Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-01-13
A Railway In the Rocky Mountains.

For miles the extension of the Derive
and Rio Grande railroad from Conejos
westward to the San Juan County curves
among the hills, keeping sight of the plains
and catching frequent glimpses of the vii
lage. Its innumerable wndings along the
brows Of the hills seemed, In mere wan
tonness, as 10th to abandon SO beautiful o
region. Almost imperceptibly the foot
hills changed into mountains Dnd the val
leys deepened into canons, and winding
around the point of one of the mountains
1t found itself overlooking the picturesque
valley or canon OF Los Pinos creek. East
ward was the rounded summit Of the great
mountain Of San Antonio over the near
est height could be seen the top Of Sierra
Blanca, canopied with perpetual clouds
in front were castellated crags, art. like
monuments, and stupendous precipices.
Having allured the railroad into their
awful Businesses, the mountains seemed de-
termined 10 battle its further progress But
it was strong hearted railway, and,
although little giddy 1000 feet above
the stream, il cuts Its way through the
crags and among the monuments and bears
onward fol miles up the valley. A pro-
jecting point, too high for a cut and too
abrupt for u curve, was overcome by tun-
mel. The track layers are now busy at
work laying down the steel rail at a point
few miles below this tunnel. The grade
Is nearly completed for many miles fur.
ther. From the present end of the track
for the next four or five miles along the
grade, the scenery is unsurpassed by any
railroad scenery in North America. En-
gineers who have traversed every mile of
mountain railroad in the Union, assert that
it is the finest they have seen. Perched
on the dizzy mountain side, at an altitude
of 8, 900 feet above the sea-greater than
that of Neta pass-l 900 feet above the
valley, with battlemented crags rising 500
or 600 feet above, the beholder is enrap-
tured with the view. AT one point the
canon narrows into an awful gorge, appa-
rently but few yards wide and nearly
200 feet in depth, between almost per-
pendicular walls of granite. Here high
point of granite has TO be tunneled, aud IN
This tunnel the rock men are al work drill
ing and blasting TO complete the passage,
which is now open 70 pedestrians. The
frequent explosions of the blasts echo and
re-echo among the mountains until they
die away in the distance. Looking down
the valley from the tunnel, the scene
one never to be forgotten. The lofts
precipices, the distant heights the fantas-
tic monuments, the contrast of the rugged
crags and the graceful curves of the sIlvery
stream beneath them, the dark green pines
interspersed with poplar groves, bright
yellow In their autumnal foliage, that
crown the neighboring summits-height,
depth, distance, and color-combine to
constitute a landscape that is destined
to be painted by thousands of artists,
reproduced again and again by photograph
ers. and TO adorn the walls OF innumerable
parlors and galleries OF art. Beyond the
tunnel for mile or more the scene is even
more picturesque, though of less extent.
The traveller looks down into the gorge and
sees the stream plunging i'll a succession of
snow white cascades through narrow cuts
between the perpendicular rocks.