The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-10-05

gold, silver copper tin, iron, coal,
marble, in fact almost atl known
minerals, Vast sGda deposits have
lately been discovered, and last but
not least. oil has been discovered,
and is claimed is superior to the best
Pennsylvania fields in their palmiest
days. In the neighborhood of the
oil country, oil is being dipped up
from natural springs to lubricate
machinery, and this without any
process Of refining or purifying,
This region of the Territory has
never been disturbed with the scream
Of the iron horse until the last month, /
and three weeks ago the antelope,
jack rabbit and sage hen had undis-
turbed possession of the town site
Of Douglas. To-day 4 busy city Of
over 800 people are here. The first
lot was sold two weeks ago last
Tuesday, and to-day over 100 build
ings, most Of them business houses,
are in process Of erection and ere
the new year is here there will be !
over 2,000 permanent residents in !
the new city. There are at present
two banks Zone national and the
third coming; two live, active news
papers-"The Rowdy West" and
Bill Barlow's Budget, and anoth-
er coming; 5 dry goods stores; 4
jewelry establishments; dry goods,
groceries, &c, almost without num-
ber. Ali lines of business are rep
resented by one 'or more wholesale
houses. Thege will be at least 100
firms doing business in as many diff
fereent buildings, by the last of next
month. Many of the new buildings
are large and substantial bricks.
Union block is so by lbs feet, and
there are many more equally as
large. There are from $50 to 400I
carpenters working seven days in the
week, to raise the young giant of
the mountains to her rank with the
great cities of the world.
Carpenters are receiving from So
80 to s. per day; common laborers,
81 70 to 81, and other trades in pro-
portion. Beard from IS to $S per
week.
/ This is the greatest boom that has
ever struck any city in the west.
The Leadville and Deadwood booms
pale into insignifcance when com
pared with it. Over $4,000 of lots
were sold the first two days, some
lots bringing as high as 81, 200-the
average being about $500 per lot.
This. remember, was bare land, and
six months, yes! four months ago.
could have been homesteaded by any
one, but was supposed to be worth
less. There is one railroad here at
present, and the following are ex-
pected to be here in 1887: The Chey-
enne and Northern-this is branch
of the Union Pacific and isEbuilding
from Cheyenne north and will pass
through Douglas; the B. & M.-this
is virtually an extension Of the Chi
cago, Burlington & Quincy. It
crosses the Union Pacific at Grand
Island, Nebraska; thence. west
through Nebraska. 1t is under con-
tract to the Wyoming line, about so
miles from here. The Rock Island
is also coming, and from the west
the Central Pacific is building east
! ward. Douglas holes the key to the
pass through which all these roads
must pass, to 90 either east or west.
Thus you will see that Douglas is
/ bound to be a great city, and is to
be the supply point for vast region
to the north and west. What its
future will be the widest theorist
cannot predict. But it is bound to
be great, and if any of the Monroe
boys come west they had better take
a look here first, and they will fud
another Monroe boy proud as ever
of Old Monroe. j. NJ. w.