Morning journal and courier., 1885-09-17
There ia amn1e time to discus,

form. There is ample time to discuss the merits of the candidates proposed. There has been no hole and corner work about the movement. It originated in d general feeling among the people who sup port the public schools that reform is imper ati<ely needed. That at last public opinion has been aroused in regard to this subject is hopeful sign of progress. The lack of in terest which has allowed school elections to be merely perfunctory notifications of self nominated candidates discreditable to the intelligence of New Haven.
 CORRESPONDENCE
 Colorado as She fs-Ranch Life and
 NIintng-Nr. George w. Thompson's
 Experfence-At Fosters.
 TRINIDAD Col. Sept. 8. To the Editor of JOURNAL COURIER:
 This is country of vegas, mesas, canons, arroyos, trails; 8 country of burros, bron- chos, ranches, cottonwoods, ant-heaps large as a small hay stack, pole cats. country where you read names and places and guess at accommodations with certainty of missing nine times out of ten. A country. of Mexi- cans, half-breeds, negroes, pale faces few;
  Arkansas and Missouri; quite a number of Jew traders and just enough heather Chinese for washee washee.A country vastly different in landscape; people vastly different in manner, customs and speech from New Eng land. The food we eat is different. It fla vors of the surroundings, especially the but ter. My friend s. has womanish longing for the impossible. Oh, he says, if l could only get some of Easterbrook's oleomargar- inc. A country of violence by both the elements and the hand of man; country that gives me the nose-bleed twenty times a day There be numerous other drawbacks not worth the mention, for ill a word I have fallen in love with the Centennial Daughter Pure air such as those six thousand feet be- low know not of has enamoured me, and thus entranced I am willing to condone all faults and shortcomings.
 From the Creator hand no richer prize
 Was e'er bestowed on man at call
 Than fair Colorado. bride of the skies
 A joy of health and wealth to all.
 In my last, we had hopes of looking into ranch life and mining. The latter time has not yet permitted us to visit, other than coal
 mines. In company with Hon. George W. Thompson, we visited Engleville a few days since, and upon invitation of MT. William Hum Ga brother to MT. Frank Hum of New daven) explored in part the Fl Moro mines, which are famous for good coal. It was monthly pay and the miners day off. MT. Hand, who, by the way, is deputy sheriff, under pay of the Coal company, and one whose bravery and courteousness go hand in hand, detailed a man, with mule and car, and armed with miners lamps we all rode for miles under what appeared to us to be solid diamonds. We enter and continue at grade. Hence, no water nor foul air disturbs. The peak of the mountain is fully five hun dred feet above, and if not solid wealth to it's apex, yet apparently the vein is inexhausti- ble The principal income of that portion of the D. & R. G. railroad, from this place to Pueblo is derived from the output of this mine Beside coal transportation, large quantities of coke are manufactured for the smelting works in the interior of the State. Our visit to the cattle ranch was unevent ful and by comparison with the experience of others, as related many times III your columns, the story would be prosaic. A statement of the possibilities of cattle breed ing would be twice-told tale and yet there is variety enough to spice up this marvellous industry which has so recently come to the front in the great wild West into veritable 'EAra- bian Nights" One day last week, accompar nied by MT. George ". Thompson, start ed for what is known hereabouts as the Lockwood ranch on the lower Apishapa Our objective point for the first night was Fosters ranch, kept in part as hotel. The trail was poor; arroyos unbridged, and in be- tween the respite of standing on our heads at one time and nervously grasping the wag- on seat at another we will in condensed form state MT. Thompson's experience in life thus far, as it has mostly to do with cattle. MT. Thompson was born in Tennessee, raised in Missouri and when a young man went to Denver, where in 1861, stranger and penniless, he started his business life. He tried his hand at various trades with only moderate success, and in 1867 married a widow, the owner of small herd of sheep, and settled in Trinidad. With his own emulation, about eight thousand dollars, and the widows sheep he then started on the high road to fortune. From this time on, about eighteen years, MT. Thompson has been active in cattle, and to day, in the full prime of life, his friends and associates esti- mate his wealth at over one million dollars. He himself makes no claim to riches, but modestly admits the ownership of one ranch in southeastern Colorado of ten thousand acres, patented land, containing thirty-five thousand cattle, and other large holdings in New Mexico and western Colorado.
 We'll, here we are at Fosters and glad enough to rest and refresh ourselves. This Foster was in the lost cause from Virginia. He fought with Lee from 1861 till the finish. He is social man, full of good cheer and fond of horses, of which he has many; says if he had gone into cattle like George, in stead of being horse crank, would be rich now, to which statement Mrs. Foster said yes. We enjoyed our stop at this place. Mrs. Foster was very accommodating, favor ing me and my sick.head with separate bed, though the house was full to overhowing. Her kindness will long be remembered, as well as the bounteeus and wholesome board she spread before us. Good butter here and s. made up for lost time.) Fortunate, indeed, the weary and hungry traveller whom night overtakes at Fosters.
 We continued our journey in the early morning, our only guide being Fosters in junction. "Keep to the left of Hogs Back. :" J. D. D.