The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-07-17

The Majestic Mountains and Awful
GOrges.

Colorado mountains and only a couple of
days from Chicago. 1t seems Incredible
but the modern locomotive is a magician
that annihilates space. The run from
and Quincy and the Kansas City, st. Joe
and Council Bluffs railroads to AtchisOn, Is
remarkably pleasant one, and the accom-
modati0Ds of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa
Fee road, which carries the traveller to this
point, leave nothing to be desired. The line
of the latter road traverses the magnificent
valley of the Arkansas river, whose surpass-
ing richness has earned for ii the title OF the
Garden of the Continent" and which,
owing to the liberal policy Of the land de-
partment of this road is rapidly filling up
with enterprisng and industrious popula-
ton. The change of scenery from the comPar-
atively level farming lands of southwestern
Kansas to the rugged defiles and the distant
gIimpses of the lofty mountain ranges where
the road commences the ascent OF the foot
hills. is particularly interesting. especially
as it is enjoyed in connection with all the
cosy comforts of a palace car and the suPe-
rior conveniences of this splendid road.
Canon City Is 40 miles west of Pueblo, and
at an elevation of 200 feet above the sea
level. The rough cones and jagged cliffs
form sort of ampitheater around the place,
and in the distance the towering ranges
and lofty peakes raise their sum-
mits into the region of eternal sun
shine. Away to the north is Pixies
Peak, fianked by Cheyenne mountain on
the one size and Cameron's Cone on the
other. while the western and southern
horizon is shut out by the bald, bare peaks
of the San Juan and Spanish mountain
ranges Within the last two years Canon
City has become noted as a remarkably
favorable resort for consumptives and inva
lids troubled with any lung diseases. This
class of patients usually make the mistake OF
seeking too great an attitude where the air
lie oh 81
= seems to show that the elevation OF Canon
City is a happy medium, giving OF the ben
efiIs of an equable temperature with pure
dry air, without the disadvantage OF higher
locations. The bright, clear, bracing air acts
on the frame like champagne, and the
neighborhoOd is plentifully supplied with
mineral springs, whose vertues are, as yet,
hardly appreciated. The place already
boasts two or three very good hotels and the
usual variety of business houses, as we'll as
good supply of living accommodations for
the benefit of tourists visiting the numerous
canons which radiate from this place, and
from which the city takes its name. The
principal OF these is the Grand Canon OF the
Arkansas whose entrance is just west OF the
town. Then there are the Grape Creek the
Temple. Marble Cane, Oil Greek, Oak Creek
and Talbot Hill canons, all within a radius
OF 10 miles.
This place now forms base of supplies
and is connected by good stage roads with
the mining districts around Leadville and
Ore City at the headwaters OF the Arkansas,
about 160 miles to the northwest, and
also with the San Juan mining country,
about $50 miles west. With cOmmendable
enterprise the Atchison, Topeky and
Santa Fe railroad is pushing forward its
line 20 The last mentioned points. The
route as surveyed follows the course OF the
river west from Canon City through the
Grand canon with its majestic scenery. a
aofc 81, vl,ar rha lie nf he
canon approach each other and form what
Is known as the Royal Gerge. This
gorge is two miles in length and the per-
pendicusr walls rise from the rushing Tor
rent below to a height of from 500 to $500
feet. Anything more PERCEPTIONS and sublime
In its proportions and surroundings IL is al
most impossible to conceive. AT some places
the walls are only twenty-four feet apart.
The road through this gorge will be built on
heavy iron girders let into the solit walls and
thus bridging the chasm its entire length,
and Will be trium phi of engineering skill.
In making the preliminary surveys 1t was
found necessary TO lower the surveyors from
the top OF the gorge by ropes. 1t requires
steam nerve and strong head 10 look into
the chasm. The rushing and roaring OF the
mighty stream is not heard from the top and
only a silver thread is seen winding its way
through the rocks nearly half mile below
Alter passing the gorge the sides OF the
canon recede again, forming what is known as
Pleasant valley, through which the road
runs till il reaches settlement called South
Arkansas, at the junction Of the South Ar
kansas river with the main branch, and a
distance of 81 miles from Canon City.
From here the road will be continued up the
Arkansas river to Leadville. distance of
sixty-three miles. Besides forming out
let TO the mining districts at this point this
line will open up new country for the tour
list and IL Will bring him within q few hours
IL L. -. Ill. I'll.
have been pronounced by all who have visit
ed them as the most charming bodies OF
water to be found in the west.
1t would require a volume to give any
thing like a detailed description of the
wonders to be seen in and about Canon
City / have therefore not alluded to the
extensive coal mines from which the man.
moth block of bituminous coal, weighing
over seven tons, cut that exhi bited
at the Philadelphia centennial, nor TO the
oil wells from which Oil creek takes
its name These wells, although producing
considerable oil from the surface, have never
been regularly bored. Preparations in this
direction are now being made, however, and
the yield promises to be good. am also
tempted TO describe the beauties of Temple
Cave Curiosity Hill, the Bottle Rocks,
and the peaks known as the Twin
Forts. Then there is the Marble Cave,
with perpendicular descent of one
hundred feet, in which the visitor is shown
Satan's Bower and Punch Bowel, and his
Arm Chair, we'll as the Queens Grotto. L
might tell about Talbot Hill where Professor
Marsh. of Yale college, and Professor Cope,
of the academy of sciences, Philadelphia.
have made such wonderful discoveries of the
petrifed bones of prehistoric monsters,
which. the professors insist, must have been
fully 100 feet high when they walked on the
earth.
Why Americans should think 1t necessary
to travel to Europe when such an endless
variety OF sublime and beautiful scenery and
such an array of natural wonders are within
days courtney of their homes, is, as Dun
dreary would say, lone of the things no fell
lab can lind out"