Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-08-28

their lodges adorn the lottlest nights,
their fragments, which have been
severed by the ravages OF time, gov
erned by the chemical changes and
by the laws Of gravitation are carried
to the valley centers and are so
plentifully distributed that it would
seem that when the great deluge fell
that consigned the antediluvians TO
universal grave some evil genii
gathered their kindred spirits around
the battlement of hades and opened
some secret window through which
all the stones of the internal regions
were hurled upon the agei hills OF
the rocky range until their vindictive
ire was satisfied.
On the first day of the present
month ! started over the range south
east to visit Lake City which is one
of the oldest towns in Colorado.
Ten miles Of the route can only be
travelled by burros and horses on
which the sturdy miners pack out
their ore in sacks bound to points Of
shipment or to mills and concentrates
that are built all over the country
for the accommodation of the miners.
Wages are farely good. Miners
receive from $3.50 to $500 per day,
of eight hourt work or three shifts
in "a hours. Mechanics $3.50 to So
but there are just as many idle men
here as there are in Michigan. Most
miners drink up or squander every
dollar they have in week after pay
day.
The mines are unquestionably very
rich. There is at least rs to 100
large plants within radius of five or
six miles and some Of them are down
with their shafts 900 and 1000 feet,
but little can be learned by an out
slider how rich they are bat in some
instances they have sent guards with
car loads to guard them TO the point
where it is worked up. There has
been and still are millions of money
spent in sinking prospect holes where
there is no more hope of striking
silver or gold than there is in Alma.
| visited a mine to-day where they
have drifted into the mountain SOC
feet and still going on and intend
going through the hill about one and
one half miles. The Rio Grande
and Denver road reaches al, these
principle mines coming in via Silver
ton to this place and from Montrose
to Ouray. SO you see there is a
space of seven miles from the lower
mines to Ouray that they have no
railroad connection but an elegant
wagon road for freight and passen-
gers. This road was made by letting
men down the side of the mountain
by ropes to drill and blast off the
rock until they could obtain a foot
hold. In one instance while blasting
the blast went off prematurely or
there was some delay in hosting the
men and four men were hit by flying
stones and killed. The road is now
safe but if were to go over the
road again would prefer to walk
than ride at the speed they drive,
There is a class of men that are
making money in this country be-
side the miners and mill men owners
to wit: The middle men who hunt
up parties that have good paying ore
in sight and are not able to put in
machinery to work successfully and
who frequently bond them for two
or three years at Is or 20 cents
royalty with the privilege of buying
the mine at any time during the life
of the lease and often these middle
men go to Denver with sample Of
the ore have it assayed and get
capital TO take hold of it and realiz-
ing from $4,000 to 100000 on the
transaction. There is an opportunity
now within 100 rods owned by two
foreigners who have three claims of
very rich ore which they will bond
for $4,000 for two years. With
proper machinery to take the water
out / have no doubt but a company
can take out their $4,000 in a very
few days.