Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1891-04-23

act counterparts here in the Black Hills.
today. There are many towns in the
Hills sleeping on their privileges and,
unless they awake soon, will soon find
themselves eutstripped by some other
town, without the natural advantages
they enjoy, which will 60 by them on
the canter and compel them to pay the
tribute which belongs to no one but
themselves. We are sorry to state Stur-
gis belongs to this class OF sonnambu-
listic cities No city in the Hills has a
better location. No city in the Hills has
as good surrounding country. No town
has the advantages enjoyed BY ne. We
have the opportunity, while the field is
still open, to make for ourselves q FIRST
class city. Capital can be induced to
invest here. Everything can be done.
Ii takes money, times and talent; un-
Tagging zeal, absolute confidence, un-
remitting labor, to gain the point, but il
our business men and citizene generally
would bend to the effect success would
surely be ours. By such sfforts we
could make ourselves to the Hills what
Denver is to Colorado, the Key City and
best business center. We haye slept too
long already. Work must be begun
immediately or it will soon be everlast-
ingly too late.
After having seen Denver our wander
ing journalist took himself of TO Pueblo,
40 miles distant. This city boasts
25,O 900 population, and is built up Of
handsome and elegant business blocks OF
stone, iron and brick. This city is
called the pittsburgh OF the West" and
this name comes very nearly expressing
the salient characteristics of the town.
This is one of the cities which pushed
itself to the front by dint of hard work.
Its citizens are genuine western rustlers
and to them alone belongs the credit OF
making Pueblo what it is today. Coal
and iron ore is found about fifty miles
away, and near the city, on the south
side, is Bessemer, the sight of the Colo
rado Coal & Iron Works, one OF the
largest plants of the kind in the world.
Pueblo also contains a great many
smelters for the reduction of gold and
silver ores, manufactures, mills, shops,
etc. The land about Pueblo is abso-
lutely arid, and nothing will grow with
out irrigation. A large acreage is irri-
gated, however, and on such land i'm
mense crops are raised. In few years
every acre of this arid land will blossom
as the rose, as the system of irrigation is
being rapidly extended. Five trunk
lines run into Pueblo and thousands of
tourists visit the city annually.
From Pueblo the travellers went on,
forty one miles west, to Canon City.
This city stands at the mouth OF Royal
Gorge, the greatest canyon on earth
through which railroad passes This
town is living example OF what enter
prise and push can do if rightfully ap-
piled. 1t has population OF $500
people, and is one of the oldest towns in
the state, yet it gives one the idea Of
something forgotten, of advantages
overlooked and opportunities unaccepted.
Laid out in 1860 it should have been by
this time the greatest city in the state,
and for several reasons. It has i'm
.mense coal mines, the best in the coun-
try, at its very doors; the Standard Oil
company supplies its entire custom in
that section from the oil wells near Can
on City; minerals of every kind are
found there; yet with all these advant-
ages Canon City has allowed Denver
and Pueblo to surpass her in size and
commercial Importance. With little
enterprise, bestowed at the proper time
Canon City could have been, at least
a Pueblo if not Denver. The citizens
of this city have, however, awakened
from their lethargy and now, appreciat.
ing the mistakes made in the past, are
endeavoring to retrieve their lost posi-,
tion. sSmelters are being built, indus,
trial and manufacturing enterprises are
being started and inducements are being
offered capitalists to invest their cash
The final result is even now foreshad.
owed. Property has enhanced in value
the town is growing rapidly, and every,
thing'is on the upward grade. The lost
opportunities are being rapidly regained
and the time is close at hand when Can
on City will take it's place among the
trading cities of the Centennial state o.
Colorado.
The lesson is practical one, and one
which the citizens of Sturgis should moi
be slow to recognize and accept. W.
are in the same position as Canor
City used to be. We can place our
selves in the same position it is in today
i. O., on the upward grade, if our citizen
will unite, cooperate heartily and en-
deavor to place Sturgis upon the plane
where she belongs. We can do it
Will we do it? The answer rests en-
tirely with our citizens.
another Road to the Hills.