The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1874-11-21
Notes from Colorado.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

Never go mountaineering in the middle
of September. We ventured this year i'll
the very teeth Of the equinox, and came to
grief. Our first ''onpleasantness" after
leaving sunny, sheltered Manitou, was q
cold, ferocious wind storm at Denver. All
day long the coarse sand of the street was
driving ard drifting and surging before a
regular 5ornado--rising to the tops of the
houses, and beating like hail against the
highest windows. It is what Mr. Dom Piatt
calls "a pulverized continent" on it's trav-
els. The next morning was tolerably pleas
ant, though chilly, and we were able to
enjoy the incompatible railroad climb up
Cleal Creek caflon, to Blackhawk. This
grand rocky passage loses nothing of its
beauty and impressiveness by being seen
the fourth or fifth time. Yet OH this trip
found myself looking out more than. ever,
before for the minor beauties, and the
quaint and curious objects on our winding
way. | saw all the great stone faces, grand
and grotesque, spoken of i'll the guide books,
and made some new discoveries in colossal
physiognomy Icaught my first view of the
pre-Adamite 'smule''-a wonderful photo
graph on the rocks of that sacred and much
abused animal.
The sulphurous air of Blackhawk' smelt-
ing works is peculiarly horrible to me. 1t
brings back certain dreadful orthodox dis
courses beard i'll my childhood it suggests
all the torments of-the asthma and as
phyxia. We found Central City in a state
of stunning hustle and confusion from re-
building. The destructive fire oflast winter,
which nearly ''cleaned out the town." has
proved blessing in disguise, as streets are
being Strengthened and widened, and build
,r hr.a Ic4ar hnanpc avonTal in
place OF miserable, unsightly wooden struc-
lures. Fortunately the Teller House and
the office of the Register, the two finest
buildings of Central, escaped the confiagra-
ton. We were especially glad, for the
sake Of our good friend the landlord of the
Teller, who keeps good hotel under diff
culties almost inconceivable to jewellers id
the valley-land''- for the sake of our
other friend, the editor of the Register, Col.
Frank Hall, late Secretary of the Territory
and one Of the ablest. most popular, and
trustworthy men the General Government
has ever removed from Office III Colorado
and that is saying a good deal. The 'pow-
ers that be" at Washington seem to bowl
at our officers from mere watonness. Last
winter they made ''ten strike" and with
ehe pins knocked down the Republican party.
The Democrat and carpet-bagger who
watched the game smiled at the royal play,
and the Fifty miner who kept the score
swore as he wrote it down.
At night came sullen rain, and the next
day we drove over to Idaho inasnow- storm
which made Virginia canon look more aw-
fully beautiful than ever. 1t is fearful
grade, and has been fatal ground to more
than one hapless traveller. Here Hi Wash
burn, the ideal stag driver, most popular
of his kind in the mountains-brave, yet
careful, jolly, yet gentle an honest, faith
full, good hearted young fellow, and hand
some wIthal, met with the terrible accident
which disabled and saddened him for life.
An axle broke, the horses took fright and
ran, dragging portion of the coach and
passengers. Eli would not let 60 the reins
till his horses were quiet, though his leg
was broken and crushed. He played the
hero in unconscious way, and cannot now
see that there was any merit in obeying
what to him was the simple instinct OF duty
the sudden impulse Of manliIiess. .-Neeo
T0rE Times Oct 2S