, 1874-07-19
COLORADO.
a Town Of Fairp1ay---How
It Got It's Name.
, naad Place Now, But Once a
Very Lively Spot.
rh,oamcn in the 11ines---Principal
co|d-Fields OF the Territory.
~. Nfodus-Opcrandi of Gold
p1accr-lIinins---The "Salt-
ing" Swfudlc.

/ p1acer-liining---The "Salt-
/ ing" Swiudlc.
,.tz cpr,sspondene< a The Chicago 7+.oune
FA1HP1A1, COL. July /. 1874.
u<;,,y,r. the county-seat OF Park County, an
! ~. .ntr.pot to what is known as the hit. Lincol1
w. n:s.rs1;.uict, is exclusively mfntng-town
l1.'.s .nnt,ips, ali told, about 400 souls 1t i
.,.1 wv Inst Il the foothills that wait upon lit
t:a..1o m tho north side Of the Platte River
/ - commands, to the east, very fine view O
~ south Park. The town u scattered prom1s
] s.,v &round OF sido-hil1, aud does not Ibe
" sa.t1.s, N regularity by making any attempts
ia th.t direction.
pv VIA. combination Of circumstances Of
: tfents ..-.--.--...... .... ....-
! r,mp1lY FIRST OBTAINED ITS TITLE
] i !, DISPUTED question 8mong the miners; q
er.ttiou almost as difficult Of solution as the
t:rh.a|.cs of the immortal Homer. The para
e,,nhis:s md romancers have had thoir say
.hout it. and the newspaper-poet has spun his
d;,,,, wherein Two rough and stalwart miners
re-, represented Is having fallen into dispute
,,er the possession OF claim, and, appealing
II rsvoIvers, one OF the antagonists fell
nutaly wounded. The victor, bending oyer
tas eorpsc, exclainns, "Wal, jack, they
u1t SUI but Hhat you got fair play" and
t,lkz Of; and the expression is seized upon and
t,s:eoed to the town The lateBt and most ap-
uoy9 authorities declare the sponsors in bap-
tszto be certain doctor, who dourished some
ra,s $50 in Denyer,-the father Of lovely and
accomplished aaughtor,-and eiddy, ha1um~
t11m young Lothario. Who fell in love With
Il. dsughter aforesaid. Tho twain met, there
~ tie usual billing and cooling, and the usual
1uxrsttou OF mans pertidy and woman = weak
:za,-.he girl was ruined Appalled, at the con-
squenco OF his indisctetlon, and too much Of q
eossrd to meet the outraged father, the young
EH 1ea to the mountains, and sought refuge in
nsniners' cabius at the Platte River mines.
III svenSing dispenser Of physic followed him:
IL a:e one stormy night, corraled his game IN
sr5T-9 cabin, deeply engaged in the beautics OF
Isr.paker. Their eyes met, and the Young
En- knew that q settlement must be had then
ri there, He requested the doctor to whit
r2rl be plaEed his hand out, eashed his
hskH1 aud then, facing the old man,
t1almed, II only want ono thing,
Aesf*1t AA4A s4S1s IL A3&A klAAvs Lucy A16A AEIU58
ta hbs; two reports rang out on the midnight
III; two mortal yelis were heard two bodice
i'll 10 the floor with heavy thug; and the ne1s
4y
TWO conPsRs
we're planted in the river bottom. Fair p1.y uas
tho standing salutation TOR months after aud
the town became known by that name. The
maiden oyer whom all this fuas Was made, took
Paris-geen It first, but WIS brought to with
the aid Of stomach-pump, and is now the sole
propretSeas Of hordy- y-eurdy and danoe-house
It Pueblo. She still speaks tenderly OF the |
aaRen lover, aud often rogrets that he did not
get the drop" upon the old MIN.
Fauplsy has the Usual complement OF frame,
log, brick, stone. and adobe houses, switched In
he's snd there at odd angles and cornerB; while
ne maln or principal street runs directly
through tho place, and brings up It last full-tllt
Astlost steep and rocky gu1ch. filed with old
tsts, boots, joints Of stove-pipe, dismantlcd
tanners4 and other dabr7s OF miners cabins |
fArplar has been unfortunate. In September
Isl fearful fire swept its heart out; and, dis
Csred and discouraged, in the face Of the op-
POSITION Of fresher and more powerful rivals,
rho have plated town-sites aud organized
losa- Boards to contest for tho trade 10
ae nines. the citizens OF blackened and ruined
cannot summon courage or energy
:oaagh to rebuild The stones and rubbish re-
nila where they fell, aud the cella1-ways yaun
VI their CHASTITY emptiness. The only sign Of
a2Foremeut visible WAS new church, not yet
ssu!. rs the people required some p1Ace IN
'nrh to mourn over their lost greatness. It
alphabetically
DULL, DEAD TOWN.
b Fholesale merchants. who once filed out
Es7s orders for the mountain-trade, have left
h{ha 49, 1.t
u stand upon every street and corner. The
the gambler, and the fral sister, :
.se packed up their trunks and shaken the dust
Eom thar feet. Business 1anguishes aud the ;;
o:ess Ire empty. The stages still make their !.
ieekll tips from Denver and Canon City !; but :
~ Pilgrims are tew, and the great bulk Of travel
Boea o5 on the other side. The few lawyers left !
complain oia lack Of clients. The few clients ,,
\ 'sA eoaplatn of q lack OF lawyers. In short, :
Ioele seena % be general dissolution OF all :
'onPora 11Nn; and unless some unexpected .
1 u9ae OF fortune occuTs the coyotes will howl J.
-. .a tae oRls build their neets in the deserted =.
t:sets Of Fklplay.
Put It #as not always thus. When the famous ,
= W -nlnee, On the bank OF the Platte, -
~ 1s'e a6ooaches into the South Park, we're :,
sa. &ss ascoTesed, years ngo, the mining excite ~
81 ~ HS intense, and the rush ard Jam of epec- =
.aso!s aad adventurers that get in toward Fair
- aese something long to be remembered.
= ""*%A1S NEH8 MADE At GTn0EE,
y ~ men Hant crazy. The Platte Canon, 1T this
~ alsr n Quarter Of mile in width, and the | y
.ss .a LONE over bottom composed Of gravel.
= ss s1onea, md boulders. The precious metal
= a. nses found in the bed OF the r1Yer, and
- asta, *1th the ordinary pan and rocker, aver
~ ~ ~ olsn IS $50 per day to the man. Tho
aoa .ss sas staked of and claimed from one end
:. ~ o'hef; but, outside OF the favored few -,
y ~ as! came IN aud skinned the cream, the
=. c;aelcs :a have yielded no very rich return At
a.. 'a'ar1Aale tule, the richest digginge arc
- - stfock on tue bedrock; but, in the Platte
=, ,sa, y vas found that depoait Of 10 feet -!
~ ~ , 6! loose stones and gravel must be ro-
I'a se' oe1ore this could be reached. Miners
:. = reau se4, means who depended upon tho week
:. - huoasnly cleanup" for the funds with
= i 70 settle their board or grocery-bi11s,
- - no! contend against euch an obstacle az
: = sno me majority OF the small claims we're
4roaeu. NV! OF sold out for mere nominal sum.
W. oas ~ MN ls nov working the mines with any '
~. ~. u capital or system: Clark d. Smith, Of
49, ,ns. 1aese gentlemen hsve either bought "
w .s.e out nearly all the other claimants and
! pa.lsns IN system Of hydraulic works on q II
ss%ss, With the intention Of reaching the
~ .Ss3 large force Of Iaborers are en- bel
49, ORTIZ OF WHOM ARE cH1NAMEN. w
b.. bal.s ~ 4Aoorers work along very coDtentedIv tn
=. sue, aud the two civilizations arc appar- low
i " - tne nest OF terms. Tho old prejudice Co
~ formerly cropped ont against the Celes- Ra
~ ~, made Itself manifest IN mob-violence ass