The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-08-20
FAMILIES IN COLORADO.
BY THE JUNIOR EDITOR.

BY THE JUNIOR EDITOR.
Leaving Las Vegas on the Goth of July, we
reached Denver on the evening of the 2lst, at
ter a pleasant ride on the Atchison, Topeka
and Santa Fee railroad to Pueblo, and from
there taking the Denver and Rio Grande rail-
road to Denver This city has improved very
much in the past two years, having now al
population of over 10000. A number of fine
buildings have been erected, among them the
Tabor Opera House and the Windsor Hotel
AT the latter place we found Will Furst, who
was some years ago at the Clifton Hotel in
Ottawa, who has charge of the Windsor, and
is very popular IN Denver. We also met our
old townsman Herman Silver, Esq, and his
family, who are very pleasantly situated here
Quite number of Ottawa people are living
in Denver and all seem to be dong we'll
On the 23d of July we left Denver for the
San Juan country, taking the Denver and Rio
Grande railroad. This railroad, which is just
" called 1.-THE Scenic Line of America" Is
built along the western edge of the great plains
for 200 miles at just the proper distance to
show in all their beauty and subllmity two OF
the loftlest snow.clad ranges Of the Rocky
Mountain System. From Denver to LA Veta,
distance of 1911 miles, the panorama of noun
tain and PLAIN seen from its cars has no equal,
as regards extent of vision, on the North
American Continent. 10 the traveller from
the eastern section of the Union it seems to
open new heaven and a new earth Accus-
toned to the limited horizon of the east, with
wonder and delight he finds his vision rang.
ing over spaces vaster than he had eyer dream
ed could be comprised by human sight. From
beholdlng mountains hundred miles TO the
north he turns to see other mountains hun
dred miles to the south. TO the east the
plains, solitary and untrameled as the ocean,
rise up to meet the sky. Lying in depressions
of the plains, like parts of a mosaic, are rapid
mountain streams, along whose narrow fertile
valleys are beautiful cities, neat villages and
attractive FARMS over whose surfaces flow the
tiny crystal rils from the irrlgating bitches,
without which even the hardest shrubs would
wither and die Vision is assisted by the won
derful transparency of the atmosphere, and OBJ
lects many miles distant appear near at hand
while even the furthest mountain peaks lie
clear-cut and distinct against the sky.
As we leave Denver In the morning, we
have the finest view of the Rocky Mountains
with their snow-capped SUBMITS, that we have
ever seen. The sun shining on the snow gives
a bright and distinct view of the many sum.
mits that are to be seen in the range. Fifty
miles south OF Denver we reached the Divide
and pass along the shores Of a lake, whose
outlet at the north is into the Platte river and
at the south into the Arkansas. The Divide
is 1000 feet higher than Denver, and the
morning We passed an overcoat was needed
for comfort. From here the road passes
through portion of Monument Park, and fol
several miles there are to be seen many weird
and fantastic monumentiike structures, worn
by the action Of the elements out of the sof,
sand stone of which the hills are composed
The next town of interest is Colorado Springs
This is a beautiful city of about 5000 inhabl
tants, with its streets laid out at right an giles
and finely ornsmented with shade trees. From
the summit of Pixies Peak, Colorado Springs
has the appearance of checker board. A
branch road runs from here TO Manitou. the
most romantic and renowned watering plact
in the Rocky Mountains. The Garden Of th,
Gods, Cheyenne Canyon, Glen Eyre, and 9th
er places of interest," are all within shortdis