Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-06-22
From Colorado.

main here for some time to come yet.
Mr.. Sanford had rented log cabin here
last fall, and time expires the 9th inst,
and as we do not like it and can't get
one that will suit, we concluded to build
us a log house AXIS and are at it now.
We cut the timber on side of the noun
tain, as steep as roof of a building.
After cutting off the length we wanted,
we let them 60 down, and the way they
did go, was fun for such old boys as we
are.
We are still waiting for our trunks to
come over the range, and Mr.. Sanford's
assaying apparatus. After the latter
gets here, he will examine the ore to see
whether there are millions in these Noun
tains or not. There are certainly plenty
Of claims, prospect holes and some mines
all along, more or less mineral, but the
amount no man can tell without assaying
it, and we shall try it thoroughly. Mr..
Sanford, who was all through the Gunni-
son country last year, says there it more
mineral in these mountains surrounding
this valley than in all the Gunnison
country.
The ore here does not run high grade,
as I can learn from 40 to 100 ounces to
the ton. The high land, many times,
four miles east of here, has run 900 or.
mill run, but there they havessfour tun-
nels dug 200 feet deep each, which ac-
counts for their higher grade ore, and
which convinces us that the deeper you
go the richer the mineral. Consequently
all that is needed here is the money to
hire the mines or prospect hole 90 feet
deep and dig deeper. ssasThere is no excite
ment here at all this summeraso far, and
these claims can be bought cheap, and now
is the time to make the investment, for as
sure as the railroad gets into Silverton,
men with means will come in. ready to
invest it, and then the miner will ask q
good round sum. Why, there are men
here now that have been waiting for this
boom for six years. They come here
every summer and just dig 10 feet, or
send 800 to some friend ito hire the 10
feet dug or blasted .out,S which the law
requires them to do every year for five
years, then after the $500 worth Of work
is done, the government issues sthem a
Patent of their claim, then it is theirs.
But should they fail to do their $1C0
worth of work each year, any one can
step in and take possession of the mine
after the year is out, and the assessment
and the claim are forfeited.
This town has about 80 houses, chiefly
log cabins and occupied by men mostly.
We can claim three Swomen, one late
conner, Mrs. Pearson, the lady which the
Durango Record made such fuss about,
and see our Gazette copied it, as having
been the mother of the first child born
there. which was true, but the balance
having such presents lavished upon tn
child for being such, is not true. This
very extraordinary generosity sprung out
of the editors brains. These newspaper
men (the one in this case is lady, un-
derstandD are very visionary, but of course
this applies to Colorado only. We can lay
claims to three saloons, one brewery that
brews its own beer; all three took in about
5000 last Sunday. It don't take long to do
that when drinks are Is cents each, but
I see they sell beer two glasses % cents
With beer at this price an anti-treating
law would not be necessary, Issthink, in
Watertown.
We have splendid pure mountain wa
ter, and mixed with milk at Is cents a
quart, i. is our common beverage. If
Fred Winkenwerder were here in charge
of this ranch, with such a nice stream of
water running through the creamery, he
certainly would think it a bonanza.
Again [ have to go back to my town.
One butcher shop and one. blacksmith
shop, both doing a good business. /
think a store keeping general merchandise
such as is needed in this country, would
do we'll here. Had known what I do now,
l should certainly have had stock here
Three miles above here is the town Of
Eureka. 1t has two stores and are doing
we'll. Fresh meat is not much higher
here than at home, but everything else
from 20 to 100 per cent. higher. Lum-
Der $50 for spruce, the only kind manu-
featured here. Shingles Sc per thousand
If there was any signs of boom here
this season Mr.. Sanford and | would have
put up saw mill, as we can have &
splendid water power at this point with
little outlay. The streams are very