The Florence daily tribune. (Florence, Colo.) 1898-1903, 1900-10-30
HOW FLORENCE dRowS.J
An Expert Tells What He Has
Learned of Florence
Prosperity.

One million dollars in improve
ments is the record Florence is
making for the year 1900. No
other valley town in the state can
equal it, and only the large cities
and important mining centers will
surpass it. Mills, smelters and re-
duction plants, on a large scale,
for the treatment of the ores from
the Cripple Creek mines, have
come unsolicited and unsought;
the business center has grown
from few towering blocks at in
different intervals, to an almost
solid mass of big buildings with
handsome fronts and elegant inte-
riors. New residences of modern
architectural design and rich fin
ishings now occupy the spaces
where but short time ago the
verdant Mexican Yucca reared its
crowned head and the festive jack
rabbit found his home. In the
oil fields, with the telephone and
the electric light systems, pro
gress" has been the watchword,
and great industries have reached
out and covered the land. Even
the schools have felt the impetus,
demonstrating the erection of anoth-
er edifice at an expenditure of
$4,000.
With all this has come an in
creased population. So fast is the
town growing, numerically, that
with all our boosted improvements
and rapid addition to the residence
section there is woeful shortage
of dwellings for the accommoda-
ton of the families who are seek
ing homes in our midst. Many
come and are forced on to Canon
City, where special effort is made
to supply houses for all who apply,
To illustrate: Something like 200
houses have been built in Canon
City during the twelve months last
past. That means 200 families, at
least, to say nothing of the scores
that have been willing to put up
with any old thing that would give
protection from the elements.
Had these found homes in Flor
ence it would have made a percep-
tible difference in population and
added greatly to her Importance
as a municipality.
But to resume. The reduction
plants Rave been a particular fea-
ture this year. One that the peo-
pie of Florence can point to with
pride and say: "This is one de-
partment of industry that contrib
utes largely to our immense pay
roll" And as the volumes of
smoke roll from the great chimneys
the merchant can smile with salts
faction as he views the scene and
calculates that therein rests the
foundation of his business; fore
runner of good times and prosper
Gus conditions. Florence will ever
be collective point for the labor
ing classes, because of these and
her other industries, and hence is
a most desirable speculative point.
For the producers of wealth are
they who build cities and commu-
mites by the sweat of their brows
in their daily vocations.
When one stops to summarize he
is simply DUN bounded by the ar
ray of figures that confront him,
and he is 10th to believe that his
senses are not deceiving him. For
example, let us go down the list:
Milliken Mill .............. 1878 900
Rocky Mountain Smelter ..... $4,000
National Gold Ext. Plant. $3.50. 10000
Dorcas Mill acknowledgements. $4,000
1875 Residences . 10000
Sewer System ............ 81, 500
Business Buildings. ........- 3,500
Oil improvements. .. 1900
School Building ........ 1900
IN