Denver labor bulletin., 1917-08-04
BOULDER COUNTY IS THE HOME OF GREAT TUNGSTEN
AND OTHER METAL MINERALS OF VAST VALUES
70 BEF

boundary extends almost to the valley.
The coal fields are separated from it
by less than dozen miles, making the
price of fuel for power very reason
able. The splendid water power fur
nished by the mountain streams is
utilized in turning the wheels of the
mills and mines and in the generation
of electricity that is carried far and
near-costing no more at the mine
high up on the mountain top than that
at the one in the lower canons. The
climatic conditions are unusually ia
vorable, except for period during the
winter months on the higher ranges.
The natural advantages have initiated
as hindrance, as well as help. The
accessibility of the district made it
favorite base of operations of the
fakir and "wildcatter." The stringent
avs of the land, and the activity of the
Boulder Commercial Association and
of the Metal Mining Association, have
made this form of graft decidedly un-
healthy and unpopular.
With a well-equipped railroad cut
ting the mineral district in twain and
reaching to the very foot of the Arapa-
hoes; with splendid wagon and auto
mobile roads connecting every camp
and every district; with power lines
carrying electricity to even the remote
phones and post offices, and all the
other comforts of civilization at hand,
the mining industry is shorn of the
hardships and privations that are so
often its attendants in other sections.
The miner is able to read his daily
paper on the date of issue, and he may
read it by the light of an electric lamp
instead of tallow candle. In compar-
ing the Leadville silver boom with the
Boulder county tungsten boom, Editor
L. C. Paddock of the Daily Camera,
Boulder, says, "When we try to COM
pare the tungsten boom with that at
| Leadville, we fail in one or two re
spects. We recall the long dirty roads
that led from Buena Vista up to Lead
vile over which great outfits of wa
gons drawn by twelve or sixteen mules
plodded slowly in cloud of dust, the
| teams overtaken by Colonel Sander
sons stages now and then, hubs of
stage knee deep in dust or mud.
Trudging wearily by the side of the
road were men seeking the new Ell
Dorado or eating off "sow bosom" in
open camps beside the road. The lat
ter was literally strewn with the dead
bodies of horses and mules, animals ex-
hausted by their labors or that had
died from over-drinking from the cold
Arkansas. Now men reach this new
FL Dorado in fewer hours than days
were then required. They come in
automobiles, clouds of flying machines
on wheels burning up, but not destroy
ing good roads. They carry food with
them and their tents and cooking
equipment-not on backs, but comfort
ably in their cars. Where men slept
on floors of saloons, dance halls and
gambling halls, because of lack of 9TH
er accommodations they pitch their
tents here and have at least clean tenn
porary abodes with nearby stores.
Where they died by the hundreds from
pneumonia, caused largely by drinking
poor whiskey at twenty-five cents a
drink, we have healthy men, no sa-
looms, no gambling houses, no brothels
to consume their earnings. Instead of
gliding prostitutes, our miners buy an
automobile and keep bank books. In
stead of buying booze they buy gaso-