72

   

are all connected with the mining industry,
more orless The Regester, a daily and
weekly paper, enlightens the citizens on
the news ot the day, while the Teller and
the Granite hotels, provide good accommo-
dations for the traveling public.

Central is the center of an extensive
mining section, composed of small vil-
lages, camps, or ‘‘diggings,” some of
which number 500 and 600 inhabitants,
who purchase the greater portion of their
goods at the county seat.

The mountains surrounding Central and
Black Hawk—when gold was first dis-
covered jn them—were covered with a
dense growth of pine and spruce trees, but
they are about all cut off now, and the
whole mountain top and sides, with the
stumps and prospect holes, present a face,
— pock-marked,” we should say, were it a
child, beyond the recognition of its own
mother.

Gilpin county contains 19 quartz mills,
with 595 stamps, which crush 450 tons of
ore per day. We will now return to the

JUNCTION—cross the bridge and start up
South Clear Creek towards Georgetown.

Soon after leaving the station our train

arrives at a narrow gorge anda sharp curve |

in the road, where a huge spur of the
mountains projects out, within 200 feet of
its tall brother on the opposite side of the
creek; and as the train passes wnder this
over-hanging cliff, we enter one of the grand-
est natural anyphitheaters tn the world.
The mountain rises over 2,000 feet above the
stream which is here compressed to a rapid
torrent, thundering at its very base. The
scenery for the next two miles is unusu-
ally impressive. In places small pine and
cedar trees can be sen in the gorges and
crevices, which add an additional beauty
to the scene.

In places the space between the moun-
tain cliffs is just sufficient for the creek and
road; ia others, the road-bed has had to be
blasted out from the mountain side. :

About three miles above the Junction
the road curves to the right, opposite the
base of Floyd Hill, down which comes the
old wagon road, from Bergins township to
the south, and follows up the west bank
and crosses the creek at

Froyp Hinn Station—s 7-10 miles from
the Junction.

From this point up to Georgetown, 21
miles, the creek shows many evidences of
“placer mining,” and is one of the sections
alluded to on a preceeding page.

CROFUTT’S NEW OVERLAND TOURIST

 

Passing up, the creek bottom widens,
and the mountains are not as high.. Several
old deserted mills are to be seen, and some
work in the placer diggings along the
creek. Five miles brings us to

Ipano Sprines—situated in Clear Creek
county, on South Clear Creek, 22 miles
west of Golden, and 16 miles east of |
Georgetown—elevation 7,800 feet. The |
population is about 1,000, nearly all of
whom are engaged in mining in the vi-
cinity. There are some good blocks of
business buildings, a concentrating works,
several stamp mills, a bank, stores and
small shops of all kinds, many fine private
residences, and two large hotels, besides a
number of boarding houses. The Beebe
House is the principal hotel.

In April, 1859, gold was discovered in
paying quantities, on what is known now
as Chicago Creek, a small stream that
comes down from the south, opposite the
station in Idaho, but these placer diggings
were soon worked out, and then came the
search for quartz mines, the result of
which has made this county one of the
most noted in the mountains as a gold and
silver producing region.

Numerous quartz mills, and many rich
lodes are situated near Idaho. The Seaton
is on the side of the mountain, north, in
plain view from the town; Virginia Can-
yon coming in to the north, has several;
Chicago Creek, to the south, contains
among others, the Cascade, into which a
tunnel has been driven 550 feet.

Idaho, for its hot and cold mineral
springs—and swimming baths—has be-
come noted as an attractive summer resort.
jt is claimed the waters contain rare me-
dicinal properties, and are nearly identical,
in chemical ingredients and temperature,
with the celebrated Carlsbad waters of
Germany. Prof. Pohel gives the follow-
ing as the analysis of the water in propor-
tion to the gallon.

 

Carbonate:of SOda.....ccccecs cet eee a0 oe oe 30.80

o SMMC... ec cU ce aed (nek e.g Gat alto 9.52

ete SO IMaoMesTA ss iced sc . oat) 2.38

Ks Who MOM) oo ee dart Rinse «+0412

Sulphate of Soda. ec. 2 5 wees ee ee 29.36

Ure MB OTIGR A Ol ose ot eae aes 18.72

ee ON IME ee ak ook Le ba  enie 3.44

Chioride of Sodium... 20.25. 5.+., ipeioe eae. 4.16
Chlorides of Calcium aud Magnesium, of each

a trace.
Silicate or Sodas, os 50.0.5 men ee ee ewes ese as 4.08
Grains... 5.5... ae sein eee oeeels 7107.00

At the springs are two swimming baths,
one 80 by 50 feet, five feet deep, the other 20