The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1896-10-28
A Description of Cripple Creek by Jas. b.
Arnold.

A Description Of Cripple Creek by Jas. y.
Arnold.
The morning sun had only begun to
chase away the mists OF the night, as
stood upon the mountain side viewing
this great work of art by that master
of all painters, "Jack Frost" Begin
ming at the foot hills i'm the valley whore
the frost had only touched the leaves
lightly, changing, as they do, from the
deep green to the red and orange and
some OF the leaves shaded with the
most beautiful colorings, and yet in all
their beauty they tell us our summer is
dying. Like the sweet faced babe upon
whose cheek the dreaded fever has left
its flush, yet the instinct of the mother
tells her it is the fading away OF the
sweet flower. Below me in the valley,
just brushing from her. eyes the cob
webs OF the night, is the best advertised
city in the world to-day, Cripple
Creek" the golden. | hardly know
how to begin to describe to you this
cloud kissed city of the west. The
boom-boom of explosions that you hear
upon every side, as blast after blast
let's go with mighty force, tearing
from mother earth the treasure she has
held for untold centuries, the clang Of
steel upon steel sounding like the echo of
far away bell, as the drill is sent deep
er into the gold bearing rcck that has
almost the hardness OF steel. Cripple
Creek is the heart Of the golden FL
Dorado and her 10000 inhabitants live
10000 feet above the sea. 1t is city
in the clouds. and yet one OF the great
est mining camps in the world. A
place where men have gotten as high
up as they can live. yet spend their
time in going down into the bowels of
the earth. II is a city of no particular
beauty in itself, but it is set in frame
OF magnificence and splendor. 1t was
the boast of Europe some years ago that
the monastery of Saint Bernard was the
highest building in that country, being
$500 feet above the level of the sea.
an observatory upon Etna $500 feet
above sea level, and they thought
they had done wonders. Yet here is
city |, 200 feet higher, and within gun
shot of whore / stand is the town of
Aultman, l0.T00 feet above sea level,
said to be the highest Incorporated
town in the world. Frost every month
in the year pays its visit to Aultman.
Five months ago the city of Cripple
Creek was almost swept from the face
of the earth by two disastrous fires,
causing a loss of over n million dollars.
Yet not for single moment did this
great calamity check her wonderful
financial progress. Her great wealth
was in the bowels Of the earth, and work
never stopped for single moment, and
before the fires had died down thous-
ands of dollars of the golden ore was
being hoisted from her great mines.
aud to-day she has risen from her ashes
as II by magic, in the form of magnificent
brick blocks. and her baptism of fire
OF only five months ago has almost been
forgotten. One million dollars in gold
~as taken from the Cripple Creek dis
trict last month, and this month they
expect to ship one million, two hundred
thousand dollars, and as the mines grow
richer as they grow deeper, there is no
telling what the camp will produce in
tlf, h., IN a.
hard that mining is expensive. For ex-
ample, l will take the Abe Lincoln
mine. Our shaft is 6xl0 feet and the
contract price for mining is SIS foot,
and at this price the miner only aver
zges about three dollars day and is
working in water all the time. Work
never stops day or night. Three crews,
each, working eight hours keeps the
machinery going twenty-four hours
steadily. have been asked II it was
not good place to find work and to
this question will haye to say, no, as
laborers are plenty here. The electric
displays in the show windows OF the
stores are simply wonderful, putting to
shame some of our largest stores in the
east. The streets are SO crowded that
you have to push yourself through the
crowds, and every once in awhile you
see the CLEAN OF shining revolver,
just to tell you in its silent way that it
is good thing to attend to your own
business. This not healthy place for
John Chinaman, as not one is allowed
to come within the city limits. The
tenth Of every month is pay day in the
district, and $500, 900 is paid out in cash.
Vice in every form has taken up her
abode In this place, not hidden behind
closed doors, but all open to the view of
the passing crowd, and walk in the
evening through the streets to one not
used to such sights, makes you long for
the atmosphere OF purity. This Is my