Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-07-28

Newport, July %.
Written for the MONITOR.
THE WONDERS OF COLORADO.
In your correspondents last letter
from Colorado Springs. he promised to
write in another of the Garden of the
Gods" "Glen Eyrie," and Monument
Park"
Why the first mentioned of these
places is so named is not of easy conjec-
ture. 1t is very remote from any ap-
pearance of garden. Neither vegetables,
nor fruit, nor any variety of shrubbery
grow therein. But wild conglomera.
ton of scrub pines and grotesque rocks
are the principal features of the place;
and yet this secluded spot, hidden In on
one side of the only pass to Pixies Peak,
standing with the boldness of sentinel,
though crowding like a chicken to be
sheltered under the wing of the mount
ain, deserves to be classed as the eighth
wonder of the world. 1t is more grand
than Niagara, because more strange. In
looking at the great cataract the behold
er cannot conceive how it could be other
wise: nothing more natural. But. to
conceive how the Garden of the Gods
could be, is impossible. 1t is the crown
ing wonder to all who visit Colorado.
The Garden of the Gods is situated upon
the rise of land leading up to the foot
hills of the first mountain range, which
faces the great plains of Colorado and
Kansas. The road leading to Ute pass,
the only way through the mountains, be-
tween the South Park near Denver, and
the Grand Canon of the Arkansas near
Pueblo. passes along under the south
wall of the Garden. Pixies Peak from
the west, lifts up its head so high as to
be an observer of all that is curious or
wonderful within this celebrated area.
All along under the foot of the mount
aims, from the Grand Canon to Denver
appear occasional outcroppings of several
distinct strata of rocks. They are often
projected to great height, are thin or
shabby. and usually of two colors, white
and red. In the vicinity of Colorado
Springs. the walls stand in five distinct
tiers the two eastern of which are white
and the other three red. At the point
in question, just north Of the entrance to
the Ute pass. these different walls are
broken up, finally appearing. white and
red together, in single immense wall.
presenting a perfect front like line OF
battle, and forced up vertically to over
three hundred feet in height. These
rocks form the eastern wall of the Gar
den. Midway in the wall, and just al
the point where the rocks tower to their
greatest height-three hundred and thir
ty feet-is an opening of about fifty fee
in width. This opening is as perfect as
though cut for the purpose. Through
this gateway leads a carriage road, pas
sing rock, just little back from The
! opening, which very properly might b.
called "the sentry for it stands like ;
/ soldier to guard the passway. On eithe
3 side of the gate rise the immense WALL
: extending back SO far as to completed,
t cover the eastern side of the Garden
f Indeed, there is only one other way b.
/. which to enter this fortress Of Nature
: and that from the road to Ute pass
: Just inside the gateway rise cluster 0
e rocks which from their peculiar slope ar
e named Cathedral Rock or the Ruin
t of Montezuma Temple" From certai
t standpoints various figures are distinctl
y outlined. The perfect form of sea
u Tile ucdU VI q lam, OHC LdOC VI 1uluO0S
S ros are so distinct as to attract th
e notice of all. Passing all the othe
e rocks of the Garden, including th
e frog" the sailor" the ''old woman,
b and the "twins," we must pause nj
a ment before "balance rock" 1t stand
n well elevated close by the road side. $
l. large that at an estimate of 15O lbs. pc
d cubic foot it would weigh 1000 tons,
stands on end, bottom up like an immeni
8. small-necked ink-stand, yet SO incline
e to one side as to tempt the passir
Of stranger to endeavor to push it ov'
ID with his hand. Yet, doubtless, forl
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