Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-08-13
1.-THE IRON TRAIL"

THE IRON TRAIL"
EDITOR ISrELLlGENcER We left Lexington
on the I'd of August for an extended "trip through
Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico. and think
ing Il few notes by the way would interest Jour
readers, we herewith ''gIve our experience "
We left Kansas City on the A. Z. Il 5. f. L.
X. comfortably fixed in the Pullman sleeper.
Chavez On our trip out we noticed that the
crops between Kansas City ami Topeka were in
wanto rain. and if 1t did not come soon the
corn and late potatoes would be almost 3 fail
ure. Between Lecompton and Topeka We
passed the most terrible wreck we ever saw.
The two engines. attached to freight aud cattle
trains, ran at full speed against each other and
literally 'smashed the strong cars to kindling-
wood. piling the wreck up about twenty-five
feet. one tender being full twenty feet from the
ground, on top of q mass of car debris. dead
cattle and railroad ties. The train men saw
their danger in time and jumped. and 80 far as
we could hear no one was seriously hurt. A
grest many Of the cattle were Killed and liter
ally mashed to q Jelly. Alter leaving Topeka,
the corn and other crops gradually improved in
appearance, In fact all through the section oil
country visited by drouth last year the rains
eeem to have been timely and plentiful. Moth
49, Voss.s ~ WV SSSohASo al koeA Aoht
ride across the boundless PLAINS. blu, one is i'm
pressed with the immense territory of ''Uncle
SAM" which. some day, will be teeming with
a happy people. In due time We reached
PUEBLO,
which ia, unfortunately, located on the most
desolate part of the valley Of the Arkansas river,
among the rough spurs OF the foothills of the
mountains, with nothing to relieve the sense of
the determination and desolatIon' which hangs
over the country around 1t. but the restless ac-
tivity of the railroads and the swsrms of gamb-
lers, thieves and rough characters who. no
doubt. will do it a great injury. The business
men Of the city are live, courteous and good
hearted gentlemen. We saw our old friends.
Mcssrs. W. z. Beck, Aldridge Corder, Frank
Shrock and Oscar Packard, all of whom showed
US marked kindness. Real estate has advanced
in value to such an extent on the expectation oil
what the town niIl be, that those Wishing to
buy and build are deferred from 80 doing, and a
chance to build up the town is thus lost. great
deal Of real estate has changed hands, but 1t is
mostly to home buyers. OF this. however, the
people are very proud, but it puts one In mind
of the story of the woman who had such smart
boys that they could make two dollars and a
half q. day trauing clothes with one another.
Pueblo, however, has a great future, and those
WIN ihNSos SASih lAohN in0J ooA " u "
return, though it may be ''after many days."
After leaving Pueblo We took the Denver and
Rio Grande X. r.. for
%oLoRADo SPRINGS, ~.
forty-Hve miles north of Pueblo. This is the
handsomest little city we know of in the west,
being mostly built on the high level plateau
above the Little Fountain river, which runs
along the beautiful valley at the fobt of the
Rocky Mountains. The ground is as level rs u
floor, and the streets are very wide, straight and
shaded on both sides by rows of handsome cot
tonwood trees. which are kept green and thrifty
by a stream of clear water running at their
roots, the soil and climate being loo dry for
any growth without irrigation. The houses and
stores are models of nearness. aud ne garbage
of any sort is allowed to be thro wn in the street.
There are no saloons allowed In the city, and
any one who engages In the sale or manufacture
of liquor. forlelts all right, title and interest in
his real estate. The situation of the town is
very fine. Pixies Peak is directly opposite the
town ut a distance of twelve miles, air line ,
although it looks as il one could walk there
in a half hour. The whole mountain range is
in full view, and forms a magnificent back
ground to the lovely picture of the little town
Of six thousand inhabitants nesting at their
base. We spent o day here to visit the many in
terestlug places in the nelgnborhoOd. About
ten O'Clock We got . nice two-horse carriage,
and accompanied by a driver who knew the
points of interest, we first.visited the
GARDEN oE THE GODS.
1t is lmost IN vain to ate dnpt to describe this, l
may say, tremendous place. After u drive
along a road that Is perfection itself. up high on
the foot hills, you come down into u fertile valley
and wind around through groves of scrub oak
a MI maintain u iltnW tn tho rnapnrA,.onf Z a Ia
way to the Garden of the Gods" just imagine,
If you can. two immense red sandstone cliffs
over three hundred and thirty feet high, porting
skyward liks the gigantic spires of some citthe-
dral OF the genli Of Old, while between these two
one catches a glimpse of the wonderland within.
Huge rocks of many strange shapes stand about
no two together, and one is wonderfully i'm
pressed with a mighty sense, of the immensely OF
the forces of nature whpn,once set in motion.
When. wandering through this magic scene.
gazing on the mighty range OF mountains with
Pixies Peak towering above ell the range, one is
tempted to exclaim, "Great and marvellous are
Thy works. oh Lord; IN wisdom hast Thou made
them all; the earth ia full of Thy glory"
There are many other objects OF interest, such
AZ the Balancing Rook,' - ''Rainbow Falls
U Pass, ''''Iron Springs. ""Soda Springs,''
&C., but I cannot describe them now.
Manitou is u town of fine hotels at the foot OF
Pixies Peak. and perhaps no better place could
BE- found to spend q few weeks either for health
or pleasure. The pure light air from the noun
tains comes down and cools the atmosphere to
perfection. while all the luXuries OF life Can be
had at.Irom three to four dollars per day. Alter
leaving ManitOu We passed. through Colorado
City, the dtst capital Of the territory, and saw
the old log state house where the assembled wis.,
dom of the territory used 10 meet. The town
now is more like the Deserted Village than
any thing else. Is
Next day We left for Denver, passing "Cast.e
Rock'' on the way and having q very fine view
Of the Rocky Mountains all the way up. Denver
is a very solid business center, With fine shaded
streets and handsome residences. "A very large
trade IS doae here in produce and fruits for the
mining country west OF it. We spent the Jay
looking about the city. and saw our Lexington
friends. Fred. Fischss and Adam Walk, Jr.,
aud left on the night lraIn for
This town is beautifully located on the .'Picket
Wire'' river. and extends up the sides of the
mountain 30 that many beautiful views are OBJ
tanned from the dwellings up on the mountain
side We saw our friend Mrs. Krille and heard
Of the welfare of those from our section of the
'svinyard."
We left next day and passing over the magniG-
cent Grafton Pass' We reached Las Vegas ''on
time'' on Sunday afternoon. We took a ride
out to the Hot Springs, passing through Mexico
Village. and saw many sights strange to a
~tenderfoot,'' rs they call a man from east OF
the plains. On the road we met Il man and a
woman mounted on q "Burro,' - either OF them
larger than the donkey they were riding, and
the whole party, including the 'tBuno, - seem
ing perfectly contented. Large herds of goats
feed on the slopes of the "Mesa,' p or high
large part of the living of the Mexicans here.
The most of the old town is built of 'adobe,"
and most of the Mexican population live over
there. The whole town Is very dirty and
slOvenly, and to one coming from the north it
ID very dIsagreeable. The town though Is
thriving. and there are many live enierprising
men here who would build up any town. The
great drawback here is the want of water, but
the waterworks soon to be completed Will Oh
viate that difficulty. and trees can be planted
out along the now hot and dusty streets. Our
Lexington friends here seem IL be doing well
and are enjoying good health. We will stop
now lest we weary your readers.
Respectfully yours,
Two ORPHANS"
Messrs. Joseph A. and Robt. Wilson have
secured the agency of the Home and OF the
Mag ara Insurance COMPANIES of New York.