Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-25
The Valuable Leadville Carbonates.


Kansas City, but there every trace of him
is last.
The Valuable LeadviIle Carbonates.
1.-THE next great discoveries were in and
about Breckenridge and the South Park
A great deal of gold was taken from the
placer mines in that -neighborhood but the
war demoralized everything and practically
no progress was made In Colorado mining
until the Leadville carbonates were dis
covered in 1878 by w. II. Stevens of De-
troit. while placer mining in California
Gulch. The discovery was entirely acct
dental While he was sluicing. this very
heavy mineral kept clogging up the sluices
Stevens tried to get rid of 1t at first. then
became interested, had 1t analysed and
found that the lead was loaded with silver.
Stevens induced L. Z. Letter of Chicago to
furnish him capital and located a great deal
of ground under the name of the Iron
Silver Mining Company. That company still
exists and Is paying large dividends. After
Letter had made many millions he sold
out and the mine was abandoned and filed
with water. About five years ago the water
was pumped out machinery was in
stalled and 1t is now being worked on
business basis. Stevens died in Detroit last
year. He never became as rich as Letter
but kept his money and was very rich
man.
Career of H A. w. Tabor.
lin 1873 or 1879 H. A. W. Tabor ap-
pSdIeu Tie was Il hdiiSdS iildtl anu
served in the legislature of that state. He
came into Colorado with yoke of oxen
attached TO a prairie schooner. and curl
ously enough drove his team directly over
the rich gold fields of Cripple Creek on his
way to California Gulch, where he set up
a grocery store and served as postmaster
He grub-stas ed two prospectors named
Rische and Hook who discovered the Little
Pfttsburg mine on Freyer Hill. Tabor
bought out his partners and worked the
mine with great success until he became
one of the richest men in Colorado. He
finally sold the property to j. b. Chaffee
and David H. Moffatt, and removed to Dem
yer. where he invested his money in real
estate and started the boom that developed
that city. He built the Tabor block, which
was the finest building between st. Louis
and San Francisco; and the opera house.
which was equal to anything In New York
at that time and cost nearly million dol
lars. He built another opera house at Lead
vile. and for ten years was the most promi-
nent and the most progressive citizen of
this state. He inspired the improvements
In this city. and 1t Is not saying too much
to attribute to Mr.. Tabor the credit of do
Ing more for Denver than any other man.
But he spread out over too much territory.
He had too many irons in the fire. He went
into politics, which cost him a great deal
of money. and became involved in mines In
old Mexico New Mexico, Arizona, where he
was deceived and betrayed. He got so
deeply involved that when the panic of
1898 struck the state he went under and
died poor man.
Mr. Blaine's Wealth.
James G. Blaine came into Colorado In
1850 and made millions of dollars In con-
nection with Jerome B. Chaffee. Stephen B.
Elkins, R. C. Kerens. David H. Moffatt and
others, who were in what was called the
Maid and Henrietta combination That
ran until after the discoveries at Cripple
Creek when they leased the properties.
which are still being operated with good
suits.
"Then came the Cripple Creek period.
which Is fresh In the public memory, and
the Greed excitement. which was almost as
great. Cripple Creek was undoubtedly the
richest mining district in the world for It's
area. / believe that not less than $14O.-
COG. 600 has been taken out of that camp.
That developed several interesting charac-
tiers. of whom the most prominent was
'Wyn Stratton. but | believe you wrote
about him and Bob Womack. who discov-
cred gold at Cripple Creek. when you were
out here last fall"