The Russellville Democrat., 1879-04-10
A LIVELY BURG.
A Graphic Picturu of Leadville
 and it's Inhabitants.

WALKS, ana immense cTOWus SUCH IS your first impression of Leadvllle. As you step out from the hotel the crowd jostles you first one way and then the opposite; all are in good hu- nor, and all seem to be going some
 where, not very fast, to be sure, but then they keep moving. Now and then some belated individual having vainly tried to force hIs way through, takes the street and hurries along. Half dozen bands ofmusic are dis
 coursing in as many different keys, each striving to attract the crowd to itsparticular place of amusement. All is noise and excitement, and a stran- ger might think it a holiday. It does not take long to discover that there is but one main street in the town. and that is Chestnut. The whole city is regularly laid out in blocks 400 feet long and 250 feet wide. The streets .are 50 feet in width, and an alley of 10 feet ruhs through the center of each block. Lots measure 25 to 120 feet, and there are Is lots to the block on each street. This looks very well on paper, but the physical aspect rather different. The whole city is built on slope, and from either side the plateau stretches away to the mountains. Consequently the streets all slope down the valley, a fact which is quickly appreciable as you try to walk down street. The independence of the American cit izens is at once apparent; each builds his sidewalk on his own level, and as you tumble down one and up another, you breathe an imprecation on the city fathers, aud wish that you had waited until morning to satisfy your curiosity. From the wide open doors Nights stream out, inviting all to enter; the voice of the gambler is heard from all directions and "cappers" can be seen In every direction. The street IS full, but the rooms are fuller; all the frequen- ters wear the garb of miners, and you wonder where they get money to squander so freely. But go where you will, the thriving mining camp can be known by its gambling and dance houses. As rats leave sink ing ship, so such places are seldom found in ''poor pay" All the stores are open, and all seem full of custom CTS. Now and then we drop into one, and find it full of incongru- ous commodities; it seems more like a variety store than the prim, meth
 odical, one-class of-merchandise ar
 ticle to which we have been accus- toned. On all sides one can hear of little but mines and tunnels, and shafts and mineral. The real estate fever has passed it meridian; still the decrease has become hardly appar- ent. When the tide oftravel turned this way last fall you could have pur- chased the best lot ID the city for S250. and outside of the principal street lots ranged from $l5 to S25. All of a sudden the "craze" began a man in fear and trembling bought two outside lots for $500, within three weeks he sold out for S3500, and his purchaser within another week turn. ed over the property for $7000. The parties who made this last purchase immediately put a large two story building, and next week will open a complete stock of dry goods. This is but one of dozen cases l could mention; not always so great m advance, but always enormous. People who six months ago could not have scrapped together hundred dollars now ask $5000 for single lot with a miserable cabin. Rents ase still worse. A small store, if teen or twenty feet deep. by 10C feet long, easily brings $500 pei month. One of the largest dance halls here pays Sl700 per month
 and another 5000, These are pro
 bably the highest rents, but many parties pay $500, $600 and. .S70o fol business purposes. Add to this the fact that freight costs four cent: per pound from the end of the track at Webster, and five cents per pound from Cannon City, and you can es
 innate the expenses of carrying or business. Clerk hire is about thu same as in the east, and for that req
 son, ifno other, would by no mean,