The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-09-01
From the Western Christian Advocate.
The Wonders OF Colorado.
BY REV. EARL CGASsToN.

myself, have been wont to think OF
narrow gauge railroads as miniature.
toy aaaIrS. suggestive rather of playing
railroad than OF business. If what |
truthfully narrato 10 this letter does
not dissipate that dclusion, I know
nothing that Gnu do SO save an "expc.
riencc." as We Mctholists say. The
enterprisiug pioneers Of Colorado i'm
provemcuts seem to be cmuIating the
wonders Of her climate aud her scenery.
II they find it necessary to have n
thorougafarc 10 any direction, no oh.
stacIe seems to deter them from its con.
struclion. We have all heard of the
Colorado Centra's exploits in Clear
Creek Canon. There you 60 with the
stream, dolgiug the prccipitous aud
sometimes oVcrhanging mountain ledge
by short curves that lead you bcwil.
dcrins journey. Through hundreds of
twists aud turns you reach your objcc.
tive point; and were it not for tho iron
trail it would need an angel to truck
sou i'll your amazed and delighted
course. A'tcr the Clear Greek con.
quest, there remained seemingly but
one thing morc for engineering skill to
undertake, and that was that il ut auy
point in these mountain passes there
appeared patch Of blue ky overhead,
to 60 for it. And this is what the
Denver and Rio Graudo Company have
done. After seeing the result, | an
ready almost to pronounce narrow
gauge rOad tho equal Of balloon for
aerial purposes, and superior to tue
prOscrblal donkey for mountain climb.
lug and surc-loOtcdncss. Tho point
selected for this demonstration is one Of
the most bcsutitul aud picturesque in
the State.
Rolling southward over the smooth
aud wclI.built track, with as much
comfort as brVud. .guage road could
afford, for n distance vf nearly two
hundred mics from Denver. We came to
II little wooden town, year old per.
laps. nesting at the case Of tho Span.
ISL Peaks aud La fcta hlouut'iu.
These peaks W, have for days been OBJ
serving from distances almost incraIi.
Die, little suspcctiug that wc could ride
all duy by rail- JcfOrc reaching their
shadows !; and this town takes its IaInc
from the other ncishbOrins mountain.
La Ietu. Here We change engines
We need now weight aud strength
rather than speed. aud i glance shows
that our want is met in this champion
Of the mountains. 1t is sixteen miles
to the summit, aud tue usccut at once
be.ius Us We leave the tuwu. We do
not move rapidly. We have two hours
and haIf iu which to MAKE the ascent.
From the very sturt the scenery is
striking. On the left the Peaks con.
stautly invite your gaze. not alone hy
their lofty bOldncss. but by the curious
walls thrown ou. frOm tue sharp ridges
which they shout down into the pluiu.
walls, looking like masonry. We are
skirtiny feta Mountain which rapidly
ascGnds from tho right, until We lean
out Of the windows 10 catch the sun.
light on its summit. Slowly, but all
tue while, We go up, up, up. Niue
miles, aud not any serious obstacle as
yet. But now there is u monster di.
rectly in the way, while the masses on
either Land have closed in upon us.
Look up. What is that break in the
mountaiu.sid to our left, five, eight
hundred feet i. may he, almost directly
over US? 1t looks like some surface
niue; but DO patient; we'll 80 md
see.
Our stroug.Lrcathol engine moves
gu uudauutcd by the mountain in the
way, drawing tho train Of eight cnrs up
the grade with an case Indicating re-
serve power for any emergency. Up,
up We go; by mauy cut and ill, but
still up. Here is Mulc.shoc-wclI
named. But the air is growing chilly;
why did we leave oycrcOats at Pueblo ?
a few more pulls, a few more curves,
and We have reached that supposed
surface mine; and, 10! it is our rail-
way! Now look down. How would
you enjoy q jump? "Oh, lovely !"
What? 1t is the enthusiastic cry Of
some fel!ow.travcler, or travOlercss.
who, now that tho train has turned
completely about, hos caught the mag