BULLION PRODUCT OF 1870. The Denver News estimates the total gold and silver yield of the Ter ritory for 1870, as follows: I am obliged to regard this estimate as altogether too high. The article which contained it showed the manner in which each item was calculated; and a revision of the whole, with additional sources of information, for which I am indebted to Mr. Schirmer of the Denver mint, and Mr. Jones, agent of Wells, Fargo & Co. at that place, leads me to substitute the following estimate, as the most accurate which I can obtain: The items of northern and southern mines in these estimates refer to the fact that much of the gold gathered in the mines of Park, Lake, and Summit Counties goes out, by the way of Colorado and Cañon Cities, to Pueblo, and thence east without coming to Denver at all. So of the product of the North Park, Snake, and White River mines in Northern and Northwestern Colorado. It finds its way to the line of the Union Pacific Railroad and thence east or west. The deposits at the Denver branch mint were as follows: In the last six months of the year there were 1,144 deposits, of the value of $586,249 93, showing a very gratifying increase in both number and amount. The following altitudes of noted localities, mostly within the Territory of Colorado, are taken from a pamphlet published by Colonel Baker of Central City. There are differences of a few feet in the determinations of many of these points. Thus, Denver, according to another good authority, has an altitude of 5,387 feet, which may easily be accounted for by supposing the observation to have been taken on the higher part of the town. Since, a third determination, made on the lower bottom of the Platte, at Denver, near the mouth of Cherry Creek, gives 5,303 feet only. Again, Georgetown is sometimes placed at 8,906 feet, a serious difference; and the Berthoud Pass at 11,562 feet, or 213 feet higher than in the table below. In a number of instances, Frémont's original hypsometrical determinations are given for comparison with more modern ones. 1. WESTERN PLAINS. Colorado City, 15 feet above water 6,342 Divide between Arkansas and Platte, on road from Colorado City to Denver.. 7,554 Tarryall, (South Park) Forty-six miles below Tarryall, on the Platte... Where the Tarryall road leaves or strikes Fontaine qui Bouille. Three miles lower down Junction, North and South Clear Creeks Idaho, (12 feet above South Clear Creek) Consolidated Ditch Office, (Missouri City) Level of Clear Creek at Empire City. Georgetown..... Ute Pass, (Frémont) 5. ALPINE SUMMITS. Mt. Audubon, (southeast of Long's Peak) 13, 402 Velie's Peak, (northwest of Long's Peak) 13, 456 Long's Peak, (approximately) 14,056 Mt. Guyot, (west of Georgia Pass) 13, 223 Pike's Peak Pike's Peak, (Frémont). Gray's Peak, (Argentine district) Parry's Peak, (northwest of Empire City, named by General Case) Mt. Flora, (a detached peak east of Parry's Peak). 6. MIDDLE PARK. Three-fourths of a mile from summit of Berthoud's Pass, (western slope) Hot Springs of Grand River, 25 miles from head of Park These formidable altitudes are indications of the difficulty of in communication between the different mining districts. Yet the en prise and skill of American engineers are not to be baffled by s obstacles; and it is safe to predict that railway communication, in so form, will, ere long, be extended into the heart of the mountains, say nothing of the plans of sanguine projectors, who talk already penetrating, by this line, to the Salt Lake Valley itself. At prese there are three railroads centering at Denver: the Kansas Pacific, co ing from Kansas City, the Denver Pacific, connecting with the Uni Pacific at Cheyenne, and the Colorado Central, which strikes from De ver into the mountains. The latter road has been completed to Gold City, a distance of about fifteen miles, and was opened for busine with appropriate festivities on the 24th of September, 1870. Anoth road, called the Boulder Valley Railroad, is in process of constructio from a point on the Denver Pacific, about twenty-five miles north Denver, to the Boulder coal-fields. It is proposed to continue the Colorado Central to Central City Georgetown, and some preliminary work has been done in Clear Creek Cañon. But the question of gauge, which has been considerably dis cussed, still remains unsettled. The narrow gauge, which has been employed with excellent economical results in India, Canada, Norway, and elsewhere, would be, it seems to me, just the thing for mountain branch roads, on account of its superior cheapness in construction and operation; but it appears difficult for the Colorado people to give up the idea of a great transcontinental trunk-line. The ambition of the pow erful Kansas Pacific Company seems to point in this direction. A narrow-gauge line beyond Golden City, necessitating transshipments at that place, would be a great local advantage to it, while the continuance of the ordinary gauge to Central and Georgetown would be better for those localities, if its construction and successful operation were feasi ble. My impression is that Gilpin and Clear Creek Counties will have to choose between the narrow gauge and nothing. Meanwhile, a bold and, perhaps, visionary scheme is said to be connected with the Boulder Valley line. I quote the following statement from a letter to the New York Tribune: The Kansas Pacific is a powerful corporation, and, properly, it is the line by which the Cotton States are to communicate with California and China; but, unfortunately, relative matura aut comme advantages of all the fuqi what town VaLd be a good place for smelting tions on such a pizi could be proper long it gets from ot My, in general than the most thorough and elaborate prodjunk mates as to the cost of construction and operation, Headpo amount of the certain supply of ores, and the more of just obtained, the assurance of success is not complete. The .........⠀ treatment, are of course indispensable, in atter all Ho of smelting works and the limited supply of ups, au hat gui Concerned, will bring about a fierce competition, in which mutual ad Tantages, and even metallurgical skill, may go down loture Iparchamp ital and shrewder business management. The proutnetium id Ho- mine but this cannot have an immediate effect, and meanwhile inamdalettameth may be gradually stimulated by the incrensel builting of trafmething the ability to pay high cash prices for ores, and what is more imperat ant-the ability to stop and stand still when prices do not permit proli able work, will give decisive advantages to some works, while others, less fortunate in these respects, are forced to follow the lead of rivala, putting prices up or down to get business, not daring to suspend ope rations, lest the suspension should be final, yet finding it equally ruin. ous to go on. I have seen this drama played repeatedly, till the curtain fell upon a sheriff's sale. The success of smelting-works at a distance from the mining districts, Pike's Peak Pike's Peak, (Frémont).. Gray's Peak, (Argentine district). Parry's Peak, (northwest of Empire City, named by General Case) 6. MIDDLE PARK. Three-fourths of a mile from summit of Berthoud's Pass, (western slope) Hot Springs of Grand River, 25 miles from head of Park 7. TIMBER LINE, North slope of Pike's Peak.. On the range of Berthoud's Pass Eastern slope of ridge leading to Gray's Peak. Southern slope of Mt. Flora.. On Snowy Range Mt. Audubon. Long's Peak. Wind River Mountains .11,700 to 11,800 11,300 10,800 10, 160 These formidable altitudes are indications of the difficulty of intercommunication between the different mining districts. Yet the enter prise and skill of American engineers are not to be baffled by such obstacles; and it is safe to predict that railway communication, in some form, will, ere long, be extended into the heart of the mountains, to say nothing of the plans of sanguine projectors, who talk already of penetrating, by this line, to the Salt Lake Valley itself. At present there are three railroads centering at Denver: the Kansas Pacific, coming from Kansas City, the Denver Pacific, connecting with the Union Pacific at Cheyenne, and the Colorado Central, which strikes from Denver into the mountains. The latter road has been completed to Golden City, a distance of about fifteen miles, and was opened for business with appropriate festivities on the 24th of September, 1870. Another road, called the Boulder Valley Railroad, is in process of construction from a point on the Denver Pacific, about twenty-five miles north of Denver, to the Boulder coal-fields. It is proposed to continue the Colorado Central to Central City or Georgetown, and some preliminary work has been done in Clear Creek Cañon. But the question of gauge, which has been considerably discussed, still remains unsettled. The narrow gauge, which has been employed with excellent economical results in India, Canada, Norway, and elsewhere, would be, it seems to me, just the thing for mountain branch roads, on account of its superior cheapness in construction and operation; but it appears difficult for the Colorado people to give up the idea of a great transcontinental trunk-line. The ambition of the pow erful Kansas Pacific Company seems to point in this direction. A nar row-gauge line beyond Golden City, necessitating transshipments at that place, would be a great local advantage to it, while the continuance of the ordinary gauge to Central and Georgetown would be better for those localities, if its construction and successful operation were feasi ble. My impression is that Gilpin and Clear Creek Counties will have to choose between the narrow gauge and nothing. Meanwhile, a bold and, perhaps, visionary scheme is said to be connected with the Boulder Valley line. I quote the following statement from a letter to the New York Tribune: The Kansas Pacific is a powerful corporation, and, properly, it is the line by which the Cotton States are to communicate with California and China; but, unfortunately, |