Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-05-15
THE CENTENNIAL STATE.

OIL tue pTeSent CITY OF washington.
THE CENTENNIAL STATE.
PEN PICTURES OF DENvER-aRowTH OF TIE
CrTf-DRoNRs VERSUS LABoRERs-THK RUSH
FOR THE MINEs-BRICK POMKROY AN HONEST
MINER.
lCofresp0nde',ce Of The Evening Ndr.I
DENVER, May 10, 1880.
The first thing that a stranger notices upon
his arrival In Denver Is the number OF saloons,
every third door throughout the city is care.
FULLY screened; not that there Is an unusual
amount OF tntoxtcat1On, but that every one
drinks a little. There is said to be police force
attached to the city somewhere, but a three
months residence has failed to discover to me
member thereof on duty.
Because, perhaps, of its reputation as natures
sahltar1um. Denver is thronged with physicians
and 1nvalids A gentleman coming here for his
health was quite discouraged to meet upon his
nrst walk, distance OF four blocks, nine men
with their Threats protected by red flannel and
IN any public assembly the coughing of the
audience would annoy any one were he not en-
gagged In the same occupation himself
The size of the buildings in Denver must also
attract attention. One-half, perhaps, of the
dwelling houses are only one or one and a half
stores IN height, but many of them look far
from poor or cheap, and they have an air Of
real home comfort and coztness that a taller
mouse never has. Some new buildings are now
belng put up fully equal in point OF beauty and
value va 10 any In the eastern cities One such is
an Immense block erected by Lteutenant-Gov-
e.nor Tabor Ground Is now broken by this
same gentleman for another building or rather
Two buildings. which may or may not be con-
M cued-a motel and an opera house. Mr.. Tabor
Is now In the east looking at the most modern
and approved plans OF such buildings In Phta-
aeipnla and New York. Specifications are also
being printed for the new Union Railway De-
POT, Whicn will soon take the place of the one
which has too long been a disgrace to the
city.
The streets are not naved ond roo.+ ~ tho
llme are exceedingly dusty. Indeed dust is one
OF the most striking features of the queen of the
pralrleS heard gentleman say, after dust
storm last week, that the dust came through
the keyhole and piled up an inch deep over
his carpet. know no reason to discredit this
statement. Throughout the city the streets
are Dordered on each side with trees. The cot
tonWoOd Is the only native, but the red maple
elm and horse-chestnut, are easily cultivated
Grass does not grow of itself, but incessant
care and equally incessant watering are pro
duct1ve OF beautiful lawns, even here
the system of drainage is not at all good. 1t
seems to have been the belief that the air of
any amount of filth, which belief was sadly con-
trad1cted by the fearful prevalence and fatality
OF Ie1ers last summer and fall. 1t is to be hoped
that the city Will very soon take active meas
uIeS to prevent recurrence OF what was little
short OF peSt1lence
Real estate now commands an almost fabu-
lOuS price, and Is still rising. Fortunes are made
every day selling land which not long ago could
De mad at cent an acre. Rents are simply
enormous. $40 per month Is charged for one
room quite up town, and houses cannot be Sc
cured at any price. New corners unable to find
sheitering roof have pitched tents, until the
lower part of the city resembles camp meet
1ng-an illusion that is quickly dispelied by a
nearer approach. Imagine political conven-
tlon and Two or three picnics landed by mistake
at some small country tavern, and the conse-
quent rush for rooms and board; such is the
chronic cOnd1tlOn OF affairs In Denver. STILL
every day the long trains are crowded. and
every hour but swells the number Of those who
seek here either health or fortune
The straits to which people are reduced in
OTQer 10 IND place to stay, are only euualled
by what they are forced to do to get bread to
eau. neard young man, good bookkeeper,
out MOuthful OF food. More than one gradu-
ate OF Yale or Harvard builds fires In lawyers
once, sweeps out the halls OF hotel, or washes
the windows of store. Gentlemen are nuner-
Gus and supertiuous work for them is scarce
and wages down almost to the starvation point
while hod-carriers and bricklayers command
Lhelr own price. There Is great and unsatiS-
ned demand for women for housework at s25
per month. The Chinese seem not to be used at
all as dOmest1cs.
As to living prices, meat is not more expen-
slVe IMAM at the east, and 1t Is of much better
quality. Game Is much cheaper fine Mailard
DUCKS sell three for fifty cents Vegetables and
dtuls are extravagantly high potatoes selling
lhree stalks for quarter, or about Seventy-1ive
cents bunch.
The peculiarittes Of the climate consists of
OF temperature. Perhaps there are seven DAYS
during the year In which the sun does not shine
at all, but doubt 1t. There is but little of the
yellow tint In the sunlight. its color not differ
ing greatly from that OF moonlight. Being un-
mOdled by moisture and the lower strata of
CLOUDS, the suns heat is intense aud burning
even when the air is decidedly cool. To the
WINDS 40 words can do Justice; they must be
experienced to be imagined. Not unfrequently
there Is change In temperature OF ti1ty de-
greeS In an hour, and at sunset the change
Il n ore hot rin
diattly succeeding 1t no one at all predispOSed
10 lung trouble should be out OF doors. AS every
one Knows, there Is very little rain here. On
April 2Sth we had the first shower of this
spring, and that was a very brief one
Let no one with the "Western Fever hope to
cure 1t by coming to Denver. 1t seems to rage
mere more furiously than at any point nearer
the Atlantic. This spring the Guhnison coun-
try is the objective point, as Leadville has been
for Two years previous.
Claims have been located all winter over six
ana elght feet OF snow, and work is now being
pushed forward. More than one city which has
now but local habitation and a name will be-
lore mid summer have its thousands OF inhabi-
tants aud accommodations therefor. The sec.
rotary OF state Is kept more than busy filing pa
pers OF incorporation for new mining and build
Ing companies. The building OF toll wagon
roads Is not one of the least or least profitable
or The industries. Every two or three days
''out1lts" are made up and started for the noun
tains, either by some private prospector or a
mining company. One of the most complete of
.
mine the Monte Christie" The stock of this
mine sold rapidly few weeks ago at s.. $50, but
though the ore unquestiOnably contains
much silver, there is some doubt as to
the practicability OF profta bly, reducing it. the
conn ound being an unusual one. Mr.. Pome.
roy Is now In this city, always good-natured
and always In hurry. l saw him day or two
since come into notary Office to acknowl-
edge his signature. He opened the street door
and called out ''where is Mr.. NJ? 1 want to
acknow ledge that l did it with my little
Ratchet" Then catching sight OF the paper in
question on the desk, that's mine. the hand
some writing" and left the room as abruptly
aS{he had entered.
The only place whose attractions to fortune
seekers at all rival those of the Gunnison is
Breckenridge, In Summit county. This is an
Old mining camp not esteemed OF special i'm
pOrtance until within few months, when the
discovery OF some particularly rich lodes both
OF gold and silver caused a number OF old
claims to be renewed and new ones to be To-
Gated. CHASE
GERMAN POPUI ALTON STATIsTICs.-The Impe-
rial statistical Office OF Germany has published
some Interesting facts concerning the popula-
ton statistics or that country. The estimated
population OF the Empire at the end of 1878 was
In round numbers, 44,2l1 geo. The number OF
births during the wear was 7S5 OSO and Of