Gilpin observer., 1916-02-24
A TALE OF TWO CITIES

This caption that adorns the from
tispiece of Charles Dickens (the
English novelist) great masterpiece,
is significant inasmuch as 1t Is coin
cident with an event in American
history.
This famous novelist began the
writing OF the Tale OF Two Cities"
in the spring of 1859, or about the
time that Black Hawk and Central
City were teing founded, and the
tale of their marvellous wealth IN
gold was being herelded to the
world. Dickens novel refers to the
French Revolution, and is in a great
measure fictitious, while tile tale OF
the two American cities is found
ed upon facts that can be verified
by many of the oldest inhabitants.
While tie great novelist was leis-
urely employing him self at Gad's Hill
IN bringing forth his last historic al
novel, the prairie Schooners" were
dottirg the 900 miles of the then
american Desert" with caravans OF
gold seekers, journeying to the two
Eldorado cities tfat are bu'lded in
the rocky chasms of the mountains,
just east Of the great Continental
divide.
John Gregory ard his little band OF
Georgia gold seekers, WHO had jour-
neyed to this land IN the summer of
1858, and found plenty of gold in the
streams, were OBJ 'iged to re'urn to
civilization that fall fer food and
shelter. Their exhibition that win
ter of large bottles of gold dust,
created such enthusiasm in the far
east and south, that thousands pre-
pared to leave civilization behind
and trust to fortune in this new
found land.
In the spring of 1853, Gregory and
party returned and uncovered the
rich Gregory gold f'ssure at Gregory
point, the first pan of dirt from the
surface returning $3.50 in gold dust.
By June of that year large caravans
Of immigrants were daily pouring in
to the district, and on june 8, 1853,
Horace Greeley, editor and proprie-
tor of tie New York Tribune, and
his party arrived at the diggings THAI
already had a population of 5000
souls, with 100 being added daily
Mr.. Greeley, after witnessing the
gold in plenty, heirg parned frcm
the sands at Gregory point. made a
public address to the miners, where
in he prophesied th.t these everlast-
ing hills would produce wealth
enough to finance the nation, and
upon his return, published tie maxim
that has immortalized his name. 60
West Young Man, Go West
On May 81, 1865, Schuyler ColfaS.
resentatives, and afterwards vice
president of the United states. Wis
tied Central City and delivered an
address to the miners from tie bal
stood at ;he head of Main street,
closing his remarks by the reading
of personal message from Presi-
dent Lincoln to the miners of the
district, wherein he congratulated
them on having discovered a land,
rich enough in gold to pay the ma
tion's debt. Put before that MESA ge
was delivered. the hand that penned
it was already cold in death from a
bullet wound from an assassin's gun.
Since those days the country i'm
mediately surrounding these two cit
les, have produced 1925, 100000 of
the nations wealth frcm the NAM
9th fissures where the Supreme
Architect of the Universe lad i'm
planted the golden quartz to un-
known depths, and the tale of the
1.-Two Cites IS again about to
startle the world by rivaling their
heretofore gold production.