The Daily Texarkanian., 1899-07-27
OVER THE ROCKIES IN AsTAGE.
Trip to Cripple Greek, the Richest
Mining District in the World
Editorial Corresnondence.

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have had my second experience
upon the overland stage, in a trip
over the Rocky Mountains from
Colorado Springs to Cripple Creek,
years ago 1 rode in a stage in going
to Llano, Texas. This second ex-
perience was rocky" and exceed
ingly rough, but now that it is over
/ do not regret having taken it
33 miles between these two Colo
rado points around Pixies Peak
Mauitou on the east and Cripple
Creek on the west side, and re-
quires about nine hours to make |
the trip. In going west we climb |
the mountains for eleven miles, ,
up the celebrated Cheyenne Can
yon-from this distance, several |
thousand feet above, a fine view is |
obtained of Colorado Springs, nest
led in the valley below. At the |
'half way" house we had splen-
did dinner Just before getting to
this station, we had an indistinct
view of Pueblo, forty miles distant
atmosphere was hazy A noun
tain brook called "Middle Beaver
Creek" runs within a short dist
ance of the half way house, and,
having noticed a fisherman with
several fine "speckled beauties,
mountain trout, in going over, took
a rod aud tried my luck enroute
back, instead of getting dinner;
but was unsuccessful, although had
a number of opportunities, as they
would not get hooked, and in the
very shallow stream that is only al
tentative Used a grasshopper for
bait, and line without sinker, allow
ing bait to float down stream.
Brook is only few inches deep
and eighteen or twenty inches vide,
runs very swiftly.
At Cripple Greek met my good
friend Dr. H W. Kirby, brother of
Senator W. F. Kirby, who located
here four years since, and has built
up a fine practice. He kindly drove
me all over the city behind his fine
trotter a thoroughbred; also showed
me the sights after night-yisited
the numerous pleasure resorts,
dance halls, etc. Cripple Greek, as
is well known, is in the richest min
ing district in the world-some two
dozen or more men have become
mlllionaires by rich strikes, and
hundreds of others won fortunes up
in the hundreds of thousands, but
while this is true many thousands
have lost their all in a vain search
for the yellow metal Every year
millions of dollars of gold is mined
here,
In the summer of 1891 the first
gold ore was discovered upon the
site of the old town, and many mi
ners earned good wages with the
pans, washing the surface dirt, In
1895 a big fire destroyed two-thirds
of the place, but it was soon rebuilt
in solid brick business blocks and
now few places Of fifteen thousand
population can boast of handsomer
business property or more eXten-
sive stocks of the various lines of
goods kept by up-to-date business
firms, Few cities can show hand
somer show windows, Population
is now estimated at 10000 with
suburban incorporated towns Of
Victor with over 10000 Altman
5000; Alconda, 1000; Golddeld
5000, Elkton 1000, all within the
mining district. 1t has an electric
railway, electric lights, waterworks
etc, There are about sixty or more
saloons, numerous gambling dens,
and little regard is had for Sunday
There are few residences of any
pretensiou-small cottages and pa
per houses Of one room, predomi- |
nate, Teller county named after
Senator Teller was recently estab-
ished cut off El Paso, and Cripple
Greek expects to get county seat. |
This will furnish many "fat Offices" |
out here school director gets good |
pay and city aldermen of Cripple |
Greek receive 500 per month aud |
stationery County Judge makes
several hundred besides rake off
on side, so | am told Here is
fine opening for a few of the chron,
ic Office seekers of TeXarkana. Bat
l digress, Among the largest
mines are, the Independence, Port
land Gold Coiu, Strong, Victor
Buena Vista, Jefferson; aud hardly
one Of the men who have won fort
uue but what have gone to Denver
to make their home, although the