St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-05-05
Colorado and Other Points.

omit either. c. NJ. ;.
Colorado and Other Points.
1t is said that Paris is France. In
the same sense Denver is Colorado.
In travelling the southern route
through Eastern Kansas, Colorado and
New Mexico, the change from bar
rem waste, dotted here and there with
dug-outs, adobe houses and wooden
shanties, to modern city of sixty
thousand people, with elegant public
and private buildings made of brick
and stone, with street railroads, and
gas, and water, and electric lights, and
modern hotels with all the comforts and
luxuries of the East-the change from
the former to the latter is so great as
to make one wonder, and enquire how
can these things be9 | have been
studying this cOnundrum for the past
three days, and am about prepared to
give it up.
Denver is the capital city of the CEN
tennial state of Colorado. 1t is situ-
ated in the valley of the South Platte
river, the Rocky Mountai range ris-
ing in plain view fourteen miles away
on the West. The altitude of Denver
is over 5000 feet, consequently it is
said to be always cool i'll the hottest
weather, although in about the same
latitude rs Philadelphia. Five years
ago it had $4,000 inhabitants, now it
claims 10000. This marvellous growth
is owing to several things. A half
dozen or more railroads centre here
1t is the distributing point for all the
mining region round about. 1t is the
capital of the state, and the home of
most of its bonanza kings. In addi-
ton to all these, it has the reputation
of having the best climate on the con-
tinent for persons with a tendency to
lung and throat diseases. This repu-
tation brought IA great multitude of
wealthy and wellto-do people from the
Eastern and Middle States, who, fore
ed from home and all its pleasures, "
have here often found renewed health.
and have by their wealth, enterprise
and character, made city of which
they are justly proud. This letter will
venture no opinion as to the health
giving properties of Colorado, al
though the writer has met many peo-
pie here who have regained their health,
some after repeated hemOrrhage. But
it is said that while lung diseases are
helped, some other diseases are aggra-
waited.
Statistics show that twenty-five
million dollars worth of gold and sill
yer ore were taken out of the Colorado
mines in 1881; but | will not vouch
for their accuracy. But if this sum is
approximately correct, and the mines
hold out, it will be readily seen that
the success of the city of Denver is as
sured. Against this theory stands the
uncertainty of the mining interests
the fact that nothing can be raised in
this entire belt of country without irri-
CATION its distance from the base OF
supplies aud the immense cost OF
transportation the lack of most kinds
of manufacturing and the poor pros
pect of its ever being a manufacturing
section. In short | cannot understand
how a permanent growth can exist il
this city without either agricultural
resources, manufactures or commerce
But still the growth goes on.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
The st. James hotel, tirst-class in al
its appointments, is kept by a Yer.
mOnter-Mr. ID. A. Gage of Bellows
Falls, for many years before the Chi
cago fire, proprietor of the Sherman
House of that city.-Denver has fine
churches-the First Congregational il
new and modern edifice, built OF
brick, with handsome tower and pleas
ant interior. Rev. Mr.. Hilton, pastor
was formerly of the Maverick church
Boston. He is popular and the churcl
seems to be tlourishing. g.-The city
spends about SI0O,0OO a year III schoo
houses, and is now engaged in tn,
cOmmendable work of putting dowI
sidewalks. The taxes are nearly fou
cents on the dollar, all told, and cit!
property is assessed at a pretty higl
value. Lt.-GOv. Tabor has built /
very fine opera house, said to be on
of the best in the country. The raIl
road station is also a model structure
built Of very handsome stone quar-
ried in this section. A new cour
house and a new custom house, botl
of stone, are in the course of construc
ton, while the new capitol is yet to b
begun, although very eligible site 70
it has been secured.-Denver has a
= ! fine horses as l ever saw; as good a