The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-11-26


i ItaSrs and possesses you.
| us on, So eloquent The blGc
And hrudcl SIX lie, seem bul,t for 10,
Win rounded roof all fashioned 1T,
| Aud srCscOed clouds, quaint wrought ana true
i Some silent red men cross your track,
Some suuanncd trappcrs come ana 90,
Some rolling seas of buffalo
AfGp.t foor.nls beating back,
LiLc breakers of some trUdbrd bay,
Bat not u voice the iVnS, lone Gay'
Avidr domain Of mysteries,
\ And -.Iis That men misuhdcfstahl;
4 Land Ut spapn and Grrawai a laRd
or sea, sll .ahr-, and dried up st'N.'
All are realized, except tina, no silent red men
cross ycur track, nor rolling seas Of buffalo"
for both have long since climbed the Rockies
and followed the trail toward the setting sun,
nc,tr tO ytturn and in few short years 10 be re-
presented only in history, shows or mena.eries
as some Of the queer things of tie past. That
familiar object of tho plains the canvas covered
wagon 10 occasionally seen crawling westward,
now lis white top far ahead Tor while and pres
| emily far behind diminishing to "a glimmering
speck, aud finally no longer distinguishablc from
the little piles OF bone. that dot the distance.
| As the lonx train Of the A., T. X 5. r. Railway
glides on over his vast expanse, along what has
been known as the "Old Santa Fe Trail" our
mind wanders back over short bridge OF years,
and we are reminded OF the thrilling tales Of
frontier life along this same trail, and the early
voyagers toiling Across this great waste in their
ship OF the desert Side and side the trail OF the
"praire schooner" aud the rail OF the iron horse
Is seen. But how different the condition OF
things now and those Of former days. The driver
Of the iron horse sits upon his cushioned seat,
with hand upon the lever and his sleepless eye
Ia. tirsl atapd
bounding on with its long train Of human freight
But the bull whacker, with his slang phrases,
profuse oa.hs aud the crack Of his long whiplash,
10 heard no more. His glory has departed, and
he, like "Poor Lo," has gone west, for the rail
road has destroyed his occupation, and there is
no further need Of him who once piloted over
this then unknown waste.
1t would be unreal were !, in picturing this
great trip, not to mention any OF ths more pleas
Ing features Of the journey, as we'll as the more
solemn ones. OF course there are many pleasing
sights to be seen-the many pleasant as well as
prosperous cities and towns In Eastern Kansas,
the beautiful homes and fine farms - ssen from
the train, many seemingly equalinx those In our
own Prairie State. There Is no part Of Kansas
50 fertile or productive as that trsversed BY the
A., 7. u 3. =. Railroad, which accounts for the
great wealth now possessed by those who few
years ago settled along the line. But this entire
region has been written up so often, and by those
more competent than l. That now it seems un
necessary for me to even refer to it. will state,
however, while on this particular point OF my
subject. that there is no part of Kansas that
peases me 30 well as that traversed by this road.
And as for the journey TO ths mountains, in com
parison to accommodations aud equipment, al.
ways take the A., I. 81 s. T., even ia preference
to accepting the courtesiss .! either OF the other
lines. have been over each and know from eI
pcrience that after you have made the journey
you will b. more pleased and thankful for the
suggestion.
From Kansas City the A., T. 4 8. r. Railway
follows the banks Of the Kansas to Topeka the
capital, and Of which briefly made mention in
my last letter. From Topeka 1t skirts through
the Neosha and Cottonwood country, and on to
Nickerson where the first grand view Of the
mighty Arkansas IL had, as it winds amid wood.
ed Isles and low banks, fresh from the snow clad
peaks and springs Of the Rocky Mountains. As
our train reaches this point 229 miles Of the finest
aud most fertile lands Of all Kansas have been ira.
versed, and for nearly 400 miles more, through
Kansas and Colorado, the trains Of the great A.,
T. & s. v. Railway run side and side with the
mighty Arkansas river, through the great cattle
region and plains of the mighty west.
Ia JUNrA,
pronounced La Hoonta,) the junction OF the
Colorado and New Mexico line, is finally reach
ed and nearly hundred miles further west Pue-
bio, the end OF the line. Az our train glides on,
and we are nearing our destination, the grand
old Rockies loom up like massive clouds before
US; and as we scan their snow-clad peaks and
somtre forms We cannot but think OF the early
voyagers toling across this great waste in their
ships Of the desert, watching for weary days and
weeks the spectral outlines OF those grand old
mountains, while the lapse Of a few short hours
will find us at their base Az our train goes
bounding on We scan the horizon ahead Of us
and with eager curiosity watch the dark blue line
which indicates the first faint view Of the Rock
les. Mile after mile Ii quickly gone over, and as
we approach the mountain range appears more
grand and solemn. Floating clouds in teecy
shape, o'ertopped by glistening peaks Of snow,
mark their summit, north and south; eighty
mics northwest the hoary head Of Pike rises
IA 900 feet in cloud land; and nearly hundred
miles beyond the forked pnaacles OF Longs Peak
are seen towering two hundred feet nearer heav.
en-; whila away towards the sunny land OF song
The sugar loaf forms OF the Spanish Peaks glisten
Ia The MONDAY sun; and nearly fifty miles south
Of then, the uninviting dome Of Purgatory Peak
stands boldly out against the sky-which, by the
way, Ia not the "Purgatory" that good Catholics
20 to ON probation. that lies in the direction Of 3
warmer CLINE.
"PUEBLO;
twenty minutes for dinnerv yels the man with
the badge on HE hat an invitation that is always
aud under all circumstances acceptable to the al
WAYS hungry traveller. And while here We will
snatch few brief moments and take In the town,