, 1896-03-03
LETTER FROM CRIPPLE.
How 1t is Viewed by a Keen
Observer.
THE GREATEST ON EARTH.
but Their Surface Prospects are Nc
Better Than Those Immediate
~ Su~rrOunding the Gem
City.

Editor Republican,:
Having been a week in Cripple
Creek district | will now, as best | can,
give you my idea of the camp.
Cripple Creek is without doubt the
greatest gold camp in the world, and
when n considers the vast amount
of mineral in sight in the different
mines. the cheapness in working the
same, the nearness to Florence, where
coal can be had for rs cents per ton,
and oil in abundance only SO miles
from here and all the way down grade,
the future OF the camp cannot be pic
tured o brightly.
New claims are daily being driven
TO pay ore. Only yesterday three
claims north one mile from Gillette
ran into ore showing free gold and in
abundance.
The outside world is led to believe
that Cripple Creek is the only place to
strike in this great camp, and of course
purchase their tickets here. but Vic
tor, Altman, Anaconda, Goldfield, Gill
lette and many other towns are the
places for the working man. The ma
jority come here and are pushed and
crowded amidst the surging throngs
on the streets expecting employment
TO pick them up and put them to work,
but they must hunt their job in the
outside camps. The great drawbacks
to the camp are, first the number of
half-clad and %pennyless people who
are coming and walk the streets or lay
on the sawdust in the saloons to keep
Second, the class of sharks who want
to buy stakes on some claim, without
seeing it, not caring where it is or
what ii is worth. Just to stock 1t. The
people of this camp should only bear
a small part of this business as they
are mostly eastern people who are
looking up and pushing this kind of
jobbery. The papers are advising
against it. and rightly, toe
Victor at present has the greatest
number of paying mines. and the way
Victor and Cripple Creek people go for
one another can .best be told by the
poem | enclose. viz
WANTED TO KNOW.
A stranger from the distant east.
Begrimed with travel-stain,
One day got OFF at Cripple town
From an early morning train.
The Hotel Portland quick he sought.
His hunger to allay,
And after breakfast caught the clerk
And talked to him this way:
For weeks and months I've read about
The Independence mine,
The wonders of its treasure vaults
The walls with gold hat shine.
I'm curious now to view it,
And think I'll take a stroll;
Now what direction shall l take
To reach that mineral hole?"
The sad-eyed clerk with plying glance
Repressed a rising tear,
And answered with a faltering voice:
I OLA IlilSo East VI ucIc.
Just take the next suburban train
That goes to Victer-see?
And you'll find the independence
In that locality.
The stranger, disappointed.
Was silent quite a while
But broke the stiffness painful
With conundrumA OF this style:
We'll, what about the Portland?
That's hereabouts, I s'spose?
One of your famous Cripple mines,
rs everybody knows
I'll take a walk and look at that,
While I've nothing else to do:'
But the clerk just family murmered:
THAT mines at vt:for, too"
The stranger paused a moment,
Then gave it to him raw
We'll. where's your Battle mountain,
And the hill entitled Squaw?"
The clerk turned pale and gasped for
breath,
Keeled over on the floor,
And the subsequent proceedings
Interested him no more.
The stranger grabbed his grip
And hastened to the train
The chances are he'll not be caught
In Cripple Creek again.
The Doctor mine at Anaconda is a
sight to witness. One a OF ore
brought net 1873, 900, and there is over
a million in sight. Henry Dahl, form
erly of Laramie, is superintendent Of
this property al a big salary. Some
thought that a position of this kind
might affect Henry, but all are disap-
pointed. He is the same Henry Of the
past and just as, anxious to do a favor
as ever and If he al he always finds
place for a Laramie man. Tom Hale
John Burman, William McAlister, John
McFayden, Peter Nolan. Charley and
Herman Burton. Jack Sharp, Charles
Awar0ed
Highest Honor1-Wosid's Fair,
DIR