The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-01-09
OUT In THE WORLD.
Geo Winter Of this City, s~oiOurning IN
the Cripple Greek, COL, Mining
Region, Tells About II.

enced traveller, departed several weeks
ago on q prospecting tour In the Colora-
do mining regions. In q letter TO @. II.
Wood, dated Florence, Col, January q
he gives a good deal Of information about
that section OF country from which THE
DAILY LEADER IL permitted TO quote:
Florence contains 1850 people,
and il situated in the beauti-
full Arkansas valley, ~thlrty-fve miles
to the SOUTH Of Cripple Greek and
80 miles west OF Pueblo. The natural
resources of Florence are wonderful and
the place 10 undoubtedly destined to be-
come one OF the most desirable cities in
the west. Here ere oil fields and oil re-
ineries, semi-anthracite coal lands, sew
eral varieties OF building stone, brick
and pottery clay, natural gas wells, ar
tesian wells OF hot soda and other min
eral waters, balmy climate, wonderful
scenery, luscious fruits, etc. The hills
four miles distant are covered with snow
but the temperature here In the valley
is warmr-hies and honey bees flying
about. Yesterday / visited the Coal
Creek coal mine, two miles from town.
The output OF this mine is the cleanest
soft coal ever saw; it will not soil the
hands; % per ton. Every building in
Florence 10 provided with natural gas
for heating and lighting purposes. An
electric light plant will be COM
pleted within u few days and
an electric street railway win
be- in operation soon. W~aterworks
TO cost $685. 700 are now under construc.
ton. Also one COLONIZATION plant and
one cyanide reduction plant.
Respecting the present condition of
business 90 far as / am able to judge:
During the week just passed / have
carefully observed all branches. Ada
cent 10 the coal mines, two, three and
five miles from here, are towns cr mpris.
ing about 4,0OU inhabitants which de-
tract large y from the business OF Flor
ence. The ore reduction works are two
miles north, nov employing many more
men than will be needed for operating
them when completed. The companies
will also establish supply stores. In
Florence stores rent for $50, $50 and 800
per month; dwellings,, five or six rooms,
800, s25 and $50 per month. There is
certainly no profit in busln, - here AT
present. When I left Madison the aver
age store trade there was far oetter than
it 10 h~ere,today. I think the business men
of Madison should be contented there.
All that 10 needed to make Florence a
great city is railroads. Bankers, hotel
and real estate men talk of the wonder.
full progress that could be- made IF we
only had the money!" Business men
tell me that ID 10 impossible 10 get q
!; dollar from the local banks. Oily q few
; stores and residences are being built
and all needed mechanics are employed
thereon, while others, largely outnnm
/. bering the employed, are looking On.
In regard to the Cripple Greek dis
trict: 10 1876, a Ben Roberts, a cat
i tie herder was thrown from his horse
! and received y broken leg, hence the
/ name, Cripple Greek, which 10 today one
! OF the richest gold mining camps in the
J world. The district ID about zine miles
square; IL miles westward from Pixies
|. Peak, on an elevation OF 9,400 feet: q
) miles distant from Colorado Springs. UE
) TO 1891 large herds OF cattle roamed thess
! bills. The Independence gold mine, thu
! richest in the Cripple Cleek district, wal
discovered july 4, 1898, by . MF. STRAIT
ton who, on December %, when | wai
there, was loading u car Of ore from tn,
mine that would produce 10 gold 800,
cool The Independence mine 10 locatee
In the town OF Victor, four miles from
Cripple Greek, where yon cannot lind
. vacant house or room. In Cripple Creel
. town / found anumber OF vacant stores
and dwellings. Some W story build
ings uncompleted have stood since las
summer. Here are hundreds OF mem
sloyed people without money or mining
claims On which to put q price. Their
- MMX
are no more than live paying minea u
the 1000 men who come here with san
gnine expectations Of becoming million
y aires. When You come here TO prospec
you are liable TO run upon (you may not
= an immense crevice filled with igneou'
matter the result OF lateral pressure an,
= centrifugal motion-and many othe
things TO contemplate. Your knowledg
Of mineralogy may aid you TO deyelol
y the above description, and the creyice
too, when you have fou4d i'll
However rich Cripple Greek distric
e may prove in future, / cannot advise ~.
friends ID South Dakota 70 come her
g this winter. 1t would make me. feel sal
g 10 find here q good natured dog from
Lake county unless he was accompanies
by his master possessed OF suillcien
ready money.
k.