The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-08-06
LIFE AT LEADVILLE.
Pen photographs of that Marvellous
Mining Metropolis by an EmpOria


Mining Metropolis by an Emporia
Artist.
LEADvILLE, Col, July %, 1880.
EDS. NEWS: When l reached this
city, twenty-five months old, with pop
ulation of over $4,000, l had to stage it
three and a half miles. To-day the
evening train from Pueblo carries Gen.
Grant plump into the city, and to-mor-
row night he attends the theater in Ia
boris large opera house and hears a good
troupe play "Our Boarding house" and
they do it well, for l was there myself
last night.
Some one said "See Venice and die"
Many one has performed this duty be-
fore he has half looked over this marvel
Gus, stirring and wicked town. Sunday
here can hardly be detected, except by
the more complete abandon to what is
the state militia publish general order
No. 1, and call for mounted drill on Sun
days at 4 p. m.
Here met Bill Tough, late L. S. mar
shall of Kansas. Judge Pendry, Hon. Joe
Taylor of Leavenworth, Hon. s A. Riggs
and Mr.. Nevison, of Lawrence, DR.. Ned
den, also sons of George Suddock and
DIR. Hewett, and Gen. II. b. Johnson, who
makes the presentation speech at Grants
reception. Some practicing law, some
specializing, some mining, or thinking
they are, and all expecting to strike it
rich within the next twenty-four hours.
Here is the place where a few large for
tunes have been made, and many little
savings lost. People stick a stake, dig
4 prospect hole, decide they have a mine,
stock" it, and become rich-on paper.
Mr.. Bush, who used to keep the
Adams house at Manhattan, went To
Leadville, took in the situation, saw, in
vision, the town that was TO be, pur-
chased u number of lots, drew his check
on distant bank, sold off part of his
lots for enough TO pay for all, and had
the money telegraphed To honor his
check. Bush is now running the
Windsor at Denver, the most magnifi-
cent hotel in the west, at Il rental Of $780,
900. l expressed my surprise at such
rental, but the business men of Leadville
say an eligible building ought 10 rent
for 20 to So per cent, Of its cost. Offices
like that OF Buck & Kellogg or Gun
nlngham & McCarty rent here at $le5
to $3.50 per month.
Mines and miners are on every hand.
In sight of town and at easy access are
the Emma, Little Chief, Little Pitts
burg and many others. If the mining
boom continues for eighteen months
longer this will the largest city in the
state. Adjoining the city on the south
is the old California Gulch," where
placer digging excited so much atten-
ton several years ago; and now where
it is all worked oyeI, fresh parties are
making fair wages at washing the dust.
On the west of the town are the "ever-
lasting hills on whose sides securely
repose in this July sun, snow drifts that
have lain there "time whereof the
memory of man runneth not to the con-
trary"
AS a rule there is little gold here
abouts. 1t is the-great silver producing
state. That one may not feel altogether
"a stranger in strange land" the
wizard oil man is here TO soothe the
troubled spirit, and Talmadge is coming
Much of the road from here to Pueblo
is common place The Grand Canon,
however, for about 10 miles north of
Canon City, is huge and grand nay, it
is more, it Is immense. With this little
exception Of you can call it little) the D.
5. p. & p. road offers by far the most at
fractions.
Leadville and its surroundings is
simply feverish. There is plenty of OPP
portunities for laboring men TO clear
800 per month; but, aside from those
who have become reduced to it, there
are per Sc no laboring men here. They
are-or are to be, millionaires. There
Is more fraud TO the square
inch here, than in an
ordinary township in Kansas; and in
saying this draw il mild. My entire
trip has been remarkable for the birds
and the animals-I have not seen. Al
most the only thing to attract attention
in this line is the acrobatic prairie dog
that seems to stand as well on one end
as On the other, if anything little bet
ter.
As l am homeward bound now TO take
up the prOsy duties of every day life, and
that without regret, must say, for the
present an rec0ir J. JAY BUCK
p. 81 notice your typo made what
/ intended for wool" read mud u
They bring IN wool for over 20 miles to
Las Vegas with OK teams and mostly
without any water on the whole route