New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1882-09-27
LETTER FROM COLORADO.

gauge railroad, winding a tortuous
course through the famous Clear
Creek Canon, is the mining city of
Georgetown, one Of the oldest in the
State. Passing through the canon
which takes its name from the
creek along which the track has
been laid, is almost like going into
an immense cave. It's towering
peaks and overhanging rocks are
high above you on either side,
sometimes shooting straight up
with walls as perpendicular as those
Of a cavern and almost shutting out
the light Of day. To stand on the
platform of the train affords grand
sight, and TO see the painting little
iron horse twisting around in the
crevices Of the rocks, as 1t were, off,
en- apparently turning around to
come back at you, is a most novel
and exhilarating railroad experience.
Between Denver and Georgetown
we pass Golden City, which is quite
a town, and Idaho Springs, enc of
the healthiest places in Colorado.
At Black Ha wk, just ut the termin.
US of the canon, the road branches
off to Central City, another of the
old mining towns and the home Of
Secretay of the Interior Teller, who
has just paid it visit. Tourists
usually come this way and then
cross the mountain through Virgin
10 Canon to Idaho Springs by team,
thence again taking the train to
Georgetown. '.
Both Central City and George
town are thriving business towns
of about 5000 to 5000 inhabitants.
''Central' is the most substantial
looking Of the two, having a better
class Of buildings in the business
section. But it is an oddly-locat-
ed city, being built on the side of
two mountains, or in a narrow
gulch.like depression at their con.
junction, it's one principal street
winding down the ravine dist
.ance of two miles or more. Here
Mr.. Teller, before he was either
Secretary or Senator, made his am.
pie. fortune, and here he still has
large interests and is held in high
esteem. His enterprise and saga.
city were largely instrumental in
making the place what it is and Sc
surfing railway facilities for it.. AS
President of the Central National
Bank he is credited with having
substantially aided the poor min.
ers in getting a ready market for
their ores. Senator Hill also has
smelling works here, but of late
years he has taken his most extern
sive interests to Denver. Still
more than Central, Georgetown is
in appearance and characteristics
unlike any city Of 1000 inhabitants
to be found anywhere east of Colo.
RADIO. Yet the very contrast gives
it a charm, and one walks through
it's streets looking with strange in.
terest upon it's plain, unique struc-
lures and peculiar location. Here,
as at Central, the mountains and
hlllsides on every hand are honey
combed with prospecting holes"
tunnels and mining shafts. The
ore found here is almost exclusively
silver, with a considerable com
mingling Of iron pyrites, lead and
zinc.
It would naturally be supposed
that mining localities as old as these
we're wellni@h exhausted, but they
are not. There are, it is true, 70
big strikes like those of Leadville or
Gunnison country, but from the old
mines still being worked there is a
steady yield of ore and even now
new mine is occasionally found.
1 went into the tunnel of the sTer.
rible'' mine, three miles up the
mountain from here, which has been
one of the largest in this whole
section. It's owners spent fortune
in developing it before dollar OF
return was realized. but about five
years ago it began to pay largely
and since then thousands Of tons Of
ore have been taken out Of it, assay.
ing from 5000 to $500 per ton. Yet
all around this mine and in fact
everywhere here may be seen played
out and abandoned claims which
have never paid for the labor be-:
slowed on them. And this is the
history of every mining camp.
There is no telling where vein or
lode may be Struck without a
trial, and many become discouraged
and give up too soon, while others
by bad judgement and bad manage.
ment exhaust their means without
achieving success. It is a good deal
like buying lottery tickets. One
man fails utterly after tedious eff.
forts and another finds .spayinE
dirt from the very grass roots.
Thousands of dollars are sunk By.
Eastern companies and individuals
in holes which they have never seen.
and which never yield a penny; yet
for all this the precious metal is here
on every hand all over these miles.
and miles Of mountains, aud in such.
quantities that the supply will not.
be exhausted 10 q thousand years.