Morning journal and courier., 1881-11-16
CORRESPONDENCE.
A Trip the Denver and South Park Railroad-WonderfuIS Scenery-A Great Engineering Feat.

A Trip the Denver and South Park
 Railroad-yVonderfuI scenery-A Great
 Engineering Feat.
 DENVER, Colorado, Nov. Sth. T. the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 I thought would tell you about my trip up the Denver and South Park railroad, one division of the Union Pacific, in this letter It was lovely bright morning, unusually hot and close though for Colorado. After the usual anxiety for fear some one would be left, and everybody running about till they were out of breath, to make sure that tick cts and baggage were all right, behold us at last ''all aboard and ready to start Away we go, about a. m, leaving the beautiful depot at good speed. We stopped at the little station of West Denver, only a few blocks of, and were surprised at the rain drops which came scurrying down. For short time it just poured Then old ''Sol" showed himself once more all the brighter and fresher for having had his face washed How near the foot hiIls'' appear, and the grand old ''Snowy Range" too No snow is' on his head usually SO hoary. So far as we can see, the hot sunshine has barred its top most peak.
 We had two locomotives, two baggage and seven passenger cars. The rear one was s.Horton chair car" We were in the car next and were told to occupy that if we liked it best, but we stayed where we were
 After while we began to wonder why we were so politely treated. As we walked down the platform beside the train, gentle man said to us, Flake the next to the best car'' and we did so. It was a very hand some car, and agreeable looking people were already occupying part of 1t, but there were plenty of seats for our party too. Af ter we started every one was so jolly and o11o fn1 fhafr run n had made mistake. Finally we asked the conductor and learned that it was party of Chicago tourists viewing the beauties of Col orado They evidently took us for members of their party, and pointed out all objects ot interest to us and treated us so tSe that we orsnsTs gnsh end was reminded of Mark Twain's' traveIing experience when he was unable to secure any place in the sleeper. He saw the porter pointing toward him and talking to the high and mighty railroad official who had so deci dedly refu ed him accommodation. Present. ly he was most politely invited to occupy the private drawing room of the car and over whelmed with attention Finally he asked tue porter who he thought he was. He said: q knew you the first minute I saw you You are General Mcclellan" I can't remem- Der nor tell it in M. ITS inimitable manner, but very likely you have read it. We thought we should like to know whom we were taken for. By the way, on my journey out here, a lady asked my travelling companion if I was not Clara Morris saying she thought surely must be, I resembled her so much. Having never seen her, I don't know which was the most complimented.
 I wish you could have seen the magnificent and ever changing scenes as we wended our way upward The sky was softly tinted blue, with feecy clouds hanging like light curtain below the. tips of the higher peaks the silvery-leaved aspens and cottonwoods mineling with their background of dark green spruce and pine. the grasses and shrub bery of varied hues. and wild flowers of eve ry description, all lending their beauty to the general effect. At first the hills were but slight and the valleys fertile. Nestling in the heart of them were many prosperous ssranchesn-(f farms we would call them East) with herds of cattle grazing, and very com fortable log houses and barns. Then the hills were higher and closer together, and the mountains right above our heads. The air changed and keen wind swept down to meet us and we congratulated ourselves on our flannel travelling dresses and even donned our ulsters. This was my first expe- rience in climbing mountains by railroad, and it was all so new to chamber up first on one side and then on the other of the Platte riv- CT as it dashes over rocks and other obstacles. So steep and narrow is it's bed that 1t is almost like continuous waterfall. Our locomotives puffed along like an asthmatic person, making a like exertion. Most of the way they were in sight from our car window, this road is so winding and zigzag- When this railroad was first talked of through the Platte canon it was thought to be impossible. On either hand were steep cliffs, hundreds and at some points nearly two thousand feet high. and this wild little mountain stream abling down between. It is said that ex- perienced engineers declared it could not be built. But it was, though it took an immense amount of money and the most skillful workmen to do it. They had to turn the river into new channels and blast way through the granite rock in many places and build firm walls. At some places men had