The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-11-24

and variety shows scores of saloons and
numerous gambling houses are in full
blast, and the entire scene gives the town
and place the appearance of one grand
holiday"
L have seen enough, however, of this city
to convince me that it is one of the most
marvellous products of this marvellous
country. Every thing about it excites
level, comparatively, and so large and
beautiful, should have been found so
high up among the rocky peaks is it
self marvel The city is ten thousand
and fifty feet above the sea-level with
timber line" on the snowy range Just
above it; and yet there is town site
large enough for city Of a hundred
thousand inhabitants, and not more un-
| dulating than is sufficient to give good
drainage. Here, three years ago, in
June, 1877, the first house was COM
menced the census returns of June l j.,
1880, showed over fifteen thousand peo-
pie to have been actually living here at
the time; now the citizens claim popu-
lation of twenty thousand. 1t has all
the conveniences of a city, such as water
works, gas, telephone exchange, fire de-
partment, banks, schools, churches, hos
pital daily newspapers, /" city fathers, 1"
and police. Of the five banking institu-
lions two of them claim to have about
two millions of deposits. A number of
merchants claim to have sold within
year from 100000 to 100000 worth of
goods each, and the aggregate mercantile
business for 1870 exceeded $4,000 OOOl
Leadville has four daily newspapers, and
one of the first surprises which startles
the pilgrim" is given by newsboy of
genuine metropolitan pattern, offering
him an elght-page daily newspaper,
nearly as large as the New York dailies,
with the latest kilograms from all parts
of the world, for nickel The post
office of this three-year-old village is a
curiosity. If one expects to get a letter
at the general delivery window early in
the morning [ would advise him to get
into line about midnight before. The
principal hotel foots up its receipts for
nine months at 100000. About a dozen
OF churches have been organized. Most
OF them have erected houses of worship
and are self-sustaining I visited the
residence of the pastor of the Presbyte-
Ran church, the Rev. William II.
Clagett, but there was no one at home,
and failed to meet him. Put his people
speak well of him and the work in Lead
VILE What has made this place? Prin-
cipally, of course,
THE MINES.
Inc ores are principally carbonates.
But there are no out-crops to indicate
the location of pay material" "Pros-
pectors 60 it blind, said one The sink
ing OF shafts for carbonates on FRYER
Hill, or adjacent bluffs, is much like Dor
ing oil wells IN Western Pennsylvania
you may, or you may not "strike it BIG, -
to use an expression heard upon every
street corner in Leadville. Carbonates
were found in the Little Pittsburgh claim
at depth of twenty-six feet. Other
shafts have been sunk fifty feet, and
one hundred feet and even five hundred
feet without striking pay material. 1t
is said by citizens here that more money
has been spent in Leadville than was
ever taken out Of the mines And when
one has found ore he is not sure of i'll
That Is, it IS often found in small de-
posts called pockets, - which are soon
exhausted, like many another pocket in
this region Of country. Besides all this
uncertainty, ut requires a lead mine, -
as the Proverb is, " to run silver mine
and 1t requires silver mine to run a
gold mine. Nevertheless the indica-
lions are that this general mining region,
OF which Leadville is the centre, contains
fabulous wealth. These mines can be
ProhftaIbly worked by experienced miners,
backed by capitalists, and [ have no doubt
this will be done. And in the meantime
the very, very few will become immensely
rich, and the great many" will wish a
thousand times that they had remained
on their farms, or in their workshops. or
oehlnd small counters in country stores.
Presbyterian.