The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-26
WHERE SILVER COMES HIGH.
The Mines ofthe Silver San Juan, 10000
or $4,000 Feet Above Sea Level.
PerilS Of the Miners in the Mountains of Colo
RADIO What Can Be Accomplished in
Agriculture-Plenty of Scenery"
correspondence OF the Indianapolis Journal.

commercial metropolis of ''the Silver San juan"
pronounced by experts to be the richest silver
bearing region in the world; not the richest
silver mining region as yet. however: the great
attitudes, the short summers. the deep SHOWS of
winter. the lack of wagon roads, the remcteness
Of the region-not until comparatively recently
opened up to railroad communication with the
outside world, and that often interrupted until
the past winter-together with the lack of capt.
sal, having greatly hindered the development or
3he mining industry; but all this ls being
changed, so far as man can effect 1t, and the
country is making rapid progress in material
advancement ia spite of natures obstacles.
During the last winter more mines were
worked than ever before. AS they become
developed, the severity of the winter does not
interfere with the work. except in the matter
Of securing supplies, which, in the case of all
the weather. corporations, are obtained in the
fall and stored for winter use, so that the ele-
ments may be safely defed. In the case of
some isolated mines the men have remained at
their posts weeks and even months without
communication with the outside world, except
through an occasional shoe carrier, sent out
to get the mail and some of how the world is
wagging. The temperature under ground, at
any great distance from the surface. is about the
same the year round; so that when a certain
amount of progress has been made a shaft house
built to cover the mouth of the workings, and
comfortable cabins for the men, and a good store
Of supplies provided, the deep SHOWS are not so
great a drawback after all, except in those cases
who're the mouth of the mine is on asteep mount
ain side, subject to snow-slides. The terrible
avalanche has eneulfed many a miners cabin
and swept many a stalwart mountaineer to
destruction during the past winter. and every
winter claims its victims.
Notwithstanding its Alpine surroundings the
climate at Durango, | am told, is charming the
year round; the winters dry and bracine, with
but little snow, sometimes none at all, and the
heat of the summers tempered by the cool airs
Rafted down the neighborIng mountains. This
is owing to its lower altitude, which is but a lit
tie over 6, 600 feet, while some of the mountains
about Silverton, forty FIVE miles to the north,
and in both the La Platas and Needles, as we'll,
attain an altitude of IA, coo feet This difference
10 climate results in Durango's being sought by
mine-owners and mining officials as a winter
home for themselves and families, as we'll as by
the miners themselves when not
actively engaged. Certainly at this
season Of the year the climate is charming.
Durango claims a population of between three
and four thousand people, and is growing rapidly.
1t ~rejotces in the pseudonym of "the Denver of
the Southwest" it's location with reference TO
tributary mining fields being very similar to that
VIII ich has been the making of Denver. Above
the town the valley grows more and more beauti-
full. For a few miles it is occupied by farms.
some of them under a high state of cultivation,
and producing fine incomes. What would an
Eastern farmer think of an income Of 500, 900,
obtained in a single year from a hundred and
swenty acres of landl And yet one of the farm
ers in this valley has attained such results by a
careful selection of the crops to be raised with
reference to the needs of the country. The cost
of this crop in labor and other necessaries was
$1,000. leaving a net profit of $l5, 600, an eloquent
commentary On farming IN Colorado, near min
ing camps, and under irrigation. The writer
also individually knows of another case in the
Arkansas valley, near Leadville, the crop being
simply grass, where. with amp'e water, $40
acres of land produced $27, 900 worth Of hay In a
single season. The hay brought $50 a ton: but
1t will bring $50 in almost any part of the State
ut certain seasons of the year.
But to return to our valley beautiful Above
Durango it very much resembles Yosemite. A
lLtl0 ulC L lIo rlSH ~ L 10 Walls.
and the addition of the grand waterfalls, would
render the likeness very striking. Eight miles
above Durango is Hermosa, a little center for
the farmers of the valley, where there is a post
Office. a mill, a store and a few dwelling houses,
and where beautiful Herlnosa creek comes
tumbling down a side canyon to join the Animas.
The view from the site of the little village is
wonderfully beautiful. iustifyine the pretty
name. "Hermosa" being the Spanish for 'beau-
tiful.' Some very remarkable hot springs come
to the surface a little below the village, and 4
fine hotel and bath-house have already been
erected for the accommodation of visitors, of
whom there are a large number from Durango
and the neiehboring towns, especially from the
mining districts, men who get ''leaded," as the
expression is-that is, poisoned with lead from
working the gaiena ores, either in the
mines or smelters, being frequent patrons.
-Four or FIVE miles further up the river are some
more hot springs which have appropriated the
poetical name of "Hermosa Springs" but they
are not so hot nor so invigorating rs those be-
low. An old time log hotel, right on the bank
Of the river. uncovered in native forest trees,
houses ars butt over the springs. Here the
valley becomes simply charming, its surface
beginning to be more broken. Little wooded
hills and wales and miniature canyons and creeks
and little cascades are scattered throughout this
entire section between the gigantic boundary
walls which grow higher and higher as one
ascends the stream. Theh comes lockwood, a
station on tho Si~lverton branch of the railroad,
where a stage line starts for Rico. the prosper
Gus mining camp, thirty miles distant to the
northwest Rico is appropriately named. the
word meaning ''rich.' During the winter
months this road cannot be kept open contin-
Dously on account of the deep SHOWS on the
mountains which must be crossed; in fact, it is
mountainous the whole length of the line. The
inhabitants are dependent then upon burro
trains for supplies, and sometimes even they
cannot get through, and but for snow shoers
they would have no mail. Rico was a town
of fifteen hundred inhabitants before it
aver had even a wagon road. Think of a town
Of this size, doing a considerable business in all
She usual lines of trade in a mining camp, with
only a footpath, OF trail through the woods, as a
means of access, all the goods Used being
freighted in on the backs of the patient little
burros, ofteR weighted down with loads much
larger than themselves. 1t is no uncommon
sight, OF some Of these mountain trails, to
see them laboring under a Heterogeneous mass of
dry goods hOXes. cases of canned fruits and