Smyrna times., 1879-10-22
Editorial Visit to Leadville,

Nettle Culbreth III tins town several years
ago, editor of the Walnut Valley Times,
Eldora, Kansas, writes the following graphic
account Of visit to the Leadvile mines:
LEADvILLE, COLORADO,
October I'd, 1879.
The mountains on all sides are covered
with snow. The ice in the streets is two
inches thick The wind blows stiff and
gizzard. We have horrible cold in our
head, with a burning, consuming fire in
our throat and lungs, rheumatics in our
left knee, and kln-dred, bologna sausage
sort Of a general knocked-up feeling all
over; but for all, are not quite prepared
for the city hospital or the grave yard.
We left Silver Cliff, by carriage, Sunday
morning and arrived at Canon City in the
evening, making forty miles in six hours,
over a mountain road. We paid fourteen
dollars for the team, and John Belts
handled the ribbons.
Monday noon found US at Pueblo, where
we met Senator Plumb and j. S. Dan
ford. Monday evening we took supper
at Denver, and at four o'clock Tuesday
morning, in company with Col. Plumb and
John Belts, we started for Leadville-dls-
lance, one hundred and forty miles,
straight into the mountains. The Denver
Il South Park narrow guage road runs one
hundred and fifteen miles Of the distance.
We made the remainder Of the trip in an
open spring wagon. Eighteen miles out Of
Denver we breakfasted on mountain trout
and good coffee. The road goes directly
up the Platte river, and is like all noun
tain railroads, only little more so.
We took dinner and spring wagon at
two o'clock. At least one hundred pas
sengers were ticketed for Leadville, in
Guiding all nationalities of men, women
and children.
We swallowed a mouthful of cold, sloppy
grub and jumped into one Of Capt Bill
| Tough's wagons, in order to get off first
The long line of coaches, bugeies, carriages
and wagons followed closely behind in cloud
of dust, SO thick and so su!focating that it
is q wonder we did not die. We kept man
fully in front until our fifth wheel broke
In two seconds and a-hall all the loose
straps about the harness were successfully
tied or buckled about the "reach," and we
were off again. We struck the foot Of the
range at five o'clock, and then we walked
we walked, and coughed, and drank
snow creek water for two mortal hours,
over a toll road and a rock pile, that
wound around the bald, timberless, Greary
mountains, which stuck their ugly heads
into the very vaults of Heaven. We went
up, and up, and up, till the autumnal
valley below looked like sinuous chasm
in the very depths of the earth. Fol
miles and miles beneath US could be seer
the long train of coaches and wagons
slowly making their way to the summit
At seven o'clock we were on the top and il
was dark. The bloodred moon came vi
in flying clouds, with a frightened glow
and an unsteady glare, looking as though
it had been drinking LeadVille whisky
Seven miles below, and to the west of VI
could plainly be seen the lights of thu
smelling furnaces at Leadville. On every
mountain side were the blazing campfire
Of a thousand mining camps, remindin,
one of James Parton's shell with the liz
Off" Above and surrounding us were tn,
great snow banks, a thousand years old
while the cold, piercing wind chilled tn
very marrow in our bones. But we had n,
time to fool away. The driver was invited
~ TO take back seat, while Col. Plum
took the reins. Our wagon was hangin
together with straps; the "break" wa
broken and of no account whatever, Will
9 the mules needed not the saving of tn
lines, the belaboring of the whip, nor tn
inward thoughts outwardly expressed, c
the crowd in the wagon. The old wago
would start off in given direction and j
would take all the strength Of the mule.
the driver and an extra hand at the lai
board or starboard wheel to shift its course
A halfmile down and we struck six.mul
team at narrow point in the road. Closet
behind were the other carriages. How, G
by what means we got around that Wagon
no man will ever know. But we made tn
trip without further accident and arrive
| at the hotel at halfpast eight o'clocl
where we got good supper and a war;
fire.
And here we are at Leadville, on
year.old town and the wonder of til
world. One gear cid, and complete Gil
in every respect. twenty-five thousan
people within radius of FIVE miles.
city with Holly water works; graded an
paved streets gas; police and fire d
partments; large three-story brick bull
- ings; an opera house as large as ar
west of st. Louis; splendid hotels and a
the necessary adjuncts of large and pre-
n perous city. But then 1t costs money
stop here. To give our readers an idea
what it takes for day in this city, we vi
give bill of fare: