The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1873-07-10
LETTER FROM DENVER.
WHAT A CA1ROITE THINKS OF
THE GRANDEUR OF
CLEAR GREEK
CANYON.

~ Especial Correspon ence OF the Bulletin. ]
Editor Bulletin:
~ DEAR SrR-Much has been written
n concerning the beautiful scenery Of Color
ado, but for the benefit OF the readers OF
n your journal will Il mus, confess in
language inadequste) undertake TO por-
tray the grandeur of at least a portion of
this Switzerland Of America" lester-
day l accompanied an excursion from
this city TO Black Hawk and Central City
through Clear creek canyon and over the
Colorado Central railroad. / WAS a, once
impressed with the idea that no American
should go away from home TO see noun
tAins. No tourist can be parGonel for
4 going abroad ignorant of the natural re-
sources Of his own country. Something,
At least, he ought ia know of our leading
natural wonders before he should take
passsge for . foreign land, and among
these preparatory studies should he take q
ride over the mountain division ofthe Col.
orado Central railroad
Leaving Denver at am, we arrived
n At Golden 3, 9 am. a right pretty, bust
ling town is Golden, situated Il miles
4 from Denver between foothills that shut
out the plains and mountains and that al
mos, shut out high Heaven itself. From
there We soon whirlcd into the entrance
OF the canyon out Of sight and sound
Of Golden. Our little engine now begins
to snort and pant right furiously as the
grade grea,ens, and We begin to inspee, it
with considerable interest. 1, is curious
and ArA,her insignificant lookingmachine.
II 10 tooridiculously small TO begin with
But the closer We inspect it and see It.
workings, the proudsr We feel of Judge
Bross and the Cairo and ST. Louis Narrow
Gusge railrosd
The engineer and fireman loom to
largely and you think ,hoy ought to ge,
OF and walk. The locomotive has neither
trucks nor tender but balances bodily on
three little pairs Of driving wheels and
looks more like an overgrown toy than an
understood engine. Yet that little H. achine
not only carried two iull-grown men in
the cab but drew three loaded cars behind
and pushed one in front up grades Of more
than 200 feet 10 the mile
Clear creek and its canyon wind in and
out and all about twenty-five or thirty
miles OF the rocsiest mountain range IN
Colorado. The railroad follows every wind
Ing If the crooked stream--il Can do other
wise. For the n ,untains rise in rocky
walls on either hand always steep, often
.perpendle1lsr, --sometifp e. Cyerhsnglug
the train and track. The road is built as
close 70 tho waters edge as safety Will
sanction and for the Eos, Part Is either
blasted out of the rock or built up 10 solid
masonry from the bed OF tie creek. Miles
and miles of this road have literally been
made IN The absence Of every natural adj
vantage and in the presence Of actual
difficulties that might have appalled, the
siouIest heart.
Though the road runs through one Of
the snest canyons in the world and beside
sbe.uti al mountain stream having ITS
waterfalls every quarter or half mile,
one hardly knows which OF the three TO
admire most. II there was q single de-
'sc' IN 'as road-a place calculated to cx-
eNe lear OF even nmidi,y--the case might
be drhsrent, but ,hs track il 40 smooth
aud sold ,aa, no possible danger Ia ammo
hsnded, indeed, one is no, ap, to think Of
danger, while heart and soul are nbgorber
by the Beautiful scenery.
Let me not attempt 10 describe CleE
creek canyon. Its rocky, oyerhsngin
vslh like heavens battements look dow
from their s,upsndous heights upon tn
small devices OF men 30 coldly that on
must have some courage 60 face then
much more 10 describe them. kno,
that for one bad been deceived by q po-
geous description Of the canyon into b,
lieviDg that some idea Of It's grand MAJ
niGcesce was impressed upon my min,
Nothing of the sort. Ny ideal csnyo
vanished at the portals OF tho real al
in the surprise and pleasure Of my glor
GU: disappointment vowed never 10 in
pose on others. But there nj
sone salient features Of the cal
yon which may be mentioned in col
nbction with the road ov,
which We travelled. First Of these 10
suggested TO inquiring minds Is III
question how We are 80 proceed b.
yopd that point fifty yard, ahead
which seems 90 be the end
A perpendlculsr rocky wall arise. -
fore us seeming 70 shu, out river, cauvg,
and road. Suddenly to the RICH. or o.!
the marrow way opens, and round a pin
Serocts our little train double and shoo,
frwsrd into new scenes and surround
inzs.
Riding 10 front Of the engine we ez
psrisnesd al the novelty and forco 0
sbesS ssnsssions bat they were appsren
enough 10 the last car Of she train, from
wkIeh you msy often SEQ the engine die.
sppsss round an outward bend or rnee
n coming back toward you on the other
ga ~ ! horseshoe curve. You begin t,
- acquainted with the engineer who Il
sesaiiy ia Sigh. upon 'hs one side Of