New-York tribune., 1870-12-06
CARIBOU.

MINES AND THEIR YIELDS--INFLUX or MINERS
-PRosPECT OF THE COUNTRY.
GREELEY, Colorado, Nov. e7.-This letter
viii require little tracing OF places and lines OF travel
on the map. Our town Is the Dever Pacific Railway,
half way between Cheyenne and Denver each Of which
Ii about 80 miles distant and 1t Ia tho south side Of the
Cache 10 Poudre five miles 'aboye where 1t enters she
Platte About % miles this side OF Denver railroad is
miles long, Ia in process OF construction, called the
Boulder Valley Road the chief object being to reach the
abundant GOAL fields lying near the base OF the Rocky
Mountains There are objective points in Colorado
which both the great lines OF the Union Pacific and the
Kansas Pacific are endeavoring to reach These points
Denver and Central City. The Kansas Pacific how
ever has reached Denver, and it Is extended to Chey
enne. The Union Paec docs not touch Colorado, Chey-
being miles north OF the line OF Colorado
Denver is q town OF 1000 Inhabitants and Is rapidly
growing II is situated about l5 miles from the foot
Of the mountains. Central CITY, including Black
Hawk and Nevada which lie together In gulch, has
over 1000 inhabitants and is in the heart OF the mining
region of Colorado. The activity and sprghtliness OF
Central City Its quartzmils, furnaces, and smelling
works astonish every stranger Georgetown is also
fine mining town. silver only being obtained in the ycin-
ity. The amount of transportation by teams and the
number Of passengers carried by stages between Denver
and these places make total far greater than on any
other wagon road In country and 30 great IL IL that
Is estimated that the OF wagon transportation
over that by rail would annually 90 far toward building
railroad. There he doubt that more money mas
been spent in hauling these mountains since the
Gregory diggings were discovered than would build
several roads; and, although nearly ten years have
passed. these mines I'm the aggregate as productive
ever plan is 10 build railroad from Denver To
Central City and TO Georgetown by Clear Creek Ihe
distance to Golden City. IS miles, is already bult ana
work is progressing up Clear Greek Canon but not with
much force.
NEw RAILROAD ROUTES.
recent discovery of silver mines is likely to make
change IN the plans for reaching these mountains.
silver lead discovered last Summer In the Grand
Island Mining District and called CaribOO; and "a the
wonders Of ts richness-riyaling the mines OF White
Pine and of Virginia Ctyare talked OF on every hand,
have paid them visit. Carboo Is 20 miles north Of
Central. ! went thither by Denver and Central, the
distance from Greeley being 1l9 miles. There are i'm
Inense interests connected with these developments The
Kansas Pacific powerful corporation, and, properyt
line by which the Cotton States arc 10 communicate
with California and China; but unfortunately, it becomes
tributary the Union Pacific at Cheyenne, while 1t ira
verses ireeless h0useess prairie Of nearly 500 miles
east Of Denver Engineers have been struggling for
pas .age through tie Arkansas Canon. thence through
the Poncho pass into san Luis valley, and they have
tried other routCs though they knew that If they sue
cceded they would ud beyond the eastern slope OF the
Rocky Mountain an uninhabtable country, more than
600 miles wide The present move would seem to be
toward Carboo in the building Of the Boulder Valley
road that coal may first he obtained. and then that the
mining region may be reached before the Union Pdclnc
should consider whether the prize is worth seek
ing But there il more than this Stll behind Boulder
Pass IL between Cariboo and Central, and here the
snowy range crowds 10 the east that II but few
miles through TO the head waters Of the Colorado Of the
West whence passage into salt Lake Valley will be
easy When this shall be accomplished a grand scheme
will he developed. The Central Pacific which meets the
Union Pacific al Ogden, 80 miles east OF Sacramento
will clasp hands with the kansas Pacific aud the Union
Pacific will see passengers and freight take this new
route which Is said 70 he $50 miles nearer 10 NewIOk
AMONG THE MOUNTAINS
leaving Central City in the morning. ana going down
to Black Hawk VIC passed mp gulch two or three miles
long and reached the level OF the mountain ranges All
the slopes and the m0autan tops we're once covered WIN
heavy growth Of pine timber but for several miles
around they had been ot clean away for the smelling OF
ores I'm Black Hawk and Central. After five miles OF
travel We passed thousands of cords of wood by the road
side which had been haulod from the mountain slopes
on either hand could vast blocks taken out OF
the solid forest Not many years can pass before an te
timber within 10 Is miles Of Central VIII be gone and
then ores be taken to the coal at the foot OF the
mountains Tie road was dry and smooth and none OF
the hills were sleeper than in ordinary country roads in
the States The broad track indicated the
constant travel Of the long teams which all
day long crowd the way, hauling pro-
visions sud supplies Cariboo, and returning
with silver orc. our general elevation must have been
about s cet, while ranges and peaks on the right ana
left were lte3 rcct higher. Wa passed great many
cabins belonging 10 woodGhoppers, and in coyes or up
;tud valleys, there were ranches or farmhouSes, ami
fields OF more or less eXton, where oats barley pota
too. and other vegetables, had been grown. Further
On cro wero fcwCr dwellings, hut was surprised to
find fence OF poles along each side or the road
milo after mile which 10 seems incosed claims supposed
to be oflGo acres, and which were occupied for pas
turacr But these fences must have included larger
III, f,Iu from two IN IN
made tue only limit on that side.
NORTH BOULDER VALLEY.
To crossed gulch known Gold Dirt where success
fl mining had been done. and then came to the Val
lev of North Boulder which presented scene almost like
New-Engand village for there were several good resi-
dences large mill, and several extensive stamp
mills, with lofty chimney stacks, while the clear and
m MD stream runs through valley 40 beautiful as can
anywhere De seen Here heavy crops Of barley oats tim
otv potaocs and all kinds Of vegetables were grown
hi season. and the proprietor Mr. Rollins declared that
hc should raise wheat next year. for he was certain thatt
could e grown with The elevation must DE apOO
feet higher than Mount Washington He took mo INTO
his barn. which would do credit TO the best farmer III
Nc,.York. and IL WIS crowded with hay and oats. He
had poultry in large ocks and fat hogs Seeing tla hls
vorL-oxen were sleek and fat, remarked that they
sbowed evidence Of having had grain He said that, so
far from having grain they had not even bad hay and
that they got all their living on the Wild mountain grass
Hs hay Is sold at the barn for $50 tun to DO taken to
Central He showed me eOne timothy hay grown by
irrigation; the stalks were over four feet long As
general thing irrigation Ii not required Ia the mount
aims there being rainfall enough for small grains ana
vcgotabes STILL where practicable, water Is used par
ticularly for grass.
Going out OF this valley VIC among the mountains
again and vet the line OF tho road WIS so sdlfuy ad
that we Travelled as easily and rapidly as II We were
poIna through old settlement in Massachusetts;
and The old granite rocks, and the mossy peaks and
the green mountain slopes seemed almost the same
as along the Atlantic shore beyond Old Salem
Making q turn around mountain we saw iuu
before us the vast plains, smooth and gray Ike the
ocean itself and stretching without break $50 miles to