| Show OLD Oth PROSPECTOR VISION OF PAST Colorado Mountains l Have Lost Picturesque Character I I Denver Den Colo Cob Feb 2 Fanciful Fanciful dreams of tho the easterner who comes to the tho mountain st states ex expectinG expecting ex- ex to find the picturesque figure of the gold prospector searching tho the chase of ot tho the hills In a a. never ending precious metal aro are greeted with a rapid disillusionment The clad Individual with pack mules mule pick and shovel exists now largely In the movies though occasionally ono one comes romes across a a. survivor of ot the old d ty 8 to whom the tho appeal of ot tr treasure remains Irresistible With the tho exception of oC tho the years cars cars of oC 1915 and 2916 when discovery discover of ot tun tungsten tungsten tung tung- sten brou brought ht a horde of ot wealth seekers Beckers seekers seek Beck ers to the Colorado hills tile tuc search for or gold cold In this and neighboring states has steadily diminished hed since the tho height of ot the gold rush some twenty twenty- five years ears ago oso At tho the time old minIng mining min min- ing log men sa Bay tho the mountains were full fun of or prospectors searching for new Veins and placer miners miner panning the tho streams for tor gold old deposits Tho The new generation hasn't followed In the foot footsteps of tho the old and one ono of oC the picturesque featUres features fea fan tures of 0 western life lito is becoming ex ex- ex Mere Made Tho The explanation Is simple ProspectIng Prospect- Prospect Ing doesn't pa pay This Is the statement from mining men familiar with tho the situation The bl big majority of ot old prospectors spent their lives JIves in the hills bills without winning the fortune fortuno they sought They managed to eko eke out a abare abare abare bare existence occasionally making makinI a astrike astrike strike which would tide them thom over a winter In Denver cr and give them tho the start for tho the next years year's chase But they lived an and died poor loor men most of or them finding a a. resting place in tho the hills which they made mado their homos homes Discovery of oC their thell bodies In their cabins and caves built In tho thu side sido of oC the tho mountains told lold the talc tale It If a good food vein Is located the cost of ot developing Is prohibitive Expensive Expensive s sive e machinery must t bo ho Installed The Tho prospector must interest capital In MB his find and uncertainty as to whether the vein will fulfill expectations expectation tends to discourage o the tho treasure seeker Officials of or the state tate mining commission commission com corn mission are arc of ot tho the opinion that the tho really bl big gold God strikes already have been made and the they attribute the tho disappearance die ale appearance of the tho prospector to the almost certain knowledge that his quest will be bo unsuccessful Old Ohl Tunnel Funnels Tell 1111 Talc All An over oer the mountainous ro region Ion of ot f Colorado small abandoned tunnels bored Into the solid rock bear mute evidence of the tho shattered hopes of ot some prospector Abandoned sluices and smelters smellers speak of ot the days daB that aro no rio longer and of oC streams whose deposits of or their precious metal have been panned out In certain regions notably In the thc vicinity of ot Cripple Crock tho the ore oro Is mined In ln paying quantities but hut It Is la b by means of cO costly machinery that tho the gold old Is separated I from front tho the crushed ore are Moneyed InI in In- In have taken tho place of ot tho I Individual who found fortunes hero here I while tho the country was yet ot being de devol de- de vol op e L Or Oct r In the tho winter one ono finds In 10 t the tho 10 che cheap p lod lodging ln houses some Home grizzled vot veteran ran of or tho tim hills hills' v. spirit still IH le alive with tho the hope of or In tho the following summer Bummer and ho sets nets out In tho the spring a as an trusting trusting- ly hy y as all he started out Into the tho hills hifle every overy spring for tor a R. scorn score of ot years ears But Dut these aro are becominG fewer every year oar nl tho the old ohl life of or tho the mountain country coun coun- I try lives only In Jn tho the movies and memories of or tho the early days day I |
