The Indiana State sentinel., 1880-12-29
THE MAYOR OF LEADVILLE.
what He Says Concerning Its Present and
Future.
New York Graphic.J

New York Graphic.I
Mr.. ]. H. Humphreys, the present Mayor
of Leadville. has arrived in New York. Last
evening he was found by Graphic reporter
at his hotel, and in a conversation upon the
present and future OF Leadville he made the
following remarks: The impression enter
tained by Eastern people that Leadville is on
the decline is an erroneous one. To-day |
received letter from my brother stating
that people were coming into the city in
large numbers and the greatest activity pre-
vailed. At the time OF the Little Pittsburg
smash-up and its successors, the mining
population, who had located claims in and
around the city (some 10000 claimSl, after
doing their assessment work, departed for
other regions. Now they are returning. and
find they consider il more advantageous to
remain in our city than in other parts of the
State. We now have population of 20, 600,
police force of thirty men, and water and
gas works The water is brought twelve
miles in large iron pipes, and a short dis
tance from the city is a large reservoir, Civ
ing head sufficient TO throw water three
stories high.
AN evidence OF Lcadviilc's increasing
stability" continued Mayor Humphreys
SIS the active erection OF large, substantial
brick buildings. Heretofore the houses and
public buildings have been generally two
story frame structures of a more or less
flimsy character, but these are being dis
posed of. Two narrow gauge railroads now
enter the city, connecting it with Denver.
A temporary disadvantage arose from these
roads to the welfare of the camp, caused by
throwing hundreds of teamsters out of posi-
tions and attracting considerable capital out
of the business. The railway tariff is only a
slight reduction from teamsters' charges.
and the immense gain by the Companies is
astonishing. Ia one mouth the South Park
Road netted $132, 600. and with these profits
it Is extending a perfect network of lines
through all the surrounding country. The
road from Leadville to Silver Cliff is begun,
but wintry weather has stopped operations
for the present.
Now, as to the condition Of the mines,
will say that, in the aggregate. they are as
productive as ever which your reports from
time to time indicate. One great hinderance
in opening up new mines and increasing
our already enormous returnSiS lack of capi-
tai Money loans from 81 to per cent
month"; and our dependence is almost en-
tirely on Eastern capitalists. Hundreds of
poor miners own good claims. but they pos
sess peculiarities of character which retain
development OF undoubtedly many valuable
mines. They have, say ten-acre claim,
and the purchaser, not owning enough of
the property, is powerleSs to operate il him
SELF In this way immense quantities of
ore are practically locked up. The project
of mining under the city is a feasible
one, and ore beds are almost certain to be
encountered between the surface and depth
of 1000 feet, which may prove very valuable.
The nature of conducting Leadville
mining operations in the future will be al
together different from the past. A few
capitalists Will not run mine on to the
market, pay large dividends. and then let it
collapse, but steady, legitimate and evenly
balanced industry Is springing from the
ruins of the past. and for the future We have
as bright an outlook as could well be wished
far. Mr.. Mackey, the Bonanza King has
been investing heavily in the London Mine
al Mosquito Gulch, and | understand be has
supplied $3.50, 900 in cash and 60000 worth
of machinery for its development. and his
Judgment is certainly worthy of notice.
Other CalifOrnians arc known TO be heavy
investors in our mines and new properties
will soon be heard from"