The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-08-20
lance Of Manitou, making this the great tour
lat centre eff Colorado. H 1t f+.

Pueblo. ms CITY mas also Increased gIcatiy
IN the past two years and is now one of the
principal railroad and manufacturing cities
in the state. After leaving Pueblo, there Is
little of Interest until we reach La Veta The
vast plain lies to the east of the road, and the
Rocky Mountain chain an apparently solid
barrier, to the west. After passing the little
town of La Veta the road winds among the
loot hills, gradually rising IN altitude until wei
arrive at the foot of the abrupt hill or pass,
which Is chrisened after La Veta mountain
near by, and which towers far above the pass,
whose altitude Is 0340 feet above the level OIL
the sea. The track coils and recoils on its up
ward way, and we gaze IN wonder at the pro-
gress we have made IN 30 short period or
time, especially after having passed the fa-
nous mule shoe" curve couple Of miles,
whence VIC look down 800 feet on the track
below, over which we had come but few mo-
ments before in an opposite direction. The
mule shoe" is one of the shortest railroad
curves in the world, swinging around on 30
degree circle and rising at the rate of 2lO feet
to the mile, beng one OF the greatest triumphs
of modern engineering. The apparently un.
broken wall which met our view the day be-
fore breaks into thousand fantastic openings
as we reach the summit Of the pass, and the
Sangre de Christie range, which was hitherto
hid from sight by the foot hills, breaks on our
view in all its majesty and magnihcence
Sierra Blanca, one Of the highest mountain
,, peaks in America, being 14,46f feet above the
sea level now rears its pale head in the die
lance. Its summit is generally buried in the
clouds and always covered with snow The
great San Louis Valley also stretches out be-
fore our eyes, level as floor, and barren OF
trees, except where the Rio Grande glides
through its centre, bordered by fringe of cot
ton wood trees. This valley contains over
! 5000 square miles, and surrounded as 1t is on
all sides by mountain chains, snow.capped
and glimmering IN the sun, with mountain
, ranges back of them and and others further
on, presents magnificent sight. On cross
, ing the Rio Grande we arrive at the town Of
I Alamosa, where we remain for the night.
Next morning, July "a, we left Alamosa for
the ancient town Of Del Norte, 81 miles up
the Rio Grande river, and the end of the
; branch of the Denver and Rio Grande rail
road, which place we reached about noon
Here we had to leave the railroad and take
D Sanderson Il Barlow's coach, and in short
time we were seated beside Uncle Jim on the
top of the coach, on our way to Wagon Wheel
Gan jim was an old driver-had been driv-
ing coach for 40 years-had commenced on
, the old National road and been pushed way
out here as the railroads were built. He
amused US by telling us of his hair breadth
escapes, and that the road agents had been
doing a pretty good business for the last two
!, months. His coach had been robbed seven
\ times in the last six months. man sitting
e side of him had been shot through the head
9 when he tried to run away from them. Three
[. weeks ago, halt mile ahead, the LIE Roy boy 9
, had robbed the stage,-got 81 800 out OF the
4 passengers but they were caught up In the
! canyon and taken to Del Norte and hung. Six
r days after that, at the same place, on little
s WAYS ahead, one man robbed thirteen passen-
. gers and got $4,000. 1t was dark and he made
3 the passengers believe there were dozen OF
them, and they allowed him to take every
G thing they had" In this way he encouraged
D us until we passed the fatal spot where all
I their deeds had been committed. The ride up
s the Rio Grande to Wagon Wheel Gap is very
$ pleasant. The valley at first IS wide, but
o gradually grows narrow, until there is barely
# room for the road, the mountains on each side
y of the river rising to considerable height
/, and forming fantastic shapes of rock. Wagon
l.. Wheel Gap is where the Rio Grande cuts its
l., way through the mountains, which rise on
h either hand IN almost perpendicular walls the
n Gap being so narrow that there is only room
o besides the river for the road, which runs
s. closely along the brink of the stream under
b the cliffs. The surrounding mountains abound
!. in the widest and most romantic scenery
l. There are three springs mile from the Gap
n with hotel and bathing establishment. The
e waters have a temperature of 100 deg. Fab
l. Another spring is hot soda, very pure and
e pleasant to the taste Hardly ten feet from
l, these hot springs is a spring of intensely cold
IS water.
d The Denver & Rio Grande railroad expec
e to run their cars to the Gap by the 1st of Sep
d TENDER, and will build good hotel and make
e this resort for those who wish good fishing
S, and hunting, as well as for those who wish
d the benefits of the hot springs. We remained
d here two days, spending the time in trout fish
b. ing IN the cool, clear waters of the Rio Grande
], and on the Goth of July we again took th'
e stage for Antelope Springs, where we had t.
exchange the stage for the buck board, and OF
e the 9th of July we mounted the blackboard
$, to cross the Continental Divide. The rid'
e IRON here was over pretty rough country