The Van Buren press., 1876-01-18
Our Colorado Correspondence.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Jan. 9th, 1870.

COLORADO SPRINGS. Jan. 9th, 1870.
j ). DuNHAM:
Dear Sir-I have been thinking, this
morning. of Van Buren, and my Van Buren
friends. and some misehievous spirit prompts
me to serbble few lines, which are destined
| it is more than likely, to find e place among
your rejected correspondence.
There is nothing particular for me to talk
about and you doubtless know, from expert
ence, how difficult it is TO talk entertaining!y
or lnstructively, without having something to
! say.
1t hardly seems possible that five years
have passed since left your beautiful little
city. Possibly If should return, ! would
better realize the fact The changes which
always follow the inexorahle footsteps OF
time would do more than anything else to
dispcl my delusion. DO not think that |
have been indulging in Rip Van Wrinkle
sumber; on the contrary, the past five years
have been the most active and eventful OF my
life. After toiling and drifting so long | have
at last anchored, and begun the practice of
my chosen profession. But did not intend
to bore you with particulars concerning my
self.
No persons outside of her own population
are more rejoiced than myself to know of the
peaceful and prosperous condition of your
State. A few years of quiet thrift will do
much to repair the wrongs of the past fifteen.
Not many sections In the Union are so fitted
and so capable of enriching their inhabitants
as the Arkansas valley, and delivered from
the fierce political discord of the past on the
one hand. and the grasshopper seourge and
drouth on the other, you may confidently
look forward to an era of unprecedented
prosperity Here we miss sadly the luxuri-
art vegetation OF Arkansas.
Colorado is not nor will it ever be, an agri-
cultural section. Only a very small portion
of the Territory can be irrigated, and irriga-
ton is essential to the production of crops.
The valleys, however. and the canons and plat
eaus Of the mountains are excellent for gra-
zing purposes. Thousands of cattle and sheep
subsist the year round upon cur wild grass,
which cures as it grows upon the soil and pre-
serves throughout the Severest winters its
nutritious qualities. But the mos careless OBJ
server can redily see that the prosperity and
greatness to which we look forward. for the
Centennial State must be the offspring OF
her mineral wealth Allare agreed that these
hoarv old mountains contain eXhaustless
quantities nf the precious metals; and the on
" questions afe-,rhere are they hidden and
how shall we get at item Both of these qucs-
tons are in fair way of solution. During
the last two years thousands of lodes have been
discovered and hundreds of mines opened,
There is a great deal ofcxcitement, more es-
pecialiy about the San Juan country. Hall
of the men one meets on the street are pro-
spective Milionaires, Each is the owner of
from two to a dozen lodes offabulous richness
and has his own particular story to tell he
will take you by the button hole and bore you
for an hour exhibiting and deelaiming about
the mineral samples that are taken from hi.
respective mines and if you presume to be
the least increduous he will confront you
with the assayers certificate showing that the
ore runs from 5000 to $4,000 per ton. The
whole mountain region of Central and South
ern Colorado will in few years be filled with
eager and sanguinc gold hunters.
This is not mining town; is in the valley
about five miles from the base of Pixies Peal
but several mines have lately been opened
within seven or eight miles. some of then
promising very fuvorably. The place owes
its prosperity in the past mainly to its repu
taton as health resort. But we are trying
to make it a commercial point by securing
the trade of the mining regions off West anC
South West. To do this we need an Eastern
raiaoad and have been endeavoring to bone
the county for that purpose; thus far how
ever, efforts In this direction have beer
fruitlcss,
Our sayants are busy framing "A constitu
ton, enacting laws, and getting ready for tn,
centennial, and, despite the hard times ant
depression in business circles, we have excite
ment enough to prevent its being monoto
nous. Arkansas has quite number ofrcpre
sentatves in the Territories. among whom
are Bowen, Tankersey, Keys Dantorth ant
Judge liam. The latter have met and fnt
him the same blunt, good naturcd individua
he was when holding the District Court a
Van Buren,. Gus. Ward is ranchng a few
''''N0 '"'' '""'i' Nv HUNS l'igScu Us II Dtai
| Told me the last time saw him. that he hat
gained seventeen pounds during the tw,
months previous.
| am under obligations to some one for
beautifully designed and printed invitation
| to the centennial Leap Year Soirce given b,
the young ladies of Van Buren,. The famia
names of the invitation committee and floo
managers, suggested host of pleasing rec
objections, And most sincerely regret thu
circumstances over which ! have no con
troll prevented my accepting the invitation.
Respectfully yours J,C. II.
In the absence of telegraphic communi
crtion, we have learned from a gentleman in
| formed in the matter-and which we are mucl
| pleased to icarn-thHt CapJ. james +, stew