Were the Cotopaxi Jews tricked?

The family oral stories tell us that the Jews were brought to Cotopaxi with the promise of wonderful farms and they were tricked into going to work in Saltiel's mines because one could not farm in Cotopaxi.

Sometimes, it's as simple as finding a newspaper article.

Colorado Springs Weekly Gazette 29 Jan 1881 - a year and 4 months BEFORE the Colonists arrived at Cotopaxi:

"The Silver Cliff Prospect says, "Mr. Saltiel, of Cotopaxi, Fremont county, has inaugurated a novel scheme to secure laborers to work on the Silver Cliff extension of the Denver & Rio Grande railroad. He has opened recruiting offices for the enlisting of laborers at Chattanooga, Tennessee, New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama.  He expects to bring into the state about six thousand men from these points during the winter and spring."

I know that it says this recruitment was for building a railroad extension.  BUT....6000 laborers?  The overflow would have been surplus employment for his mines.

Where did he propose that they reside?  Was part of the labor intended to build homes for them?

Obviously, this never came to fruition.   But it proves that he was seeking a labor market as early as a year and 4 months before the Colonists arrived.

When Saltiel realized his employment offices failed, he must have needed a new source of employees.  Perhaps this is when he turned to HEAS in NYC?

We may never know....but when you are working on your own family genealogy, don't forget to look to historical newspapers for information.