fyi, being a curious researcher by nature, I did a quick search and turned up the "Mining Reporter" document, published by The Industrial Printing and Publishing Company, Denver, CO, Vol. XLVII, Jan 1, 1903, January to June. The document contains a listing for a H.W. Fullerton in the Index on page VII, as well as this entry under the heading "Movements of Mining Men" on page 544 for June 11, 1903:mbourget wrote:Found this elk hunting in the San Juans. Would like to know more of his story.
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"Mr. H.W. Fullerton, manager of the Telluride mill, Colorado City, Colorado, has gone to New York on business."
Here's the link:
https://books.google.com/books?id=N9VAA ... on&f=false
Given that your inscription is from 1904, this could very well be your H. Fullerton. If it is, the story is just beginning and it gets VERY interesting, because two months after he was "on business" in New York, H.W. Fullerton of the Telluride Mill in Colorado City was wrapped up in the most violent union war in American history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Labor_Wars
Second Colorado City mill workers' strike, July 1903
"On 25 August 1903, Walter Keene, the head precipitator at the Telluride mill was attacked by a crowd of union members inside the mill, hit on the head with a dinner pail, and his life threatened if he did not either join the union or quit his job. Keene promptly resigned. H. W. Fullerton, the manager of the Telluride mill fired two of Keene's assailants, and told the union that violence against non-union employees would not be tolerated. He reminded them that he had agreed in writing not to discriminate against union men, and expected the union likewise not to harass non-union employees. The union demanded that Fullerton rehire the two men he had fired, and when he refused, the WFM struck the Telluride mill.[10]p.76"
I find it terribly curious that the inscription you found is the one year anniversary of this incident at the Telluride mill. Perhaps he decided it was a good day to call in sick and make himself very unavailable?
One of the most colorful books about Cripple Creek which includes a detailed story about the explosion at the Independence Depot which killed 13 people (book is out of print but easily found on eBay), is "Money Mountain" by Marshall Sprague. The Telluride Mill was one of the refinery operations for Cripple Creek ore.
Cheers -