By Kenneth Jessen Halfway up Fairplay’s main street stands a curious monument made of dull gray cement adorned with ore samples from many of the mines in the Fairplay-Alma area. Etched in the cement is the following expression of respect to one particular burro called Prunes. It reads, “Prunes—A burro—1867— 1930. Fairplay, Alma—All Mines In This District.” Expressed in this simple inscription is the heartfelt praise to this shaggy little servant of Colorado. Ripley in his “Ripley’s Believe-It-Or-Not” syndicated cartoon made Prunes and his monument famous. Prunes was also featured in 1943 on the radio version of “Death Valley Days.” ...