Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-12-14
ALL ABOUT LEADVILLE.
A succinct History Of the Wonderful New
Mining Town.

Gated IN the heart OF mountainous dis
trict where few months ago there was
naught but barren solitudes.
The first discovery of carbonate ores
was made On the south side of California
Gulch, about one and half miles above
Leadville, in 1876, in what is now known
as the Rock mine. The ore was found in
great abundance, but OF low grade. carry
ing large percentage of lead with q
comparatively small amount of Silver.
Soon after this, prospecting began in a
line running north, and resulted in the
discovery of the Adelaide, Camp Bird
and Iron mines, together with the Wolf
stone in Strayhorse Gulch. Other mines
were also opened from time to time, un-
til the district became one of the most
actively worked in the whole country.
Leadville's earliest settler was one Mr..
Harris, whose first experiences on the now
popular town were Of a depressing kind.
A contemporary tells us. 1.-TWO years
ago, the 9th of May, there came to Lead
vile man with shirt on his back and
fifteen cents in his pocket. He came on
foot by the way of Mosquito Pass, and
slept the first night in Leadville behind
a log. On the night two years ago the
lonely footman found afew piles Of brush,
a lot of stumps and half-burned trees,
but not hsman besides himself slept
that Night in what is now known as the
city of the Leadville. It was as lonely
as wilderness of stunted mountain pines
shot up from cold barren soil, between
ugly powders and craggy rocks, could
we'll be made. The name of the lonely
traveller who slept that night in this lone
ly wilderness was Mr.. George Albert
Harris. He was the first settler. His
wife was the first white woman at Lead
ville."
The first public-house in Leadville was
begun on the 18th of June, 1877, and
was finished and thrown open to the
public of the Fourth Of July, nineteen
days later. The builder was Mr.. Harris,
who: as the founder of the town, was also
its great public benefactor. He performed
all the labor of constructing It's new
house of entertainment, from the founda-
ton to the roof. The dimensions of the
building we're ten feet in width by twelve
in length, the height a story and half.
The first floor served as dining. room,
office, kitchen, baggage-room, parlor, re-
ception-room, etc., and the second, or at
tic, was used principally for lodging
purposes. It offered accommodation for
eight sleepers at time. For the con-
venience Of guests the day was divided
into three sleeping periods of eight hours
each. In this way the first hotel in
Leadville afforded sleeping accommoda-
ton for twenty-four guests divided into
three companies, each OF which occupied
the attic for the time mentioned.
The name of this hotel was, The City,
and its site is now covered by the Grand
Hotel, on Chestnut street. Mr.. Harms
kept this hotel until the Fourth of july,
1878, when he opened the Grand, which
had been built around and over the little
City. The Grand was kept by Mr.. Har-
ris until the 18th of last December, when
he sold it to Messrs. Walsh & Co., the
present proprietors, for $14,12O cash.
This sum was the net result of Mr.. Har-
ris's first eighteen months hard labor in
Leadville. beginning on capital of fif-
teen cents.
Not long ago reporter of the Lead
vile Chronicle visited MIR. Harris with
the view OF learning all that he might
about the early settlement of Leadville.
From his account much of the foregoing
information has been obtained. in re-
ply to pertinent question in regard to
the men who had made fortunes by dis
covering mines, Mr.. Harris answered as
follows: "Oh, yes, I9know them all.
There was August Rische; he came from
Fairplay, and was the worst played-out
man I ever met. He was shoemaker
by trade, but never did anything about
this camp, but dig for carbonates. His
entire wealth consisted of pick and spade
and faithful old dog, the latter being
his only companion. The two lived to-
gether in dug Tout about mile up Cali
fornia Gulch. The dog and August we're
sure to show up as often as once week
for bacon, etc. Although thard up, he
seemed to have friends. It was but a
few days before he made the discovery
of the Little Pittsburg that I was talk
ing with him, and he said it was mighty
thin forage. He would keep digging till
he struck it, If it took till the end of time.
He did and to-day is worth, at the least
calculation, 100000. But he is the same
old Aug. Tom Hook was another shoe
maker. he too came in camp dead
broke. He sold out little too soon, and
is now obliged to live on the interest of
$150,000 worth of government bonds.
And there was Pete Finnerty, who DIS
covered the Little Chief mine. He came
IN camp with mule team, paid for and
wholly his own, He kept little board
ing house in log shanty during the VIII
ter OF 1877. But things went slow with
him, and he went out prospecting. It
was about seven months ago that he
struck the Little Chief, and is worth to-
day about half million, in round num-
Der. The Dillon boys were prospecting
partners of Finnerty. They are not worth
to-day but little over 100000 each.
Halleck and Cooper discovered the Car
Donate mine in October, 1877. They
were laborers and had become accustom-
ed to rough life. Now they are worth
100000 each. A man by the name OF
Woods-an old miner from Lake Superb
Undiscovered the Iron mine. In fact,
he was the first man who made The first
discovery of carbonates in this camp.
But he did not know the value of his dis
covery, and sold out to Letter for about
$4,000"
The progress of Leadville prior to De-
cember l, 1878, was surprising, but it's
wonderful advance in every possible d.
1ection since that date is simply amazing.
It seemed then that the city might pos
s1bly reach population Of ten or twelve