The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-08-20

Il l,es 10 Bakers Park, which 10 perfectly
level, magnificent mountains rising abruptly
On every side. It has population OF about
| 500, and there arc some valuable mines In
The vicinity.
They have very effective way Of stopping
unhealthy competition at Silverton. The price
of whisky in the mountains is generally two
bits drink. $50 the signs read on the walls)
A young man started store day before we
arrived, advertising that he would give two
drinks for two bits He did good business
that day, but that night the old saloon keepers
broke into his saloon and emptied out oil his
whisky, destroyed all his cigars and smashed
things generally. That ended his business
there.
As soon as we arrived in Silverton We en-
gagged horses to take us to Rico, as We had to
cross another range that they could not cross
with the buck. board. We were soon on our
way and crossed the range, going through the
town of Ophir, and stopping at the "hotel" OF
Mr.. Newmeyer at Summit. The hotel did not
have any floor or stove, and they built the
fire lit being quite cOla) on the ground, In the
middle of the room, and let the smoke 60 out
Of the roof We got our supper, however, and
had good nights rest This "ho,el" is stu.
ated near San Magnet Lake, where thousands
of fine trout are caught every season.
The next morning We started on the home
stretch tor Rico, about 10 miles. When about
10 miles from Rico we met a man who in
formed us that there were Indians in that vi
Gritty, and to be careful not to run into them,
as they might take our scalps. We did not
care to 60 around to look for them, but kept
on our route, arriving at Rico about noon-a
ride of 40 miles from Silverton.
Rico IS town of about 1000 inhabitants
and is SAID TO have some valuable mines In Its
vicinity. 1t IS situated in the hear. OF the San
Juan mining country and has been difficult
to REACH but since the Denver & Rio Grande
railroad ,sreached Durango, a wagon road is
being built direct, which will give them an
easy outlet We were taken in charge by Sam
Burkhardt, an old.tlmer in the mountains and
a thorough gentleman, and shown through the
different mines, and spent two or three days
very pleasantly.
On the 1st of August we retraced our way
to Silverton, and from there took stage Tor Du
range, where we arrived on the evening OF the
"a of August This is the present terminus OF
the Denver and Rio Grande railroad and IS
remarkable city. The city was laid out in
September, 1880, and now contains popula-
ton of 1000 or 5000. 1t contains some fine
buildings, smelter, and is in the midst OF
extensive coal fields, which are of great value
in that country and is destined to be the me-
tropolls of the San Juan. The first train on
the Denver & Rio Grande railroad reached
Durango the day before we arrived.
On the Sd of August we left Durango for
Denver. The San Juan Division of the Den
yer & Rio Grande railroad traverses the noun
tans from Durango to Antonito, distance OF
III miles, anu crosses the Pinos Chama sum.
nit and the continental divide at an altitude
of nearly 10000 feet and Is one OF the most
wonderful and romantic achievements ofmod
ern railway building. The ride for the whole
distance is succession of grand, marvellous
and sensational sights, the railroad track al
the brink of the chasm of TOlteC Gorge, being
over I 100 feet above Los Plnos creek. After
very pleasant ride of $50 miles we reached
Denver on the evening of the 4h Of August.
The Denver & Rio Grande railroad is now
operating nearly 900 miles. The object O
its projectors was to construct road along
the eastern base of the mountains, and then tt
pierce them by branches to reach the mining
districts whenever and wherever they PROVED
to be sufficiently productive. They are nov
extending their branches SO that they reacl
nearly all the prominent mining camps in TIT
state of Colorado.
For the tourist it is probably the finest lint
of roads IN the United States. There Is scarce
10 mile of tame scenery on the whole line
Everywhere the attention is held by the shift
ing phases of the mountain view, near or dis
tant the beauty of the extensive parks or TIT
picturesque grandeur of the canyons ant
mountain passes. The altitude is so great tina
there are but few points on the road where tn
weather is not pleasant IN the hottest seasol
of the year.
a Revolutionary Giant.
| Peter Francisco, q giant of the Revolution
who dealt destruction with sword five lee
long, is thus described by correspondent o
a Virginia journal: