Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1880-03-04
FROM COLORADO.
pecial Correspondence of the Ledger.


Trinidad g The Pittsburgh of the west."--
The Climate--Coal--Prospe SC.
Special Correspondence of the Ledger
TRINIDAD, Col, Feb'y %, 1880
The strangers first Impressions Of
the country surrounding this place
are not very favorable, particularly so
if the person has been accustomed 10
an agricultural country. The lack of
apparent on every side,
gives desolate appearance to every
thing, and the natural query IS,
"What sustains the population, and
what are the resources of this sec
tion?" These enquiries cannot be
answered until after a
residence of some considerable time.
is place of about 5000 inhabitants,
located at the foot of FISHERS Peak
a sheer of the Ratoan Range, on an
altitude of a fraction of over 5000
feet, near the southern boundary of
Colorado, surrounded On the west and
south by snow capped ranges, the
well-known "Spanish Peaks" being in
plain view, distant about 40: miles.
This is the residence of and .'head-
quarters for the majority of the
seattle kings" of southern Colorado.
1 am told that ranges for cattle are
distant from Is to 60 miles, extend
ing as far south as New Mexico, and
even the Pan Handle of Texas pays
tribute to this point in the way of
the purchase OF supplies, the distance
being over one hundred miles. The
town is situated amongst the s'foot
hills" and has an Insignificant stream
meandering through it called the
.'Picket Wire'' but known to geogra-
pliers as the sPurgative', which fur
nishes the water supply. The reser-
voir is located On an elevated plateau,
about 600 feet above the level of the
town. The pumps and machinery
are located on the stream above men
toned, from whence the water is
| forced into the reservoir, consequent
ly, the pressure from thence is suf-
ficient to throw large stream con-
siderably higher than the top of the
ieftiest building. The streets present
a busy appearance at all times, being
only two main thoroughfares, upon
which the travel and business is con-
centrated. There are number OF
modern styled business houses which
will compare favorably with those of
the cities of the east, and a first-clas.
hotel building nearly completed, built
of brick with stone trimmings, and
will contain, in all, eighty rooms.
Neat, cosy cottages, of modern style
of architecture, are found in every di.
rection, and at the present time there
are said to be forty buildings under
contract. Trinidad has been declared
by the authorities city of the ''sec'
ond class" and consequently. viii
have Il city government in the spring
when the first elections for city Off
GERS will take place.
THE CLIMATE.
From the testimony of number o
invalids, with whom have conversed
the climate is very favorable to tn
consumptive anG asthmatic, particu
larly the latter. They all testify t,
almost immediate relief on arriyin,
here, and a great many of the frs
mentioned, also. The only prevailing
a, complaint is catarrh. .'.
COAL.
This place is situated in the centr
of the coal fields of southern Ca!ora
!, do. Within three miles of the town ar
: located the 'coke works." Their
are now being erected, and already i
e operation, five hundred cake ovens
employing about three hundred opel
atives, who are engaged in manufat
J turing coke, which very useful articl
+ finds ready sale in Leadvi1le and othe
q mining camps of the north. The d.
o mand largely exceeds the suppl,
. Coal of the best quality is delivere
to the consumer at from 1925
e. $3.50 per ton.
PROSPECTS,.
:" This being the principal market fl
= the wool crop of southern Colorad
y y and New Mexico, iron in abundsnt
" in the hills, an inexhaustible supp
of cheap fields, why should not tn
become manufacturing centre?
ir is now styled, by parties lntereste'
1t "The Pittsburgh of the West.
l. Yours, respectfully, --- R.