. “Oh, no. That would have been too bold,” said Marjorie Brush, who was 81. “Norman knew us, and I think he had in mind what he wanted the painting to look like. Probably we fit in.” Brush and her family posed for a memorable 1947 Post cover of a young couple bringing their baby to visit a country doctor. “Sometime later,” she recalled, “I went down to see the painting, and (in it) Ann’s bootee was falling off. Norman’s answer was, ‘Marge, it was falling off when you brought her in; so that is the way I painted it.’” She recalled another side of Rockwell. “Norman was always very thoughtful and compassionate. I especially remember when my mother suffered a stroke. One day, soon after her return from the hospital, I heard a knock on our door, and there was Norman with a handful of his old paint brushes.

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Rockwell’s humorous self-portrait years ago. Maturity News Service. “He said that it might be good therapy if my mother tried some paint-by-number pictures. Now 40 years later, any time I’m painting window sills and need a little paint brush, I just pick up one of Norman Rockwell’s.” Rose Hoyt recalled a request from Rockwell to hold rosary beads in his famous “Freedom of Worship” painting. Rockwell put it this way: “Would you mind being Catholic for a day?” Hoyt held the rosary. Rockwell also painted himself into some illustrations. “He thought of himself as just like everyone else in town,” remembered Lester Brush, who along with half the town appeared in the famous “Gossips” painting. Even Gene Pelham, Rockwell’s assistant for 14 years, who took black-and-white photos of the townspeople, was often pressed into service, modeling once as a downto-earth workman in the popular “Plumbers” cover. Rockwell wrote in his autobiography that “Moving to Arlington has given my work a terrific boost. Now my pictures grew out of the world around me, the everyday life of my neighbors. I didn’t fake things any more.” He moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in 1953 so his ailing

wife could be near her doctor. He died there at age 84. Art lovers, who dismissed his work as mere illustration when he was alive, now clamor for Rockwell’s canvases. In the 1980s, an enterprising New Yorker, Henry Hinrichsen, moved to Arlington and opened a Rockwell gallery in a century-old church. Rockwell’s son, Jarvis, also a painter, stopped by to look at one of his own paintings on display in the gallery. “Rockwell’s son asked me if I wouldn’t mind hanging his work, an abstract, right side up. We had it sideways. You would never have that problem with one of Norman’s works.” Dot Immen recalled the years her family and Norman’s belonged to the grange and went squaredancing every Saturday night, along with about everyone else in town. “Norman was down-to-earth. He’d sweep the floor, and my husband would take tickets,” Immen said. “People would think my husband was Norman and ask if he would sign an autograph. My husband would just say, ‘I’m not Norman.’” The autograph hunter was not told that Rockwell was just a few feet away, sweeping the floor. ■

The Senior Voice • March 2008 • 15

Investing Sensibly IOnline Auctions Can Be Risky

By Scott Burns Financial Writer

W

hen you clear away the market babble, 2007 wasn’t such a bad year. In fact, it was a pretty good year if you were sufficiently slothful. It also helped if you did as little as possible to contribute to the income of those wonderful folks on Wall Street. Yes, we’re talking about those who purport to know what they are doing, even as they lose hundreds of billions and endanger the entire world financial system. Skeptics should consider the returns of Couch Potato Building Block portfolios, the investment system that works for the rest of us. Here’s the basic idea. Don’t look for brilliant managers. Avoid them and all the marketing claptrap they engender. Instead, capture a market return. Give as little as possible of that return to Wall Street, and diversify like mad. Do this by investing in index funds, in either mutual fund or exchange-traded fund form. Make

your investment. Leave it alone for at least a year. Do that and your results are likely to beat 70 percent of all professional investors. The first case in point is the Crispy Couch Potato portfolio—the one anyone can do if you can fog a mirror and divide by 2 with the help of a calculator. It is a 50/50 mix of a total domestic equity market index fund and an index fund that invests in TIPS (Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities). That portfolio returned 8.85 percent for 2007 and 10.02 percent annualized over the last five years. Returns like that will double your money in roughly eight years. The Margarita portfolio, so named for its three equal-sized building blocks of total domestic stock market, international stock market and TIPS funds, returned 11.21 percent in 2007. It returned 14.56 percent annualized over the preceding five years. That’s enough to double your money in five years. ________________ Send questions to: scott@scottburns. com ■

t can be risky to buy medicines, baby formula, diabetic testing strips and many other products on Internet auction sites, because the products could be stolen or dangerous. The National Retail Federation says many more stolen products are showing up on auction sites as thieves rob entire warehouses or shipments, alter information, and sell the things on the Internet. Sometimes the products are stored somewhere for many months under

adverse conditions such as heat, which affects things like baby formula and medicines, making them dangerous. Thieves also alter expiration dates and other things on labels. It’s a big business, says Joseph LaRocca with the National Retail Federation. Online auctions have made it easy for thieves to get rid of many stolen items. “You don’t know whom you’re buying the product from or where the product came from,” said LaRocca. ■

Value of In-Home Filters

A

good quality air filter (HEPA) in your home can remove particles in the air that contribute to heart disease, says a report in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Indoor air pollution comes from furnaces, cooking, dust and other sources. Researchers found that mature people’s microvascular function improved by 8 percent after using a good filter for just 48 hours. The cardiovascular improvement seen in the study was equivalent to

that experienced when a person quits smoking, which is considerable, said researchers. They speculate that constant use of such filters could reduce cardiovascular risk in people over age 60. “Air pollution, both indoor and out, is certainly affecting people’s hearts,” said researcher Dr. Steffen Loft. The study was conducted by the Institute of Public Health in Copenhagen and involved people ages 60 to 75. ■

16 • March 2008 • The Senior Voice

Popular Book on Wyoming History By Bill Lambdin

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he Wyoming State Historical Society recently re-issued the popular book “Wyoming: A Pictorial History.” Originally published to celebrate the Society’s 50th anniversary in 2003, the book was out of print for some time but is now again available. It is a 272-page hardcover containing nearly 600 photographs, making it an attractive, large-format coffee-table book. It contains some color photographs, but most are historical pictures taken years ago in black and white. It also contains interviews with Wyoming residents, some of whom are well known like archaeologist George Frison. And it quotes some early pioneers like John Bidwell, who was with one of the first wagon trains on the Oregon Trail across Wyoming in 1841. He recalled: “Our party, originally 69 including women and children, had become

lessened to 64 in number. One had accidentally shot and killed himself at the forks of the Platte (River). “Another of our party, named Simpson, had left us at Fort Laramie. Three had turned back from Green River, intending to make their way to Fort Bridger and wait an opportunity to return home… “Thirty-two of our party, becoming discouraged, decided not to venture without path or guide into the unknown and trackless region…” The book’s stories and photos range from the prehistoric period to modern times. Some interviews with modern people include one with James L. Smail, who lives in Lander and has ridden a motorcycle along the Oregon Trail across the state. He is a descendant of Wyoming pioneers and said: “The whole thing about the migration to the West is kind of exciting. What possessed those people to leave their homes and their farms and green fields and their families and go west?...

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“I’ve experienced the Oregon Trail when you can ride for five days and never see another living soul. And that’s nice. There are also sections of the trail where you can go for miles and miles and never see a fence post or a telephone pole or a highway or a graded road. And that’s nice.” The book’s history sections were written by Mark G. Junge with the State Historical Preservation Office in Cheyenne. He said part of the appeal of Wyoming today is that it is “about as far west as you can go. If you go

farther west, it starts to look like the East—too many people, too much traffic.” That’s true. The open spaces and hidden places of Wyoming are part of the state’s appeal to many of us. That appeal is nicely captured in this book. It is available for $46 (includes mailing) from linda@dancewyoming. com; or write Wyoming State Historical Society, PO Box 247, Wheatland, WY 82201. Checks or money orders accepted, not credit cards. ■

New Prostate Cancer Test

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ome researchers believe a test for prostate cancer before age 50 might predict which men will later develop aggressive cancers that will need treatment, according to a report in BMC Medicine. The test is the standard PSA (prostate specific antigen) that has been used for years. Some researchers have said it is not an accurate predictor of aggressive cancer if given to older men. But it might be an accurate

predictor if given to younger men, say the researchers who wrote the BMC Medicine report. They included researchers at Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center in New York and Lund University in Sweden. Controversy has surrounded prostate tests because none so far has been able to predict which cancers will require aggressive treatment such as surgery. Some experts say too many unnecessary surgeries are performed on prostate cancers. ■

The Senior Voice • March 2008 • 17

Memories of a Loveland Pioneer Editor’s Note: Loveland pioneer W.B. Osborn wrote the following account in the late 1800s about the town’s early days. By W.B. Osborn About October 10, 1877, Herzinger and Harter camped on the townsite of Loveland. A few days later, the town was platted into blocks and lots. They slept in a covered wagon

on B Street and 4th. It snowed that night, and the day following they bought three lots from David Barnes. They built a small shanty on the rear of their lots, in which they batched for a time. They contracted for the building of their store with L.R. Rhodes of Fort Collins. The Colorado Central Railroad ran from Denver through Loveland. W.A.H. Loveland was

I Wish You Enough By Lois Hall

R

ecently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at an airport after the boarding call was announced. They hugged each other, and the mother said, “I love you and I wish you enough.” The daughter replied, “Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom.” They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there, I could see she wanted to cry and needed someone. I tried not to intrude on her

privacy, but she turned and said to me, “Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?” “Yes, I have,” I replied. “But why is this such a good-bye for you?” “I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead, and the reality is that her next trip back may be for a final good-bye.” I asked, “When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, ‘I wish you enough.’ May I ask what that means?” “It means I wish you enough sunshine no matter how gray the day may appear. I wish you enough joy to get through the sadness. I wish you enough memories to get you through the final good-bye.” ■

Problems with Chinese Drugs

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ore problems with products from China surfaced recently when Panama officials said at least 123 people died from taking a cold medicine containing a toxic chemical from a Chinese plant. The poisonings occurred in 2006, but Panama officials only recently released information after investigations and exhumations of bodies. They estimate many more deaths occurred in remote areas and were not reported. Elsewhere, Dutch officials in

Amsterdam seized thousands of impotence pills made in China that could cause heart failure. The officials alerted other nations’ drug authorities about the pills called “Herb Vigor” and “Natural Vigor.” U.S. officials have said China has many plants that produce chemicals used in medicines, some of which are exported to the U.S. Most of the plants have never been regulated or inspected by any agency, including the Chinese government, which rarely inspects such plants. ■

president of the railroad. The early days of the railroad brought many difficulties, including a big rain that washed away tracks and did other heavy damage. But Mr. Loveland was able to keep the property operating. At one time, a lawsuit threatened to put the railroad into receivership and squads of armed men, operating in the interest of the Colorado management, halted a train, removed the district court judge and held him until after the term of court expired so the receiver could not present his bond. Eventually the case was settled amicably and Mr. Loveland retained control of the railroad. Mr. Loveland was a man of many interests, and in July, 1878, he bought the Rocky Mountain News, changing that paper from Republican control to Democratic control. ■

W.B. Osborn, the author of this story and one of the first settlers in Loveland. Photo Loveland Public Library.

18 • March 2008 • The Senior Voice

Cattle Trails on the Frontier Editor ’s Note: Northeastern Colorado historian Wayne Carlson wrote the following story years ago. By Wayne Carlson

T

he story of the Texas-Montana Cattle Trail began in the late 1600s when Spanish missionaries entered the eastern part of what is now Texas. They brought with them the wily creature that would someday be called the Texas longhorn. These cattle thrived on the arid plains, and when the Spanish abandoned their missions and went back to Mexico, the cattle had become well established. When the Civil War ended in 1865, the demand for beef outstripped the supply. A wave of businessmen moved into east Texas, and large corporations such as the 777 Ranch were carved out of the wilderness. About this time, enterprising individuals such as Charles Goodnight came up with the idea of taking cheap, basically free longhorns from Texas and driving them north to the verdant

An early trail drive. Photo Hazel E. Johnson Collection. pastures of Wyoming and Montana, where they could be grazed and then slaughtered in Chicago, where they would demand high prices. The Texas-Montana Trail went through what would become Brush, Colorado. The first cattle followed this trail in 1866. A typical cattle drive consisted of dozen cowboys, a cook and a horse

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wrangler. They would drive around 2,500 steers the nearly 1,000 miles to Montana. The trip would take about three months. The crew included the trail boss, pointers who directed the herd, swing men, flankers and drag men. At first light each day, the cattle were allowed to graze until they were filled with grass. After grazing, the cattle would begin to want water, would throw up their heads and begin to walk north. Trail wagons were loaded with necessary provisions. The first stocking site was Channing, Texas. They were restocked at Lamar and Brush, Colorado, and at Lusk, Wyoming, and Miles City, Montana. Trail hands were paid $35 per month and regularly worked 16 to 20 hours a day. They wore their entire wardrobes on their backs and usually slept fully clothed, except for hats and boots. There were few if any changes of clothing during the entire three-month trip. Sometimes the cowboys would bathe in creeks they crossed and be dried by the wind. Meals consisted of sourdough biscuits, potatoes, beans, coffee, beef, dried fruits and occasionally canned goods. When the drive finally reached the grasses north of Miles City, the twoyear-old longhorns were turned loose on pasture, where they spent the next two years. Most trail hands were paid their wages and laid off. Some stayed and worked on Montana ranches. Most would relax for a month or so and work their way back to Texas in time for next year’s drive. By 1898 the drives were just a

memory. So, too, was the longhorn. Now ranchers raised herefords, angus and other exotic breeds—good beef producers but not rugged enough to make the 1,000 mile trip to Montana. ________________ The Senior Voice welcomes readers’ stories. Write 1471 Front Nine Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525; email [email protected]. ■

Good Friday Concert Friday, March 21, 10:00 A.M. First Presbyterian Church 531 South College Avenue Fort Collins Please join us for an hour of music and reflection on the meaning of the day.

(970) 663-3500 Donations will be accepted during the concert. Proceeds benefit Hospice of Larimer County and Respite Care.

The Senior Voice • March 2008 • 19

Letters Young Reader My grandson, age 11, is not really keen on reading, but I was able to give him a back issue (of The Voice) and assign him articles to read for his “reading time” during a recent visit. Not only did he get into reading some of the articles, but he asked if I had additional issues he could read. I no longer have to give him assignments for his reading time, he looks for copies of The Voice and reads on his own. Bob Montoya Berthoud Wyoming Reader I obtained an issue of your splendid paper at The Forks restaurant and thoroughly enjoyed every word. Especially meaningful was the article on Dad, Wyoming. I knew the granddaughter of the man for whom it was named. C. Wadsworth Encampment, Wyoming To Attorney Ron Rutz Just wanted to thank you for the “Handling Probate Might Be Easy” article in the Senior Voice. My mother-in-law was at Fort Collins Health Care Center from October, 2006, until she died April, 2007. With the encouragement your article offered, I put together all the paperwork to get my wife appointed as Personal Rep for her mother’s estate. Everything has gone along smoothly. I also did all the paperwork to sell the house. With the mailing of the final state and federal tax returns this morning, I am ready

To The Senior Voice 1471 Front 9 Drive Fort Collins, CO 80525 E-MAIL: [email protected]

to mock-up the estate “closing” form, and draft a cover letter to the County Clerk. With your information, we were able to do everything ourselves, and saved estate lawyer and real estate sales fees in the process. Many thanks for your fine work. It helped us through a difficult time. Bill Witmer Lakewood, Colorado More on Probate In the November issue, there was a story “Here’s How to Handle Probate.” Could I have permission to make copies of the article to give to Wyoming legislators? Going to my county court house, the only answer I could get from the Probate Office concerning what my son must do when I pass away was “that is a legal question and you must ask a lawyer.” I did ask the lawyer who made my will. His response was, “I hope he would contact me.” Going to another law office, I was told that in Wyoming, state law allows an attorney $2,700 to do a probate. Later I discovered that the Probate Office must be notified within ten days. If not, the Probate Judge may appoint someone to proceed. Considering what the article says , I feel Wyoming should offer a similar opportunity. I appreciate your paper and the information it provides. Robert Cross Cheyenne ■

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20 • March 2008 • The Senior Voice

Early Memories of Steamboat Springs (Editor’s Note: The following story is about early days in Steamboat Springs, written years ago by Florence Welch.) By Florence Welch

I

t was the winter of 1923, and I had been chosen to represent my Upper Elkhead School in the Routt County spelling contest in Steamboat Springs. It had been arranged for my father, Arthur Fredrickson, to take me there by sled and a team of horses. We left home on Thursday, driving 15 miles to Hayden and staying overnight at the Central Hotel. The next morning as we prepared to drive to Steamboat, we were informed that the road was closed due to heavy snowfall. The only alternative was a freight train. And so it was that

two teen-age girls, one representing Hayden and I from a remote country school, rode happily in the caboose of the freight train. The next morning, we walked to the county court house in Steamboat to the spelling contest. I didn’t win first place, which was a disappointment to my school. That evening we were taken to the historic Cabin Hotel, a magnificent building on the north side of the Yampa River. This beautiful hotel later burned to the ground. The passenger train was delayed by the snow, and we waited in the hotel. There in the ballroom a dance was going on, and we were privileged to see the beautiful formals of the elite women of Steamboat. We boarded the train for Hayden. No one had been notified to meet us at Hayden. It was pitch

Early settlers near Steamboat Springs. Colorado Historical Society. dark and bitter cold. We trudged to the other girl’s home across town and wearily sank into bed. I awakened to the sound of a church bell, calling the townspeople to worship. It was my first time to hear a church bell, and I’ve

never forgotten its appeal to my heart. I called my father, and after several hours he arrived to take me home. It had taken four days—a trip we now make in less than two hours. ■

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The Senior Voice • March 2008 • 21

Frontier Madam from Lusk By Bill Lambdin

S

he thought the town’s name was “Lust.” That’s one reason Dell Burk said she established a brothel in Lusk, Wyoming, in the early days of the state, 140 miles north of Cheyenne. Her business there lasted nearly 60 years, and she became something of a legend—saving the town from bankruptcy, helping local people, and living a double life that made her rich, according to June Willson Read’s biography “Frontier Madam: The Life of Dell Burke, Lady of Lusk.” Dell did it anonymously, remaining a mystery to most of the people around her. She dressed in the latest fashions and caught every man’s eye wherever she went. She could afford to dress well, and she was beautiful. Dell was born in 1888 in Somerset, Ohio, and named Mary Ada Fisher. She later went by Dell Burke to avoid embarrassing her family, who gave her a religious upbringing. That was all they could give her; there was barely enough money to feed the family. She married too young, at 17, and was divorced by age 24 from a man who mistreated her. That was in 1905 when there were no good jobs for women. She had to find a way to survive. The Alaskan gold rush was still on; so she went there and worked in one of the “houses.” She was young and pretty, and in one year made over $10,000, she said—a small fortune at that time. She later went to Casper, Wyoming, when the oil boom started; then opened a house of her own in Lusk in 1920, hiring young women to work for her. Lusk was booming, full of young roughnecks working in the oilfields and mines. Dell’s “Yellow Hotel” was just across the street from the train depot. She painted the twostory building yellow. It had expensive décor inside, served the best whiskey available during Prohibition, and became very popular—not only with the roughnecks but also with local men, who entered through the back door.

Lusk was a small town, and many residents objected to the Yellow Hotel. Some, however, argued that it kept rowdy men from bothering their daughters and other local women. Dell closed the hotel on Sundays. She believed those rowdy men should be in church, even if they were hung over. She also donated large amounts of money to the town’s churches, though she did not attend them. She bought supplies from local stores, paying cash with $5 and $10 bills that brought a grin to store owners’ faces. The girls from the hotel paid the same way. If someone said hello to her on the street, Dell would respond politely but not engage in a conversation. She required her girls to do the same. If one of them became involved with a local man outside of the hotel, Dell sent her packing immediately, said biographer Read. Dell paid the girls well and saw to it that they received regular medical examinations. She was a good businesswoman, investing in the stock market, reading numerous newspapers and magazines. The few people who knew her well said she was a witty raconteur. She had a boyfriend but never remarried or had children. They took expensive vacations to California, Mexico and other places. She bought a ranch near Lusk, using it as a part-time residence and place for special occasions—as when politicians wanted a private getaway. Dell used the legal services of some lawyers who became Wyoming governors, and they liked the services she provided at the ranch. When state or local officials tried to close the Yellow Hotel, Dell knew whom to call. During the Depression when money was tight, she loaned the town of Lusk thousands of dollars to keep the power plant in operation and help the city avoid bankruptcy. No local officials ever talked seriously about closing the Yellow Hotel after that. The years went by too fast. The Yellow Hotel survived the Depression, droughts, and times when the only cash crop local

Dell Burke. Photo from June Willson Read’s book, “Frontier Madam: The Life of Dell Burke, Lady of Lusk.” ranchers had was making moonshine. A hungry person who stopped at Dell’s place always got food. Local families received anonymous help in emergencies. Some of their children’s college tuition was secretly paid. In 1980 at age 94, Dell died at Lusk. Someone sent a press release to The Denver Post, which dispatched a writer to Lusk and ran a story that was picked up nationwide. Suddenly everyone knew about Dell Burke. Her estate sale attracted several thousand people from across the country who wanted a memento from one of the West’s last frontier madams. They descended on Lusk, walked through the Yellow Hotel and imagined many things as they saw the knickknacks Dell had collected for so long, the chairs

where men had sat with their drinks, the juke box that played the girls’ favorite songs as they danced with the men. One person reportedly heard a careless man say to his wife as they walked downstairs from the bedrooms, “That step always squeaked.” Numerous people have told Dell’s story over the years, but none did it better than June Read, who grew up on a ranch near Lusk and wrote the book “Frontier Madam: The Life of Dell Burke, Lady of Lusk” ($12.95 Globe Pequot Press, 2007; www.globepequot.com). Read spent five years doing research and talking with people who knew Dell, and she produced one of Wyoming’s best local histories. If you want the complete story, get this interesting book. ■

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22 • March 2008 • The Senior Voice

Laughter Is the Best Medicine A

man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy street. Suddenly, the light turned yellow in front of him. He stopped even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection. The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration because she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a policeman. The officer ordered her to get out of the car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed, and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, she was taken back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects. He said, “I’m sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing

your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak. I noticed the ‘What Would Jesus Do’ bumper sticker, the ‘Choose Life’ license plate holder, the ‘Follow Me to Sunday-School’ bumper sticker, and the chromeplated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally I assumed you had stolen the car.” Observations from George Carlin: Don’t eat anything that’s served to you out a window unless you’re a seagull. There’s no such thing as flavored water. Sorry, but flavored water is called a soft drink. You want flavored water? Pour some scotch over ice and let it melt. You’re not spiritual just because your tattoo has Chinese characters in it. The last time you did anything spiritual, you were praying to God you weren’t pregnant. You’re not spiritual. You’re just high. Competitive eating isn’t a sport. ESPN televised the U.S. Open of

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Competitive Eating because watching those athletes at the poker table was just too damned exciting No more gift registries. They used to be just for weddings. Now they’re for babies, new homes and graduations from rehab. Picking out the stuff you want and having other people buy it for you isn’t gift giving, it’s the white people’s

version of looting. When I ask how old your toddler is, I don’t need to know he’s precisely twenty-seven and one-half months. “He’s two” will do just fine. Men believe computers are feminine because: No one but their creator understands their internal logic. ■

The Future of Social Security By Scott Burns Financial Writer

I

f Medicare were a children’s fairy tale, it would be called “The Monster That Ate Social Security.” According to economist Alicia Munnell, retiree out-of-pocket expenditures to cover premiums, deductibles and co-pays for parts B and D of Medicare will gobble up 29 percent of the average Social Security benefit check this year. That’s quite a chunk. And it’s going to get worse. Based on figures in a recently published brief, the director of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College indicates that a worker who is 30 today can expect premiums, deductibles and co-pays for parts B and D of Medicare to absorb about 50 percent of his initial Social Security benefit. A baby born this year can expect the same costs to absorb nearly 70 percent of future Social Security benefits. Since Social Security benefits will have to be cut 25 percent by 2041 unless taxes are increased,

today’s newborns are facing a future in which the cost of health care will have gobbled up the entire Social Security program. So, in the future, retirees will have plenty of health care. Their only worry will be the trivial, mundane stuff—like buying food. Professor Munnell is not an alarmist. Like most economists, she is simply aware that Medicare is the elephant in the room. Indeed, the unfunded liabilities of Medicare are six to seven times the unfunded liabilities of Social Security. One part of Medicare alone, the prescription drug plan signed into law in 2003, has unfunded liabilities nearly twice as large as the unfunded liabilities of the entire Social Security retirement program. Talk about bitter pills. These realities should be telling our politicians to start working on a complete reset for health care. Instead, candidates for both parties talk about major changes but only rearrange deck chairs on the rapidly sinking USS Medicare. It’s time to think differently. ■

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The Senior Voice • March 2008 • 23

Social Security By Michael Hollis Social Security Manager, Greeley

H

ere are some interesting facts about Social Security. In 2008, about 50 million Americans will receive Social Security benefits. The nation’s first baby-boomer began collecting Social Security retirement benefits in February, 2008; and over the next 20 years, another 78 million boomers will be eligible to apply for benefits. That’s an average of more than 10,000 people applying for benefits every day. About 70 percent of private sector workers have no long-term disability insurance, but nearly all workers and their families have Social Security protection in the event of a long-term disability. The average monthly Social Security survivors’ insurance benefit for a widow or widower with two dependent children is about $2,243 per month, which for most workers is more than the value of their private life insurance. More than 3 million children

under age 18 get Social Security benefits as survivors of deceased workers, or as the children of people receiving retirement or disability benefits. Approximately 442 million Social Security numbers have been issued since 1936, but there are approximately 1 billion possible Social Security number combinations with the nine-digit number; so there are plenty more to go around. Social Security offices are very busy. Nearly 42 million people visit a Social Security office each year. Another 60 million call the nationwide toll-free telephone service each year at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800325-0778). In addition, about 48 million people visit our Internet website at www.socialsecurity.gov. By 2032, there will be almost twice as many older Americans as today, growing from 38 million now to 72 million. If you find these facts interesting and would like to know more about any aspect of the Social Security programs, you can visit our website at www.socialsecurity.gov. ■

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24 • March 2008 • The Senior Voice

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