JAMES FRITZ
1883 - 1978
The following are bits and pieces of the old times and places during the very long life of Mr. Jim Fritz. Mr. Fritz was born June 29, 1883 in Pennsylvania. In 1978 at the age of 95, he died here in Chloride.
In 1908Mr. Fritz worked in the mines of the Cerbat Mountains, in the Arizona Territory. Then he traveled to Jerome, Arizona where he worked in the Clark Mine, and in mines southwest of Prescott on land that is barren now. He built railroad tunnels to Salt Lake City, Utah. In the Pennsylvania coal mines he worked for $33.00 per month. When he ran out of cash he returned to Chloride. In 1917 he enlisted in the Army to fight in World War I, where he fought in many of the big battles in France. After being gassed he was returned to the U.S. In 1925 he came back to Chloride and worked in the mines until he hurt his knee. He was a night watchman and deputy sheriff for many years when Chloride was a busy camp with five stores, five saloons, a movie house, telephone exchange, and a bank. It cost $50.00 then for a 50 pound sack of flour.
Mr. Fritz bought the land where the Chloride Museum is located with bonus money from the war. Some land he purchased from a Mrs. Smith, and in the early 1930s he purchased the balance of the land from Judge Elmer Spargo's wife. Arizona Title had the deeds for all the property. At one time Mr. Fritz owned eleven cabins. Mr. Wellington donated land for a church, and at the present the Chloride Baptist Church is located on that land.
Mr. Fritz was always concerned about the welfare of Chloride. During the last years of his life he became interested in Historical Society and was pleased to learn about their plans to make his largest cabin into the museum. Mr. Fritz and his sister made arrangements for the Historical Society to purchase the original Fritz cabin and all of the land and properties from the park eastward to beyond the museum.
It is proper, with this legacy that one of our oldest citizens be long remembered by the citizens and visitors to one of the oldest Arizona Town Sites..............Chloride |
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