The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1880-04-10
THE CITY OF LEADvILLE.

Z. W. Davis, member Of the Pennsylvania Leg
i,lRturc. returned lately from Lesdvile. Colorado.
He was interviewed by a representative Of the
Philadelphia Tias' and this is what he said
about that wonderful city
1.-TWO years ago a little tumble. down shanty or
| two stood on the site occupied by LeadVills,
city containing to-day nearly forty thousand in
habitants, and which do not hesitate TO predict
will have one hundred thousand people before the
end Of another year"
Talk about the wonderful rise Of San Fran
cisco and other places, continued Col. Davis, "but
think Of Leadvilie in comparison with any Of
them and you'll acknowledge that IL must get the
palm. With its fine banking concerns occupying
elegant buildings and doing very large busness,
four daily newspapers-threc Republican and ono
DsmOcratie-not excelled In enterprise and general
features BY any other papers outside Of Phiiadcl
pha and New York several aourishing weekly
journals; three frst-eAss theatres numerous fine
churches. including Episcopal, Methodist and TO
man Catholic whole streets full Of business
structures that are the architectural equals Of
those in many Of the large Eastern cities, and Q
hne postofiee building now being erected Of brick
aud stone-it is already city Of no little impor
lance Except in the outskirts, IL 10 not scattered
like many other mining towns. but 10 eompactly
built up-more so than Harrisburg Of which,
think. IL is the equal u IL does no, 80 beyond that
city IN population. Nearly all the temporary
wooden structures have already given place TO
substantial buildings Of stone and brick. Any
quantity Of good bricks can BE- made there. suita.
bic clay being found In the immediate vicinity
Lsadviile looks just as much like an Eastern city
| ne does Harrisburg.
"Ths city IL fourteen thousand feet above the
level Of the sea, and all around IL in the distance
| loom up snow capped peaks During my stay Of
| three weeks there, however, have perceived lit
tie, " any, difference between its climate and that
Of Philaislphia. Nevertheless, tho soil there
L..
able extent. and the psrmanency Of tho settlement
must depend upon the supply of the surrounding
silver mines. which, for many generations will be
| inexhaustibls. The location Of the city on
gradually sloping mountain IL such that during =
thunder storm the people can see the lightning
flash below them. Snow remains all tho year on
the surrounding peaks. Il Is amusing 20 see how
strangers In the city deceived BY the apparent
distance Of these mountains. | started one morn
ing 10 take n stroll Ca the base Of ono Of them
supposing that IL was about two not more than
three miles Of. Judge Of my astenishnent upon
being told that il wa, not less than twenty miles
away. The journey was postponed.
Take IL all in all. tho coat Of living in Lead
| vile is no more than in Philadelphia, while the
remuneration for labor 10 from two 90 three times
as large ~ it 10 here. Beef 10 cheaper aud better
| there than here. The only supplies that command
| bigger price there are vegetables. bay iabOrsrs
can earn from 90 to - day; carpenters. -;
miners from 81 20 $50. and other workmsn in
| like proportion. Any rueky man going there
with little capital ought % get rich il he minds
| his bu.insss. The entire surrounding country
| abounis in mineral wealth chiefly silver and iron.
| The TACT that lead il found in large quantities.
combined with those. gave the city iis name. Silver
however. IL the most abundant. and, Of course. the
| chief treasure sought for. Anthracite coal was
recently struck. ani the supply promises ~ be
very great. Every trade aud profession hourishes
Undoubtedly. Leadvillc will be the centre Of the
ill 80 A...s. -. a
years. IL 10 now BY far the largest town in the
| State.
The population il not 20 Heterogeneous as
Philadsiphia might suppose. The ma ority of tho
people are Of American birth. recruited largely
from New York state and tho oil regions Of Penn
sy!rania. Now Workers are getting hold Of all the
big mine. Very few PhiaIslph,ans are out
there several niine'. ineiIiing tue Robert l..
| Lee. Piiuburg and Chrysoiitc. have been paying
| At the rate Of Sl00.OOO - year for the last siX
months. Ii LeadVis has done 50 much with no
railroad nearer than thirty two miles. what may
| 10 expected ~hen the road now running from
Denver to Buena Ni,ta will be finished n, Ear as
Lsadville? This j. expected 10 he done within
two months from now. Indeed, il 10 probable
that the Denver and Rio Grande Road also will
'oon BE- extended TO Lsai'iIle. opening up traffic
along the Arkansas river. Al present passenger
travel and hauling must be done by means of
stages and wagons between LeAdvi.is and Eusna
| Vista. There has been no robbisg done. however.
since Judge Lynch hanged two fellow. last fall.
Indians are not feared a. there are none nearer
ihsa the tiunnison country, thirty miles distant.
and they arc fast disappearing from there"
sunday in the city VI Leadville il thus describe
| by tho Chicago Times:
| "On SUNDAY here nearly every store is open.
| IL 10 the chief dSy with the places Of amusement
| the smoke Of the smelters perfumes the ambient
air little more villaneusly thas usual. IL posi-
BILE and the streets are crowded. The church
| bells gather many worshipers but they are aot
missed from the ihrongcl street. The miners
| come from all directions. From shafts and tun
nsls and prospect holes they come swarming in the
| streets. crowding the corners filling the bars %
tho numerous saloons with = coming tide Of hui
| manity. May come 90 buy their weekly supplies
at the stores. whose clerks know no holy Sabbath
| rest Others come O. talk ovsF their strikes and
their hnis 90 bring in their samples for testing
| Crowds throng the more than hundrs gamb-
ling dsns. from whose wide open doors the SCUM Il
| Of piano. violin and flute innglc with the shrill
voice Of the dealer AZ the faro table. calling.
MAKE your bets. gentlemen. and the curses and
vulgaTiiy Of the players faint the sacred sabbath
/ air. The gambling house knows no SUNDAY. and
although the Law Of the state expressly prohibits
the opening "f gambling AMI drinking houses on
| the sabbath day. il j As dead though il ha /
never numbered the leaves Of she statute books.
and tho police s;ani lilly b. Watching iis viola
| ton. Biear. eyed and bloatsl lsbauchees. in
| whose bssottsi lives honor. dscency AMI manhood
have long since died banly ribald Jests with the
| los, women who carry the liquors 60 the tables.
Thieves ani pickpoeke,s. watching with keen eve,
Tor the victim aud the opportunity. tningle with
the busting crowds and jo,tls you ~ you pass.