The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-11-24
RICH MINES.

ana having seeu eAu u0aiN g.
gold and silver, propose to trespass upon
the time and patience of your readers to
tell them something of the wonders OF this
land. My visit was first to Colorado, and of
that wonderful country, in this arti lie, l
wish to speak. In 1858 Kansas was the
most western organized territory in the
Union, and prior TO that time the territory
of Colorado was considered part of Kan
sas. There was no regul.r legal government,
except such as was self-constituted and re
cognized by the miners. Everything and
everybody was governed by what was termed
"miner's courts" II is said that these courts
we're organized, as of old at a general mass
meeting of the citizens, who ut the same
time enacted code Of laws both civil and
criminal, aud elected their officers and pre-
scribed their duties. The only two capital
offepses known to the code was horse steal
ing and "mine jumping" Thus it will be
seen that the first real government of Colora-
do was pure democracy. In the course of
time application was made to congress for
the creation of the territory Of Colorado,
which act was approved February 26tb, 1861.
Several unsuccessful efforts were made to ad.
nit the territory as state into the union,
and in 1876 the act was duly signed by the
president, and the present state government
organized Gold was first discovered in the
mines of Colorado, in 1852. This was not
far from the present site of the beautiful city
of Denver and constantly since that time the
gradual rush of fortune seekers has contin.
ued, and it is yet going on, and might say
has but began comparatively speaking. The
particulars and details of Colorado's growth
and rapid progress is seen in her many rail-
roads, manufactures, mines, stock raising,
and agriculture but if man wants to real
ize the fact, as reality, lot him so and sec
the thriving, busting and rushing city Of
Denver, the prize of the Rocky mountains,
and the wonder Of the west. Pixies peak,
that grand old sentinel of the mountsins,
standing at short distance, does not lift its
lofty head with more grandeur than does
the numberless elegant blocks that stand
conspicuous in their imposing proportions
along her streets. Let him 20 and see Lead
vile, the marvel Of the present generation.
Two years o its site was that of bleak
mountain waste to-day it is the greatest
mining camp in the world, with population
of thirty thousand souls. The character of its
people is yet more marvellous. There is more
life, energy, pluck and perseverance, among
her people, perhaps, than anywhere else to
be found. More fortunes have there been
made and lost than anywhere else. This
wonderful mining city is nestled among the
mountains over ten thousand feet above the
leve. of the sea. Underneath those noun
tains is found the immense mineral deposits,
the discovery and development of which
have created so much excitement, and en-
HANGED the fortunes of so many men, and
settled the destiny Of state which to-day
takes rank among tho most wealthy in the
union. One at 9 distance is accustomed to
think that Leadvlle is tue only mining oamp
in Colorado, because so mueh is said of il.
Laadville is located in Lake county. Imme-
distely adjacent and northeast of Lesdyille
ia situated Park, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Boul-
der, Chsffee and Jefferson counties to say
nothing of the great Gunnison"
and the San Juan countries, located
in the southwestern part OF
the State. Take, for example, The total bull
lion product of Gilpin county since the dis
covery Of gold therein in 1852 and it
amounts to $50, G93, 900. That of Clear creek
county was 500 900 900 for the same time,
and the other counties mentioned will com.
pare fsvorsbly with those two counties.
Thus you see that not only Lesdvile is well
developed, but 4 vast region besides has ad
ded its wealth TO the general fund. Such
rich deposits of gold and silver all over the
mountains, of course, have attracted the eager
searchers of the golden fortunes until, as by
magic, the bui ding up Of town has been
accomplished in q day. A mine is discovered
and soon the gulch is lined with sluce boxes,
quartz mills, stores, saloons, hotels, board
ing houses, keno rooms, faro banks, and the
indispensable dance houses, and all the other
necessities of mining civilization.
A man coming to Colorado would be
struck with the strange admixture of people
who have pushed their way into these noun
tains. You find men from every state in the
union. There is the shrewd, calculating man
of the north; the cunning downeaster in the
person ofthe yankee the hardy western man
and the southern adventurer; tho learned aud
the illiterate-all tremendously working TO-
gethor in the eager race for gold, They are
men with the desperate determination to re-
tteve their shattered fortunes and restore
broken resolves and purposes. 1t is feast
for gamblers, for in no other place does the
thirst for gambling seem to prevail rs in the
mines of Colorado. The faro bank, keno
room and dance hall are Just rs indispensable
to o mining camp as is a .church.house TO q
refined southern or eastern community A
saloon is as good as n mine, for uaforsu.
nately the average miner is like the sons OF
Erin--they labor hard all the week to spend
Their hard earnings in one Saturday nights
reckless dissipation. II must be remembered
that Colorado is not only rich in mineral
wealth, but its development is most wonder
fu( in other respects Railroads have peuo.
trated her valleys and travers
her mountains, closely following
up the restless miner, as with
spade, pick and drill in hand he discovers
and opens up the mines in advance. Colo
RADIO has been known prominently for about
twenty years, and yet she is already trebl,
connected with the eastern centers of com
merce, by the completion OF he Union Il Kan
sas Pacific and the Atchison, ropeks II SAINTS
Fe railroads, and her own cities are bount
closely together by the iron bands of trad,
and travel. Railroads in Colorado has dem
onstrated the fact, contrary to the natura
impression, that it is much easier and more
practicable TO build roads TT the high alti
tudes of from nine to ten and eleven thousanC
feet, than at the comparatively low heights
OF from six to eight thousand feet. Mountain
railroads are naturally, for the most part
constructed up and down the winding canonl
through which the waters Of the streams
pass to the plains. Take, for instance, thu
great Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad
and we and that II is constructed along thu