The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-06-21

Since my arrival in Colorado ! nav
devoted some time to an investigation Q
the progress made in the development o
various localities in this State, and an
glad TO report that upon the whole 1t hal
been highly satisfactory, and in some In
stances truly marvellous. The compile
ton OF the Denver & Rio GrGude RAILROAD
to Silver Cliff wascslsbrated q few week
ago by appropriate ceremonies, including
the driving OF the traditional silver spike
The event assembled together q lArG,
number OIL prominent State and RAILROAD
officials, who exchanged CongratulationI
with tho citizens OF this town and county
and for two or three days the entirl
clmmuuity gave itself up to ever,
kind Of public rejoicing and iestivlty
B,nquets, balls and parades followed eAct
other in quick succession. Governor Pit
kin laid aside his official duties, Rnt
came down from Denver with two hun,
dred excursionists, to testify his Interest
In an event OF 80 much Importance.
The venerable ex Governor Gilpin, who
enjoys the distinction Of having been the
6rst executive officer Of the Centennial
State, was in attendance, and the speeches
OF both these gentlemen were replete
with valuable Information concerning the
past and present resources and condition
OF the Stale. Hon. Ben Montgomery and
Carl Wulstein represented the towns OIL
Silver Cliff and Rosita, and with rugged
frontier ~eluQuenCs, rendered o hospitAble
welcome to all. Now that the excitement
attending this memorable demonstration
has subsidized We a view the results with
cAlmness and elaboration. l regard the
construction Of this road as a very remark
able feat OF engineering, II is less than
thirty miles from Cannon City 10 Silver
Cliff, but The latter has an altitude Of 8, 500
feet greater than the former, which neCes'
states q grade 10 some places Of 100 feet 10
the mile,
The road on leaving the main line
plunges al once ints q deep canon, aud
for nearly twenty miles pursues lie sinuoul
way amid gloomy reCasses Of gigantic
mountains, whose towering sides appear
to pierce the skies. With the exception
perhaps Of the Royal Gorge In the Grsnd
Canon, there Ia no NOR imposing and
picturesque scenery to be witnessed Ia
Colorado than II presented by q ride over
this Silver Cliff extension. There are
places on the line where the grading
alone cost over 100000 per mile, and yet
Notwithstanding the immense coat Of con
stiuc:ion this division Of the road 10 bound
TO pay.
General Palmer, the able President Of
the d. & R, G. Co., deserves great credit
for his hr.seeipg wisdom in devising .
railroad system for the Rocky Mountains
Ten years ego the stock Of this company
sold Tor lGsI than one dollar per snare
To-day any one desiring to invest 10 thil
property will be required to pay n hun
dred and eleven dollars per share, the
latest Wall street quotation. II there Il
any other railroad in the United State
with such a record Of appreciation | have
failed 10 note II.
This company for the past two or three
years has built one mile Of road for every
working day In the year, and are nov
rapidly making extensions In all dlreC
tons. The SaguRChe pronounced STA
wash) aud Gunnison extensions are
being puihed forward vigorously and will
be completed this summer. These lines
penetrate Marshall and Poncho passes,
and enter the rich mineral region about
sedgewiCk aud BonanSa, and Gunnison
and Gothic Cities.
70 illustrate the march Of improvement
I will mention that last August, In com
paDy with Mr.. spaulding Wallace, Of your
city, I visited the spot where the towns o.
SedReWiCk and Bonanza now stand. Al
that time q few hundred miners were liv'
ing In tents about the bills, and q survey
Ing party was engaged In laying out the
streets Of the proposed town, but there
was not 4 solitary building within miles o.
US, and during our stay there we slept II
our tents on Buffalo robes, and cooked oul
breakfast bacon in pretty much the SAINT
style that graces the Ute 1ndian clylliSs
ton. Last week registered Rt the"Hote
Windsor" In BonanEA City, occupied Z
we'll furnished room oil to myself, ant
could ring an electric bell when requiring
a servant 10 bring my Drowned toast
spring chicken and coffee. This metamor
phosis was produced by the discovery o.
several valuable gold and silver producing
mines in that locality, some OF which have
been operated at considerable profit dur
ing the past year.
Prominent amopgthese may bemention
ed the "Emuress Josephine, the "Bonan
"a" "Boss," "Wheel Of Fortune" "Rsve
nus,h an errimack," and others. The frs
named property lisa 7efitable wonder, ant
has astonighed old miners by producing
ore showing little else than white iron
but carrying over 100 ounces Of silver pc
tor. The "B1ss" mine Ia 81 extension 0
the Empress josephine" and 10 suppose
TO be equally as good . property, but as
was being held wis ct arms" | could no
inspect Il The presence oil armed men
and The defensive ratification about tn
mine remind one o little Of the scenes wit
messed during The civil war.
The mining laws Of the United State
require revision. As they stand at pres
emf disputes az 10 the ownership Of claim
are ineyitSb bic, and every important miner
al discovery Is sure to develop rival claim
ants, who In their esgerDess TO get posses
sion, which 10 more than nine points Q
thelaw out here, otsen come into collision
and a miniature war sometimes eneuel
The Law should make Il q criminal otfens
to niunp" 0 claim, or 10 attempt /
wrest one from the actual poi
SCISSORS by force Of arms. II suol
a law was established every mine
would exercise some caution betof
attempting to work q property not actuall
and legally subject %ofelocatton, and thes
inletmlnable disputes resulting Ia q fesoi
TO shot guns and rifles would soon cease
I conceive 1t 10 be the duty ef the Attofne
GenetIl Of Colorado 10 frame q set OIL law
TO be presented TO Congress ftgulatin
these matters, and II not, the subject 10
sufficient lmportar oe for Congress !
appoint q special committee 10 visit ID
mining regions and ascertain what is net
essary 10 make the laws effective for II
pressing violence and disorder. Until LhI
Ia done there will be many Caees Of Ind
yiddal Injustice, aud Law abiding citizen
will have no more protection than is 10 b
iound in turbulent Mexico. Therefore
sac la lhh Iavs be altered aud at1ende