The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-10-21
LETTER FROM COLORADO.

vile during the excitement of the
EARL discoveries were of a very mis-
cellaneOus character. From the .
San Juan country in southwestern
Colorado, from the Black Hills,
from Utah, Nevada and Califor-
MA, came the veteran prospec-
tors whose familiar faces have
been seen in every mining camp
west of the Missouri river. They
are the same rough, reckless, good
hearted men so admirably described
by Bret Harte, as ready to fight over
game of cards or share their last
dollar with a friend in distress as
they were in the early days in Cali
fOrnia or a few years later in Nevada.
They meyer feel at home in civiliz-
ed community, and the restraints of
law vigorously enforced are uncom-
Portable to them. These men, who
have given to western mining life
so much of its charm when seen from
distance by the aid of some of our
most delightful sketch writers, but
who are looked as little better than
wild beasts by sober going, respect
able people from the East when
brought into contact with them,
threatened at one time to get the up
per hand of LeadviIle, as they did
when the discovery of the Cnmstock
Lode brought them by hundreds and
thousands into Virginia City. But
the carbonate camp was too access-
BILE; the fame of its rich deposits
spread too rapidly in the East and
attracted hither too many who were
accustomed to live in welI-Ordered
communities and to respect and obey
the laws, to allow any class of rough,
deVil-may.c miners and adYen
turerS to rule the new settlement.
One or two threatening denonatra
tions were promptly and vigorously
checked by the local authorities Sus-
tanned by strong public sentiment,
and so general good order S been
preserved. the laws have been well
executed, very few men have "died
in their boots" and vigilance COM
mitteeS have been unnecessary.
In spite of the restraints by which
they have been surrounded. the no.
madic adventures Of the mines have
left their stamp upon Leadville and
some of its institutions. The Whis-
key shop, gambling house, dance
hall and variety theatre, in which
the same men or their prototypes
sought amusement in other campS,
were transplanted here and for few
months did Furnishing business.
Times are dull with them now, for
no small number of their patrons
have found the surroundings of Lead
vile uncongenial and have gone in
search Of new excitement. The
drinking saloons of Leadvilln oI
, which there is moro than one hun
dred, are of every grade, from L {
gayly painted and brilliantly lighted
bar-roOmS, with their wonderful piles
of crystal goblets and long rows ri
cut-glass decanterS. to the low grng
shop in a log cabin, with its pine
counter, earth floor and three or foul
black bottles. | presume that there
is no place in the United State
where the number of saloons and
, bar-rooms is greater in proportion tC
the population, or where, on ace uui
: of the climate, Incorporate habits
are more frequently fatal. Genera
good order is maintained in and
about the whiskey shops, and fight
are not more frequent than they are
in Eastern cities.
, That" diStance lends pnchAntment
) is daily proven in this mining coun'
try. Men get uneasy, and not con-
tent with what they find close al
hand. they hear of some camp fal
away in the mountains, where wen
derful discoveries are. being made
fabulous stories are told and no mat.
ter how well they may be doing, they
sell out and rush for the new field
In more than nine cases out of ten
they find themselves sold, the new
camp humbug, the stories told OF
: it all manufactured, and are glad tC
get back to their old quarters. Hun.
dreds are now returning to Leadville
: that have been seeking richer fields
in New Mexico, Arizona, Dakota,
Idaho, San Juan and Gunnison, but
have failed to find them. The charm
that attracted them lost it's power,
and proved the truth of that other
saying about "a fool and his money"
1t is this wild feverish seeking after
the big chance, with all its attendant
excitements that ruins so many OF
those who enter the uncertain field OF
prospecting.
1t is impossible to say very much