Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-06
CONDITIONS MUCH BETTER
Controller Eckels' Impressions on His West
ern Trip.
The Improvement Began With the
Farmer and Extended to the
Other Classes,

Mr.. James H. Eckes, the controller of
the currency, who has been absent from
the city several weeks upon an extensive
trip through the west, has returned to
Washington.
Il visited Montana. Colorado, Utah and
Nebraska" said Mr.. Eckels to a Star re-
porter today. There is no doubt that the
condition of all classes of people in those
states has materially improved. The i'm
provemeIt has come rapidly and perme-
ates all lines of industry. 1t began with
the agricultural class. The farmers have
large crops and are getting good prices for
them. The cattle raisers are benefited by
substantial increase in the price of cat
tle and the same is true with the sheen
ralsers. The improvement in aericulturaI
interests has had its effect upon the rail
reads by increasing their earnings. 1t has
but money into circulation, and has en-
apled people to discharge their debts and
thereoy berefited the merchants
In the course of my journey I saw a
great many bankers, and they all reported
good business. Bank clearings have in
creased very materially, and bank deposits
In Colorado there are actually more
rien az work in the mines than ever tefore q
IN the history of the state, notwithstand-
ing the fact that many silver mines have
been compelled to close Some of the sill
yer mines. however, are running and are
dcng We'll by getting out the lead deposits.
Ihe price of lead has advanced very sharp
ly' ana as great many of the silver mines
are also lead-bearing properties their own
ers are working them at profit
1t would be foolish to attempt 20 deny
the 1act that the people of that section are
a'tached to silver and to any policy which
would seem to be in it's interest They ire
hoping that something may be done to
raise the price of silver, but In the mean
,ime they are not sitting down ,dly and
holding their hards.
They are developing every resource of
the state. and Colorado Is one of the rich-
est In the Union. l believe it will he pos
sbie Tor the state to produce within its
Iorders every staple that its people need.
manufacturing enterprises are spylneinn
up on every hand, and with wool at their
very doors. wooden mills are running at a
profit.
The gold mining region of Cripple
Creek 1 believe to be the richest section
upon the globe. Cripple Creek is sending
Out {; million dollars month in gold taken
from its mines. The town is building w
rapidly, and L was struck by the fact that
II maintains public schools of a high order
OF excellence.
The agricultural interests of Colorado
are oeihS rtpldly developed by the aid of
irrigation Che president of the Denver
ana RIO GraEde railroad told me that four
years aSo he endeavcred to bring to Den-
Yer one car lead of Colorado fruit, and
could not get it. Now the road transports
hundreds OF cars OF the finest fruits as it
has been found that they can be raised in
Colorado.
Coming back by way of Nebraska, l
FOUND the same gratifying conditions of
BUSINESS III that section. kansas, Nebras-
ka and Oklahoma have. sold 13u 900 UDD
htshets CT wheat this year at an advance
price. Fortunately the producer has been
benefited by the advance, as the wheat was
III his hands when the rise in price came.
mat IS Il great section, that western coun-
try, and l think that the government Off
Gals ought TO visit these states more fre-
quehtly and get in closer toucn with these
pie