New England journalist Charles Dow had a gift for breaking down complicated financial information and news to make it understandable. In 1879, Dow was sent on assignment to Leadville. The train was full of potential silver mine investors, and Dow tried to add up their net worth; after ninety million dollars, he gave up. That was the first of Dow’s “Leadville letters.” They brought widespread attention to the town’s geology, mining and smelters – and the incredible wealth in its ores. Over the next few years, the wealth of Leadville exploded. It created financial dynasties: the Tabors, the Guggenheims, the Boettchers. And even Dow himself, who with journalist Edward Jones, started a financial reporting newsletter – aka the Wall Street Journal, and later the Dow Jones Industrial Average … still the way investors judge the overall performance of stocks.
About Colorado Postcards
Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado.
