Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-06-11
WHAT I SAW OUT WEST.
BY DAVID HILL.

Our return trip from Ward was
through Gold Hill, one Of the oldest
and richest gold fields in that district
The mines are rich now; but most OF
litigation there is in court. When
that is settled Gold Hill will assume
some of it's old time appearance. I'm
! like Ward, which is deep down in a
gulch, although 5000 feet above sea
| level, Gold Hill is situated high up on
lofty mountain ridge, and is one Of
the Oldest mining camps in the Rock
les. Being comparatively deserted,
the village is, to all outward appear
ances, exactly as the miners left it in
it's more palmy days. The houses on
one side of the street hang on the
verge of a cliff from the edge of
which you can look hundreds of feet
into the gorge below. The houses on
the foot of a round topped knoll, con-
tanning several acres, and which, at
present, is covered with a second
growth Of pine. Years ago that knoll
was literally covered with white tents
which gave temporary shelter to the
thousands who rushed there in their
eager search for gold. Following
the tents were the houses that now
remain. Like all houses in those
western towns which sprang up like
mushrooms in night, those were
cheap affairs, plain boarded, box
shaped, and with broad square fronts.
Indeed, for rods together the build
ing were all one, and were built with
the roof slanting back like an old
fashioned hogpen. The upper front
resembled some of our high tight
board fences constructed to keep
snow out of the highway. These were
painted with signs, while underneath,
set back in, were the saloons, etc.
The signs of t'Beer Palace" 'sDanc-
ing Hail." "Billiard Rooms" CAR
cade," and drinking Saloons" still
stare you in the face, although mark
ed, SCARED and faded with the storms
of many seasons. They also point to
the habits of the miners in the ex-
element of the early mining camps. |
To-day it is different; that is, in
the we'll established districts. | was |
at the order and thrift there |
was to be seen in some of those noun
tain towns Although each village
had its saloon, it also had it's church |
and schoolhouse; and instead OF
jug in the hands Of every miner, as I
had expected to see, / was surprised
books and papers, showing them to
be of reading turn Of mind and
to keep posted with the out
side world. There were orderly peo-
pie, too; and I was informed that
stranger was much safer in the noun
5ains among the miners, than in the
villages and towns which here and
there dot the western praries.
Leaving Gold Hill we passed through
some of the most picturesque locali-
5ies Of the day. For miles the road
wound around frightful precipices
where, to Jump from the carriage,
would be to go down hundreds of feet
nto the gorge below. One not used
10 it would be made dizzy to look
,ver The highway was cut out of
he side of the rocks and was just
vide enough for carriage to pass.
There were meeting places at certain
distances and each one had to be
areful to not meet another between
hose points. We went up, up, up
nto the region Of perpetual SHOWS.
enjoyed the pleasure of making a
nowball out Of snow that would be
ard to tell how old, and of throwing
far over that yawning chasm be-
eath my feet For aught I know it
going yet, for I found myself un-
BILE to see it strike. Standing at the
dge Of the snow line you could pick
p snow and gather flowers at the
anne time. The two never quarrel in
ne summer. Passing the region of
erpetual SHOWS we began the de-
cent; and as the trip was duplicate {
the forenoon, only in a different
'cality, need not describe it. will
My state that, when we reached
oulder at night, I had passed one of
le most enjoyable trips of my life
ride into the heart of the Rocky
fountains by team