New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-14

SHOWS had drfted across the road forty. or iifty
feet deep and tunnel seventy feet long had been
dug through it. Mule teams generally refused 10
haul wagons through tins tunnel, and the drivers
had 10 drive them through, leaving he wagons on
the lower side and then To haUl the latter nIoukH
by means Of long ropes. There are Few worse Ioas
or moro difficult passes over WnGh u Is possible ~
pass Will wagons The haTdshlps, dangers, anu
pryatlons of the life of these men, make IL any
| thing but attractive toa tenderl0ot..
There Is no more striking evidence or the prosper
| itv and enterprise Of Colorado than the iapiuiy
with which parTow-qaugc railroads are bullt inlo
tho Rocky Mountains. The Denver, SOuth Iark
and Pacific rOad ZlZ-zdgs mp he SCUM IIallo C'Il
and over the pass INTO The SOulh Iarh on giaues
that no engineer could have dared 20 suggest ten
wears ago. Scarcely less daring has been the eugl-
neprng of the Denver ana hloGrunuc IOad over tHc
la V.ta pass OF the Slugre dc Christie range INTO
the valley of the RIO Grdnde River. More WonCer-
fu than either IN its conception and execution mas
been tbs construction OF the Arkansas Valley Rail-
road from this place through the Royal Gorge a
G. non almost rs grand In IS proportions ana more
inaccessible than that of the Colorado have not
paSscd through the Gorge, aud shall no. undertake
the impossible task Of describing Il al second haud,
but did observe with great interest tho progress on
the wor. above the Gorge The grading is nearly
completed TO Grainett. more shan hundred miles
from Canon CITY, and the bridging and track-layihg
can be pushed forward with almost any desired ra-
piIity uul IS The quarrel between he Denver ana
Rio Grande and the Atch!son, Topeka and Santa Fe
companies causes delay. Much OF the Grading above
the Gorge has been dliiicu.j and expensive, anu
some ol the grades are very heavy, hui the Work
seems 10 have been well done.
uct lu this cty, to-day. ~ engineer of the Santa
F6 r0ad y hu told mc that IT his company retained
control of the Arkansas Valley Line, and tho
Guuulyon country should develop INTO rich
miuiug region, line across tie great range would
probably b. built next season. oppressed surprise
aud u0ub. that u would De- possible To cross that
rance with a railroad track. lie assured mo that
il was not only possible but very probable. ~ s"d
10 bc supposed, NE SAID that tht only way ia when
a. was possible 20 build a railroad over u gieat
elevation Was 90 distribute .he grade over a5 much
sUscr rs possible. Tins made the roa-hed very cA-
prasi.e. Railroad engineers III Colorado. he sad,
now work Oh u different tHeOIy Ihcy lOliOW Tie
natural contour OF the ground as nearly ~ possible,
and bunch" the heavy grades together as lnuch ~
possible IL - muCh cheaper, ho continued, 10 use
locomotives heavy enough to take the trains over
the steep places than 10 spend so much money III
bringing tHc road 10 an average CRAZE over q con-
siderable portion OF itS line. W lih Tue coWpleiioh
of the railroads now ia progress OF construction
i.uc. of the widest aud gIaade5t scenery n Colo
RADIO Will be easily reached, and the LOckJ Noun
tai0s VIII yearly become more popular rs Il Summer
Inc stage-road emergcs from the mountains
through the Grape Creek Canon, side canon Lead
Iug inr0 the Arkansas near The lower cnt oi the
Royai Gorge. ne distance through TINS canon Is
eput OF teu miles, and II aDOuuua in tne widest
kiud of scenery Tue cIcch mas cut It's way Though
the red granite. winding around among the hills
whose perpendicular or 0NerharsIng walls Ilse
thousand feet ana shut III the view IN all GlrcC-
mons. WIDER than the Royal Core 1t abOuld5 II
attractive spots Tor camping ana hohlhs, ana ia
much TcsO-Led 10 By people 10 desire 10 get taste
of Wild scenery, braCig mountain Ar ana me sport
without making TOO long journey from the end OF
the railroad.
C.n,n CITY has Gained new importance, since the
Leaayile excitement, one OF the chief httng-0ut
points tor the mining regions. Before THAI IL was
small, Hat IOWA, bulit cnieAy Oh aHoDS, Win com
n.roI,yeiy little trade. Now its business streets
nave been pieced out with slab shautIes and wall
tents and he broad bottom OF the river IL covered
with cOrfals and camps Tor the accommodation or
the wagon trains. winch start from TINS point 10
Ieadylle and Silver Cliff. Whom the railroad Is
completed up he valley Canon City Will become a
l.f.,a sTFtHsIV NTn
but It will continue to DO the base Ct supplies Tor
silver ClM. Il. L. W.