Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-04-04

Anu heGty anu OeOISo Iuluh SV, COOs
SALLY RAY OF LEADVILLE.
Mrs. Sarah Ray arrived in Buffalo,
the other day, from Leadville, on her
way to New York. whittier she has gone
for the purpose of locating her daughter,
Cora, in school, and arranging for the
future care of little Mexican girl whom
she had in charge. Mrs. Ray has his
tory which, if published, would read like
romance. She has dug In mines,
fought in wars with Indians side by
side with her husband, 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 Leadville miners, and
Is to-day in possession of fortune that
pays her an income of $4,000 year.
A reporter paid her call as she sat
in a Central palace car waiting for the
train to start. He found her occupying
seat facing her daughter Cora. and
around her was piled numerous bundles
of luggage. She expressed herself as
glad to grant an interview, and pleas
antly said: "Sit down there by Cora
and will talk with you" Cora is a
handsome girl of about seventeen sum-
mers. and as she assented to the propo-
sition the reporter did not deliberate,
but readily took seat by her side.
Mrs, Ray commenced by saying, with
hearty laugh: "Now I'm not going to
tell you how old | am, for l may want
to get married again when l 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 fifteen, and married
book keeper named Joseph Ordway.
Her husband died year later, and she
went to Leadville, Kansas, from thence
to Denver, and finally in 1876 to Lead
vile. 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 winter before
there were buildings there to inhabit /;
how Cora had to be kept wrapped up in
heavy blankets to keep her from freezing,
while she pursued her task of building
hut; how, when the place became
settled, she saw the land she had taken
up turn into fortune, etc. She owns
buildings in Leadville that rent for ST.
900 month.
Her career has been a peculiarly
eventful and exciting one, and one that
would bear more extended notice than
can well be given in a single issue of a
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 a
horse and shoot seven Indians without
stopping. And I've done something
like it myself. Young man." she ad.
ded, with a quiet twinkle in her eye,
"1'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 tc
by agents, and she felt perfectly content
to stay away just as long as she fell
disposed.
She Is now about fifty years old
weighs about 40 pounds, and is rugged
and clipper. 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.