The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-05-16
LEADvILLE.
A Picturesque Account of the Place by a He
turned Visitor.
from the Cincinnati Commercial

turned Visitor.
from the Cincinnati Commercially
John II. Rutherford, who has re.
turned from a business trip to Lead
vile, gives, in ten minutes talk, q
better idea of the place than could be
had out of dozen ordinary letters
He went there to sell pipes for water
works and gas-works From Webster,
the railroad terminus, seventy miles
from Denver, the traveller must stage il
100 miles to Leadville. And rough
staging it is, over the mountains, in
cluding $500 feet rise of the timber
line. Leadville is IL, 900 feet above the
sea. On first reaching that altitude one
has great difficulty in filing the lungs.
1t takes day or two to get over the
feeling of suffocation. A snow-storm
brought great relief, the atmosphere be-
coming denser.
A few months ago Leadville had 800
inhabitants; now it has $4,000, the
large majority miners. There are about
45O prostitutes in the place, and fifty
decent women. Mr.. r. saw funeral of
prostitute. The place boasts one
hack, in which were conveyed the
body, in its coffin, and two women. A
long string of men followed, two abreast,
falling in from the saloons with hands
In pockets, pipes and cigars in mouths,
but all orderly. After planting the
body in the graveyard they returned in
the same way.
Leadville has 5000 houses and shan
ties and two streets. There are only
two brick houses in the place. At
night, when work is done for the day,
these streets are packed with people.
Long lines of men form at the postoffice
when the mails are distributed. The
principal and first-class accommodations
are at the Grand Central Hotel and the
Tontine Restaurant; board 81 per day,
with good food and plenty of vermin.
Although the superintendent of
mines are constantly calling for men at
So and $3.50 per day, there are 5000
idle men in the place. A mine calls
for fifty men at $3.50 per day and half
a dozen only respond. The superin-
tendent appeals to the authorities, and
Immediately fifty men are picked up as
Migrants and put to work on the streets.
They cannot be forced to work in the
mines, but they can be made to do the
city some service. The result is that,
under the influence of this warning,
lot of them are induced to go to the
mines and commence work. And so
with the next call.
While Mr.. Rutherford was in Lead
vile he saw an offer made of $3,500,000
for property that cost its owners about
100000. Senator Jones and associates
offered that sum for three mines, one of
which cost 500, another $50, 900 and the
third $4,000. The owners held off, de-
mandl ng S5,000000.
The first Chinaman arrived while Mr..
Rutherford was there. No sooner had
he ahghted from the top of the stage
than he was surrounded by a lot of men
and marched off to the graveyard, where
he was told he could not remain IN
Leadville save as stiff" He i'm
mediately and cheerfully started for
Fair Play" The Leadville people
have sworn that they will not tolerate
John.
Whisky, some good and some very
bad, sells at 25 cents per drink; cider at
% cents per small glass; lager at 81 per
quart bottle. Water-works and gas
works are progressing.
Leadville is well governed. In the
midst of all these rough men and bad
elements order prevails. The police
re efficient, and there are two well-or-
ganiZed vigilance committees. A bunko
man had robbed miner of $13S. He
was pointed out. Wilh half dozen
pistols at his head he threw up both
hands and quietly took sitting. His
gold watch and chain, pistol, keys, etc,
and $3.50 were taken from him. The
$138 having been returned to the miner,
the balance was handed over to the
chairman of the vigilance committee.
The bunko man was then given a start
of fifty yards through the principal
street and the go" was given him.
Then he started, with dozen pistol
bullets tearing up the gror nd behind
him. It is supposed he is still running.
This was called stern iustice