The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-11-08
Absorption Of the Silver Region
Its Development and Its
Capabilities.
Colorado Al It Appears to An Intelli
gent Observer What Hon. Milton
6ayler Knows of Denver and
Leadvi11e-The Mines and
Some OF the Men Who
Have ssStruck
1t Rich"

Colorado Ia q grand and wonderful State
In point OF size 1t is larger than England,
Ireland, Scotland and Wales. 1t Is three and
q half times US large az the State Of Ohio
and larger than New York. Pennsylvania and
Ohio put together. 1t ID not only grand
and wonderful State on account of the ex-
panse OF its territory, but also On account 81
Its sublime scenery and the untold wealth OF
gold and silver hidden beneath It's surface
About one-third Of the State on its eastern
side Is O level plain, much OF 1t destitute Of
water, and producing nothing Of value The
rest Oh the State liz mountainous, peak after
peak rising from $4,000 to $4,000 feet above
the level OF the sea, intersected here and there
with awe-inspiring canons, and seemingly
everywhere filled with enormous deposits of
gold and silver. High up In these mountains
are found beautiful, clear lakes and great
parks, these from 5000 to 10000 feet above the
level OF the sea and surrounded by peaks or
mountains from 5000 to 1000 feet high. While
there are many Of these plateaus throughout
The State, the four largest and most noted are
the. North, Middle, south and San Luis
Parks.
The air of Colorado ls light, dry and exhil-
arating. The climate IL delightful one, for
although 1T becomes at times very hot and at
other times very cold, from the nature OF the
Atmosphere one does not suffer from either.
The only difficulty experienced was that OF
breathing, on account Of the great elevation
and the consequent liRhtness OF the air One
not accustomed to 1t gets out of breath with
very little exercise. There ~ very little OF
what we would call tillable land In the State
of Colorado, perhaps not as much In the entire
State as In The county Of Butler or Warren,
and there Is no very great amount of land SO
fRr no can be fOreseen, that can ever be irri-
, gated, on account OF the scarcity Of water. AS
have said, there are many cattle In the
State, and many OF the parks and d portion
OF the plains afford fine grazing land but the
extraordinary development of the State and
the wonderful manner in which It's population
Ia increasing are due entirely to the nnparal-
leled discoveries III precious metals which
have recently been made.
THE CITY or DENVER
Denver 10 the capital and commercial centre
OF this great empire of gold and silver. 1t IL
a beautiful city, with population Of about
from the Foot Hills. 1t has wide streets, fine
private residences and all sorts Of stores and
shops that would be creditabe to much
larger city. Living streams Of water flow
upon either side Of each one of its streets,
which nurture and support the trees every
where planted along their margin. Alto
Gether, II Is q most beautiful and attractive
city, growing as no other city In the country
waited ground OF the city, known as Capital
Hill. looking toward the west, you have
most wonderful view Of the Rocky Noun
tains, easily discerning with the naked eye
the peaks that arise far beyond Longs Peak
on the north and Pixies Peak Oh the south,
although these two celebrated peaks are $50
miles apart. Indeed, you see this magnificent
range OF mountains 30 distinctly and SO
clearly that you cannot realize the distance
Mt all, an effect which Ii due to the purity and
clearness or the atmosphere
Leadville Is about one hundred and forty
miles southwest from Denver and Ii reached
nv a fpaH running thrnfluh tha
mountains, and finished at the present time
to Red Hill, within twenty-three miles OF
Leadville. To reach Leadville from this point
you take large Western stage, and will be
lucky IL you make your twenty-three miles In
seven or eight hours, rs you are compelled,
In order to reach your destination, to cross
over Mosquito Pass, over range of noun
tains more than thirteen thousand feet high,
and where early In September still lay great
banks OF snow which had fallen the preced-
Ing winter. Leadville is one Of the wonders
of the world. Perhaps no such mining camp
ever existed anywhere else. Two years ago
there we're only a few people engaged In
placer mining To-day the camp contains
10000 people. all or them In dead earnest
and each man expecting In a short time to
retire with millions.
LEADyILLE AND IT'S MINES.
Leadville Is about ten Thousand feet above
the level OF the sea- and surrounded by noun
tains that rise from three thousand to four
thousand feet higher. 1t has d very comfOr-
table three-story brick hotel, some very good
stores and shops, and some very comfortable
frame houses; but the great mass OF people
in the camp as yet live In log houses and huts
OF various kinds. When was there many Of
them were still living in tents. 1t is the live
lest place l ever saw. The streets are so
filed with people that 1t Is almost impossible
to get along on the sidewalks. The town never
sleeps, the dance-hOuses. gamblng-houses,
variety theatres and the saloons run all night,
and seem at all hours to have plenty OF GUS
~ Has iNnx y<r,kN.
In the West, many refined, cultivated and edu-
Gated people, though most OF those you meet
in Leadville are rather rough-looking custo-
mers who would not answer very we'll for
ladies' tea party, and yet 1t IL more orderly
community than one would suppose, and you
are not expected to hold up your hands I'M
less you are caught In a dark place"
As said before, until about two years ago
placer-mining, the first excitement concern
inE which had occurred In 1859, or twenty 4
years ago, when emigration first began from
the Missouri river to the mountains of Colo
RADIO.
These placer miners knew nothing of the
character Of the carbonate deposits, nor did
they, during nearly twenty years. even dream
OF the untold riches over which they We're
daily walking. The first carbonate mine was I
the Gallagher mine discovered about two
years ago, and was 80 called from two Irish !
boys named Gallagher, who discovered it,
The story told OF its discovery Is that these
two boys had built themselves shanty, and
determined to plaster 1t, and that for this
purpose they dug out a lot Of this carbonate,
which looks just like ochre, and used 1t to
make mortar. While engaged In this in
some way or other. by the heat of the stove,
there was developed In some OF the carbonate
globules Of silver In the sand, and this led to
the discovery. These boys sold their mine
afterwards to the st. Louis Smelling Works
for $500, 900. The mine Is paying i'm nlensely.
This carbonate mining is an entirely new
thing In the history Of the business, and the
ore was supposed at first to to- confined to a
cup or basin consisting of Friar Hill and
Carbonate HILL and there We're supposed to
be no mines outside. This was disproved,
however, by the discovery Of the Pendery
Mine, which is outside OF the belt and IN sight
of the city of Leadville; indeed, it is supposed
now that the whole city of Leadville is under
laid with carbonate deposits.
SOME OF THE FORTUNATE LAND OWNERS.