DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN ROUTE. 15 
was built near the spot where, in 1859, John H. Gregory made the 
second great discovery of gold in this region.® 
A few miles above Forks Creek the canyon becomes less rugged. 
The first level bottom land the traveler has seen since leaving Golden 
is occupied by the town of Idaho Springs (altitude 7,556 feet), which 
is noted both as a pleasure resort and as a mining center. The waters 
are mild solutions of carbonate and sulphate of soda and have tem- 
'This discovery is oo as fol- 
lows by E. S. Bastin 
In romantic intehost and as a record 
of this region can 
by any 0o 
h rpassed ther 
chapter in the history of the “ win- 
Ss decade after 
di 
quantities near 
of the richer veins of the region had 
been discovered and many new de- 
5 
o 
and early growth 
precious metal from the counties of 
twi Ag 
metals to the value be more than 
000. 
The gold-bearing gravel was small 
in quantity and was worked out 
mainly in the early years of mining. 
Since then the gold has been taken 
mainly from veins. Most of the veins 
ores are gold a 
nue he veins 
de or 
than that of the waters w Pa 
brought up the gold and silver he 
from lower levels. oe 
_ (See Spurr, J. E., and cares, G. ae a 
