The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1868-11-19
CrsfaAl CrrY, ,CoIoRApo, |
November, 10, 1868. I
GEN. In. HrnRrcK.

CrsfaAl CrrY,, Co1oRADo,
!. November, 10, 1868.
GEN. J. M. HrDRrcK, ,Asrl
Dear Sir: "A
Havinga.|
few leisure moments bequeathed me
by snow storm, which is raging, for.
bidding the pursuit Of an ont door
I come to the conclusion that
a few lines from former residentof|
your fair city, might not be a.sogcth-
or void Of interest to the readers Of
your valuable journal. Since leaving
Ottumwa, I have journeyed through
. considerable portion Of Uncle Sans
public domain and have at last found
myselfin the centre of the Gold Re-
gion. A casual description of this
locality may be acceptable.
As the traveller journeying from
Denver, leaves the plain which to him
has become painfully monotonous, he
suddenly at Golden City, which is at
the base of the mountains, enters up
on scenes which for natural beauty
and almost terrible magnifcence can.
not be surpassed in the world. As
you wind your way through q mars
row defile termed canyon on either
side rising in abrupt bleakness arc
mountains which do no discrerdit to
the term Rocky, rock piled upon rock
until they almost lose themselves in
the clouds terminating in craggy
peak, painful to gaze upon on account
Of its dizzy height. Journeying up
ward through similar scenes Of
grandeur and magnifcence, the ne
plus ultra of an artists desires, now
winding around some mountain, up
one side its summit lost in theiclouds,
on the other chasm, into which q
mis- step would plung the unlucky one
a distance Of thousands of feet, now
descending some activity to take ad-
vantage Of . more accessible route,
he at last finds himself entering the
first of a series of towns which con-
stitute the business centre of the
Rocky Mountains. Black Hawk is .
to wn of about three Thousand popula-
ton and is in q prosperous and thri-
wing condition. A great many
Quartz Mills are 10 operation in and
adjacent to this town, rich Silver
mines have been recently discovered
here, which promise to yield more
than those which contain the more
precious metals. As you proceed on
either side, Quartz Mills line the
gulch and thedull 'thud, of thestamps
announce their activity. Mountain
City, is the next congregation Of
houses which has earned q title
Above Mountain City, about q mile
yon come into the Mountain Metro
polls called Central City. Here you
have more regularly laid out city
| eight new brick stores have been
erected this summer nodded much
after the same manner of the Union
Block Ottumwa. Three banking in
stitutions are in operation here
and all doing thriving BUSINESS
Wholesale stores present quite bus
mess appearance, and will compar'
favorably with those in the STATES
Other towns of less note but offs
thriving character are adjacent, viz
Nevada, Missouri City and Leaven
worth. The business Of this locality
is rapidly assuming q permanent
character and especially invite CAPT
tai with every encouragement that i
WILDE a profitable observation-disclosures
many lodes which had temporarily
collapsed on account Of mismanage
ment and other reasons, have during
the past season again resumed oper
atoms, and next season promises Il
eclipse all previous ones, in the ship
ment of the precious metals. Beside
Gold and Silver, the mountains ar
rich in the production Of Copper AM
Iron, and also Tin has been discover
ed although not fully developed.
| Political matters here have sine
the October elections lost their OF
citing character with which the,
were invested during the excitin,
canvass previous to that Five Fork
WEIGH demoralized the forces of th
enemy and clearly indicated that tn
Great Captain was the choice Of tn
American People beyond peradven
ture. a seE
At the election for Territorial Del
egate, Judge Bradford was chosen
over his Democratic competitor i
D. Belden, thus securing . gentle
man of integrity. ability and patriot
ism,i in harmony with the incomin,
Administration, and the great ma
jority in the Legislative Halls. Al
though great triumph upon whicI
rested the fruits of the late victor,
obtained over the late rebellion an
the future welfare Of regenerate
|. country has been achieved in tn
, election of Grant and Colfax, yet /,
. remained for the patriotic citizens Q
Iowa and Minnesots to have show
and example of that love for libert,
which knows no caste, and that su
i perior patriotism which arrogates t,
themselves nothing but what the,
| are willing that all otheya shon1d ar