The Monte Vista journal., 1899-04-22

eral days ago. It Ia designed to reach
the various undevcloped coal and oil
fields of Wyoming rs well rs compete
for the great live stock shipping trade
Of the state. which Is now held by the
Union Pacific and Northwestern sys-
tens.
With the acqulescence OF the state
land board, the Great Plains Land and
Water Storage Company will take i'm
mediate steps to bring into Colorado
colony of 1000 families, comprising
about 10000 people. For some weeks
the company has been negotiating with
the land board for the purchase OF
1900 acres of school land In the Arkan-
sns valley near Lamar but such deter
mined opposition to the project has ap-
peared that the completion OF the
transaction has been delayed. Repre-.
sentatives of the company have ap-
penred before Register Chipley and
laid bare the plans of the concern for
the colonization OF that portion OF the
Arkansas valley In which the school
land mentioned is located. 1t was de.
cided that the board shall make an eX-
animation of the land under discussion.
and To do that trip to Lamar was ar
ranged. The members, accompanied
by representatives Of the company and
by Il committee representing the oppo-
sition, will make the journey In few
days.
The Denver & Rio Grande hospital at
Salida was destroyed by fire on the
18th. The alarm was sounded Mt o
O'Clock and when the fire apparatus
arrived the roof was burning. The fire
nripinn tnI N ri n In, fbs,
framework of the roof. An insufficient
pressure of water prevented effective
work by the fircmen and citizens. who
volunteered. and 1t was soon evident
that the building n fine thrce-story
structure. was doomed. About thirty
patients Were in the building. but all
We're removed In safety and taken to
various houses for care and protection.
There being no wind the building
burned slowly, so that most of the val
liable furniture and fixtures were
saved. The fircmen kept streams of
water playing ON the upper floors. SO
that the first floor is not entirely de
stroyed. The hospital was one OF the
finest buildings In this section OF the
state. md Is the property OF the En-
ployes' Relief Association of the Rio
Grande system. 1t Is amply insured
and will be at once rebuilt. 1t IL
thought that none OF the patients Will
suffer in consequence Of hasty removal.
". $. stratton has sold his Independ-
ence mine mt Cripple Creek to the Ven
ture corporation OF London. This Is
the largest mining deal made In this
state for many years. The price OF the
property Is not stated. but 1t Is intimat-
al that Mr. frn will
million dollars for the mine. The
story Of the Independence mine is one
OF the romances OF Cripple Creek. and
Is familiar to most OF the people OF
Colorado. The discovery wns made In
1880, and from that day to this there
has not been n day when Mr.. Stratton
has not been active In Its development.
In spite OF discouragemcnts. including
that most gricvous OF NIL discourage.
mcnts-povcrty-hc persisted In work
Ing the claim. sometimes singlc-hand-
ed. until after two years he was en-.
abled to make his first important ship
mcnt. In lSc the net profits OF the
mine amounted to 100000 In the next
three years the mine has put into cir.
culation more than S4.OOO,OGO In gold.
OF which fully one-half was net profit.
Very rich ore bodies remain I'm.
touched In the mine. valued ut several
million dollars.
The Rocky Mountain News on the
18th said: II was reliably learned last
evening that deal WAS closed In New
York on last Saturday whereby tn.
Midland Terminal Railway Company,
the Florence u Cripple Greek railway
and the Florence Reduction Works NJ
Florence had been sold to u London
syndicate for Ss.OOoSS. The deal has
been ON foot for the last six months
and VAS consummatcd In New York
on saturday by Mcssrs. ID. IL. MofYat
and Eb.n Smith. Details OF the deal
are mcaIcr. but 1t Is minated that il
means great deal Tor Denver. ns II Is
thought the syndicate viii build the
long ng-contcmplaicd air lin. To Denver.
connecting with the Midland Terminal
near Divide and Colorado Springs will
thereby be cut out Of large amount OF
business from the Cripple Greek dis.
irict. The Fiorcnc. 4 Cripple Greek
road extends from Florence 10 Cripple
Greek. II has paid large profits sine.
the day II was built. Mr.. MofYa: and
his associates nrc r.puted to have taken
out Of u about all that II cost them.
The Midland Terminal extends from
crippl. Greek north to Divide and IL
about twenty-five miles long. To con
meet II with the South Park line. In the
vicinity ~ Symcs or Dcnnsbury, about
forty miles Of new rails must be laid.
Except for the windinrs nccessitat-d
by passing through the mountains,
there viii then be nm air line from Den.
yer to Florence. passing through the
Cripple Creek district The distance
from Denver TO Crppl. Greek will bc
about ninety miles. or little more than
the disinnc. from Denver to Colorado
Springs. There viii bc created u new
north and south line Of railway run.
ninx behind the front range Of the
maintains