Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-10-06
LIFE IN WESTERN COLORADO.
Letter frOm GlenwOOd Springs-An In
v3lid's Accountable Curative Prop.
erttes-A Primitive Town Tender.
foOt's Retreat, Etc.
Of The EVENING STAR

Correspondence Of The EVENING STAR.
GLENwOOD SPRINGS SEPT 25
Glenwood consists of about twenty-five tents
and few small frames. and It's population on
the average is abouO 5OO, from ten to twenty
persons arriving and about the same number
departing daily. The town site Is patented to a
company. including the springs, and evidences
OF contemplated improvement are not wanting.
large frame is being erected for hotel pur-
poses. and contract for million brick is being
carried out In spirited manner at one end OF
the camp. 1t is rumored that the Denver and
MO Grande company is negotiating for Its pur-
In. Its future is assured. Lots are quoted at CSC
to S2OO; no transactions of recent date are
noted. 1t is surprising how little its citizens
know about this place. There Is nothing like q
reliable analysis Of the springs even. It will
probably be made the county seat. The election
| takes place iDNovember. It is slant about lO(
miles from Leadville. about 40 from Aspen
about 20 from Carbonate (Only horse traiD. sc
from Ashcroft. Is from Red Cliff. Its altitude IL
said to be 5, 700 feet, and its climate something
like that of Denver. but 1t rains some every few
DAYS and neighbOring mountain Is covered
with early snow. The thermometer ranges from
6O to IS degrees during the day In fine weather
through the summer months. the nights being
always cool. As at present located. it is quite
unlike Its arrangement on paper; tents are SET
being not only disregarded. but unmarked and
generally unknown.
While the law prohibits the killing Of game
Tor sale. the town is well supplied, sub rosa,
with venfson and elk milk, which are sold at q
few cents pound; coffee, sugar. flour. etc. are
| hauled from Leadville and other cities and are
consequently pretty dear. There are three
large country stores. all tents; they are board
ing up the sides, however, preparing for win
ter,s stay. As may be inferred. prices are rather
nlgn; the long haul has much to do with this
CONDITION. There is no post Office here only a
mail carrier; one is about to be established-sO
said; one gets used to irregularity OF mail ser
vice in this new country
At present this is essentially
POOR MANS WATERING PLACE.
Miners affected with syphilis, lead poison,
rheumatism, paralysis, etc.. come here from
Leadville and the neghboring camps in greatest
number; they usually club in pairs, buy their
t own 1000, share the same tent and cook for
themselves. The baths are quite free; the con-
venlences one finds in them, such as stools and
foOt-boards, as well as the tents over them, are
supplied gratuitously by grateful patients or
thoughtful residents. This class make up the
majority; they openly denounce the people in
scout the idea OF any company
enclosing them and holding them at
a price for admission. But the springs
are visited oy persons from other walks in life
Judge Franklin II. Waite, of Mankato. Mimi,
left us lately much relieved from rheumatism
Several other lawyers are here, mostly from
Leadrille. Judge Stansell lives near at hand in
his tent with ladies and friends. Many women
and children are also noticed at the baths; in
fact, more ladies are observed here In proper
ton than at any place visited since leaving Lead
ville-sOme for health. bathing and using the
waters; Others for business, keeping boarding
tents. charging generally $40 week. Persons
afflicted with gcut, inflammatory rheumatism,
all manner of blood diseases, and affections OF
various sorts. visit these springs. Many come
here for recreation also, some from distant
places in all kinds of vehicles, and living to suit
the fancy. 1t is stopping place for hunters,
prOspectors. commercial and other travellers i'm
the mountains. Tent accommodation for sleep
ing In cool weather is not the best; neyerthe-
less. nobody catches cold" Mining on a small
scale rs followed in the near hills
THE SPRINGS AND THE WONDERFUL CAVES
In the cliff heretofore spoken of are several
caves, only one of large size being easily
reached. This is called Smoky cave and smells
to suit its name. The root is covered with a
substance like pitch. On inquiry it is found
that it has only recently been cleansed by fire
from the accumulatiOns OF ages of bats owls,
etc. The other large ones are only reached from
the top, the visitor being lowered by a rope
They are said to contain beautiful specimens of
sfaiactltes. and to be highly interesting. That
nearest the town is hot cave, where sweat
baths are taken by nearly all fnvalids. The en-
trance is too contracted to admit very stOut
persons, but once in, there is room for three or
four on the sweat-bench. Blasting will soon
open better passage. small. hot stream
flows within, which. trickling down through the
floor of the cave. forms beautiful dome under
the cliff. This dome is partially covered by
brlght-green slime, has several small openings
in its Sides and itself covers apiping not spring.
There is about room to crawl in through the
openings and to battle under the dome, the
spring being very hot, and the space contracted,
1t is not used.
AS to the hot springs, they are estimated to
number from forty to fifty. They flow from the
rocks or from the earth in little rivulets. The
bathing places consist of holes scOOped in the
gravelly soil about the size of large bath-tub.
into which these rivulets are led, place of
exit being also provided for the water Tents
are placed over these holes, and here we battle.
Hardly any two are Of the same temperature or
composition. Some are tOlerable only by the
few, being too hot for most persons; others have
to be cooled by pouring IN river water in guam
tity to make them bearable; while one is fire.
quented by the thin-sknned as being just hot
enough for comfort, and avoided by others as
being too cool. Not more than six or eight are
in use, they being sufficient to accommodate;
the others flow into the river. The duration of
the bath is anywhere from five to fifteen min
of the bather. large and very hot spring Cor
series OF springD on the right bank forms a
good sized creek of about an eighth of mile;
here after shutdown many swim. no toll being
exacted after six o'clock on the bridge.
AS to composition, few analyses have been
made. TenderfOot has been unable to get a
copy OF any, but will attach one If it can be OBJ
tanned. All but one contain common salt. one
in quantity sufficient to pickle; this latter is
hottest and will cook an egg in five to eight
minutes. It will turn silver placed in it gold
color, SO said. and is the source of the swimming
bath before mentioned. Sulphur is present. but
not In great quantity; soda is said to occur with
magnesia. RumOr has it that there are fifty in
gradients.
The large amount Of salt at first causes
much thirst; after drinking for q few days this
ceases to annoy. The water is generally drank
at the temperature ofvery hot tea. 1t IL q sure
purgative without gripping but acts more
readily and strongly on some than on others.
It's action on kidney and liver is decided: its
effects on the bladder are stimulating. causing
frequent and copious discharges. One sweats
some while lying In the pools andwhile dressing
There is feeling Of lassitude and weakness on
leaving the bath that wears away IN an hour or
80. Using the water causes breaking out of
pimples all over on syphilides sometimes, after
making them severely sick and feverIsh.
CURATIVE ACTION
The curative reputation of these hot springs
comes down by tradition from the Ute Indians.