In order to furnish better transportation facilities for the mineral of this district, and to emancipate it from the freight embargo that has virtually fettered its commerce, citizens of Leadville have determined to construct a broad gauge railway down the Arkansas Valley to Pueblo. This will enable Leadville merchants to ship goods through from the East without breaking bulk, and lay them down in their warehouses as cheaply as the same commodities could be laid down in Denver. This will insure Leadville the control of the business of the Gunnison country, whose mineral developments are spoken of in the highest terms. Propositions from Eastern railroad contractors have already been received, preliminary surveys have been made, and $200,000 guaranteed to the stock subscription. It now seems to be only a question of what method to pursue in constructing the road. Growing out of the broad gauge movement, to some extent, two or three narrow gauge enterprises have been organized. One is projected from Leadville to Salt Lake City, following the carbonate belt, as shown in Hayden's Geological Map, around through the Eagle River, Roaring Fork, and White River Agency districts, into Utah. Such men as H. A. W. Tabor and C. B. Rustin stand at the head of this project. Another narrow gauge road is organized to be built into the "Ten-Mile" and Breckenridge districts, where the famous Robinson Mine is located. Should the broad gauge be built this summer to Pueblo, there is little doubt but that narrow gauges would ramify out from Leadville into every mineral bearing gulch that was found accessible. W. Leadville, May 6, 1880. * * * * * MECHANICAL INVENTIONS. Mr. William B. Hickman, of Sterling, Kan., has patented a swage to be used in welding the triangular bar which is to form the flange of a plow point or share to the body of the same. Mr. Lucius S. Edleblute, of Cincinnati, O., has recently patented what he calls the rubber cushioned spoke and hub. This is an improvement in the class of vehicle wheel hubs having an elastic band or annular portion which surrounds the journal box and on which the butts of the spokes rest, so that the wheel is rendered elastic and more durable, also comparatively noiseless when running on stony pavements, roads, or streets. Mr. George Richards, of Boxbury, Mass., has patented a steam muffler composed of two plates of a diameter very much greater than the diameter of the pipe through which the steam escapes from the boiler, so that the steam has room to expand before escaping to the outer air, its expansion effectually deadening the noise caused by the passage through the contracted escape pipe. * * * * * THE BABY ELEPHANT TAKES A BATH.