The Sun.
London, England, 1869-09-08 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 8, 1869.

COLORADO,

(From the Anglo-American Times.)
No. I.

Colorado, the Switzerland of America, though
now but a territory with less than 100,000 inhabi-
tants, exclusive of some 15,000 Indians, is destined
soon to become a State. For many reasons Colorado
may claim attention as the most interesting district
on the continent, not even excepting California.
The stupendous features of its scenery, its healing
climate, the richness of the valleys, the wealth of its
minerals, and the extraordinary character of por-
tions of its surface, are all instances in point, and
our readers will not therefore find fault with us if
we devote two or three pages spreading over as
many numbers to its description. We are aided in
this by a very interesting work by William Black-
more, au admirable compilation illustrated by large
maps, as well as by the pamphlet of Mr. J. P. Whit-
ney, of Boston, Massachusetts, who was Commis-
sioner from the Territory, to the Paris Exhibition.
Colorado was organized as a Territory from Kansas,
Nebraska, and Utah, and extends over an area of
106,475 square miles, running in length 400 miles
east and west, and in breadth, north and south, 280.
It may be divided into two portions, the eastern half
embracing a vast fertile, well-watered plain, desti-
titute of timber, but covered with a rich nourishing
grass ; but it is the western half which fascinates
the imagination, as it comprises that portion of the
Territory which resembles Switzerland. From
these densely massed mountains flow the Colorado
to the Pacific, the Rio Grande to the Gulf of
Mexico, the Arkansas and the Platte, the two
greatest branches of the Missouri. It is the
mother of rivers, and the gigantic streams
have noble sources. Interspersed through the
mountains, yet strangely connected, are wido
valleys, as extensive as Cashmere, and like it em-
bosomed in the hills Although these are nume
rous, there are four now pretty well explored,
all being designated Parks—the North, South,
Middle, and San Luis. They are in juxtaposition
and longitudinally annexed, the smooth area con-
taining 9,400 square miles in elliptic form, its
southerly bend ending within the territory of New
Mexico. Of these Parks, that of San Luis is by
far the largest and the most southern, being oval
in shape, with a length of 210 miles from north to
south, and a breadth of 100 miles from east to
west, its entire area being estimated at 18,000 square
miles. It is entered at the north by the Poncho Pass,
penetrating the Cordillera from the valley of the
Arkansas Through the plain flows the Rio Grande
Del Norte for a distance of 150 miles, entering
through the western rim and issuing in the south.
Nineteen streams descending converge into the
San Luis Lake, which is flesh, though without an
outlet. The Sahsvatch River rises in the Sierra
M ietnbres, and byan easterlycourse converges towards
the San Luis River, and both streams flow into the
lake occupying the centre of the Park for adength of
60 miles. The plain is smooth and continuous as
a surface of water with isolated, volcanic butes, an
immense elliptical concave bowl, intersected by 35
mountain streams, which descend from the gigantic
ranges wherein the plain lies low, though itself
6,400 feet above the sea level. Among these
mountains rise 17 peaks at equal distances, though
each differing in shape, the highest attaining an
altitude of 16,000 feet above the sea, or nearly
10,000 feet over the plain. Around the edge of
the oval valley at its junction with the moun-
tains runs a smooth glacis, resembling the sea
beach, the conjunction of the land with the ocean.
From it arise on every side the mountains until
they attain an elevation of perpetual snow, which
girdles the circle by a white rim. On the eastern
side the escarpment of the Cordillera rises
abruptly, on the western the crest of the Sierra
Aliembres is more remote, the intervening ridges in-
cceasing in height as they retire. This shelving flank
of the Sierras, completing the amphitheatre, has
a superficial area equal to that of the plain, so that
the enclosure within the encircling band of snow is
at least 18,000 square miles. Ascending to 5,000 or
6,000 feet above the plain, the snow line is reached,
and it is marked by its naked granite and snow,
equally around the basin. From this elevation the
interior is swept by the eye at a single glance, the
smallest objects being discernible with a telescope
through the brilliant atmosphere, and it requires
no great effort of imagination in our readers to
picture the scene that lies below. Governer Gilpin
in his description likens the Palk to the Valley of
the City of Mexico. They are twin basins of the
great plateau alike in physical structure. The park
of the City of Mexico is only a tenth part iu size and
grandeur that of the San Luis Park, but the simili-
tude, as component parts of the mountain anatomy,
is in all respects absolute, as in the other Parks
which occupy longitudinally the centre of Colorado.
Around the elliptical circumference of the plain,
following, as it were, the shore we have described,
here bending into the indentation of the mountain,
there pursuing its intrusion into the plain, is a road
of unequalled excellence, the circuit being 500
miles. Nor will it be difficult for our readers to
imagine the views presented to the traveller passing
on it around the basin. On the one hand, through
gorges clad in forests up into the skies, he traces
the rising mountains; on the other, spread in all
its grand extent, stretches what to his eye is a per-
fectly level plain, diversified with groves of alames
and volcanic cerritos. Away in the distance is the
blue water of the great lake, and streams and rivers
rolling solemnly over the level land in strange con-
trast with the brooks which come tumbling down the
mountains, at intervalsonixing their cold currentswith
the numerous hot springs, and forming a tempera-
ture which seems to delight the trout with which
they abound. At either extremity of the oval the
two giant chains of mountains appear to meet so as
to form the basin, and the scenery naturally
assumes a variety where the great rivers enter and
leave the valley. The soil is composed of the eroded
materials of igneous or basaltic rocks, underlaid
with these rocks, which Liebeg has pronounced to
be the most productive for cultivation. It yields
over 30 bushels of wheatto the acre,over 50 of barley
or buck wheat, and grows Indian corn fairly. Fruit
ripens luxuriantly, as springs all kinds of roots, pota-
toes being especially fine. Cattle, horses, and sheep
thrive all through the winter, the valley being pro-
tected by the mountains, and preserving a genial
and equable climate, it being predicted that the
choicest stock in America will yet be reared
it this favoured spot. Fort Garland furnishes a
proof of the salubrity of the climate, as though from
100 to 500 men are there quartered, not a death
occurred from natural causes during a period of
three years. The pine, with which the foot- hills
are densely covered, besides furnishing fuel, bear a
nut whereon pigs thrive. The pasturage is scarcely
interrupted by the winters, and though it dries up
gradually in August, the grasses retain all their nu-
tritious qualities. It may appear singular that a
wild region, almost unknown in Europe, and but
little known America, should possess the best roads
on that Continent, but we believe this to be a fact,
the natural tracks being scarcely surpassed in any
part of the world. There is now a population in the
San Luis Park of 24,000, Mexico-Americans, who
have remained within their mountain barriers, ex-
cluded from the world,though adopting the language,
religion, and the political and social institutions of
their rulers. Beneath the soil there is said to be a
continuous pavement of peat, which maintains the
saturation of the super soil. In the middle of the
plain is a perfect crater, with a diameter of 20 miles,
from the centre of which the wall around is seen,
forming a circle in height 500 ft et. It is perforated
by three rivers, traversing the liorthern, western,
and southern edges. The soil accumulated within
the basin is of the fattest fertilly, drained through
the porous formation which sintkrlies it. This sin-
gular valley, as the chief Park of Colorado, is at-
tracting much attention in America on account of
its singular beauty, but more still for the effect of
the attual,here on pulmonary diseases. From
Deliver the Poncho Pass, at the entrance of the
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not only for tourists and health-seekers, but
for emigrants. According to Mr. Blackmore it pre-
sents one of the finest fields in. the United States
for the industrious settler; and. it certainly might
well tempt the imagination, for; the gifts with which''

nature has endowed it make it more nearly in love-
liness appear the Garden of Eden than any other
spot on earth of which we have read, not even ex-
cepting the Valley of Caslnnere.

MIS CELL ANEO US NEWS.

-- o-

TIIE ELECTION COMMISSIONS.

e--ATimissioners of Bridgwater are very success-
fully prcseeuting their inquiries. They are now
examining the local wire pullers. Those of the
Liberals went about last year trying to ..et " a man
with money "to stand. To each one to whom appli-
cation was made they very particularly hinted tha.
he would be required to spend a good round
sum. They did not tell him in what way.
he was (of course) to infer that ; they thought most
to whom they spoke knew what was meant. Mr.
Pender, of Totnes notoriety, was one of those
requested to become a candidate. Tie could not do
so, however, as Totnes-was still burdening his hands
After searching far nd long, the lawyers discovered
Mr.Vanderbyl,and persuaded him to serve his party.
How the election was conducted on the Liberal
side; of the barefaced and open bribery, the obtain-
ing of some of the money from a member of a firm
in which Mr. Vanclerbyl was a partner, and the rest
from Dr. Kinglake, the brother of the candidate,
our readers know. That the Conservatives also
bribed is attested very conclusively. What is now
wanted is a revelation of their dark secrets.

At Beverley a most extraordinary reason was
given for bribery. A witness who had paid £25 for
votes stated he had done so as " a blind" to
draw out the Conservatives ' • that a petition might
be presented. How a blind should draw anyone
out is not quite clear. The Hon. Marmaduke
Maxwell, the Liberal candidate at the last election,
was examined on Monday, and stated that, so far as
he knew, not a penny of his money was used for
bribery. There was at first some mystery about a
sum of £2OO, which he had paid without asking for
any accounts. The whole matter was, however;
happily cleared up.