The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-08-26
CANTON, OHIO, AUGUST 26, 1876. ,

its supplies from the melting SHOWS Of
the mountains. Its water is quite cold
at Canon City, even in July and August,
There has been an unusual amount Of
rain here, as we'll as in the States, this
summer. The mornings are always
clear and bright; but in the afternoons
the clouds seem to form and hang upon
the mountains for hours, and the gorges
and sub-gorges running up into the hills
with their rocky sides shed water
ike the roof Of house; and often it
rushes down through what they call dyy
creeks here with torrent which sweeps
all before it, These rains occur only in
June, July or August Cana and Buffa-
10 grasses, Sage Brush and Cactus are
the natural products of the plains. Cot.
tonwood grows on the banks of the
streams, and pine and pinon in the
mountains. think that cattle-raising,
which heretofore has been the leading
business OF the ranchmen, will ere long
give place, in great measure, to the
growing of wool Sheep will thrive and
grow fat on this short tough grass, where
cattle would starve, and the number of
sheep is now great, and rapidly ncreas-
ing. The natural increase of sheep will
pay for all the expense of caring for
them, and the wool is therefore all clear
profit. A cross between the merino Of
the States and the native Mexican pro-
duces what is here called improved wool,
which is very saleable. Sheep, too,
stand the winters much better than cat.
tie, as they never feed either of them,
and the numbers that could be grown
upon these vast prairies is unlimited
Taken altogether, it looks to me as
though Colorado and New Mexico would
become the greatest wool.growing re.
gion OF the world, Central City is a
gold-mining town as miles west Of Den
yer, and is reached by a narrow gauge
railroad up the Canon of the Clear
Creek, which is wonderful feat of en-
gineering skill and persevering labor. 1t
rises about six thousand feet in thirty
miles. Central City is the oldest mining
town in Colorado, and the auriferous
hills and mountains all around it are full
of prospectors' holes. At Blackhawk,
adjoining Central City on the east, is
located the celebrated smelling works of
Professor Hill, which extract over mil
lion dollars worth of gold and silver per
annum. There are many poor mines
being otf-shoots from the regular lodes.
The paying tissures are from two to four
feet in width, and generally get richer
as they descend into the earth. Good
ore averages about $25 per ton, but will
pay to work them at $40 per ton. The
gold ore of these mines has blush cast,
and is blasted loose with giant powder,
a compound of common powder and
nitro glycerine. Many of the mines are
worked day and night, and the heavy
thud of their internal blasts can be heard
at all hours, and often shakes the houses.
A few days since the Rocky Mountain
National Bank purchased a solid lump
of amalgum gold, the product Of the
Bobtail Mine, and the result of ten days
work. 1t was valued at four thousand
six hundred dollars; and to- day another
one valued at FIVE thousand four hundred
and eighty dollars. Last week Hills
Smelling Works shipped by express at
one time IL silver bricks, which weigh
ed one thousand four hundred pounds,
and were valued at twenty-three thous-
and dollars.
The markets here are we'll supplied
with California fruits and vegetables,
and have been since the first of June,
though the prices are high, and will be
so until they can get a supply from the
States. Almost everything is sold by
weight-cabbage s cts. per lb. potatoes
7 to cts. per lb.; peaches and pears,
both very fine, 40 cts per h.; apples 10
to ID cts. per lb.; plums, several varie-
ties, 80 to 40 cts. per lb,; grapes, white
and blue, 90 cts. per lb.; tomatoes IL to
Is cts per lb, Meats of all kinds are
plenty. and at reasonable rates; -four J
to cts. per b.; wheat to 3 cts; corn
J to a Cts; corn meal ct,; butter so
cts; eggs 10 cts. per dozen, &c. &c.
Copper coin is not used here at all
nothing less than 1--WE cents Every
thing on the market is Of the best quail
ty--furniture, food..and cIothing-as they
claim that poor goods would hardly pay
the freight upon them. The characteris-
tics of the people here are also peculiar.
The miners are mostly Cornish. an in
dusIrious, sober people. The upper
crust are the superintendents Of mines,
quartz mills and smelling works, doc
tors, preachers, lawyers, merchants,
bankers, &c. &c Strangely mixed in
with the good citizens is a considerable
lot of cut-throatS. gamblers and vaga.
bonds, most OF whom are no doubt fugi.
tives from justice, and ready for further
depredations. The murder of Jacob
Snyder, prominent citizen of Denver,
by hired assassin named Bishop, is
recept occurrence. MIR Snyder, peace
full quiet citizen, owned a silver mine at
Georgetown and became involved in
lawsuit with another party in regard to
the lode, and whilst on his way to the
mine for the purpose of settling the dis
pute, was set upon by this man Bishop,
both being on horseback. Bishop fired
at him, when Snyder turned and fled
back to Georgetown. In the middle of
the town he tried to run his horse into
livery stable, but just then a team was
coming out Of the stable, over which the
horse fell, and Mr.. Snyder was thrown
insensible to the ground, whereupon
Bishop rode up to his side, and leaning
over, shot him in the head, and then
rode out of the town bidding defiance to
law and justice and Though a reward !
of S. 900 is offered for his arrest, the vii
lain is yet at large and protected by his
friends. Mr.. Robbins and myself, whilst
returning from an evening walk at pue-
bio, heard pistol shots near us, and soon
learned that two neighbors had quarrel
ed about dog, and, to settle the dis
pute, one got shot in the neck and the
other in the arm. A few weeks since a
Judge Dyer was assassinated in his
court room. 1t is reported, however, that
he was a partizan judge. And only
a few davS since at yvrestiin1