Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-07-21
3 tvE NToN IS VIEWED
BY HERALD PRESENTATIvEs

rise bare and rugged above timbe
line. showing here and there the re
mains of the Fourth of July snow
Slyerton basks in her basin-like plair
beneath warm, sunny skies rhe d
n r G. railroad brings the travele,
cyof crag aud canon through forests
aud Wild mountain elens. ever VIM
in- upward into the pretty mining
town among the lofty peaks of west
arN Colorado. and deposits him at
IT, end Of the line whore rugged sum
mits echo to each other and to the
ouyer-hanging clouds. the constant
whirr of industry.
The two first impressions that Sill.
vc4iol gives are favorable and un.
favorable. Everything shines in the
bright sun neat and clean. until ones
thoughts go back to the far famed
New England kitchen where the pans
and kettles glow like mirrors and the
white smooth floor is scrubbed clean
enough TO eat off Of But to IL
ken Silverton to New England
kitchen may appear to some people
as a descent from the sublime to the
ridiculous, so we will refrain from fur
ther comparison,
The mountains, with their spruce
covered sides and snow-fecked peaks
are grand, sublime! 1t is the magnifi-
cent scenery of the Scotch Highlands
celebrated in undying verse. that al
WAYS comes to the writer's thoughts
when viewing the glorious scenes of
Colorado. and fills the heart with
such sentiments as inspired the poet S
pen when he wrote
is there man with heart so dead.
Who never to himself hath said.
This is my own, my native land?"
Standing on the plain of the broad
natural basin. where Silverton lies.
and looking upwards at the vast tombs
of untold riches on every side. CHS
eled by nature to the grandeur which
BELTS the treasure within. who would
not feel his heart thrill with love to
think that this noble country was his
own. his native land?
The unfavorable view of Silverton
is its dearth of shade trees. Nowhere
in business or residence street. in
park or garden. rises one of those ma
throw its grateful shade over the hot
dry earth. The sun. nearer by 1O,-
600 feet than at the sea level. pours
down its constant unrelenting rays
until the gravel streets and plank side
walks are heated like the floors of
ovens and everything burns
Silverton has a very prosperous
look this summer In every direc-
tion is heard the sound of hammer
and saw and pick. From the mills
TO the smelter, from the railroad track
10 the opposite hillsides. new build
ings are going up. There is a fine
store block on Greene street near
ing completion. brick Jail at the end
of Reese street gradually rising, stores
in various places, a boarding house,
fine two and three story residences
in the aristocratic portion of the town.
and many cottages near the railroad
tracks. around the mills and up to-
wards the mountains. In building
this season, Silverton is leaving Du
range away behind Several of the
stores and residences in all parts OF
the town are resplendent in new paint
Repairs. great and small. are going
on in every direction. porches and
piazzas are being added to some of
the houses, new walks raised, fences
erected roofs reshingled, and improve
ments of every description are evil
dent throughout the town The roads
too, show repairs in various places
There is not tumble down old
nI,1 in, t,A boil t,,,
looks as if it had been recently built,
and the newness had not worn off
Most of the finer residences have
lawns and flower beds, and although
there is not the display of vegetable
and plant culture that is seen in the
lower country towns. yet Silverton
has many pretty and hourishing gar
dens, and even the dwelling houses,
from the mansion to the log cottage,
has its collection of potted plants in
blossom. giving it bright, home look.
On the outskirts are several little
cottages. some newly built. of rough
logs or boards They have. however,
the same prosperous look that prevails
generally over the town, and in one
of them the toughest and smallest of
the lot, where white curtains added
to the general look OF cleanliness a
woman's voice rang out in a flow of
song such as can come only from a
heart that is overlooking with joy and
contentment.
There is one sad thing about Silver
ton. 1t has twenty-nine saloons and
only three churches, and the saloons
seem to be all larger, better kept and
better patronized than the churches.
The stores OF Silverton are notice
able for their brightness and clean
illness. as well as their thriving bus
mess. There is no where the dingy,
crowded, untidy look which is too of
ten seen in the stores of town and
countries. There seems to be plenty
of room in Silverton, and everything
is orderly and clean as in the finest
stores Of our lagrer cities.
Long professions of burros with
prospecting outfits strapped to their
backs are common sights in Silver
ton. Slowly the patient animals plod
along toward the mountains, with one
or two bronzed prospectors on horse