aurum09 - There is some good material out there on Cripple Creek. As I skimmed some of it, I thought "The more things change, the more they stay the same." Not so much as how CC relates to EVG, but in terms of the intersection of the mining and financial services industries...

"The great mining camp of Cripple Creek and the sophisticated population of nearby Colorado Springs were a hotbed for mining stockbrokers and promoters. The would-be investor, via various sources, could purchase and sell mining company stock. The individual broker was able to sell shares that were traded on the mining stock exchange or behind the scenes, selling shares from their own inventory in companies they were personally promoting. The "Change" was the most visible and regulated venue that undoubtedly served as a meeting place for highly regarded men of the communities.Men of the mining stock exchanges were thought of very highly by the business community and utilized this popularity and exposure to promote their businesses, mines and other interests."

http://www.cripplecreekhistory.com/stockbrokers_article.htm