Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-05-04
COLORADO LETTER.


SILVER CLIFF, co.,, April28, so. a
EDITOR LEDGER:-0n the 3rd of
this month | left Memphis with some
friends to visit this vast and growing
country. After spending some days
in St. Louis, we took the Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe train for Pueblo.
We left on the evening of the 9TH inst,
and arrived at Kansas City on the
morning of the 9th. We only remain
ed in that thriving city to get break
fast, but everything around the depot,
which is under the hill, evinced pro-
gress, push and energy. Kansas City
is like Memphis, located on a hill fifty
feet above the Missouri and Kaw riv-
ers. We proceed, passing through
many new, and apparently prosperous
towns, containing from two to eight
thousand inhabitants. We arrived at
Pueblo at about two o'clock the fol-
lowing day. Pueblo is one of those
old Spanish towns which Fremont and
Kit Carson and other early path find
ers made one Of their stopping or rest
ing places on their way to California.
The town since the advent of Ameri
leans among them has taken a new
start in the race of life and is now
quite a city, with street railroads, GAS
and water works, and manufacturing
Establishments, and every thing that
indicates a rapid growing city. 1t has
three railroads terminating within Its
borders one nearly completed to AL
baqurque in New Mexico, which will
ada greatly to its trade and impor-
lance. After looking around the city
for some little time, we took the
narrow guage railroad Tor Canon City,
distance 40 miles, where we remained
over night with mine host of the
Mcclure house, leaving there the fol-
lowing morning by stage for this city,
distance 30 miles. We arrived about
4 o'clock p. M, and here our astonish-
ment was truly great. The first house
or cabin was built here about eighteen
months ago, and now they claim a pop
u%lation anywhere from three to five
thousand inhabitants. The city is
now incorporated and has all the
municipal officers. 1t has too bank
ing institutions, two theaters, three
daily newspapers, and any number of
hotels, saloons and boarding houses,
besides all kind of mercantile estab-
lishments, many ofthem carrying good
stocks Of goods. On every hand you
see new houses in progress of erection
The stages are bringing daily to thi
place from ten to twenty persons, be-
sides those who come in wagons,
horseback and on foot.
There are several mines. here turn
ing out good paying ore, and several
others hat promise in the very near
future to add greatly to the wealth
and Importance of this growing city.
The prominent mines that are now
paying very handsome dividendsare the
Bassick, Bull Dimingo, Racine Bay,
etc. On the south lay the Sangre de
Chusto range of mountains, at this
writing covered with snow and appar-
emily only ten minutes walk from u
hotel, but by measurement are nearly
ten good English miles. There are a
number of persons here waiting for the
snow to get'off those mountains to 20
out prospecting them, for they are
supposed to have hidden in their
bowels lots of gold and silver, which
every n here is anxious to get hold
of. Many persons here have sold out
their claims for from five to twenty
five thousand dollars, after going
down from ten 80 twenty-five feet.
There is a better opportunity now to
make a fortune here In mining than
there was a year ago. The hills be-
tween here and Rosetta the county
seat, distance 8 miles, are said to be
full of rich mineral. In this belt is
located the celebrated Bassick mine,
which has been yielding $1,000 daily
for some time. No persons living in
Memphis have any idea of the rapid
growth and rapid DEVELOPMENT of this
country. l have often thought of our
very pleasant trip through Texas, and
as often wished that you we're with us