Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1893-08-24
OUT IN DENVER.

Business Paralysis.-Heroic Gritting Of
seth.-Little Prospect for Improve.
mont.
On Monday morning Charles H.
Freeman returned from a trip to
Denver, where lie went on business
pexaining to the Sioux City Gold
Mining company, Of which concern
he is a director. On the trip Mr..
freeman was accompanied by Capt.
Gere and Mayor M. Pierce, OF Sioux
City, who are officials in the mining
corporation. The mining property
belonging to the company is located
In Central City, one OF the richest
gold producing regions on the con-
%tinent, and their mines nre running
right along regardless of the demon
alization of business caused by the
fainting spell the price Of silver took
ninety days ago. TO get IN idea as
to the condition Of Colorado md the
causes which led to the business
commissions OF the past sixty days
the editor of the COURIER called
upon Mr.. Freeman and asked him
how he found the Centennial state,
its people, its miners and it's blood.
thirsty Waites if they had any out
side of the governor.
"We made merely u business trip,
and made a quick one. Got to
Denver and shot right out to Gen.
trail City, transacted our business,
which covered all ola day and then
made the return trip as fast an the
cars would carry US. Capt. Gere
and Mayor Pierce, as we'll as myself
were very curious tc know how the
Denver crowd felt and every time
we met a Denver!te that we felt Mt
liberty to pop red hot questions at
we put them about as straight us
we could fire.
"My impressions, and l believe
Gere and Pierce came to the same
conclusion, are that the picture
drawn by the newspapers has not
been overdone. It is simply BUSH
ness paralysis. The Colorado peo-
pie are absolutely dependent upon
silver. 1t is their chief product and
the wool, gold, copper and other
metals separate from silver form but
Il small part of the total valuation
of the product Of the state.
"In my opinion there was a con-
certed move on the part of the
mine owners to close down without
the special need of it. Why, there
are properties in Colorado where
silver a he mined and the product
sold at a profit If only 40 cents an
ounce were received. The price of
silver today is no lower that it was
ninety days ago and they were rum
ming at full blast then. The con.
certed action was for a two-fold pur-
pose, l think-irst to impress con.
gress in hope OF securing special leg
islation-second, Colorado had been
running on the boom scale too long,
wages were prodiguously high, and
the era for settlement and readjust.
ment seemed propitious. 1t was
useless to make a fight singly
against the organized efforts Of Ia
Dor, but now through the concerted
move wages will he fixed at a level
more commensurate with the price
received for silver.
"But there is going to lie suffer
ing out there. Millions Of money
are tied UP in the Denver banks;
the huge business houses which
assigned are still closed; the mines
are closed, but the mouths Of the
hungry workmen are open. The
Colorado people are brave and
heroic, and with the gritting of
teeth in the presence Of mines
closed, banks bursted, and but few
grocery stores open-they ask no
charity. They never croak, but like
heroes are more than willing to
place their business prosperity in
the hands Of the American people
whether they are right or wrong
and accept the result smilingly,
even though the verdict is against
them.
"About Central city there is pros.
perity-plenty Of tit is a gold
region.