The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-09-26
BLOOMSBURG PA, FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 26. 1879
REAL ESTATE IN LEADyILLE.

The October Scribner contain. a notable
paper on Leadville, written by Ernest Ing
ersol, and illustrated by Mrs. Mary Hal
lock Foote and Mr. J. ii. Mills from which
we quote this account of an interesting
phase of mining life
All this excitement and influx of masses
OF men and the consequent irregular
squating upon unoccuped ground, began
at once to produce discord and a fever of
speculation in real estate. A certain cor
poration claimed to own the whole town
site under patent from the government,
and tried to exact payment from every ten
ant; but the ilegality of this was asserted
and pending decision, everybody not only
laughed at the company but proceeded to
buy and sell original squatter-claims as
though no better title was ever in existence
"a supposition probably true at that time
Tcwn-lots rose from nothing to fabulous
prices in day, and fortunes were made and
opportunities neglected accordingly.
Next came period of Jumping that is,
getting.forcible or fraudulent possession of
property. Men would call with paper
baving legal appearance and politely in
form some man occupying the cabin they
coveted that they had bought the property
from the owner.
You know, psrd,' they would remark, af
fably, that you just settled down here cause
it was convenient like, and nobody said
nothing about it; but now the owner thinks
he orter have some good from his property,
and we've bought it. We don't want to be
unpleasant, but it looks like you'd have to
vamoose.'
That's all right no offsnse the shaggy
headed cotager would reply, quietly but 1
reckon eff the owner or anybody else wants
! this yere cabin they've got to take it, and
they've got to hold over me, and get up
right 'arly in the mornin,' too' and he
lays loving hand on the hilt of his six
shooter while the would-be jumpers anathe.
matize their way out ofthe door.
Thert,we however, clear cases of ten
ancy of land where no title was held, and
here the occupant, if uuruly, was likely 10
find his cabin timbers falling about his ears
in the middle of the night, under the vigor.
Gus stroke of band of citizens who propos.
ed to see the real owner put in po session
tben aud there. Needless fellows would in
sist upon pdtting their trading shanties or
dwelling-houses anywhere in the streets
and alleys set apart for public use, and then
down would come squad of police, with a
span OF horses to the underpinniug and raze
the obstruction in ten minutes. Hard
words were a matter of course in all these
little public and private ansactions n real
estate, and every day or two man was shot
or beaten halft to death but public opinion
and the numerous witnesses quickly and
'oudly decided the right of the case, and the
coroner's jury was very likely to formulate
the popular verdict Truth to say, the roc pop
uH in these cases was usually about right.
Outside of case of robbery by 'bunko
thieves if man ge'S shot in Leadville, it is
safe to conclude that he has got his des-
serts.
Speculation in town lots did not last very
long, however, and now real esta' is down
to p,etty solid basis of value. The prob
ability is that the future will see a decline
in prices, as a whole, rather than an en-
hancing of the value of real estate within
the corporate limits, as no doubt Leadville
has seen her highest tide-mark of popula-