Colorado, its gold and silver mines, farms and stock ranges, and health and pleasure resorts : tourist's guide to the Rocky Mountains

Preface

r^HIS volume, as its name implies, is devoted to Colorado. Its con¬ tents are descriptive, statistical, and historical, and embrace a detailed account of the State’s resources, productions, and progress. For general convenience it has been divided into four parts. The first of these will answer for a traveler’s guide, and relates to routes of travel, health and pleasure resorts, scenic attractions, and climate. The second part is historical, and the third contains much information concerning the State at large and the farming and live stock interests. Part fourth is devoted to the mines. As mining is Colorado’s main industry and source of wealth, it receives the space and attention its merits deserve. The statistics in this department are of the most elaborate character, and are as accurate as time, labor, and research could make them. The narrative of gold and silver mining possesses enough of romance and adventure to interest the general reader, and the descriptions of mines, and of mining and milling, together with statements of requisite out¬ lays from beginning to end, will prove especially serviceable to investors or capitalists. The author has endeavored to furnish a compendium of useful and general information concerning Colorado, and trusts this book will meet the present requirements of the public in that respect.

Part First. Page

Geographical Features . 1-5

Routes of Travel . 5-19

Elevations of Towns, Mountains, Passes, etc . 5-19

Points of Interest, and how to reach them . . . 19-38

Distances and Fares . 19-33

Summer Resorts. . . . . . . 33-42

Denver — Pueblo . 33-42

Colorado Springs — Man i ton . . . 33-42

Union Pacific Railway System . 42

Colorado Central and Kansas Pacific Railways . 42-48

Health and Pleasure Resorts of Central and Southern Colorado . 46-53

Grand Canon of the Arkansas . . . 49 and 112

Twin Lakes and Veta Pass . . 50-51

Into the Mountains and Gold and Silver Mines . 54-68

Mountain Railway and Stage Lines . . 54-60

Central, Georgetown and Idaho Springs . 60-66

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway System . 68-76

Denver, South Park & Pacific Railway . 77-85

Route to Leadville and the Gunnison . . 77-85

Towns and Cities of Colorado, alphabetically arranged . 85-102

Mineral Springs and Waters . 107-111

Part Second

Early Colorado History. American Acquisition of an Inland Empire.

The first Discoveries and the March to the Land of Gold. Annals

of the Fifty-niners . 117-125

The Pioneers of 1860-63. The Rich Rewards of Placer and Lode

The Eastern Mining Excitement and Investments of 1863-4. The

Indian War and its Effect on Frontier Settlements . 133-137

Discovery of Silver in Colorado . 138

Political History. The State Movements of 1864-6. Territorial

Record of Gold and Silver Mining, from 1864 to 1874 . 143-146

The State Movement of 1875-6, and the Admission of Colorado into

the Union . 147

State, Senatorial, and Congressional Elections . 147-148

Growth, Progress, and Remarkable Prosperity of the State . 149-152

VI

CONTENTS.

Part Third. Page

General Review of Colorado's Progress, Resources, and Statistics _ 153-163

Assessed Valuations of Stock, Real Estate, etc . 155

Population, Area, and Valuation of Counties . 156

Population of Towns in 1870-75-80 . 157-158

Miles of Railway . 158

Public Schools and Colleges . . 159-163

Crops of 1878-9 — their Extent and Value . 171-172

Stock Growing and its Record in Colorado. The Round Up . 175-180

Numbers and Value of Cattle and Sheep . 180-181

Farming and Stock Growing, Statistics and Information. The Crops

Extent and Location of Agricultural Lands . 189-190

Post Offices of Colorado . 193-195

Newspapers of Colorado . 196

Part Fourth

Mining for the Precious Metals. Description of Lode and Placer

Weights and Values . 206-20 8

Definition of Mining Terms . 208-215

Colorado’s Mineral Resources . 215-224

The Rocky Mountain Mineral Belt . 215-218

Costs of Mining in 1880 as compared with former years . 219

Land Offices and Costs of Government Titles . 222

Methods of Extracting the Precious Metals . . 225

The Stamp Mill, Smelting and Amalgamating Processes . 225-234

Description of some Colorado Smelting and Reduction Works . 234-245

Colorado’s Mining Product from the First Discoveries down to 1880 . 245-253

Boulder County Mines and their Production . 253-283

Boulder County Reduction Works . 259-260

Caribou Silver Mining District . 261-271

Telluride and Gold Mines of Boulder County . 272-283

Gilpin County Mines and their Product . 284-381

Gregory and Bobtail Lodes . 299-313

Gunnell, Prize, Fisk, and other Mines . 314-323

Quartz Hill, the Kansas, California, etc . 324

Rollins, Wyandotte, and Russell Gulch Mines . 340

The Gilpin County Silver Belt . 350

Clear Creek County Mines and their Product — Georgetown, Idaho, and

Red Elephant and Empire Mines . 382-386

CONTENTS. Vii

PAGE

Georgetown Silver District and the M ines of Republican and Demo¬ crat Mountains . . 387-394

Georgetown District and the Mines of Sherman, Brown, and Leaven¬ worth Mountains . 395-403

Leadville and California Gulch and their History . 404-418

The Carbonate Belt and its Formation . 419

Leadville Mining Product . 422-423

Leadville Smelting Works . 424

Leadville Mines — Iron, Breece, and Carbonate Hills. The Iron-Sil¬ ver, Morning Star, Leadville, Argentine, Glass- Pendery, Breece,

Miner Boy, Highland Chief, and other Mines . 427-443

Leadville Mines — Fryer Hill, the Chrysolite, Little Chief, Little

Pittsburg, Robert B. Lee, Amie, Climax, and Dunkin . 444-400

Custer County Mines — Silver Cliff and Rosita. Production, and Re¬ duction W orks . 461-480

The Bassick, Silver Cliff, Plata Verde, Bull Domingo, and Humboldt 461-480

Summit County Mines and their Gold and Silver Yield .

Ten Mile, Breckenridge, and the Valleys of the Blue and Eagle .

Park County Mines — their Production and History. Mounts Lincoln,

Bross, Mosquito Range, Moose, Dolly Varden, and Sacramento. .

The San Juan Region — its History and Production. Rio Grande County, South Mountain, the Little Annie, and other Mines .... Hinsdale County Mines — Lake City, the Crooke, and other Smelters,

the Ute, Ule, Ocean Wave, Belle of the West, Palmetto, etc .

San Juan County — Silverton, the San Juan & New York and the North Star Companies, the Animas Forks, Mineral Point, Poughkeepsie Gulch, and Sultan Mountain Mines .

Ouray County Mines — Sneffels, Dolores, and the Miguel Districts _ 543

Chaffee County Mines, and Monarch and Alpine Districts . 588

Grand, Larimer, and Routt Counties . 562-563

The Gunnison Region — its Extent, Resources, Towns, and Mines _ 564

The Coal Mines of Colorado— their Product in 1878-9. Mining and

Coking Operations . . 577-582

Appendix

Total Yield of Prominent Mines . 583-5S4

Yield of some Prominent Mines in 1879 . . . 586

Mining Product of States and Territories in 1879, etc . 585

Wages of Miners and Mechanics . 586

Census Statistics of 1860 and 1870, etc . 587-588

U. S. Senators from Colorado . . 588

Colorado State Officials . . . 589

Returns of State and Congressional Elections, 1876-8-9 . 590-591

Territorial and Former State Officials . 591-592

Vlll

CONTENTS.

LEADING MINES.

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MANY PROMINENT MINES, AND NUMBER OF PAGE.

Alps-Mackie, 336 ; Alps of Leadville, 440 ; Amie, 455 ; American, 275 ; American Flag, 338 ; Allied Mines, 547 ; Aspen, 529 ; Argentine, 429 ; Astor, 387.

Bassick, 466 ; Bates, 321 ; Boston Company, 491 ; Bobtail, 305 ; Baxter, 394 ; Buell, 319; Burroughs, 334; Breece-Iron, 437 ; Black Hawk Silver District, 350 ; Bull-Domingo, 478.

California, 329; Caribou, 262; Cashier, 317; Chrysolite, 445; Climax, 456; Colorado Central, 400 ; Columbia of Boulder, 282 ; Crescent, 433 ; Crooke M. and S. Co., 518; Coldstream-Phoenix, 395 ; Colorado Prince, 438.

Danville, Dolly Varden, 504 ; Dunderburg, 396; Dunlcin, 456 ; Dunkirk, 893. Evening Star, 434 and 575 ; Empire District, 885 ; Equator, 403.

Fannie Barrett, (2), 490 and 508; Fisk, 322 ; Flack, 335; Forks, 335 ; Free America, 382 ; Freeland, 370 ; Fryer Hill, 444.

Gardner, 329; Gregory, 299; Gunnell, 314; Grand View, 552; Great Republic, 386 ; Gray Copper, 281 ; Golden Age, 278 ; Geneva District, 381.

Highland Chief, 439 ; Hukill, 367 ; Humboldt, 462 ; Hidden Treasure, 329 ; Hercules-Roe, 398 ; Hibernia, 459 ; Howard’s Fork, 550.

Iron-Silver, 427 ; Idaho, 270 ; Illinois, 337 ; Independence, 575.

Junction, 388 ; Jones, 323.

Kansas (2), 325 ; Kent County, 338 ; Kirtley, 402.

Leavenworth, 340 ; Leadville, 431 ; Lebanon Tunnel, 394 ; Little Annie, 515; Little Chief, 450; Little Pittsburg, 452; Lone Tree, 376 ; Loveland, 508; Long and Derry, 430 ; Last Chance, 574 ; 1 jead Chief, 573.

Matchless, 456 ; Melvina, 275 ; Miner Boy, 439, Monarch, 562 ; Missouri Moose, 503 ; Morning Star, 434 ; Murry, 378 ; Mountain Queen, 540 ; Moun¬ tain Chief, 562.

Native Silver, 268; No Name, 270 ; North Star (2), 533 and 532 ; Ni Wot, 2S2.

Pay Rock, 394 ; Pelican-Dives, 389 ; Phillips Pitkin Mines, 546 ; Pocahontas, 462; Printer Boy, 407; Prussian, 281; Prize-Suderberg, 322; Plata Verde, 475.

Red Elephant, 382; Robinson, Rollins G. M. Co., 342; Rico, 551 to 553 ; Revenue, 381 ; Robert E Lee, 457.

Saco, San Juan and N. Y. M. and S. Co., 528 ; Silver Cliff, 470 ; Sheridan and Smuggler, 549 ; Smuggler (3), 278 and 575 ; Sherman, 270 ; Seven Thirty, 271; Summit County M. and S. Co., 488; Stevens, 399; Slide, 275; San Miguel Placer Mines, 554; Silver Islet, 570; Sacramento, 509.

Tariff, 492 ; Terrible, 397 ; Tilden (2), 400 and 559 ; Tin Cup, 571.

Ute and Ule, 519.

Virginius, 544.

Wyandotte Cons., 340.

Yankee Boy, 545 ; Yellow Pine, 281.

Part First. Chapter X

TIIE GENERAL RECORD OF THE CENTENNIAL STATE — HER REMARK¬ ABLE PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY — GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES AND NATURAL ADVANTAGES.

At the present time Colorado is attracting more attention than any other one section of the country. This is true as regards moneyed men as well as with the masses. The tide of emigration that is setting so strongly in that direction, and a growing disposition for mining investments, indicate a general belief in Colorado’s supe¬ rior prospects for labor and capital. So widely prevalent an opinion can only be caused by continuous prosperity and great natural wealth. That Colorado deserves the reputation and renown she is securing, her present rapid advancement and growing productions attest. Brilliant as her recent record has been, it is evident that it can bear no comparison with that of the future.

It is generally admitted that Colorado is the most prosperous division of the West, or of the whole country. This is due to her varied and extensive resources, developed and taken advantage of by an enterprising and intelligent population. It is fast being demon¬ strated as an established fact that Colorado’s mineral resources exceed those of any other western state or territory. These will soon be developed so that she will surpass all other sections in pro¬ duction. Added to mountain locked treasure vaults of gold and silver, and endless deposits of coal and many valuable minerals, are agricultural and stock-growing lands of an extensive and most productive character. To crown the whole are climatic advantages that have made the State famous far and wide, and an empire of scenic attractions, such as no other region in either hemisphere can boast of. Thus, while her gold and silver veins are astonishing the world and enriching her people as well as outside investors, and her farms and stock ranges are extremely remunerative, her fine climate and grand scenery attract as many health and pleasure seek¬ ers as her mines do settlers and investors.

Colorado is situated in the centre of that part of the United States lying between the Mississippi river and the Pacific ocean and British America and Mexico. The eastern section of the State em¬ braces a portion of the great plains, while the central and western divisions are mainly composed of mountain ranges and their offshoots, with occasional valleys and plateaus of great extent. The Rocky mountains here attain their greatest elevation, and from their summits and slopes rivers flow to either ocean. Colorado has an area of 104,500 square miles, or more than any other state, excepting Texas and California. It lies between the thirty-seventh and forty-first parallels of north latitude, and extends from the one hundred and second to the one hundred and ninth meridians of longitude. It is almost square or rectangular in shape, having a width from north to south of very nearly two hundred and eighty miles and an average length of about three hundred and seventy miles from east to west. It is west of Kansas, north of New Mexico, east of Utah, and south of Wyoming.

The great plains rise gradually from the Missouri westward for six hundred miles to the base of the foot hills and spurs of the great mountain system. The elevation of the western limit of these plains is usually about one mile above sea level. This broad and level expanse is destitute of timber, except along the river bottoms, but is covered with nutritious grasses that afford excellent grazing for cattle and buffalo. What are known as the “foot hills” are the less elevated portions of the mountains. These gradually in¬ crease in altitude for a distance westward of from twenty to fifty miles, where they merge into the main or “snowy range.” Some arc smooth and rolling and others rugged masses of rock and earth, but all more or less heavily timbered. The “Continental Divide,” or higher portion of the mountains, is usually from forty to sixty miles beyond the base of the hills first mentioned. The eleva¬ tion of this divide is generally from 12,000 to 14,400 feet above tide water and several thousand feet above the line where timber and nearly all vegetation ceases. This has been termed the backbone of the American continent. From its eternal snows, crystal lakes, and sparkling rivulets, streams are formed that eventually unite and make great rivers. Here the Arkansas, Platte, Grande, and tourist’s guide.

Colorado start on their long journeys of two thousand miles or more toward the Gulf of Mexico or California. Western Colorado is made up of mountains, hills, plateaus, valleys, and ravines, extend¬ ing on to Utah or Arizona. The gold and silver bearing belts and districts are confined to these mountain chains, hills, and ravines. Most gold sections are of less average elevation than those of silver, although there is no great degree of regularity about this. Many silver lodes and deposits are situated on the highest peaks and near or above what is called “timber line.”

The parks of Colorado are a distinct and remarkable feature of this mountain system. They are generally composed of level or i oiling lands, covered with luxuriant grasses, and dotted here and there with groves of timber. They are firmly walled about with mountains grand and high, and are watered by streams of the purest character. It is evident that these parks were the basins of former lakes at an early period of the world’s history, and that they were subsequently deprived of their water by volcanic agency, while their original outlines were retained. The largest of these are called San Luis, South, North, and Middle Parks. The moun¬ tains of Colorado are covered, up to elevations of from 10,800 to il,800 feet, with pine, fir, spruce, aspen, and other forest trees. Above the region of timber all is bleak and barren rock and “slide,” varied with the occasional presence of stunted grass and flowers.

tourist’s guide.