The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-07-14
COLORADO'SLOSS
OREGON'S gain

Paul Strain, who has just returned
from the monopoly. mining dis
tricts OF crushed Colorado, says that the
state OF affairs at Victor and Cripple
Creek Is almost heart rending. Fear Is
on almost every face. II men stop and
talk one with another, in the street or
elsewhere, where they may be seen,
officers arrest them and they are thrown
into the foul bull pen or banished from
the commonwealth they helped to build.
Distress is pictured on the countenances
of women and children, homes are des-
olate and the suffering Of the masses is
beyond human thought at this distance
from the seat of all these troubles. Mr..
Strain says that when he was there,
there was no such thing as free press
or free speech. He says, indeed, that
he was reminded Of Siberia and the
military authority of the czar in this
trust-ridden state OF Colorado. He says
that the stores OF Cripple Creek, Victor
and Goldfelds are nearly all closed. The
small provision stores are afraid to
keep their doors open, because they
have not the means to sell on credit,
and no one has money to pay for any
thing in these camps at this time.
81 bought the Two large stocks OF
clothing, hats, caps, furnishing goods
and shoes of the Colorado Clothing Co.,
which did business in Cripple Creek
and Victor. l also bought very select
and handsome stock in Goldhelds
These goods were received at about the
time the mines were closing down, and
the stocks were almost in tact, 1Ht
Colorado Clothing Co.'S. stores were well
filled to the ceiling with the best selec.
tion of merchandise ever saw outside
of the largest cities of the country, the
inventory showing a value of $l47 ,0OC
and all this immense stock was knocked
down to me for $2S, 900 spot cash. This
it will be perceived, is less than 10 cents
on the dollar Of the Wholesale cost OF
thegoods.
Business men are leaving Colorado
with the intention OF never returning
The bard hand of vexation and Of neeC
is upon them, Cr me is rampant every
where, life is insecure, confidence OBJ
liberated and business dead. Men lool
on their neighbors with suspicion
husbands have been dragged away from
their families and wives from their hus
bands. Chaos is visible everywhere
men who are guilty of no offense what
ever, are hurried before military tribu
mails that remind one strongly OF the
stormy days of the French revolution
noticed that the men who were ban
ished under military guards had not the
appearance OF foreigners, but seemed tC
represent the best types Of American
manhood 1 have ever seen. They seemed
to me to be natives of such states as New
Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania
Ohio, Illinois, and possibly Missouri anc
Kentucky. | saw no drunkenness what.
ever and could scarcely realize that these
fellows were under the ban of the law
General Bell appeared to me as very
anstere commander. II he had beer
trained in the military schools Of Europe
] could have understood his bearing ;but
1t was strange to me to behold such con
duct in an American.
However, in q mercantile way, Col
oFado's loss will be Portland's gain.
These tons OF goods you see around me
come from that sorrowful region ia
make glad the hearts OF patrons OF the
Hub and Sarains, and from o'clock to.
morrow morning until every dollars
worth of goods have been disposed of
tremendous slaughter will be the watch
word here"
And Mr.. Strain turned away to direct
his little army that seemed to obey hi.
command as implicitly as the soldier,
obey the commands of General Bell
They were marking down and stacking
up goods in every direction, and viii
doubtless be ready for the multitude:
who will be with them in the days tC
come, beginning with tomorrow morn.
ing.-Portland Journal.