Year: 1879

1t Is estimated that there are at leas


100, 900 men prospecting in Colorado th
summer. These men do not waste thei
time, but work hard from early morn unit


late at night, climbing and tramping owe


the toughest of country. and digging in tn,


hardest of ground. Led ON and on by thu


widest of enthusiasm from one place tC


another, now in one country where a rich
strike is reported-then over the noun


tains to the next place, where fortune i:


sure for any one that comes-but it turns


out about the same in each case; it is


disappointment everywhere. Come with


us along the Chicago creek near Idaho,


with your trout rod; fishing has been
good. and as black and stormy evening
approaches we will go back to a good


shelter and comfortable night. But as


We struggle along over the rough ways OF


the canon, let us stop moment TO view


but one Of the many prospectors scattered
over the Rockys. He is setting on rock


beside the prospect hole, that hole in the
hard ground which has cost him DAYS of
exhausting work to hollow out, his head
slightly turned to one side, is resting up
on the hand, which in turn is supported by
the handle OF his pick. The long, white
beard, flowing over the rough miner coat,
belongs to a face with a discouraged and
tired-out look. while the eyes, with their
far-away expression, as if they were gaz-
ing into the distant past, show plainly
enough that he has not struck pay dirt. y
This lone man as he sits there in the ap-
preaching darkness appears TO be in every
way in sympathy with surrounding nature.
The black and ragged rocks rise thousands
of feet, upsn eithsr side, while, scattered
over them, the scrub pines, hanging from
every cTevice give out their mournful wall
in chorus with the rushing waters Of the
creek. In the background, up the canon,
is an impenetrable blackness, while over
head from ridge TO ridge the threatening
clouds are arched. With one exception the
scene is one which Ruskin aptly calls noun
tain gloom. THIS exception is q cloud at
one side of the gorge brilliantly Illuminated
by the setting sun. and from which is
thrown a single stream Of light across. the
valley. touching the hair and the forehead
of the miner, and bringing out his features
in strong relief. Lei us hope the miners
gloom has an invisible stream of light across
lis dark track in the shape Of some pleasant
memory Of the past. The old man probs-
bly, knows there is but one bonanza for ten
thousand proSpectors. Still, with the fasci-
nation that leads on the gambler. and
against far more fearful odds, he will try it
again. Tomorrow he viii perhaps cross
over the mountains to Leadville; and as
the chances are ninety-nine to one that he
will net strike: he will either get out Of
the mountains, add Onemore to the $50 silent
sleepers, not covered by the sod, resting in
the carbonate camps city of the dead, or,
if he has friends, be one Of the scores ship
ped Easi for final resting place. One
hundred thousand prOspectOrs in the noun
tains, One-quarjer Of them in and around
Leadville and Ten Mile; thousands upon
thousands Of prospect holes, and less than
fifty paying mines in this locality; thous-
ands around Silver Cliff, aud half dozen
paying mines-these are facts the prOspec-
tors does not appreciate until it is too late.
In the first place the vein is 10 be found.
That may he comparatively easy; but will
it pay to work it: is the important rIestIon.
II it will pay, has the miner the Capital to
develop it! Suppose a vein few inches
thick running through solid rock; ii cost
from S25 70 $50 per foot to run shaft or
tunnel to take out the ore. This ore, after
shipment, milling and other expenses, will
ordinarily just about clear the cost There
are scores of mines that are considered good
strikes that turn out just this way or much
worse.