The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-09-16
LETTER FROM COLORADO.
Special correspondence.

In the very nedfI vi tIlo MOUNTAINS,
fiftv-tWo miles from Denver, by the
Colorado Central narrow-guage rail-
road, winding a tortuouS course
through the famous Clear Creek
Canon, is the mining city of George
town, 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 al
most like going into an immense
cave. Its towering peaks and over
hanging rocks are high above you
on either side, sometimes shooting
straight up with walls as perpendic-
ular as those of a cavern and almost
shutting out the light of day. To
stand on the rear platform of the
train affords a grand sight, and to
see the painting little iron horse
twisting around in the crevices of
the rocks, as it were, aften apparent
ly turning around to come back at
you, is a most novel and eXhilarat-
ing railroad experience. Between
Denver and Georgetown we pass
Golden City, which is quite town.
and Idaho Springs, one of the health
lest places in all Colorado. At Black
Hawk, just at the terminus of the
canon, the road branches off to Gen.
trail City, another of the old mining
towns and the home of Secretary of
the Interior Teller, who has juf paid
it visit. Tourists usually cone this
way and then cross the m1untain
through Virginia Canon tt Idaho
Springs by team, thence agan taking
the train to Georgetown.
Both Central City and Georgetown
are thriving business towns of per-
haps 5000 to 5000 inhabitants.
Central" is the most substantial
looking of the two, having a better
class of buildings in the business Sec
ton. But it is an oddly-!ocated city,
being built on the side of two noun
tains, or in a narrow sulch-like de-
preston at their conjunction, its one
principal street winding down the
raYine a distance of two miles or more.
Here, Mr.. Teller, before he was eth
er Secretary or Senator, made his
ample fortune, and here he still has
large interests and is held in high eS-
TEEN. His enterprise and sagacity
were largely instrumental in making
the place what it is and in securing
railway facilities for it. AS Presi-
dent of the Central National Bank
he is credited with having sabstan-
TALLY aided the poor miners in get
ting a ready market for their ores.
Senator Hill also has smelling works
here, but of late years he has taken
his most extensive interests to Den.
yer. Still morethan Central, George
town is in appearance and character
isticS unlike any city of 5000 inhab.
itants to be found anywhere east of
Colorado. Yet the very contrast
gives it charm, and one walks
through its streets looking with
strange interest upon its plain,
unique structures and peculiar loca-
ton. Here, as at Central, the noun
tains and hillsides en- every hand are
honey-combed with "prospecting-
holes" tunnels and mining shafts.
The ore found here is sImost exclu-
sively silver, with considerable
commingling of iron pyrites, lead
and zinc.
1t would naturally be supposed
that mining localities as old as these
were Well-nigh exhausted. but they
are not. There are, it is true, no big
strikes like those of Leadyille or the
Gunnison country, but from the old
mines still being worked there is a
steady yield of ore and even now a
new mine is occasionally found. |
went into the tunnel of the "Terri-
BILE" mine, three miles up the noun
tain from here, which has been one
Of the largest in this whole section.
Its owners spent fortune in devel-
Oping it before a dollar of return was
realized. But about five years ago it
began to pay largely and since then
of tons of ore have been
aiken out of it, assaying from 5000 to
$500 per ton. Yet all around this
nine and in fact everywhere here
nay be seen played out and abandon
ed claims which have never paid for
he labor bestowed upon them. And
his is the history of every mining
amp. There is no telling where a
vein or lode may be "struck" with.
)ut trial, and many become discour-
,ged and give up too soon, while
others by bad judgment and bad
exhaust their means
achieving success. 1t is a
good deal like buying lottery tickets.
)ne man fails utterly after tedious