The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-26

'''' 49, $500
people of Silverton, and many a narrow escape
has he had from destruction. During the long
blockade of a year ago the people were reduced
to very short rations. supplies of all luxurles
becoming completely exhausted and only bacon
and -four to be had, before the snow seige was
raised.
Just above lockwood the train reaches the
Animas canyon. which is a regular box canyon
for a distance of several miles; that Is. n narrow
chasm bounded by abrupt wallis of barren rock,
but it is virtually a canyon all of the rest of the
way to Silverton, a distance of about twenty
miles, although it widens out occasionally
giving room for a little park here and there,
where the stations OF the road are
located. It affords as a whole one
Of the most picturesque railroads
rides in America. To see the canyon at its
greatest depth one shou q leave the train at
lockwood and cross to it on foot at a point
below where the railroad strikes it. Hare it is
500 feet deep, a chasm in the broken aid ee
waited surface of the valley itself, beyond which
mountains rise TO a still greater height. ranging
from three thousand to four thousand feet above
tie surface of the valley. The foaming green
waters of the river below look almost like a
thread. so narrow is the rocky cleft. In one
place the entire river passes through a rift but
twelve feet wide, and from the brink OF the
chasm the space seems even narrower still, op-
pearing not more than two feet wide at most.
The railroad strikes the chasm further up.
where it is not more than three hundred feet
deep. A whole mountain side had to be blasted
down here to make a shelf for it TO pass OF. In
one blast. which effected the bulk Of this work,
700 kegs of powder were fired. The defamation
was distinctly heard at Durango, seventeen
miles below. 1t took seven months of time,
though, with hundreds of laborers, to prepare
for this blast. and TO complete the road-bed for
a distance of one mile, which mile. when COM
pleted and rallied, had cost the company $l40,-
900. Such is railroad building in the Rockies.
AS we sweep over the smooth lire in a palace
cal, and curving around a point, look down into
a caldron of foaming waters, hundreds of
feet below. with an excited thrill of
interest and pleasure. we little think
of the long months of labor and the for
tunes in money expended to give us that glimpse
of beauty. Nature out in these Western wilds
seems to demand public recognition Of her
charms. She fairly compe:s the railroads to
traverse many Of her wonderful water courses.
BY no other way could this road reach Silverton.
High mountains everywhere intervene. defying
the making of a railroad grade. The only
feasible gradient is where the waters have made
a way through the canyon, and the road must
therefore, per force, make a foothold along It's
sides. Silverton is n gem of a town, the situa-
ton being one of the loveliest in the State, a
little park, as level as a floor, with the Animas
flowing through the midst, and two other mount
ain creeks bounding it on the north and south
respectively, while high mountains close in on
every side with the exception of the assures
which the streams have made. One would only
wish to visit this lovely vale in summer. how
ever. There are no torrid heats here then, the
altitude being 5000 feet. and the cool airs from
fields of perpetual snow modifying any tendency
in that direction. In the winter, the snow king
rules, and the few who are compelled to reDlain
its denizens, struggle about as hest they may
through or over a snow sheet four or five feet
deep on q level.
But this is by no means the loftiest town in
the San Juan mountains. Still further up the
Animas are Eureka, Mineral City, Capital City
and | believe some other places, toward which
the railroad will climb still higher, and during
the last winter mines were worked at all these
| V1ooao n uo) &c OF puipa N nrptnin- IN tho
divide tt ward Lake City, about twenty miles to
the eastward-where the grand Frank Hough
mine, with it's inexhaustible deposits, a whole
mountain OF ore In a vast chimney, as 1t were.
reaching from the bowels Of the earth to this
summit. was worked at an altitude of between
IL, 900 and II. 000 feet. Near by is also the divide
toward Ouray on the north, to which a wagon
road was completed from that thriving and
beautiful village a few months since. The great
point of interest, however, in the San Juan
country, to-day, and for two or three years past,
as well, is now the famous Red Mountain district,
about eight miles distant from Silverton III a
northwestellv direction up Cement creek. The
ores here are largely lead ores, easily mined and
reduced like those of Leadville. and occur in large
bodies. Some soft carbonates have also been
discovered. These great advantages have
this district, which doubtless has more
wonders in store for the coming season.
Two or three towns were started there soon after
the discovery of mineral, but the original camp
Oh e Ouutd Sill uOIuS buS lSdu. L Wd
recently moved down bodily to a somewhat
lower level on the toll road. Ironton is on the
northern slope of the mountain which gives name
to the district, and a good toll road has also been
completed from that side of the mountain down
to Ouray.
Still further west is the San Miguel fDro-
nounced San Mageel, with the accent on the last
s~yllab.e), which is On the western slope of the
mountains, where gold bearing lodges of great
richness abound, especially in Marshall and
Bridal Veil basins. and placer claims are worked
lower down on the stream, which is also named
San Miguel"-in fact, gives it's name to the
country. 1t ultimately flows into the Uncom-
pahgre. whose course is northerly into the Gun
nison, whose waters finally join the Colorado and
flow into the gulf of California. The most ac-
cessib'e way into this country during tho winter
season is from that direction. There are also
roads connecting it with Rico to the south and
west, which are passable most Of the wear. By
far the greater portion of this rich mining coun.
try is tributary to Durango for supplies and as a
smelling center, one of the largest and
finest smelters in the State being in
constant operation here. The coal fields which
surround Durango in all directions, covering the
largest area of any similar fields in the State.
particularly adapt it as a location for shelters,
as we'll as its low altitude and central location.
1t is down grade to Durango from all the mining
camps in south western Colorado, not only those
in the San Juan mountains, but also those in
the Needles and La Platas. The ores of the
Needles are mostly galena silver-bearing ones.
Those of the La Platas are both gold and silver.
PARROT City, on the La Plata river. at the
southern base Of the La Plata mountains. and
about twelve miles west OF Durango in a direct
line, was the pioneer camp of all southwestern
Colorado. this region having first been reached
and explored by old Californians coming from
the west, who washed gold in this stream. the
San Francisco millionaire. Parrot. after whom
the town is named, supplying the funds for the
expedition and being for many years interested
in claims in that vicinity.
Junction creek, which rises in the La Platas
and empties into the Animas just above Duran
60, is a region of very rich gold leads which,
however, have been but little developed. owing
to the lack Of roads Ore from this district was
shown NE carrying $3.50, 900 to the ton, which,
upon being roasted in a common wood Gre,
was almost literally covered with GOLD. The
veins are generally very narrow, however. what
nno Ennrun DC Enifo blndo uo;nn md tho N