The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-11-27
AT TELLURIDE.
A Mirror Glance at Colorado Timing
Town.
TELLURIDE, Cal. Non. 20.

TELLURIDE, Cal, Non. 20.
EDITOR FREE PRESS: The welcome
visits Of your excellent weekly re-
mind me each week of a promise 1
made to report, and before going to a
Mum" social tonight, where l ex-
pect to be severely lined for my much
speaking, l am going to fulfill that
rash promise.
Here | am, away up in Southwestern
Colorado, where one lives among the
clouds, about 400 miles from the great
midland metropolis, the magnificent
city of Denver. Telluride is mining
town of about $500 people, situated
at the head of the San Miguel valley,
little valley about six miles long
and half a mile wide, along one edge
of which runs the murkey San Miguel
river, made so by the washings from
the mines. This is said to be one of
the most prosperous mining towns in
the state, and here are some celebrated
mines, both gold and silver. Just
now there is company of mining ex-
perts, representing an English syndi-
cate, and also one representing the
English government, inspecting the
celebrated Tom Boy, with view to
purchase. 1t will take few millions
to buy it of the present owners.
The tramways for carrying the ore
down from the mines and carrying
provisions and timbers up to the
mines, and the great stamp mills for
separating the ore from the rock and
EARTH and the process of mining and
values of the outputs, are subjects
which l cannot speak of here. An in
dispensible agency in developing and
operating all these mines and carry
Ing on traffic of various kinds are the
Mexican burrOs. You may see large
train of these faithful little fellows
any day trailing down the ounJains
with from 200 to 300 pounds dashed to
the pack saddles upon their backs,
Sdiu ou1uCuO SOICioOihS VI oOASot
barrels, sacks of ore, vegetables, grain,
provisions of all kinds, cook stoves,
lumber, wood and everything
imaginable in use in the mines. We
town folks are warned of the coming
dawn each morning, not by the crow
ing of the cock, but by the braying of
the burro, and do you wonder that l
have to sleep from one to two hours
more in the morning than l did in
the Minnesota valley?
The elevation of this mountain city
at it's lowest point, the railroad depot,
is 1856 feet, and except the narrow
entrance of the valley from the west,
the town is surrounded by mountains
rising from 1000 to 1000 feet higher.
Many of these peaks have been covered
with snow since the middle of Sep
TENDER. Since Oct.s23d we have had
ten SHOWS, with a total fall of about
thirty inches, but at present the
streets are bare. We have had to
shovel SNOW from the walks four
mornings, while the other snow
melted quickly. On four mornings
the thermometer registered zero, but
in the middle of the day it would
stand about fifty above. Midday here
may be very warm and the sun burn
ing hot, while the evening makes one
hug the stove and don his heavy cloth
ing. At this time in town the sun
rises at 9 a. m. and sets at p. M,
while higher up among the mines
they have about one hour Of sunshine.
Our city has some very good build
ings, the Court House, High School,
with six departments, First National
bank, and many good residences.
There is large business done here
in all branches and large stocks car
ried. There are two banks, both
handling large capital
The town is lighted by electricity,
and has fine water system, the sup
ply being from mountain streams of
melted snow, running into large
stone reservoir up on the mountain
side 425 feet above the town, whence
it is piped in the usual way. They
are also putting in sewerage system.
The light and sewerage are owned
and operated by private corporations,
the water by the city,
Since the election all is quiet and
everybody has settled down 20 bust
ness, hoping for the fulillment of
Republican promises.
+. M. WASHBURN.
IT,, l,o-o Huol ~ N