The Van Buren press., 1879-08-23
OUR COLORADO LETTER.
Altitude 1O,339 feet-Thermometer
at d. IN. 44 Ga. M, 41-Slight
Frost this observation-disclosures
from Denver so miles,
west-FrOm Leadvillc
~ miles.
Conc, SouTu PARK, PARK COUNTY. Cold
'' >,,,,t ~ 1870

August ~, iofo'
FRIEND DuSHAM: Came here on the Dem
yer and South Park railroad, narrow gauge,
with Mr.. Appleton, of the late firm OF Apple
ton, Noyes Il Maude. of st. Louis. lie goes
on to Leadvile by stage. don't; too moch
trip. Just think of it: runs over route ten
times AS bad as your Van Buren, to Fayette-
vile road see the snow whitening the noun
tains on the route. have worn my heavy
winter overcoat all day, and have 1t on yet.
The route of this railroad is wonderful; come
up Platt Canon, which is u round cut, made
by nature, through these everlasting hills, :
running to every point Of the compass, every
half hour and in the distance from here TO
the foot of the mountain, miles, we rise D.,
900 feet to kenasha Summit. When we reach
this point coming up, we are at the hlghesl
point, and then start down into South iark,
which Is Il sight once seen, Will not be forgot
This park is from 60 to 90 miles long, and 20
to 30 miles wide; great basin on the top of
the mountain--a blank prairie, not bush or
large weed in it. The mountains rise on eV-
cry side thousands OF feet, snow-capped, and
this prairie laying within, and when you
start down into it, the sensation is the same
as when | first beheld the Atlantic Ocean, ex-
ee pit this is more grand, because of the beau-
tiful snow border to the grand basin. In
this park are beautiful streams, without any
growth on the banks.
This town, for some time, has been the ter
minus OF this road; the passenger-trains
go Oh some five miles further. to" redhill.',
This place is entirely of cloth; large railroad
Establishments; receiving and forwarding
business, all in tents The hotels, restaurants,
saloons, mcat-markets variety theatres,
dance-houses, are all in tents. There is a
magnificent spring here, in the basin, SO cold
you cannot take three swallows without stop
ping.
| In coming up here, we came over the two
wonderful mule shoe curves, first at webster,
when, after a run of three miles. we came
back within three hundred yards, horizon
tally, of where we passed going up. but are
now six hundred feet higher, and still going
up till Kenasha Summit is reached. Here is
engineering. Who says railroad cannot be
built from Van Barcn to Fayetteville or any
where else, now?
| had just made arrangements to go out
with rancher to stay two or three days,
and fish, but it is too cold, Tue merchant In
whose house (tent) | write, says it Is going to
be a very cold night. My head is aching, my
face burning, and am in shiver; will go
back on the next train, and will keep nearer
the bottom, or us they call 1t, " down stairs"
after this.
DENVER, August 10th.
dark cloud was over us, and it was hailing,
and with the clouds down on us, the lowing
of the winds through the spruce and the frs,
and the gurgling of hail and sleet reminds us
of our ears; all drew our coats over our
heads. 1t seemed strange,indeed, this Deeem-
Der in August. Long will remember the 10Th
of August, 1879 don't want any more of 1t.
Goodbye, mountains; until business calls me
up, it will be a long time before climb them
again. Took me all night to get warm. But
it is n trip worth taking, and sights worth
seeing. | had the finest time fishing on this
trip, but will not bore you with the details,
save that the mountain trout here Is as diff
ferent from what we call trout at home, as the
famous horse Dexter from Capt. jim. Hawk
ms pony.
WIN go to Colorado Springs. and try to
stay there until 20 home. Surely it can
not be hot, there saw the first carload OF
silver bullion, on this trip. | have seen gold
and silver bricks; had handled the celebrated
bricks Senator Corfinc bought for Sl0,o0O.
Then threw them into the cellar OF the Grand
Central Hotel, and skipped to South Caro-
lima. You saw 40 account in papers l
sent you. He had no sympathy. lie swihdieu
South Carolina, aud Colorado sharpers took
him in. On Thursday Col. Smithee and my
self visited Senator Iill's monster reduction
and smelling works at Argo two miles out
said to be the largest in the world. We found
letter from Senator Garland, and an intimate
acquaintance with Senator Walker. Mr.. Hill
dropped everything, and showed us through
the works Il courtesy not extended to every
one; especially the private rooms where the
precious metal comes out pure. 1t Is wonder
| fu, indeed. The works cover, | should say
| from five to ten acres. Roasting. crushing,
grinding, smelling. &c. | can only tell you
the ore goes through eleven different process
ses, Next to the last, it, the silver. gold and
| copper, is purified by pure water. es, sir, /
| did not believe it until saw it; and no one
at home but Judge Ogden will. The water
runs hot over copper plates, and the silver Is
precipitated on to the copperplates, the otler
| metal on different plates, and Is gathered off
and is like frost; and then packed and put
into crucblc, melted and run into bars OF pure
| silver, &c. This is a wonderful arrangement.
Senator Hill is said to be one of the finest
chemists in the United States, and is said to
| have done more for the mining interests OF
Colorado, than any man in it: and that hls,
and not his money. made him Senator, though
! his income is said to be considerably over
$4,000 per annum. He is u courteous, affablc
gentleman.
| Col. Smithee has about consummated his
arrangements to start a daily paper at Lead
vile, and will start for home, tomorrow or
next day, to make arrangements at home and
bring his family out. He will have. of course
good backing. All goes by rings here. a
man alone is certainly quite lonely in voca-
tions of this kind. am truly glad he is sue
ceeding. We dislike to give him np but as
he will come here, hope success will crown
| his efforts.
/ Benjamin will 20 to New Mexico or Ari-
zona; Yonley has changed his notion, and
goes to Leadville, and iu partnership with c.
w. Tankersley. Tank" whom the people
of Clark county have to thank for their trou.
bles, is leading man up there. Col. +. j.
Strman has bought a house, and will move
here Boudinot went to Senator Dorsey's in
New Mexico. and Will meet me at the Springs.
viii not 90 to Les Vegas ii is over three
hundred miles, and men Just up from there,
say it Is as hot as f--TeXas down there.
don't want it too hot or too cold; this climate
suits me. Many descriptions you see are
highly wrought; not as much 80 though as
i at first thought; but the above detail, as to
weather, railroad, scenery, etc, is a true
statement of facts. And still when you come
to the practical part of this country, aside
from scenery the most delightful summer
climate in the worlo--it certainly cannot be
surpassed-and tn. mining interest, upon
which you might say all else depcnd--the
country is nothing, ind were the mines ever
to give out, this BEAUTIFUL city, the miners.
railroads, and all, would wither and die. and
the jack rabit, and cactus and antelope would
again run free on tlese planes as in days of
yore. But they vii not give out in genera
tons to come.
Yet we know California did give out. Our
Nevada is failing, end aside from Leadville
now, mining goes on with as little excite
ment as the coalmning in other countries
| | have been disappointed in not seeing any