The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-03-09

Special Correspondence Of he Inltliismer.
AMETHYST P, o., CREEpE, Colo, March
S.-Nearly ten years ugo I wrote you
some notes OF a trip 10 Texas, and about
five years ago l wrote you something
about railroad building in Colorado;
tonight my theme is Tho now world.
famous Creole mining camp. In many
ways our camp SURPRISES California in
40 or Leadville in 10, chiefly because
tho miners and pioneers came into this
camp OIL the Denver G. Rio Grando
railroad, and many OF them in Pullman
sleeping cars. Fol. two months, before
hotels and sleeping apartments could
DO built, the railroad company left
several sleepers standing hero for tho
accommodation OF travellers who camo
to investigate tho rich silver mines or
invest in roal estate. This village OF
1000 to 5000 inhabitants was only
started i'll November, 1891, but when il
became known that the Last Chance
mine, on Bachelor mountain could
take out eight to ten carloads OF rich
silver ore per day running SlGO to tho
ton, so great was tho rush here not only
from all parts OF Colorado, but from all
over the United States. to buy mining
property and lots, that tho railroad
could hardly carry them. As nm no
miner nor much OF a geologist, ] do not
propose to describe the rich mineral
deposits here but to give tho good peo-
pie of West Virginia some idea OF daily
life rs l see it, in what is considered the
livolicst mining camp in. the world.
Imagine, il YOU can, perpendicular and
oyerhanging cliffs Of rock higher than
Wheeling hill, and a little creek, VIII
low Creek by name, about tho size of
Glen's run, in Il narrow ravine about
fifty to one hundred feet wide with
railroad and wagon road and string
OF frame .shanties, log huts and canvas
tents strung along this crooked noun
tain stream for MAO, and you have
North Creole. At tho distance OF
mile IRON the head Of this ravine,
which is nearly roo feet deep, the val
ley Widens out SO as to allow room for
two blocks OF buildings, two streets and
the railroad. In many places this
creek runs in the middle OF tho street,
in others under thedwelling houses and
stores. Just over adjoining the village
on the southwest ,is,a section OF school
which was all stakca OIL and taken up
by squatters, but was sold at auction
last week on Thursday, Friday and Sat-
urday for $780, Some OF tho mines
are on tho mountain away from the
railroad track, and their ore has to be
carried over the mountain and down to
this town by pack train BY burros.
This to a Virginian is one OF the strang.
est sightn OF all, to see two dozen OF
these little sure-iooted animals, not big
ger than yearling heifer, with their
pack saddles. each carrying two sacks OF
ore, all following their leader which
wears a small COW bell.
So great is the business OF our little
camp that two postofficcs and two de-
pots arc necessary. We have here tele-
phone, telegraph, electric lights, daily
paper, drug and stationery stores, Jew
elry stores, dry goods, grocery and
hardware stores, livery stables, regu-
lar line OF hacks, cabs and express wag-
ons between here and North Creole,
which is ono mile farther up the sulch
than South Creole or Jimtown or Ame-
thyst, as our postoilice is now called.
We have two banks, each Of which has
large deposits.
4 We have moro hotels, restaurants,
chop houses, eating stands and saloons.
gambling hells, dance houses and
brothels than We can count Most OF
the large saloons have two arc lights,
the one inside, the other out, and each
has its gambling tables and wheels Of
fortune, presided over by lot Of cut
threats and thieves, and 10 run openly
day and night. Drinking to excess and
consequently quarrels and shooting are
matters OF nightly occurrence, yet l
have not heard or read OF murder
committed hero yet One gentleman
was robbed OF " purse OF 500 in broad
daylight at the land sale last week. And
VIC frequently hear OF some man being
SHIELD up" by a revolverand his pockets
rillcd. ). It is said that 4 crowd OF about
fifty toughs followed tho state officials
from the land salc to tho Merchants
Bank, intent on robbery, but were
folled in thoir attempt. at all events
your correspondent was in the bank
and met Attorney. General NIaupin
there last Saturday night, while armed
men stood guard on the outside OF tho
door. Though VIC have heard many,
shots fired almost every night, we have
not heard nor seen 4 fight since We have
been here. And though tho camp has
neither mayor, city officials nor police,
and is insuch obscure mountain coun.
try, 302 miles southwest OF Denver, it is
not yet known to VIII ich OF the three
counties, Rio Grande, Hinsdalo or Sag
uacho. it belongs.
] Your correspondent believes that, a
man who does not frequent saloons or
gambling houses is just us safe here
while attending to his own business as
he would be in the city OF Wheeling or
the quiet village Of Wellsburg. As ono
walks along the streets by day, first
(although tho altitude is $500 iect) he
will find q great deal of mud. Ho will
meet men and women in I'LL styles OF.
dress, from all parts OF the country, and
OF all grades OF society from the most re-
fined to the most degraded. Here the
miner and the dude clerk, the cowboy
and the banker the real estate man and
the oily tongued lawyer, the doctor and
even the preacher, black and whito, rich
and poor, English, Irish, Swodes, Ger
mans, Mexicans and Scotchmen jostlo
each other on cur busy streets much tho
Same rs in Chicago or New York. We
have not many ladies, but they keep
coming.
We have preaching on Sabbath, but
like Wheeling during the flood Of 1854,