Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-07-14
DENVER TO LEADvILLE.
what IL BurlinKtonian Saw OH
Route.

yer 135 miles and then over the Denver and
Rio Grande track 30 miles. We leave Dem
yer at eight in the morning and reach Lead
vile at $40 in the evening. The track fol
lows the valley Of the north fork Of the south
Platte to Kenosha, 70 miles. The grade of
the roadhed TO where we enter the noun
tains is light but for the next 40 miles it rises
rapidly and in places is ITO feet TO the mile.
After reaching the mountainous portion OF
this road, or as it is called the "Platte Can
on" the road turns in its circuitous route,
crosses and recrosses the river among the
towering perpendicular cliffs of stone, some
OF which are two thousand feet in height and
quite overhang the road. The mountains in
this valley are sloping on either side and par
TALLY covered with pine spruce and cedar
trees. Many of the stations are to accom-
modate wood choppers and lumbermen and
some for picnics.
AT Webster, 70 miles from Den
yer, the road curves to the right
up Halls Gulch and looking far up the
mountain side to the left we can see the track
over which we shall soon be climbing the
hills and from which we can look down on
the place from which we were few minutes
since looking up. On q grade of 15S feet to
the mile and rs miles from Denver we reach
kenosha Summit which is TO- 1870 feet above
sea level.
After leaving the station few miles
brings us to the southern point of the ken
osha Hills and as we curve to the west and
north a fine view presents itself. Here is the
valley of the South Park, so miles by 10, Dor.
dered on the east by timbered range two
thousand feet above the valley and to the
west extends the Snowy Range" as far as
we can see. In plain view are many of the
high peaks of Colorado and among which
are: Guyot, Hamilton, Lincoln, Horseshoe
and Silver Heels that run from IL, 5G5 feet to
14,206 In this park we can trace our course
curvng southwark for 40 miles
After we have fairly got down from
kenosha Summit into the Park we
find ourselves again rising till we reach
the summit of Trout Creek Pass, at an
altitude Of 04l0, and it is here that the waters
divide and ON the one side enter the Platte
and ON the other the Arkansas.
From Summit we fall away two thousand
feet ia 90 miles, and here get the first view
of the Sawatch Range, which separates the
Gunnison and San Juan country from the
valley of the Arkansas. Soon We reach Buc
ma Vista, 1856 miles from Denver, where is
located aud doing well our old townsman, A.
g. Watson. A ride OF thrty-six miles
leaves us in Leadville.
The city OF Leadvillc is desolatc looking
place to Il person who has been accustomed
10 look upon green trees and fields in Yer
mont A few scraggy looking yellow pines
may be seen, but aside from these there is
nothing green-no grass or shade trees in or
about the city-and no more grass in private
yards or the yards about the school buildings
than there is on Church street. A section
from the Great Sahara Desert would look
green when compared with this.
Grass, flowers and trees will grow here but
they must be watered daily and with great
care. And for all that Lcadville has come
in three years from mining camp to be a
city with Mayor and an august Board of
Aldermen and population OF about 5000,
though estimated by some at 10000, and
even 30, 900, but think the minds Of those
who estimate the population at the highest
figures are affected by the elevation of the
country.
The side walks on the principal street,
were once made OF boards but are now much
worn, and sadly out of repair. The stumps
of small trees nre still standing in all but
three or four of the principal streets. The
dwellings are for the most part mere cabins
| and built of slabs or logs implanted, and
those which attain TO the dignity of houses
are but one story generally. The business
. houses are fair, and the hotels are boarding
houses on a large SCALE There is no stan
dard Of public opinion as to morality and
virtue, and consequently the plays given in
their so-called Opera House and Globe Thea
tire, are little else than bawdy shows of bad
women who appear on the stage, to
] please the base appetites of low men,
dressed in their best smiles and little else.
Gambling llels" are plying their vacations
/ by day and night, with open doors, 40 that,
he who walks the street may witness ther
games, by simply turning his head inoassing.
The earth is full of riches at Leadville, and
that is what has created it and will sustain il
to the end
The love of money and the hope of getting
it have induced men to invest their thousands
in mines and mining developments in the be-
lief that after many daysit would return to
them increased an hundred fold But alas
Many have been the disappointment.
One mine when it was first opened bestow-
ed upon its owners something over a million
OF dollars in very short time, but which has
never yielded dollar since, and its buildings
are now going TO ruin. 1t contained a rich
"pocket" of ore and that was ALL The mine
named "Robert f. Lee" is now and has beer
, the best paying mine in Leadville and which
has given five or six millions Of dollars to its
: owners within three years. Three years age
Il third of that mine could have been bought
for three thousand dollars Many mines are
idle, many are being worked and some new
ones are being developed, but with no specia
) prospect of an immediate silver stream.
1t is but two years since Leadvlle has hat
t graded school and during that time foul
/. school buildings have been erected at an cx
pense of 100000. There is an average at
+. tendance of about 1400 with about 2OOl
n names on the rolls. Twenty-eight teachers
are employed at an annual expense Of $50, 900
A curious feature of the salaries of the teach
ers is that they are each paid the same $10t
per month, except three gentlemen teacher
i who receive Sl25 per month. A teacher o
=, German is employed but he will be dropped
J next year probably The superintendent i
j. about the schools and hear some classes an,
Y he is paid $4,000 per year.
~ The site of Leadvile is peculiar, surround
y ed as it is on three sides, South, West an,
'e North, by lofty peaks many of which ar
y snow capped from October TO July, and ap
pear as if only 4 or s miles away but ar
really 25 miles distant. The noun
tains are now partially covered wit
nc snow and present pretty sigh,
IN The highest peak in sight OF LeadVllc
a. Mount Ebert, which is IA, 200 feet. lead
= vile itself is TO- $50 feet above sea level, so
/ man is always high in Leadville if he drink
. nothing but water. There is never any de,
\. in this elevated region and although the hea
50 may be great in the middle of the dry, yc
>" the nights are always 50 cool that ri
/, quite comfortable, and good nights slice
= is ensured. There are [quite number G
w active and energetic business men here, bu
= there are many stores and dwellings vacan
- and more building of any account.
In conclusion, we can say of Lcadville tina
it is good field for gamblers and there is
bare possibility that some one may strike
j. fat mine any day, but the majority who &
nj there to get rich at once will 60 away poore
~ in purse than they came. but wealthy in eS
W perence. L. Is. T.
es Colorado. June 90, 1882.
mr.