Two Letters From Boomtown Leadville, Colorado Describing The Location: Three Classes Of People: Speculators, Gamblers, And Working Men I Fill My House With Lodgers Every Night At Fifty Cents EachThere Is One Hundred People Arrives Here Daily

(LEADVILLE,COLORADO). Archive. Two letters from Leadville, Colorado during its silver boom times:ALS. 4pg. 5 x 8. February 6, 1879. Leadville, Colorado. An autograph letter signed James Wright to Mr. McAllister: I take opportunity to send you a line to let you know how I am getting along and what my experience has been in the West so far. I intended to settle in Kansas but on my way out I found they were selling corn for 20 cts a bushel and I concluded it would never pay me to farm there so I came on here and found this place all excitement owing to the Big Strike they making in the Carbonate Mines here. To give you an idea how property rates here I know a person who offered to sell a piece of property for $500.00 three weeks ago and the same property was sold last week for $5000.00 so you can see what a chance there is for speculation if a person had the money to do it with. The population of this place is made up of about three classes of people: speculators, gamblers, and working men. The rate of wages are as follows: Miners get from $2.50 to $3.00 per day, Carpenters and Blacksmiths $4.00, common labor $2.00. All freight has to be hauled about 150 miles. There is no farming done here. There is men here today that could not get trusted for a one week's board today and tomorrow they might get trusted for $1000.00. There is a great excitement at a place called Ten Mile. There is lots of eastern money going out to invest there. I have rented a Hotel for one year but I think I will sell out and go to Ten Mile too. Tell Sam that if he would come out here he could get good wages here and if I could spare the money I would send for him at once. If he is coming tell him to come by way of Cannon City [Caon City]. The fare will be $15.00. I fill my house with lodgers every night at fifty cents each. Tell my woman if she wants to come out here she had better come right away as I am keeping bachelor hall. You can tell her how to come. There is one hundred people arrives here daily. I think there is more property changes hands here in one day than is in Harrisville in a month. If Ester is to come tell her bring the best clothes with her for what I sold there I could not buy her for $300.00. You will give my respects to Mr. Reed and ask him if he plays Seven Up now and others who may ask of me. There is three lines of R.R. coming into this place next summer. They plan the more they work on them. They are hiring all the men they can get. Yours with respect, James Wright. The letter has a mounting strip on the fourth page. ALS. 3pg. 5 x 8. July 16, 1880. Leadville. An autograph letter signed Robt Wright written in blue ink: I write you a few lines to inform you of my whereabouts and something about my Rocky Mountain home. I landed here the 12 day of Apr. I like it very well now. I am mining, get $3 per day work 8 hours. It is not hard work. This is a Rich Camp, good place to make money. Everything is high cost to live here. Health very good. The population of this city is 45 thousand, quite a business place. There is snow on the mountains all the year, pleasant here in the valley. A Rail R. in four miles of the city. I want you to write and tell about that note I give you to collect. You wrote me before I left Kansas that Jim Wright had taken the papers and had them recorded. I cant get no information from him about it that is satisfactory and you also said Jim would pay me the money when I got out here. But he refuses to do any such a thing. I want to know all the particulars. I want to know how it is recorded and the amount and when it is due. Write soon as I am anxious to hear. Direct to R. Wright care of M. J. Sulivon [Sullivan] Box 2696. Yours Respectfully, Robt Wright. The letter has two chips and is in very good condition.