The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-11-15
LIFE In COLORADO.
The Invigorating and Clear Atmosphere
Travellers Morning Wallt-Ciimute
aud Health Properties.

The Invigornting and Clear Atmosphere
Travellers Morning Walt-Ciimnte
aud Health Properties.
From Colorado correspondent of the
New York Tribune, who dates his letter
Mt Denver, we gather the following in
teresting particulars of the climate and
other peculiarities of the State last ad-
mitted to the Union Praises and de-
scriptions of Colorado and its scenery
have been so profusely distributed
through the newspapers and magazines
OF the East that it is unnecessary to re-
peat them here. The attractions and
wonders of the State are certainly very
numerous and notable, and, once at
Denver. may be reached in every direct
ion with little trouble and at moderate
expense. The one omnipresent fact
which impresses itself most sharply
upon the senses of the visitor for the
first time is the wonderful purity and
clearness of the atmosphere. The great
elevation of the whole plateau of the
eastern section of the State, impercepti-
bic in ascent from the East, and the
limited proportion of moisture in the
rare and dry climate, combine to pro-
duce the unusual and remarkable effects
The pulse is quickened, the breathing
shortened and a general impetus and
acceleration is given to all the bodily
forces.
Denver is 5000 feet above the sea
level, Mapitou and Idaho, the principal
summer resorts, from 1000 to 1000 feel
higher; while Wagon Wheel Gap, away in
the southern part of the State, and
rapidly increasing in popularity, is 5000
feet above the sea, and within half mile
of the timber-line on the lofty noun
tains which confront it. At Colorado
Springs, seventy-fve miles south of this
city, they show you q little knoll near
the town christened "Mount Washing
ton," because its elevation is exactly that
of the monarch of the White Mountains,
and yet child could ascend this western
mound without stopping for breath. All
accustomed and habitual notions of dis
tance brought hither from the East are
worse than useless in this rare and trans
parent atmosphere. From the windows
of Denver the Rocky Mountains look
not more than five miles distant and an
eastern tourist, lately arrived, remarked
to his friends the other evening that he
believed he could walk out to the noun
tains the next morning and return before
breakfast. He was permitted to depart,
as he had announc d, and after an hour
or two carriage was dispatched to over
take and bring him in. The exhausted
pedestrian was found partially undressed
on the edge of one of the little irrigating
bitches, two or three feet wide, which in
tersect the fields in every direction, and
when asked what he intended to do.
answered that he "proposei to swim
that river" "Why don't you lump
across ?" "How do 1 know but it's half
a mile wide ?" answered the tired and
dlsgusted traveller, who will not soon re-
peat his experiment of walking twenty
miles and back before breakfast.
Through this clear atmosphere the
sun at noon casts shadow as sharp and
clearly defined as that of a calcium light |
on white screen, and when the moon
shines o'nights the honest men of
Denver may be sought without the aid
OF street lights OF lanterns. All street
lamps are lighted and extinguished with
reference to the rising of the moon in
stead of the setting of the sun. An even
temperature and an equable climate are
OF course consequences of the location
and surroundings of Colorado. During
the summer months the midday heat,
even in town, is not oppressive, the
nights being always comfortable while
in the mountains blankets are the rule at
night the year round. Excessive cold in
winter is unknown, and the great stock
raisers compel their herds to feed and |
protect themselves almost as completely |
in winter as in summer. OF the sanitary |
advantages of the State, more than |
enough has already been written. Fully |
one-half OF the residents from the East |
ern States came here for their health and |
found it; those who were not so sue
cessful in the quest are naturally not
here to be inquired of. Calling to see a
classmate, ! learned that he had been
dead for months, though in the next
breath L was assured that had he not
come to Colorado his heirs would have
collected his life insurance much earlier
possibly before the courts and receiver
gathered in the effects of the company.
From somewhat careful observation
should say that Denver has its full pro-
portion of physicians, undertakers and
marble-cutters, all apparently busy and
well-to-do. That pulmonary troubles in
their early stages are removed by resi-
dence in Colorodo is indisputable, while
rheumatic and nervous affections are
established and confirmed by the dry,
tense atmosphere is equally well known
and conceded by it's numerous sutferers