, 1872-10-20
IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.
A Week at Idaho Springs---
Visit to George
town..
Silrer.Mining in Colorado..HoW the Argen'
tiferous Orc is Separated from Its
Natural hffinities.
Gray.s Peal1---A1R Ascent OF
the Mountain.

From Our O,fn Correspondent.
GEORGETOWN, Coll. September, 1879.
4 Eeek st idaho Springs wore away the savage
Tendencies Of our camp-life,. and brought US
into the old groove OF civilized tastes and hab-
its. Pleasant end novel aa cur experience had
been. We felt no lingering disposition to lntrude
permanently upon the domain OF the dusky
children Of the forest, and willingly accorded to
the Indiau mdiden the exclusive pleasure
OF sitting by smoky canp-fres, and adorn-
ing herself by the crystal streams In
deed, We rather congratulated ourselves upon
being so distantly related to our model mother,
Eve, who was obliged to pass her life in romantic
bowers, with nothing to DO but gaze upon the
beauties of Nature, md talk with angels and
serpents. We even went so far IS to excuse her
for eating the apple and getting driven cut OF
Paradise, to which happy circumstance We are
supposed to owe all our sinful 1uKuries. Prinl-
tive simplicity may be very poetic put It has
serious draw backs, and, in the long run, living
in houses is decidedly preferable.
But civilization has its weak side, and water
ing-place life is much the same the world over.
CONVENTIONAL TOURISTS :,
come to the Rocky Mountaing just as they go to
Newport, because it is the thing to do. They
cut on fine clothes, object to climbing NOUN
Eains because it disarranges their tol1ettes and
epoils their conplexions, and are altogether
e7a,auyee without precisely the same round Of ez-
citement they have at home, or think they ought
to have away from home. There is the usual
amount Of flirting, and maneuverlng. and yawn-
ing and gossping, with excursions and tine
scenery to fall back upon as Dase OF opera
lions.
has hitherto been the wa:ering-plece OF Colorado,
although, it is likely to divide the honor in fu-
Tm1- IT, C~%-S%, tn, 1nf att ~.
uons, it has nothing to eurpass the vicinity Of
the beautiful Manitotf valley; still it has the ad-
vantage OF higher altitude and more bracing
Rir, as well as the hot soda springs; WHICH a1-
is also farther back in the mountains, and nearer
the prominent points of business-interest. It is
nomp pletely shut in by Ibare and rugged peaks,
~ith Clear Creek running through 1t, and smaller
Lhat lead from it. Driving ont Of tho little
valley between the wild and barren walls Of the
Virginia Canon, and up steady ascent Of three
miles, you see the smoke OF Central City
curling as far down On the other side. The road
In the opposite direction leads along the banks
.pf Chicago Creek, through the widest Of natu-
sal scenery: until it sinks into trail that, if
ep miles aa g yoa to tee aggd
the scene Of pieretaafs wen-lnonn picture
pf "S5orn in the ROCKY Mountains"
Two or three miles away, IN yet another dlreo-
tion, there is mountain to Which. parties OF
daily to search for the opa1s thet are hidden
away in the rocks. Some Of them are milky and
5ustreless, but occasionally q patient stone
breaker is rewarded with brilliant dre~opal OF
great size and value.
Leaving idaho, With its baths and billiard
balls, it's hot springs and its 1nSaGds, drive Of
fourteen miles between the high, rocky cliffs
That border Clear Creek, past busy mining Eertle-
ments and noisy quartz mills, brings Us to
aEonaE1owN,
The eutre Of the largest eilver-nining interests
In Colorado. Here We find ourselves in q new
world altogether. The Rocky Mountains are
standpoint. They are vast mineral deposit
tories. made to be dug out, and torn up, and
funne1ed, to be uought, and sold, and appro-
priated with strict reference to the utilities.
has just sold mine, is about to buy mine, or
lis prospecting for 8 mine. The main business
OF life is dealing in silver ore People
are al living upon The, the ~ verge re-. ,a2t Of
1Eo possessing 3 grand fortune, IS it furnishes
one with ali the anticipations, without any OF
She responsibilities. The chief objects OF in
terest are
Even the children talk lesrnedly Of desu]phnr-
ization, and oxidation, and ana1ganation, and
assay values. and furnaces with more names and
specific uses than could possibly remember;
lions and true dssure veins, until you are struck
dumb With his Eeight OF scientific knoWi-
nage. and begin to picture to yourself
a fsce of mineralogists whose tea-table talk
xnd xho she'll start ont en- naasee in pursuit Of
the philosophers gtone.
THE PLACE ITSELF
is pleasant little mount2in-town Of 2,0s0 IN
pabitants, wedged in between two rocky and sill
re=-rimmed walls, less than half mile apart.
1tsnecessity for growing in length is evident, as
It is clearly Impossible for it to grow
in width; and, as you glance mp.
ward ct IT. tho steep, SHARP LED ledgssz thas g.
5nyoluntarily speculate as to the possibility Of.
the rocks becoming 1ooEened, and surprising the
Gwallers in the narrow valley by an 1nceremo-
nious passage through their Eitchen-doors.
You thought1essly inquire it there is no danger
look OK injured Innocence, and prompt GENIAL
of any such possibility /; upon. Which you con
tclnde at once that the rarity Of the atmosphere
der the special protection Of Providence. The
and tie snow lying unen The near
peaks these first autumn no:nings gives 4at ene =
seems that the peaks have monopoly Of the
cold weather, and tie climate, even at ti'is ele-
vation Of nearly $500 feet, is comparatively
mild snd even, throughout the year
and your seryants, it you are fortunate enuugh
to find any, even at the price Of $40 OF e15
week, dictate their own terms, to which you can
Eu1iab1v submit or 90 your hoHse"otA- Iomuon
labor commands from IS to 81 day IN the mines,
while skilled labor is nor =sorth SIS or Sc. In
felligent and educated men often go to work
with the pick and, drill, because it seems to be
The eurest way to mend fallen fortunes, OF lay
the foundation of new ones, Themounta,ns ere
dotted and Teined With silver; but the great de-
:7nand seems to be for
CAPITAL TO DEVELOP TIE MINES.
and greater facilities for reducing tue ore after
of it IS clipped abroad; but the distance from
The railrosd has rendered transportation
both difficult and expeneire, so that
cnlv the more valuable ores have
Set been made pseof The new reduction works.
,owuga By Mr.. Judd, Of Chicago, lave just been
started, in addition to The large opes already in
operation. ~
rixed With q large quantity Of sl1oy, and
TEE coGP11cA1ED PROCESS
bv Ehich natural efipities are broken up, and
tie pure metal is divorced from lts tlr5t love- IS