The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-06-27

foRr COLLINS, june %, 1877

Dhring the two months Intervening
sinc6l left Ottuiiwa in search ofhealtl.,
! have tiaversed this territory from
Colorado Springs and the Pixies Peak
regDp on one hand to Sherman and
Che cnne stations on the other. III 4llis
short interval / have cxpsriencedsev-
eral phases of lifo and travel; ON the
broad plains andtia the grand and rug
ged mountains, by horseback, freight
wagon, coach and railway, alternating
the comforts ofhome, with. the. camp
fire, frying pan, old tin coffee pot and
q buffalo skin and blankets in the open
air My experience includes . fishing
excursion, in the course of which we
were encamped three days far back in
the mountains, and our palates
were made glad with speckled trout
and a bouatiftil supply Of feathered
game. A trip TO Cheyenne and back
with a loaded freight wagon, during,
which we we're out the better part Of
a week, and were once aroused at three
o'clock in the morning with terrific
rain storm beating down upon our up
turned faces, is one Of the most pleas
Acknowledgements Of tho past few weeks.
think an old soldier would rather eil-
joy life in the open air here, and what
with his tin plate and bacon, a peck of
dirt per diem, black coffee and pair
Of blankets, would thrive wonderfully.
The air IL sweet, the nights are dew
less, the rains are usually unfrequent,
summer camp life is a perpetual Joy
and pleasure. 81
| wish to say something in this let
ter about the climate Of Colorado, and
its effect on invalids. You may feel
assured that what / relate is strictly
truthful, and not drawn from an inn.
agination preposessed III favor of the
country. e 4. 1890
1 AT intervals it has been announced
that certain climate would furnish a
certain cure for pulmonary complaints.
Parts of Italy, the foot hills of the Alps
and the Mediterranean shores have long
been frequented by invalids who
felt unwilling to foregothe luxuries Of
life, just as recreation and fresh air affe
sought by . class of idiots at the crowd
ed hotels of the fashionable seaside
resofts.s Cuba, Aiken, Minnesota,
Florida have been extolled in turn, and
laterly the attention Of invalids has
been drawn to Colorado, as furnishing
the panacea to the most obstinate and
fatal Of human ills. Is this like the
others, a mockery? l declare not.
! have conversed with fifty persons,
residents Of this territory, who came
with hung disease, or with a complica-
ton of diseases affecting the lungs, live
Ell and Kidneys. The persons that /
so consersed with, are. after a resi-
dence OF from one 10 ten years, as stout
aud tealthy as the average American.
Among the number are men of in
telligence, who area Bile to give ration
al account Of themselves, and opinions
that are worth sometbisg. Tho Lead
ing business men ~ the country, the
foremost sa,sengfi all the enterprises,
the heavy stock growers, arc drawn
largely from the invalid corps.
do not see any sick, or even sickly
people here, excepting of course the
new arrivals. A doctor, man and a
brother, who has lived here for many
years, assures me that the exclusive
practice of medicine means beggary.
But one death from consumption has
occurred in this valley since its settle-
ment,-the case ola gentleman who
! arrived In the last stages Of disease,
with nothing left for the climate to
heal.
For the sake Of illustration / will OBJ
trude my own case for a moment.
When left Ottumwa in April, 1 was
annoyed by an incessant cough, and
was in the depths Of mental and phys
ical lassitude. Mine was not consid-
cred q forlorn case, but one that rcquir-
ed attention. To-day it would be hard
to convince a stranger that have been
under the weather at all. Two months
have apparently wrought complete
change. The unfavorable symptoms
lave disappeared.
For the business man. worn out by
close attention to business, tired, de-
pressed, sleepless, this climate is
complete restorer. A month in the
mountains is worth season Of three
months in any other quarter. BY
camping out, hunting, fishing, rough
ing il few. weeks, the man of bust
ness may go back to his labors reno
waited, new made, with frightened
faculties and renewed determination. |
The chronic invalid, il not far be-
You'd the middle stages Of disease
may expect q cure. He must not stay
around Denver, but should strike for a |
little town--the smaller the BETTER
near the mountains, as he grows accuse
toned to the light air, he may gradual
ly work up to higher elevations. He
should live as much as possible in the |
open air, should ride, drive, walk,
climb, sleep out with the arch Of
heaven for his canopy. There is no
excuse for the sick man remaining in
doors. Out side it is dry and cloud
less. warm and pleasant. the air thin,
light and pure, never soggy. raw and
heavy as it is near the seaJevel. With
some little enterprise, resolution and
discretion, he may in six months
emerge from his exile pillar Of
strength and the picture of health.
A word as to expenses. Most in
valids are perforce interested in the
cost Of travel and living in these local.
tiles. Travel by public conveyance is
expensive. The average Of fares is
ten cents per mile. But there is no
need 10 be dependent on others. Buy
q native horse" bronchos," they are
called-and furnish your own transport
tatiOu. A horse, e California saddle.