The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-03-05
LEADVILLE.
Typical Mushroom Cffy-The wealth
of the Mfnes-PrOsperity Of the Town.


DENVER, Feb. 15.-Leadville is emphatl-
cally the typical mushroom city of America,
for it has sprung up more rapidly and in a
more sensational fashion than ever did any
of its predecessors spring of Pacific railways
or discoveries OF ore or petroleum. 1t is in
Lake county, in this State, about $50 miles
southwest OF this city, and is best reached by
rail to Webster or Canon City, and thence
by stage. From Chicago, the passenger rate
with 30 pounds of baggsge) on stage line is
$57; emigrant tickets are $40 less. Leadville
lies in a basin of the Rocky Mountains, be-
tween the main and MOSQUITO
ranges, right beside the source
of the Arkansas river. 1t is something
more than 10000 feet above the sea level,
and the local wits tell OF brushing away
clouds from their front doors, so as to get at
the keyhole. In age, the town may be said
to be turned of one; it had 200 inhabitants
year ago; at last mail advIces it had 5000,
and its population is increasing daily by
hundreds. When Leadville was California
Gulch, its handful of inhabitants made
an Indifferent living by placer
mining, but presently they struck into
an immense and apparently inexhaustible
deposit of carbonate silver ores. Sometimes
the metalliferous ore was laid bare almost at
the first blow of the PICK; fortunes were
found in digging so shallow that the miner
could stand on the bottom and have his head
above ground. At other times the shafts
whether the miner had to go down five feet,
or 30 or $50, he at last struck it. The dig
ging, too, was a gigantic lottery, for expert
ence proved of no avail in locating the
richest deposits, on which greenhorns STUN
bled. Ali classes were thus attracted, and
when the stampede began it was swollen at
every moment by business men, spectators,
gamDIers-in fact, all the tribes have gone
up to Leadville to make their fortunes. and
1 fancy as yet everybody is succeeding. The
mines are yielding immensely, and the
miners are spending their gains freely. How
long it will last who csn tell? 1t is believe
that all the way out TO Ten Mile the deposit
exists--that there is a bed of carbonate of
silver nearly 20 miles long by from two to
three miles wide and varying in thickness
from five feet to 80. but rival settlements
claim that the mines will suddenly peter
out" new stampede take place to Silver
Cliff or some other point or promise, and
Leadville be deserted like SO many other
cities OF day.
At present no one who sees Leadville
would believe the prophets of evil. It has
but four or five streets built up with frame
or log houses, but structures are rushed up
as rapidly as lumber, at from four cents for
greeno up to 10 cents foot can be hammer.
ed together. A lot on Nam street Us feet
| front by Us feet in depth) brings $40 foot
! front: corner lot is worth 80 per cent.
more, and prices are advancing daily. 1t is
Z
build than to rent. A very ordinary store
room commands a rent of So 900 year; a
second story room for an office is worth from
$500 to $500, and every sleeping room in the
! town is taken at 81 night. Three railroads
| are racing across the country to open COM
munication betwean Leadville aud the
world without; meanwhile some 200
'freighters," huge wagons drawn by four OF
/ eight mules. are constantly on the road car.
| r5ing supplies in and ore out. Five smeIters
with ii furnaces are already at work; the ore
/ is bought from the miners, sme!ted and Sent
in bars of base bullion to refining works else
/ where. The lead pays for the transportation
| There are gamblers and courtesans q plenty
but already the Methodists and Catholics
have built creditable church edifces. and
three or four other congregations have beer
| formed. There are three solvent and well
mansged banks. and three lively daily
newspapers. The shipments of bullion are
nearly 5000, 900 q week; the daily mail sen
out is 1000 letters. and that received
half ss large again. For weeks the receipts
at the telegraph Office have been fully 800 q
day The four hotels already built are to,
crowded to receive travellers, and others are
being built. Propsr quarters for county
offices and courts have been sought II i
indeed time, for the Leadville bar is A
strong. There has been good deal OF sick
| ness from exposure, and there Is likely to De
more, for winter is aid 10 come on IN TIT
hills after it has finished everywhere else
and in May snow drifts four feet deep hav'
been known. Luckily, Leadville has 30 doc
tors. There is fine fire department, an
work is proceeding on the water works. A
| present all water has to be hauled to tn
/ town from considerable distance. Whel
the Improvements are completed the busi
ness classes will not be long 10 feeling thei
benefits, for insurance rates are now afrom
to 10 per cent. Gas works are going up
which will still further decrease the nov
great danger from fire. With all this tn
cost of living is not great, though now an
then corner is gotten up in some one O
the necessaries of life whenever the stoc
runs little low or train of freighters
delayed. Competition is very keen in tn
grocery and provision trade-and as ther
has been an immense stock OF bacon, porl
etc., laid in, the consumers have the ad
vantage of prices but little If any highe
than those that obtain for the same article
in towns in the Mississippi valley.
II So much for the newest town Of the time
which in less than year has grown 30 tbs
it d only inferior In importance to Denve
herself.