Charles Springer was an American cattleman, lawyer, and politician. He is remembered for organizing the St. Louis, Rocky Mountain & Pacific Compan.
Background
Charles was born on December 19, 1857 in Louisa County, Iowa, United States, one of the eight children of Francis and Nancy R. (Coleman) Springer. His father was a prominent lawyer, judge, and political leader and was a descendant of Swedish ancestors who settled in New England prior to the American Revolution.
Education
Charles Springer received his education at Baptist College, Burlington, and at the State University, Iowa City, where he studied law.
Career
About 1879 Springer followed his elder brother, Frank Springer, to Cimarron, New Mexico, which was thereafter his home. Here he helped to develop the family cattle ranch into one of the largest in the United States.
He was treasurer of the Rocky Mountain & Pacific Company and chairman of its board of directors. With his brother Frank he built for irrigation purposes Eagle's Nest Dam with a capacity of one hundred thousand acre-feet.
During the First World War he was one of nine appointed to the state council of defense, and almost at once was made chairman of its executive committee. For some years (1907 - 13) he had served on the territorial board of water commissioners; much more important was his service as chairman of the state highway commission from its creation in 1917 until March 1931, under Democratic as well as Republican administrations.
After the death of his brother Frank in 1927 he accepted election to the board of managers, School of American Research, and appointment as a regent of the State Museum.
He died in 1932 after an illness of several months and was buried on the ranch at Cimarron.
Achievements
Politics
For over forty years he was one of the inner group that directed the Republican party in New Mexico. When the state constitution was drafted in October 1910, he was one of the hundred who composed the convention and was one of the steering committee of twenty-three, chosen in Republican caucus, who dominated its proceedings and enactments. Although avoiding candidacy for elective office, he did accept appointment to important posts where he believed he could serve the material and cultural interests of the state.
Views
He was the author of two measures which became basic in financing the entire road system of New Mexico and have been adopted by many other states. The first of these was the taxing of gasoline for road-building purposes, and New Mexico was the first state to establish such a tax. It was his idea also that road building be financed by short-term debentures rather than by issuing state bonds, and when the legality of this procedure was carried to the state supreme court he won a favorable verdict.
Personality
In personal appearance he was tall and spare, with sharp features.
Quotes from others about the person
He was characterized by some of the newspapers as the "Grey Wolf of Colfax County, " but to political friends and foes alike he was familiarly known as "Uncle Charley. "
According to Santa Fe New Mexican, he was "credited generally with having written more New Mexico laws than any half dozen other men since statehood".
According to Bloom: "his accomplishments and services to the state without financial reward, easily marked him as one of New Mexico's most useful citizens".
Connections
In 1899 he married Mary Chase of Colfax County, New Mexico.