, 1898-11-21

Houses-Dwellings All Occupied
Successful Building Associations
Another Bank to Be Established.
The town of Rawlins is probably en-
joying a greater measure Of prosperity
just now than any town of like popula-
ton in the west. This fact was ascer-
tanned by a Republican representative
who visited there Saturday. Every
business house has an air of push. en-
ergy and progress about it and all re-
port better trade than they have had
for years. Rawlins draws its patronage
from a wide extent of country. On the
south people ONE from clear beyond
the Colorado line to nurcnase supplies
ard on the north ana west the country
fer hundreds of miles is tributary. Ev-
cry day immense freight outfits may
he seen coming and going, bearing the
products of the country to the railroad
and returning laden with merchandise.
Perhaps the best illustration OF the
prosperity of Rawlins is her bank de-
formed the writer that the average d.
posts Of the First National bank for
the four years beginning May /. 1874,
ard ending May. /. 1898. was 1927, OG0.
Since May !, 1898. he average has beer.
100000. showing an increase of sl03.
000. During the present year the gold
dust, ETC.. which has passed through
the bank to the Denver mint has show !
an incrcaoC of more than 500 per Cnr..
This gold as come mostly from me
FCur Mile blazers. which are not a
dead proposition by any means. Fang,
ible evidence of this nature is calculat.
ed to make even the most sksHtical
come to the conclusion that there are
large quantities of the precious metals
in Wyoming.
The banking business has been so
good for the single bank at Rawlins as
to inspire m%oneyed men there with a
desire to a!art another one. The capt.
tai has been subscribed, the old France
building rented and the new financial
concern will be launched about Jan
uary l. Mr.. |. C. Miller, who will be
the president. is now in Denver pur-
chasing necessar! supplies. 1t will be
a state bank with a capital stock of
$50. 900.
There are no empty dwellings in
Rawlins, if two undesirable places may
be excepted. Money invested in tene-
ment houses pays from Is to 20 per
cent. Small buildings with four or five
rooms rent for from SIS to 800 per
month. according to location. A very
large percent of the homes are owned
that workingmen prefer to build for
themselves. They have been aided in
this laudable ambition by the local
building and loan associations, OF
which Rawlins has had several of the
most successful kind. The plan upon
which the association o in operation
is conducted is as follows: One hun
dred dollar shares. minus premium OF
20 per cent. interest rate 6 per cent.
The premiums frequently run above
80 per cent. the demand for money be-
ing so active. Rawlins people. like
residents Of Laramie, have also been
induced to invest in outside building
associations, but with the invariable re-
suit that they wished they had kept
their money at home. Their home as
ISOLATION has accepted, by resolution,
the new state law and will doubtless
now proceed on the perpetual plan, is
suing new series as required. The
amount of money put into new homes
in Rawlins during the past twelve
months, the greater portion Of which
came from the local building associa-
ton, is about $4,000. These homes are
mostly small. neat cottages. varying in
| value from 5 $1,000 to $4,000. All of the
residences of Rawlins, like her business
houses, have a bright, clean appearance
and there are evidences of comfort and
even luxury on every hand.
The new state p%enitentiary is finish
ed. 1t stands in the northern limits
Of the city and presents an imposing
appearance. Rawlins now awaits fur
Their legislative action providing for
the purchase of furniture for the insti-
tuition. 1t is a magnificent structure
a credit to the architect, the builders
and the state. ard a tasting monument
to the folly Of the legislators who pass
ed the act providing for its erection.
Mr. u II DunlaD the genial canahle