, 1870-08-02


t5Ri]. by any reasonable means.
10 some of our party, Who we're recently
from The East, the scenery by the trail, and
especially through the canon, waa Awe inspir-
ing aud sublime But to old Colorad2ns in
general, and moun,ainee,s, it would be simply
the mountains rs remarkable, and numbers
ern1neuuy more wia-gr&nd md sublime.
The first night We canped Ut the head OF the
canon, twenty miles frum Canon City. Our
way throughthe canon was necessarily allow and
veA1ieome, yet we stumbled on, over huge
Honlders. through dense junsles Of mountain
shrubbe1y, every few minutes splaahiug
Through creek that zigzAgged across ouf
path atout forty times, in . distance Of five
miles. Night spread her sab1a curtain over us,
long before we reached the head Of the canon,
which was to be our camping place. Thus
were we confined in narrow mountain defile,
with bold, awful rocks and lofty mountains on
either hand, with cinmeriau darkness over u,
aud an appalling death-like silence all around.
Our sensations, while plunginX through the
canon in the fAco Of more than Egyttian
night, cannot well be described; it matle
our ears tingle aud our pulses beat 80 actively
tllat We imagined we could almoat hear them
thump. Our hortea instinctivcly t1embled at
eyery step. Ne shouted, sang, screamed, and
wllst1td, that we might dispel the weird and
Monotonoua Silence Of the deep gloom that
shut nj in. Our horses were sure-iooled, and
they c!ung to the pa11ow trail that wound us
up to the head Of tho canon with degree Of
inlsiEetise fortitu1e aud sell-rcG.nce that
greatly increased our attachment for the uoble
animals. Ny little French Canadian would
every now AID then stop aud look up the im-
n.erse perpendicular rocks that wcre to the
right and left OF us, as il contemplated tho
rugged grandeur Of tie bccne; but II shs
could catcll glimpse Of anything through tho
darkness, II was More than wo could do.
In EtritT THt ~ Al.
came to The wagon left by our friends ~ they
came down Here we arranged to put In the
resi- of the night Gro WAS Eullcd, coffee
Was prepared, and we enjoyed the hospitality
Of our trlends With keen relish, while our
pony lu1uriated on bountilul supply Of grasa
sud oass. We were wakenej at early dawn by
tho great number aud yauety Of birds thu,
resting place. Breakfast over and we moved
On. Our way for the naxt ten miles took III
through The bluffs and foot 1rills between the
dzst range and Wes. Mountain Valley. There
il nothing remarkably interesting pertaining to
that part oi the route. The road winds oyes
ard around the few hills. through little parks
Aud valleys, up and down and acrosa quite d
number Of email shining branches that were
almost hidden from view By the grandeur o,
grass along their borders. II the VAL
hy, nd our curioaitv is Al
onee heightened. For mi.es 70 The be
nSht And lett and in flcnt of us, we we're
greeted with scene resembling = smooth
tlslng, will = gentle swell. close up to the
western range. We enter the rRlsey near its
lower or noItLern end, crcss Snake Greek. ite
principal tributary. and arrive 1t Mr. VIM
foorls fot dinner, Here all things look in-
y1tlng. Their little milL-5ouse Oh tho brink ot
Swift Creek, 10 model Of neatness. Iheis
liable G1oaned beneath load Of such delcs.
nfc III no rNk m wat -,
ta'ns- Wo marked them as people Of cul.
ture and refinement which we found to be
true on further acquaintance.
l1eIe ntc fifteen or twenty families living in
fhis part Of the valley, and weekly additions OF
tne or more swell that number. The mail ia.
eitities arc very inronveuient; !; the mail route
should be directed through here, and an Office
Established IN this neiEhborhool. Wo Lupe
tue department will not fail to accommodate
these aspiring pioneers at an ea.ly day Canon
(,tf, iorty mules Away, is now their Post OIlce
sd.itets.
We 1e yet fifteen miles from Colfax, and
must hid adieu to this section Tor the present,
and hasten Oh to our Destination. Our route
II On the weet side Of Grape Greek, up the
valley and along the mountains which slop. to
the east. The most interesting feature Of this
ttlp, is the great number of streams that foW
aoWn from the western range. and debouche
their waters into Grape Creek, which dows at
fisht angles with them. running north through
the heart Of the valley, and debouching into
the AEkaneas short distance above Canon
CITY. We were obliged 10 splash through
nearly twenty considerable streams in m.kiae
that fifteen miles tie largest portion Of them
we're Of suitable size for good trout streams.
he when the earth melts With fervent heat,
and the elements roll up like scroll. Five
miles this ride Of Colfax, We pass on our right
beautiful body OF pine timber. embracing an
area OF about one thousand icres, owned, held
or claimed by one 81 Captain Horn & Co"
Colfax is situated on slightly elevated pine
ridge. about a half mlle in width, and running
Lack to The base OF the nounsains, = distance
ot two or three miles. The descent ia consid-
tiable to the east. With more moderate one
TO The north; while at the south the couutry
tises gradually above the town, and to the
vest come vt it rises two thousand feet above
she timber line.
The Germans have selected for their future
homes siEltly ind beautifully romantic place.
fetming mountain torrent dashes through
TIE grove near Its southern border, which will
+etve The town with pure water, and drive all
the manufacturing machinery they viii require
lot many years On Uut arrival Ut the colony,
We founo them clustered together under some
military, 1he babel Of tongues that greeted
ny ears IN the early morning, and 1t evening,
when they were ali IN from their several en-
ploymcnts, coming from the shroa.s Of three
hundred people. who were hAmmering
away with all their might, in English,
German, French, Mexican, Ita,ian, and some
half dozen other languages, al at the game
time. together with over hundred goats, md
= great number Of chickens, with eheep, dogs,
horses and cats. horrible peafouls and bray1ag
mules, I'll mAssed In two ac, Of ground. and
footing their horns 1t once, may be Imagined,
hut cannot be described.
TIKI fovv1 "a Ia 10, ia
each memt.er has assigned to hun one Of these
PARCELS The lots arc Ill surveyed and NUM-
bered- The members inuocentlv gamble for
their rlaces by drawing cuts. then each one
selects the acre that corresponds with his
number thrs they have no c4uee'f for COM
plains. The plan necus TO work very veil !;
It gives each family ample room for dxtllinss,
out. buildings. gardens, etc Shortly after our
arrival they commenced TO scatter upon thejx
lote, and in two Or three days but very few re-
mained Of the original cluster. Thus Was the
strange csnfuhiou broken scattered
through the forests, and buried in its
depths. Headqu.aztels had the Appearance
Of deserted village: And the little
store, and the tovnbouse, and the bell
that was suspended between two trees
nenr by-ths blacksmith ehop. the doctor q
s.ot, and few other tents. were Ill that re-
manned Of that ssraubliue, noisy. busy, bust
linE community that we're there on our a1.ival.
They had gone to work like an A,my Of beav-
e1s, each upon hia own little kingdom, clearing
away the underh1u.h. trimming up tho shrub
oe1E, fencing in their lots, collecting material
for their houses. and performing such inge-
nous lAtor - only tho thrifty and industrious
Germans have disposition to do. fipd it
Will rro!ong my letter to IN immoderate length
If enter into I'll the details that might Be IN
tefcsting pertaining to this entelptissng colony
md theis beautiful ralley. must, therefore.
genera1ize-
1he colony is cooperative company, each
nf the members having common and general
interest; They have President, yieo Preai-
dent and Treasurer. Their Secretary goes by
the name Of sbootkeeper." TIA original
terms Of admission to membership were $3.50 !:
with PRO rata increase OF ESQ per month.
So that to become = full member on
the fi1et OF June. With oqual rights
and privileges, required to be paid
's'e ~ md the II np r. za
$3.50, and 20 on. for time. Tha company is
organized for = tenn of fire years. and no
member has right to withdraw during tb.t
time unless he forfeit his admission fee, and
the labor he has already devoted up to date
OF withdrawal Members are not permitted to
do business: OF speculate independent Of the
company. II = member has money or other
eapit.l, he may loan it to the company IT. ten
per eentum per annum. They are chlzged IN
t,iyidr.Ily for everything obtained for them
selves sna families, and they are paid two dol
la.e per d1r out Of the compAny's fund for
each day'A work performed fut The coxapany.
They have machines adapted to every branch
OF business necessary to such colony. There
are eighty-six members Of the COMPANY, mum
berinC about three hundred souls They have
on The ground the machinery for N excellent
rnst mil and saw.milL One circular saw ia
I1cady IL operation, and the 1azge mil viii be
completed ~ithin ftw weeks. Their cattle