, 1877-01-06
COLORADO.
The Town Of Rosita, and the Sill
ver.Mines Surrounding It.
Wet Mountain Valley and 1t Ranches
..-Farms and Dairies.
Climbing the Sierra MRjaia..s .sRock Can.
sn...Tllc City Of Pueblo.


Rosita. COL, At present but little known to
Eastern people, bids fair to be one ofthe largest
mining towns in Southern Colorado. It IL
situated fifty miles southwest Of Pueblo, mid
way between the Ilardscrabblc and San0rc do
Christie ranges Of mountains, In whnt 10 known
~ the Sierra Malada range. Tho altitude Is
5000 feet above tho sea-level II WAS first laid
out as town in 1873, when II had about 200 in.
fabltants. At the present writing there is q
population of over 1,500. It's supply Of etluca-
tional advantages consists Of graded school
for young ladies', public, and select school.
Several religious societies have built houses Of
worship that are now occupied BY their respect
I've denominations. One newspaper, tho RosIta
Jndt7, Is published by Mr.. Charles Daher.
There are four hotels that loo6 As ii they were
do'ng good busincst, city e1press, and post
office, which has daily mail. 4 emall army OF
frc'gftcrt' wagons arc employed 10 bring mcr-
chandlse from Pueblo.
The growth Of tho town ID dueto the
RICH VEINS or SILVER
found In the surrounding hills or mountains.
Silver was first discovered hero In 1871, since
which time there have been innumerzb1e lodes
located and recorded, and many Of tho mines
hare been developed and nse producing ore In
paying quantities. The oldest and best deyel-
opcd arc the Poeallontas, Humboldt, Virginia.
and 1.cv!ashan. Tho first three arg located upou
rich and e1tenstye retn,7-thc pocahnn,as be.
levels, and q tunnel. 4 late assay, which was
taken out OF the 3U0foot lcyel, shows: silver
81 900, gold u.s. and 20 per cent copper, TO the
ton. This Is one Of THO sir silver mines Of
Colorado that received medal awarded ly
the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia.
The psot1ucttvcncss Ut tho vein Is upon an nv
erage with al fFet-class veins known 10 exist,
aud hs aaahty 81 o,e caanot be effeI'sa It.
Of the surrounding district in which Il Is sttuatcd.
THE HUMBOLDT
Is upon the same vein, anu Is fully as rich as
The rosah9nta.; ;s IT, ; s!nesnshn' !! pTo,psste4 81
on the 3oth Of October, asta5ed, two feet from
the tap vi the ground, two and half ounces.
These gentlesncl, ere confident that they hare
st5rs ar ! 18th 1f md md .seaa9g go1 oe ,sr and h.T will
been deceived by Mother EARTH, Or asc made
nIllionafrrs.
Thrsc 1nines arc ali easily reached by wagon,
and have timber and water ", ~ abnudanse Al
mcnt these enterprises, and Rohtta will bc one
OF the ulnst 1ourtshlng towns among the stcrra
Mn}rla range: Copper aud Iron ore also abound
III large quantities.
There Is already one smelter in operation. At
little town called Moorsyiltc, about two miles
from Esosita; and another one Is being estat-
l!thcd At Nostta,C.he Psnnsylyanta simelttng
Company ornea BY the Humboldt and Virginia
operation about the lat of January.
WET MOUNTAIN vAtLET
+ situated between the sanEre dc Christie and
approach m to Tie Rockf Mountains. iii. valley
Is ten mElcs wide and thirty miles long, aburi-
dainty supplied will, water, while such timber ~
cedsr, oottonwood, oak. and qnakineath
cd. Portions oi thc valley lave been taken up
by number Of energetic men, who are tot dis
mayed by the sight Of enow, which Is perpetual
y n sight about two miles away. Mr, q. Wheel
ABOUT s tons of the nest apsnd by to tSs
acre. This land last year WAS not incl0scd, aud
cattle soamcA over it. ut Hill tho year round.
Within two ln,!cs Of tho Sangrc dc Christie
to produce 100 busl,cls of Early.Rose ,po-
tntues 10 the acre, some Of which
weigh two pounds piece; also, oects and
seven 10 ten pounds apiece, aud occasionally
one In four that brings the sralrs down at six-
teen pounds. In the SANS vicinity wheat is
raised which gives forty bushels 10 the acre. In
connection with the fafm there IA
that Yields handsotnc profit, Mr. Martin. the
int any Escsea u. to i0ox y
Whiting to be made into butter. The milk
house l. built across clenr-runntng creek,-thc
floor bc!u6 movable, to enable them to keep thu
butter solid III warm weather. We saw thou
sand or moro pounds OF rich yellow butter. a.
sweet as any ever turned out OF onF oTn El1in
dairy; and VIC regretted exceedingly that VIC
could not Introduce aotnc Of these fragrant ten
pound rolts TO our Chicago market.
Gstnc ahounds In this region, such ~ grouse,
pralrte-chiskens, white quail; also. antelope,
cipnanon-bear, b1ack.tailcd deer, and r!k,-fha
last two of which were crossing tue mountains
Ut the time Of a visit few weeks ago, being
driven by The deep SHOWS, which bssein to fall ~
carly as October on the sangrc de Christie range,
BEFORE leaving Rostsa, We climbed to IN cc-
rated point on
THE B1rnnA NAJlp4,
where view was commanded OF tho Sheep
Mountains on tho South, tlIo Sierra Madrc On
west, and the 1IarlscFahble range on the uortii.
The Sierra Maarc was covered With snow, whflc,
kind, and the honcy-beo md .b!ark.1y nerc
bnzzlng about our cars. We also had the view
Of Rositn, and many of the miacs around IT,,
After leaving the trim, on our return u the
wheTe We san large herds q cattle grazing on
what appeared Ut first a!xllt TO bc drrd grass,
but Tas In reality tho muc1l-talkcd-of 0ramma
grass. After driyo Of about twelre miles across
this apparent desert, We came to tbs mouth ON
aud we'll Is II named, for high, ,stupendous rocks
met the gaze on every side. Ne were a"ed Into
perpendicular tucks of 500 feet, without n
hush Or hracken to break their baIefaeeduess.
IIedgcd ln completely u times, we would think
we could neycr get further OH our way; but,
golug another wago,i-lcngtt, wn would come to
bend In tho road, whereby Ho could SEQ our
way out of ibis rocky dicInma. VIC followed
the bed Ut clear inountaln-strtaul, crossing
aud rerroHsinx 1t many times betoro we left tsl,
canun. Here aHa there, In sheltered nooks, NO
found the spsckle.l trout, aud occasionally
beavers damned the way. The suns rays pcnc.
tsutc this gorge for aboat two hours euch day;
nm!, when sloH-ttur1n comes, one can scarcely
tell day from night.
Leaving this canon, We passed over another
plateau Vi about nen1y ulEtrs, where NC we1s
nearly
eMOrnEAEn With ALKALf.Dusf,
until the ArkaslsaA River VIA rearhed. There \
change MAS met In tbs elcmeuts. and wraps
were In demand. Tue stolm, that tlad been
brewing tn the mountains I'll day, NOW
reached US, ausi peltci Us without mercy;
aud, TO xdI to our very uncomfortable
situation, we must nIrct With sn accident In the
snaps Of the sMndeFIng of tho kinKbolt Of our
conveyance. This. Uf course, neccssitaled some
ttelay. Alter unloading o,lrsclyrs snsl bclonx-
tpey rA vii nh