Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-02-21

thought when in Florida last year,
that the cows which had TO find their
living in the st. Johns river. with the
water up to their backs. and alligators
liable at any moment to attack them.
had pretty serious time Of it; but get
ting living on the Rocky Mountains,
amid sage brush. alkah aud snow-drifts
is quite as serious. wonder the poor
ANIMALS do not hold convention to de-
mand their rights.
All through these mountains stock
raising is the only industry that has
been found to pay. Here uncounted
numbers of cattle roam. only herded
once year, or at such times as the own
ers may desire to ship them to market
Pioneers claim the opportunities for pro-
fitable stoek-raisiug are ahead of those
found in Texas. aud think that a few
years will make rapid changes in the
development of the resources of the state.
The distance across Nebraska. by rail,
is about 464 miles then we enter Wy
oming. Off to the north the long line
of black We see against the blue sky. is
the range of Black Hills, now the object
of so much attention from gold hunters.
South of US and further on, peak after
peak of the mountain range rises, not
like the Green Mountains of Vermont,
or the White of New Hampshire; nei-
ther are they like the far-famed Blue
Ridge of Virginia. Each mountain peak
asserts its own individuality and rises
on '.its own hook :" there seems to be
no elinging together as if to form one
long, unbrOken, impregnable barrier; on
the contrary. they are set as We might
place the cones of sugar we used to buy
little and big mixed together, with
deep. yawning canons between. Imag-
Inc two lofty mountain peaks, so high
the clouds are covering their tops they
look like one mountain, with no divid-
ing line between f; you approach it and
find its sides are perpendicular and
rocky then suddenly you perceive that
between the two twin peaks is depres-
sion. reaching down thousands of feet
perhaps. if the light be strong, you can
discern farmhouse in that narrow val
ley. with the everlasting hills shutting
it in from the world.
Pixies Peak rears its white-crowned
head off in the dim distance, and we
wonder that a love for gold should ever
have sent mortals toiling up her rugged
sides.
At noon we halt at Cheyenne for our
Thanksgiving dinner. but l prefer to let
dinner wait while l look about, though
the wind blows gales, and the assembled
standing army of loungers stare until
feel even my store hair rising in indig-
nation.
The city seems more substantially
built than any town this side of Omaha,
and seems to have passed through that
eferescent stage which has its run in all
new towns. as the measles do in a fam
/ lily. The streets are wide and laid out
with regularity many of the business
houses are of stone, which. | judge, was
quarried few miles beyond others are
of brick. while many of the dwellings
bear marks Of taste and refinement
The road from Denver and other
points in Colorado, connects here with
the Union Pacific, and good wagon
road leads off to Fort Laramie, SO miles
away. Thirty-6ye miles away iron ore
of an excellent quality Is found in abun-
dance. but the development and utiliz-
ing Of the same lies somewhere in the
future The section repair shops Of the
railroad are here, with numerous store
houses. an engine house, etc. But little
is done agriculturally. though see no
reason why hardy vegetables. and per-
haps some grains and corn might not
grow well, if there is enough moisture
in the atmosphere TO nourish the roots.
But one must 60 over the road and OBJ
serve the manner in which the clouds
and mountains rob the air Of its damp
ness, before understanding the reason
why irrigation becomes strong necessi-
ty in these far western states. The ell
ovation Of Cheyenne is 6,04l feet above
tide water. but well developed vegetable
life is found higher than that.
Leaving Cheyenne, our train soon be-
gins to climb a spur Of the Black Hills,
and at the end Of "a miles we halt a,
Sherman. the highest point in the road,
and 1926 feet above tide water We
: know We are high up for the atmosphere
Is rarifed and We breathe heavily. but
no one realized the fact that we are on
the mountains because Of any abrupi
grades, or long, sinuous curves. There
, have been huge boulders. walls Of rock
which seemed to kiss the clouds. fearful
cbasns. stunted pine trees, an abseDc'
Of veterinary things to remind Us tia
! we we're anong the mountains. bat "
| realized nothing about the climbing
! / am told that 2 miles south. IN ID.
canon. man has stocked large raneh'
! and has settled down % wait for bic for
: tune. hidden beneath the sleek sides o