Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-12-19

|
! Can no way hinder me.
But see you come in lordly state,
| With mountain winds aglow,
When by daz cling gate shall wait
To meet and love you so.
Sweetheart!
| That will be heaven, know.
ALL ABOUT LEApY'ILLE.
A succinct History of the Wonderful New
| Mining Town. =,
The mining districts of OUR great West
are famous for cities that, mushroom-like
have grown up almost In night. Lead
vile, IN Colorado, is one Of the most re-
markable of these urban miracles. Two
years ago the place was not in existence.
On the list of August, 1877, there were SIX
buildings upon the present site. On the
first OF January, 1878, the population was
estimated at 300. A year later the town
organization was perfected, md Leadville
now presents the amazing spectacle of a
town containing 10000 Inhabitants, To-
Gated in the heart OF mountainous dis
trict where a few months ago there was
naught but barren solitudes.
The first discovery of carbonate ores
was made on the south side of California
Gulch, about one and half miles above
Leadville, in 1876, in what is now known
| as the Rock mine. The ore was found in
great abundance, but OF low grade, carry
ing large percentage of lead with a
comparatively small amount of silver
Soon after this, prospecting began in a
line running north, ana resulted in the
discovery of the Adelaide, Camp Bird
and Iron mines, together with the Wolf
stone in Strayhorse Gulch. Other mines
we're also opened from time to time, un-
til the district became one of the most
actively worked in the whole country.
Leadville's earliest settler was one Mr..
Harris, whose first experiences on the now
popular town were Of a depressing kind.
A contemporary tells us. 1.-TWO years
ago, the 9th of May, there came to Lead
vile man with shirt on his back and
fifteen cents in his pocket. He came on
foot by the way of Mosquito Pass, and
slept the first night IN Leadville behind
a log. On the night two years ago the
lonely footman found few piles of brush,
lot Of stumps and half-burned trees,
but not haman besides himself slept
that night in what is now known as the
city of the Leadville. It was as lonely
as wilderness of stunted mountain pines
shot up from cold barren soil, between
ugly powders and craggy rocks, could
we'll be made. The name Of the lonely
traveller who slept that night in this lone
ly wilderness was Mr.. George Albert
Harris. He was the first settler. His
wife was the first white woman at Lead
VILE"
The first public house in Leadville was
begun on the 18th of June, 1877, and
was finished and thrown open to the
public of tho Fourth of July, nineteen
days later. The builder was Mr.. Harris,
who: as the founder of the town, was also
its great public benefactor. He performed
all the labor OF constructing It's new
house of entertainment, from the founda-
ton to the roof. The dimensions of the
building were ten feet in width by twelve
in length, the height story and, half.
The first floor served as dining room,
office, kitchen, baggage-room, parlor, re-
ception-room, etc., and the second, CT at
tic, was used principally for lodging
purposes. 1t offered accommodation for
eight sleepers at time. For the con-
venience Of guests the day was divided
into three sleeping periods of eight hours
each. In this way the first hotel in
Leadville afforded sleeping accommoda-
ton for twenty-four guests divided into.
three companies, each OF which occupied
the attic for the time mentioned. d
The name of this hotel was, The: City,
and its site is now covered by the Grand
Hotel, on Chestnut street. Mr.. Harms
kept this hotel until the Fourth Of July,
1878, when he opened the Grand, which
had been built around and over the little
City. The Grand was kept by Mr.. Har-
ris until the 18th of last December, when
he sold it to Messrs. Walsh & Co., the
present proprietors, for $14,12O cash.
This sum was the net result Of Mr.. Har-
ris's first eighteen months hard labor in
Leadville. beginning on capital of tif-
teen cents.
Not long ago reporter of the Lead
VILE Chronicle visited Mr.. Harris with
the view Of learning all that he might
about the early settlement of Leadville.
From his account much of the foregoing
information has been obtained. in re-
ply to pertinent question in regard to
the men who had made fortunes by DIS
covering mines, Mr.. Harris answered as
follows: "Oh, yes, I know them all
There was August Rische he came from
Fairplay, and was the worst played-out
man ever met. He was a shoemaker
by trade, but never did anything about
this camp, but dig for carbonates. His
entire wealth consisted of pick and spade
and faithful old dog, the latter being
his only companion. The two lived to-
gether in dug out about milo up. Cali
fornia Gulch. The dog and August were
sure to show up as often as once week
for bacon, etc. Although shard up, he
seemed to have friends. It was but
few days before he made the discovery
of the Little Pittsburg that was talk
ing with him, and he said it was mighty
thin forage. He would keep digging till
he struck it, If it took till the end of time.
He did and to-day is worth, at the least
calculation, 100000. But he is the same
old Aug. Tom Hook was another shoe
maker. He too came in camp dead
broke. He sold out a little too soon, and
is now obliged to live on the interest of
$15O,00O worth of government bonds.
And there was Pete Finnerty, who DIS
covered the Little Chief mine. He came
IN camp with mule team, paid for; and
wholly his own, He kept little board
ing house in log shanty during the viii
ter of 1877. But things went slow with
him, and he went out prospecting. 1t
was about seven months ago that he
struck the Little Chief, and is worth to-
day about half a million, in round num-
Der. The Dillon boys were prospecting
partners of Finnerty. They are not worth
to-day but little over 100000 each.
Halleck and Cooper discovered the Car
Donate mine in October, 1871. They
were laborers and had become accustom-
ed to rough life. Now they are worth
$500, 900 each. A man by the name
Woods old miner from Lake Superb
or-discovered the Iron mine. In fact,
he was the first man who made The first
discovery of carbenates in this camp.
But he did not know the value of his dis
covery, and sold out to Letter for, about
$50, 600" :, a.. l.
The progress of Leadville prior to De-
cember I, 1878, was surprising, but its
wonderful advance in every possible di
1ection since that date is simply amazing.