Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1880-06-10
GUNNIsoN.


An Interesting Description of the
District and its Resources.
A seven-column letter with diagrams, in
the Leadville Chronicle Of the 10th, gives
much interesting information concerning
the Gunnison country. Gunnison City,
via Saguach, is 1893 miles from Leadville,
and is reached by roads Of every conceiv-
able character leading over mountains and
across valleys innumerable. The altitude
OF the place is about $500 feet.
The name Gunnison City Is given to two
towns, the old and the new, probably o
mile apart and both are laid off-wide
streets and regular squares and blocks, as
Is the intervening space. In all, about
10 houses have been erected, all small
buildings, very poorly constructed, and al
most unfinished. Lumber is an article
nearly impossible to obtain. The only
sawmill in the country is 20 miles up Lum-
Der creek, and has only a 5000 feet per day
capacity; house logs are an equal distance
away and green. Sunburned bricks or
adobes are used to some extent. The Red
Lion, q two-story building is built of
them, partitions and all. Tents are used
to poor advantage on account Of the wind
which hardly ever ceases to blow q gale,
chilly and cold from the immense fields of
snow on either side. Along the banks of
the Gunnison not less than 1000 people are
camped in tents, awaiting the melting away
Of the snow above.
Up to the time Of the writer's departure
there was but one game-keno-running,
but he met two four-horse loads Of gam
bling fixtures ont from Buena Vista under
the proprietorship Of Charley Utter, who
met his Waterloo at the Black Hills Club
House, Buena Vista. Gunnison has a city
government, a gentleman named Kubler
wearing the Mayors robe. Ruby Camp,
the mention of which strikes a chill to one
h has been there, is thirty-two miles
from Gunnison, up the river to the con-
fiuence Of Ohio creek and up Ohio creek to
its very source, which is but three miles
from Ruby. All merchandise going into
Ruby breaks bulk at Kings, and is trans
ferred to the backs Of men who pack it
across the snow for seven cents per pound.
About twenty Of the fellows are constantly
employed. A road has been built into
Ruby, but from five to thirty feet Of snow
will hold it down until at least the LIST of
June. There are three town-sites, Ruby
City, Irwin and Ruby Camp. AT the first
named not so much as q cabin as vet glad
dens the eye. On paper the streets are
broad and straight, with a broad plaza in
the center OF the town. You are told by
the men interested that one block facing
the plaza is reserved for McPherson's bank,
that a portion Of another will be used by
Mr.. Langrishe for an opera house. The
snow now levels the entire country.
About four hundred locations have been
made upon the mountain side ianking the
town and around the lake. The same COM
| nlirafInpa nf n1ofpau oyiof ao in ~ o4Lcr
place, and the same amount of litigation
will be necessary to untangle them. The
writer was able to find but one man at
work, and he in a tunnel about 20 feet, and
and thus far but a prospect. The Forest
Queen is the most talked-about claim in
the district. 1t is situated to the right of
the lower town, n is opened by a tunnel
and shaft, both filled with snow and ice. |
Something like 40 tons Of ore was sacked
and slowed away in a tent, from which a
piece was taken at random, and assayed
at random with the following result Fifty
five and a-half ounces Of silver, valued at
81. GA. The ore was of the galena species,
with white spar being attached in several
places.
Good prospects have been found in all OF
the districts, but nothing to raise more
than a ripple OF enthusiasm. The Journey
turOuSH tue OuHnisou buSBtstS an l0ea 10
the writer that will do for the uninitiated
to act upon, and may not please the class
to which it refers, and that is a class Of adj
yenturous, cunning, smart fellows, rust
lers they are called, who push into new ter
ritory, locate a townsite, get an elaborate
map, and by everlasting Ginning, secure a
form for their town, sell lots. give away
lots, swap whole blocks for a stack Of reds,
any way to make a raise. Hundreds are
fooled, a few hedge and get out, but those
least able to stand the loss are the dupes.
The Defiance District is at the head
waters Of Roaring Fork, about 90 miles be-
yond the Ute Reservation. The principal
camp is known as Defiance City, at the con-
fluence Of Roaring Fork and Grand River.
The Roaring Fork mining district COM
prises that portion Of the Silurian or ear
Donate belt that cuts the Roaring Fork
River in the vicinity of Maroon, Castle,
Hunter and Woody Greeks. The entire
district, up to the present date, is but an
enormous prospect camp. Ten feet is the
average depth Of shaft right through all
the claims. 1t is not therefore strange that
these surface assays should be on the aver
age low.
The principal towns of the district are
Highland, Roaring Fork City, Aspen and
Ute City. Merchants have located at each
place and large stocks Of merchandise are
being freighted in.