New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-20

tn ,RKAxsAs-BuupING A RAILWAY UNDER
DtrrrCrI rIrs-TUE YOUNG AND rLOURISHING
TOWNS OF SOUTH ARKANSAS AID BUENA VISTA.
JrRoM 4 STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF Tue TRIBVNE'l
Lr,DviILr, Col, Sept 10.-There are two routes
60 Ieadvire from Denver and the East and tour
lists. since the completion of the railroads. this
summer have generally come mp by one and gone
down lv the other. The scenery by either is I'M
surpassed N grandeur railroad line now
open on the continent and word be we'll worth
the time and expense OF the trip even If this most
wonderful of all the cities of the United States was
not to he seen at the terminus The Denver Sou'"
Park and Pacific Road follows up the South lla''e
Canon over Kenosha Summit, across the Sou'h
Park and over into the Arkansas Valley through
pass in the Mosquito Range. When Vls'ted Lean
VILE last year this line completed ~ the edge
of Sonth Park and wrote href description OF
the journey by night to the end Of the track and
thence over Weston Pass to Leadvjle.
The Denver and Rio Grande Line follows the
Arkansas River all the way up from Canon City,
passing through the Grand Canon OF that river and
the Royal Gorge, and striking the old stage road at
Texas Creek this side of the great gateway through
the mountains At Canon City an open Obscrva-
ton car similar TO those used some OF the rail-
roads IN the White Mountains is attached to the
rear OF the train and the passengers crowd into it,
The railroad nds along on the north bank OF the
river through the outskirts of Canon City. i'll sight
OF the State Penitentiary, grm-looKing structure
built of limestone and past the HOT springs 10
which little suspension bridge leads across the
Arkansas and enters the canon about mile IRON
town.
,be mountains then rise from the side of the
stream on either side by steep hut not inaccessible
slopes covered with a wash of dsintegrated granite
which supports a thin growth of bunch grass. sage
brush and pinOn trees. Gradually the passageway
between the hills becomes narrower and narrower,
the river. whose bed Is Ohstructcd by huge rocks
md stones that have fallen from the clltiS beats
itself into foam in its frantic efforts 70 escape the
mountain sides become sleeper and sleeper, until
wash and vegetation disappear together, and
nothiuy but bare rocks hem in the railroad and the
stream either side
PENT-UP RIVER.
The Arkansas. when il cut its way through these
mountain walls OF granite, unable to take a
straight course. DashEg along with headlong
haste for n hundred yards, il is suddenly brought
up against mass OF rock that has thus far with
stood its force and is turned to the right or left,
mabIng the sides Of the canon seem 10 close
upon each other until the opening between them
disappears AMI perpendicular mountain side has
apparently been thrown across the gorge forhdung
our return by the way came. The wonder, OF
the fairy tajc are actually experienced rs the rail
way train with much putting and eXerton winds |
hind before on every side, the cold naked rocks !
rise one above the other thousand, fifteen hun |
drcd feet high. their towering tops shutting out |
the direct rays Of the and the deep shadows III
tensifying The avc-n, pirrg gloom There is appa-
rently no way OF escape. No Alpine mountain
climber could ever scale the walls even with lad !
ders and ropes. and the IIvcr seems TO come out
from some cavern beneath thu mountains and 10
disappear ~ another only few IodS hehnd.
"A. :. .,aIttr fttrts lp loeDu
disappeals behind juttine headand. the train fol-
lows a minute later the wall, have closed again |
behind aud our escape seems miraculous as that
of the fai1y imprisoned in the bowels OF the earth
before whom unseen doors open at the speaking OF
magic word.
WONDERS OF THE ROYAL GORGE.
The Boyal Core proper is narrow cre5ce in the
mountains about miles This side OF Canon City,
where the perpendicular wal, standing not more
than forty or fifty feet apart rise to the dizzy
heieht Of 200 feet. The river fills this narrow
opening lroH side TO siie, leaving not an inch Of
space upon winch either man or animal could get |
q footu@. The railroad rests on narrow ledge |
that has been blasted ont OF the solid rock, about
twelve feet above the stream. and the tram passes
beneath au Ovcrhangug mountain. ON the top OF |
the gorge flagstaff has teen planted, and rs we
passed out o. il dag which was flying from 1t, J
and which was said to me twelve feet long ana /
seemed 10 hc about as long a pen holder, and the
flag not more than an inch III length.
The difficulties OF building railroad through !
such a canon as this would have appalled, n |
engineer anywhere except in the Rocky Mountains. |
Thrcughout almost the whole length of the canon,
there uas not only no room to place even narrow !
guage track Lut il was Absolutely mpassable for
man OF foot no II after how expert ne might he as
a mountain climber The grades also very
steep, and the curves exceedingly short doubt If
there is single tangent upon the line through the
canon. The rock had TO be blasted Oft from the
sides OF tn gorge and allowed TO fall into the edge
OF the stream to form the rOad-bed and IT WAS
necessary t. do this before horses mules could be
drive ia 20 carry tools or materials
Some Of the bridges curiosItics OF architec-
ture. At one point in very narrow place III the
sanOn ii necessary to cross the steam obquely,
Shile the high granite walls rise perpendicular
hom the water on both dies. 1t easy enough
to set one cnl OF the bridge into the solid H. hut
the abut ncnt for the other cnl, if built in tie
river. would probably be carried away by the force
OF the water or OF tine immense boulders which are
brought down b. great fools The difficulty was
overcome by sGSpeDding one end and side OF the
bruge from "a truss placed over instead OF beneath
the roadway. Two immense iron beams which
met at the top like the Iaiters OF house rest one
i'll the right hand wall OF tie and the other
in the left hand wall, and from them hang down
strong iron rods which sustain the bridge.
The Arkansas Valley. from the head OF the canon
TO LeaIvile. was familiar ground to me- for rode
down through 1t last year on a stagecoach the
Journey occupying two days. The greater portion
Of it is absolutely worthless except for the minerals
that may possibly be discovered in the mountains
that shut it in Oh either side. In few places II
broadens out tor mile or two becoming more like
"a valley than a canon, and on the elevated bottoms
rot f, abo he YEA IN If |
the stream some excellent potatoes and hay are
rnl.nl LIZ. lrri. 4