Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-01-29
SALLY RAY, OF LEADyILLE,
4 WaSIeItc0m0n Who Has Made a Fo
tune of a Million DOIy0cs

4 Washercon,an Who Has Made For
tune Of a Milton Dollars.
Mrs. Sarah Ray arrived in Buffalo, the other
day, from Leadvillc, on her way to New York,
whittier she has gone for the purpose of locat
ing her daughter, Cora, in school, and ar
ranging for the future Of little Mexican CIR
whom she had in her charge. Mrs. Ray has q
history which, If published, would read like a
romance. She has dug IN mines, fought in
wars with Indians side by side with her hus-
band, secured the plains on horseback as q
scout, and became an expert in the business;
helped found the city of Leadville, being the
first white woman who ever dared venture
there, mapped out roads, built houses, took in
washing from the Leadvillo miners, and is to.
day i'll possession Of a fortune that pays her
an income of $4,000 year.
| A reporter paid her call as she sat in O
Central palace car waiting for the train to start
He found her occupying seat facing her
daughter Cora. and around her was piled
numerous ss;asadleS of luggage. She expressed
herself as glad to grant an interview, and
pleasantly said: sSit down there by Cora and
l will talk with you.n Cora is handsome
girl, of about II summers, and, as she
assented to the proposition the reporter did
not deliberate, but readily took seat by her
side.
Mrs. Ray commenced by saying, with d
hearty laugh: "Now Pm not going to tell
you how old | am, for | may want to get
married again whcn-I get to New York.
Then she went on to say that she came from
the north of Ireland to New York city when
she was 15, and married book keeper named
Joseph Ordway. Her husband died a year
later, and she went to Leavenworth, Kan,
from thence to Denver, and finally in 1876, tC
Leadyile. In Denver she married a miner
named Frank Ray, but he died soon after.
She told how in Leadville she braved the
dangers and storms Of winters before there were
buildings there to inhabit how Cora had to be
wrapped up in heavy blankets to keep hes
from freezing, while she pursued the task OF
building hut; how, when the place became
settled she saw the land she had taken up
turn into q fortune, etc. She owns
buildings in Leadville that rent for 50 900 q
month.
Her career has been peculiarly eventual
and exciting one, and one that would bear a
more extended notice than can well be given
in single issue of daily paper. She grew
eloquent as she related her adventures, and her
eyes sparkled as she said:
81 saw my old man once sit on horse and
shoot seven Indians without stopping. And
I've done something like it myself. Young
man." she added, with quiet twinkle in her
eye, ''I've shot more Indians than you've got
| fingers and toes. You wouldn't think to look
at me, would you, that I've gone out ON the
mountain side, up to my waist in snow, and
| staked out the streets of Leadville But it's
| gospel truth
She said she didn't know how long she
| would stay in New. York. Her property in
Leadville was attended to by agents, ,and she fell
perfectly contend to stay away just as long as
she felt disposed.
She is now about 80 years old, weighs about
| 40 younds, and is rugged and chipper. AS
she bade the reporter good day she remarked
that she was happy, and was going to try
and make Others so during her remaining
years.