The morning call., 1894-03-30
RICHEST MINES.
New Facts Concerning a
Now Famous District.
Cripple Creek, Colo, Was Twice the
Scene of intense Excitement
Years Ago.

Judge A. W. RuckeT OF Denver, Colo, with
his wife and daughter, is registered at the Pal
ace. The Judge is largely interested in mining
properties in Colorado. Arizona and other
States. and has had quite an interesting expert
ence IN his career, bO as a Judge and in bust
ness pursuits. He was the first occupant Of
the bench when the Colorado Legislature es-
tablished the criminal court in Leadville and is
brother of Judge T. a. Rucker who Is a Dis
tricI Judge in the Denver circuit at present
and who spent several days in this city short
time ago.
During short conversation with the Judge
last night relative 10 the various mining prop
critics OF Colorado and the future prospects,
several points were developed with reference
TO the now world-famous Cripple Creek district
which have never appeared in print.
"ln S06," said the speaker. ''Zebulon Pike.
then oung man but % years OF age, C mped
with his party within sight of the present loca.
diuDer in the neighbOrhoOd that year, and
when he left the locality lie deserted two of his
companions who had been so badly frozen thai
they were unable to accompany nIm.
pike made his way 10 Aamosa. about
sixty. or seventy miles distant. where he was
shortly afierward captured by a body OF Span
ish troops that came up from Mexico. To his
captoTS hr told the tale OF his deserted COM
rades, aud party was dispatched 10 their res
cue. Prior 10 this. however lie had sent man
back to look after Them, and he had returned TO
wretched men bone from each of their frozen
feet.
"As to the Cripple Creek camp itself, 1 think
II is the most wonderful area of ground of Its
character In the United States. If not in the
world. and L want TO give you few historical
truths about the camps location.
Along In 1882, you may recoect, there was
a great excitement up in that neighbOrhOod by
alleged large discoveries of GOLD. People
fOcked into Tie country BY thousands, and the
excitement Tor a time was al fever heat.
But tue bubble burst ere long, ana ii was dis
covered that a couple of ScOundrels had gone
up inio he locality and sailed number of
claims which they had disposed of al enor-
nous prices. Of course the reaction caused
the country 10 sink out of sight so far as public
interest was concerned, and it was not until the
lale discoveries we're made (and on the very
same ground which The salters' had chosen as
the scene of their OperatiOns) that the country
again came into prominence.
"But the instance l speak OF, singularly
enough. is not the only time this locality was
chosen as the medium through which designing
men sought TO prey upon the cupidity or ava
rice of their fellows.
every body has heard of Pixies Peak. and
the famous rush to that locality, when the
motto of every man was Pixies Peak or bust'
Is still fresh in the minds Of the public. 1t was
in 1858 this excitement occurred, and il orig
mated just as the later one. of which have
spoken, did. The ground was effectively
'salted,' but not one dollars worth Of gold was
taken from the property outside of what had
been planted there by the schemers The
interesting feature about the matter IS that
Pixies Peak and Cripple Creek are one aud the
same. Twice this territory was set led and
sverrun by thousands OF disappointed men, but
it remained for the progressive spirits of to-
day TO finally develop the untold riches hidden
therein. For ten years and over IL lay idle. but
to-day il is the wonder of The mining world"
Judge Rucker is interested, as has been
stated, in number of mining CLAIMS. aud Is In
this city ut present partially for the purpose of
purchasing machln ry for TWO new mills which
he proposes to start in Arizona He is q part
owner in the celebrated Aspen mine, near
Aspen, Colo, which was oDened in 1885. has
produced phenomenal sum OF money, and has
been probably the cause of more litigation than
any other similar piece OF property IN Colorado,
all Of which, however, has now been adjusted.
He says the ore bUdies in this mine, he thinks,
are larger Than in any other silver mine in the
world
AS an illustration of the readiness with which
the people of Colorado adapted themselves 10
the changed condi ion of affairs caused by the
depreciation in the price of silver. the Judge
says that the blow 10 the While metal had
hardly come before gold producing was COM
menced in Leadville. An explanation of what
has always been mystery 10 a great many
people given by he Judge as TO why so
much attention was given 10 mining silver and
SO little to gold until 10 Within the past few
months.
NEARLY all the large fortunes made in The
mining districts were dug out Of the silver
mnes,' said he. miners, when they took
their products TO the dssayers had IL tested 70.
silver. Silver strata contained but little gold,
aud gold strata we're neglected because every.
body was after silver. Hence, 1t was not until
the issue was fairly forced upon them that the
miners reluctantly and with many forebodings
turned their attention TO the yellow metal,
This Is true not only OF the districts mentioned,
but OF the San Juan aud other Southern Colo
RADIO mining districts.
Il think the ultimate result VIII be that Colo
rado will deyelop into the greatest gold. pro-
ducng country between the two oceans" said
the Judge, "And / base my BELIEF upon the fact
that such discoveries of magnitude have been
made in so short Time"
The Judge and bis family will remain in the
State several weeks, going down to Monterey
in few days, hut returning later.
He owns "A beautiful stock farm few miles
out of Denver, bul spends much OF his lime In
travel with his family, possessing ample means
to crafty this inclination.