Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-08-02

are large, the wagons strong and heavy
and that twelve to sixteen mules or OK
en- are used in hauling the loads.
On arriving at Alamosa, we made en-
quiry as to when the stage would start
for Lake City.
We learned that II P. M. each day
was the hour. So getting fair supper
at the Burns House, we went round to
the stage Office and booked for Lake
City. The fare was $19 each, and We
were informed that we made six pass
engers already engaged, and that prob
ably there would be no more. The
clerk told us to be ready at the
Burns House at 1870, and the stage
would call for us, We now arranged to
leave all our baggage at this place ex.
cept such as we imperatively must have
for two or three weeks sojourn in the
San Juan country. At 1890 sharp the
stage was on hand. So were we, and
before we left Alamosa we had nine in
side and two out, besides the driver. In
the boot, in front, was the baggage and
express, and mail for the whole country
north and west. Our road took us
across the Rio Grande on the railroad
bridge, and then up the valley to Del
Norte, at which place we arrived just at
daylight. This is an old city. The
houses are many of them adobe, and
l presume are none the worse for being
old. My impression would be that an
adobe house with clay roof would not
degenerate by age Six miles from Del
Norte we stopped to change horses and
get breakfast. Here we were feasted
on trout fresh caught from the stream.
They were luscious.
We proceeded on our way up the Del
Norte river over very fine wagon road.
The bluffs coming down occasionally to
the river, so that the road was dry
way only, but most of the time it was
over beautiful country, with fine val
leys on each side of the stream. The
first place of interest was Wagon Wheel
gap. Here the mountain stands out
with bold cliff 1900 feet above the val
ley, most of the way perpendicular. As
the stage only stopped to change the
mail were soon off again. Antelope
Springs was the next place and here
are some springs slightly impregnated
with sulphur At this point we turn to
the right and leave the main branch of
the river The road to Silverton keeps
to the left up the river. We go up
| Clear Greek, and soon commence the
ascent of the pass at the foot of Bris-
tol Head. Bristol Head is a peak H.
500 feet above sea level, and some 1000
feet above the road at the summit Of
the pass. The front presented as We
passed it is nearly perpendicular for
about 5000 feet from the summit down
and the rest of the way it is quite steep.
Passing down into the valley on the
other side of the pass we soon came to
a very beautiful sheet of water, about 3
miles long by one-half mile wide 1t
is named Santa Maria. 1t has no inlet
except the melting SHOWS and falling
rains. .and no visible outlet. On its sur
face we saw, swimming, large number
of wild ducks, some with young broods
following them. We learned that it
was noted as breeding place for ducks.
Around this lake are fine grazing lands.
Several thousand acres here in this val
ley are covered with luxuriant grass.
There are some cattle ranches here
owned by different men, on which quite
extensive herds of cattle are kept. We
stopped for dinner at Clear Greek sta
tion and again had some trout. Let me
say here that these trout are very fine
eating and will take the place Of desert
and all other commodities, to one who
for % years has not had taste of
speckled sides. 1t brought back to my
mind the times before | left New York,
in 1855, when we used to feed ON the
trout caught in Northern and Central
New York.
After dinner we began to ascend the
continental Divide, which we reached at
about 4 P. NJ. At this point we are
about 11000 feet above the sea. Our
road was good and our horses took the
descending slope with a rush. We
bowled along in fine style for some four
miles. when we again began the ascent
of another mountain. This time we
turned into very heavy timber, and
soon found our road corduroyed by the
use of the spruce trees. This land
though very high, was nevertheless very
sloughy as we would call it. We saw
along the roadside abundant evidence of
the necessity for bridging the road. We
passed the Powderhorn River, when we
again changed horses. This time we
had four as splendid iron gray horses as
one could ask. On we went up, and up,
and up, until, coming to level spot in
the road, We saw, beneath our wheels,
snow, or rather. ice. Around us were
mosquitoes thicker than | ever saw
them, even in the swamps Of Mississippi.
The driver informed us that we were
now at the highest point of the road;
that it was at an elevation of about H. :
400 feet; that here we commenced the
descent of the Slumgullion. He chained
the wagon wheels, resumed his seat, and
the horses started as though they knew
the road. There were now five inside.
We had changed coaches twice since
leaving Alamosa, and now had what
they call sherky. Pat Ney and my
self on the back seat, the Mayor and
two other slim gentlemen on the front
seat, and lady and the driver up out
side. We commenced the descent. 1t
is drop. Ney and | braced our feet
against the front of the coach box, to
keep from going over on to the gentle
men in front. We held on to the sides
of the coach with our hands, and thus
braced, the coach going at full speed,
and the horses running to keep away
from it, or carried along by its momen-
tum, we went down. About 40 rods be-
low the first descent, we struck the cor
duroy. This was made of whole trees
cut, and the butt cut and laid down,
then the next cut, and then the top cut.
Then another butt cut, and second,
and the top, and so on. This left each
butt log about six inches higher than
the one below it. When the forward
wheels struck the butt log, the three on
the front seat would suddenly rise Ito
explain), and when the wheels dropped
over, they would as suddenly sit down.
By the time they were down, the men
on the back seat would be compelled to
get up, and when fairly up would sit
suddenly. And thus we went; the
coach at full speed; the horses just able
to guide it and keep out of its way, and
we getting up with the sudden move
ment Of an electric shock, and as sud-
denly meeting the cushioned seat on its
way up to see where we had gone. 1t
had rained so that the road was slippery
1t commenced to rain soon after we
started down the mountain. The rain
came pouring down, Slumgullion Creek
went galloping down the mountain on
our left without dread. Our horses