The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-07-16
BY HUGH WILSON AND VIC. BENET.
made the first discovery of carbonates in
this camp. But he did not know the
value of his discovery, and sold out to

made the first discovery Of carbonates in
this camp. But he did not know the
value of his discovery, and sold out to
Letter, of Chicago. for $50. 0.000."
The progress of Leadville prior to De
cember l., 1873, was surprising, but its
wonderful advance in every possible di-
rection since that date is simply amazing.
It seemed then that the city might pos
sibly reach population of ten Oh twelve
thousand in a twelyemonth, but no one
could have foretold that within four
months, and those the most untavorable
of the year, the number of its inhabit-
ants would be augmented by at least
four thousand. A steadily increasing
stream Of fortune-hunters poured in
through all the avenues of approach,
defying the storms of winter, and adding
their capital, enterprise and energy to
Ithe restless activities of the camp. The
rapid growth and the increasing pros
perity of Leadville naturally gave birth
to active speculation. During Decem-
Der and January merchants command
ing large capital, in their eagerness to Sc
cure eligible locations, paid large prices
for lots on upper Chestnut street and
Harrison avenue. This gave impulse
to real estate mania which soon affect
ed the whole camp. Lots held at only
$50 to 800 last fall suddenly jumped to
$1,000, $4,000 and even $4,000 each.
Many sales were made at these figures.
Real estate throughout the town felt the
influence, and buying and selling be-
came the order of the day. Real estate
agents are now almost as numerous as
lawyers. Lotjumping, or, more proper
ly, lot squatting, outside the placer
claim limits, became a regular occupa-
tion with many small operators. Long
streets offoundations and skeleton frames
sprang up in a night. The whole slope
lying between upper Chestnut street
proper and Fryer hill is now covered
with foundations, frames and buildings
in all stages Of growth. 1t became
tacitly understood that the actual con-
struction of building should give an
undisputed title to lot. This gave i'm
petus to cabin-building, and Lighthouses
sprang up like Jonah's gourd. AS fast
as completed they were sold or rented at
most remunerative figures. Meantime
the utmost building activity prevailed
in every other direction. The only
limit was the supply of lumber, which,
rs the demand intensified, jumped from
S25 to $50, thence to $40, and finally to
$50 per thousand. AS necessity, hewn
logs were substituted for boards in the
walls of many pretentious buildings,
even on business streets. East, west,
and north the town spread like a prairie
fire. :,
At present Leadville is fully equipped
with all the social, educational and re-
ligious advantages that can be found
anywhere in q town of its size. 1t has
three daily newspapers, one good school
building, two church edifices, Metho-
dist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Episcopal
and Catholic organizations, city hall
and Jail, fire company, two theaters,
fourteen hotels, ten restaurants, tlye
general merchants, four dry goods. ten
clothing, eleven grocery, three drug,
four iewelry, six boot and shoe, one
commission, three fruit and confection-
cry, two furniture, five feed and grain,
two hardware and two book and
stationery merchants, twelve meat mar
kets, three sign painters, two bath
houses, six barber shops, three bakeries,
ten blacksmith shops, one machine
shop, three wagon shops, one auction
house, one harness shop, thirty-two
lawyers, twelve physicians, two dentists,
one photographer. three banks, one
knitting factory, six steam saWmllls,
one planning mill, one shingle and lath
mill, five smelting-works Gncluding one
each at Malta and Adelaide, and three
sampling-works. There is the usual
number of saloons and gambling hells.
and even dance houses, to rob the un-
. wary of money and health and honor.
The simple enumeration of business
houses conveys but a faint idea of the
volume of business transacted. Many
of the merchants carry stocks which
would be considered preposterously
large in towns OF similar size at the
| East.
And Leadvillc's future progress prom
ises to be rs brilliant as its past. Be.
fore long it will enjoy the luxuries of
pure water and gas. The water works
are so far completed that the mains
have been laid, the hydrants put in place
along several streets, and the water let
in. Gas has been authorized by q nearly
unanimous vote of the citizens, and an
efficient fire department., with one hook
nnd ladder and two hose companies, has
been organized. Leadville's present tel
egraph facilities are to be doubled by the
| use of duplex machine. A two-wire
line from Pueblo is in process of con-
struction, and was to have been COM
pleted by the first of June. The growth
Of the postoffice is an index of the rapid
progress of the town. One year ago the
Ieadville postoffice occupied seven-by-
nine corner in small building on Chest
nut street. In the single delivery win
dow stood call-bell, at whose warning
some clerk would enter from an ad-
joining store to wait on the expectant
citizen. There was no money-order de-
partlnent. To-day the office occupies
one of the largest rooms in the city, and
requires the unremitting attention of
ten clerks. 1t has its separated ladies',
stamp, and money-order departments;
Long lines of men may be seen at all
hours of the day standing at the four
general delivery windows, impatiently
waiting their turn" And all this
has. been accomplished within two
years. As one of the. citizens of Lead
vile writes: 1t is simply magical, this
creation of city in the heart of the
Rocky mountains, two miles above the
sea, in twelvemonth.-H Weekly.