The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-12-06
Letters from Colorado Springs and
and Manitou.
NUMBER TWO.
+. Especial Correspondence of the VIRGrNIAN.l

NUMBER TWO.
=. Especial Correspondence of the yIRGINIAN.l
MANITOU.
The Shashone Indians have tradition
that long, long ago when the cotton
woods on the Big river were no higher
| than an arrow and all red men spoke the
same tongue. two warriors, q ShaShone
and q Comanche, came to the springs at
Manitou to drink. The Comanche quar-
relied with the Shashone in high-fown
language, which is to be found in the ma
jority of Colorado guide books, about his
right to quench his thirst at the fountain
head, and finally drowned his fellow hunter
as he bent at the waters edge to drink.
Suddenly mystic apparition rose from
the clear stream. a venerable Indian with
| flowing beard and hair of snowy white,
the great Waukaunaga, father of Shashones
and Comanches
| With a few eloquent words of denuncia-
ton, in which he persistently demanded
| that the waters of all the Comanches should
henceforward be crank and nauseous in
their throats, this highly respectable pa
triarch dashed out the Comanche's brains
with a ghostly war club, apparently pos
! sessed of very solid qualities, and decently
disposed of his remains in the spring,
which is bitter to this day. Where the
murdered Shashone hadl fallen, a crystal
| fountain sprung from, the rock, att the
touch of his ayenging club, after which
Waukaunaga disappeared, and since has
ceased to interest himself in the affairs of
Manitou. Z The tradition does not definitely
state which spring of the seven became
aberiginally impregnated. 1t is felicitously
elastic, and the visitor can determine with
| the aid of his own palate, which is sweet
and which is embittered by the primal
crime.
| The busy Colony Company came to dis
turb these shadowy red men, and began
| the improvement of Manitou at the same
| time that work was commenced at Col
orado Springs. In the early winter of 1871
| they put up the Manitou hotel, and when
the following summer proved its accom-
modations totally inadequate to the de-
mand, others were added from time to
time. A road through Ute Pass was opened
| under the direction of E. T. Cotton. The
| trail of the Utes was metamorphosed into
a mountain highway, and the newborn
townkb .acentre, a stopping place for
| freighters, and a fitting out station, a base
of supplies to the camps dotting the dis
tant gulches. The trade was brisk and
profits were steady.
Manitou and Colorado Springs had both
found adequate reasons to be, and their
general history from that time to the pres
ent, may be summed up in two words,
peace and prosperity.
CLIMATE.
''There is absolutely no need of dying OF
consumption, If one ,riU try the climatic pre-
reaat5Ue of Colorado. The climatic cure is
not alaeoys certain, but the chances are great
B aa favor of cure. +" So says pamphlet re-
Gently issued by President Tenney of Col
orado College, and the quotation will serve
well as text for chapter on climate
A well-known physician writing for a
medical magazine, excerpts only one class
of individuals affected with phthisic from
| the benefits to be derived from climatic in
| fuences. This class has reached the col
| liquative state, has great intensity of in
lection OF of Inflammation THAT is, acute
tuberculosis OF suppuratiye peri-bronchi
tis), and is not amenable to the most favor
able influences of climate.
But others affected with varying mani
festations of pulmonary disease, may dare
to hope that if they select the region most
favorable to their symptoms, they secure 6
reasonable prospect of checking or curing
their insidious complaint. And what eli
matte influences are most favorable The
above-quoted writer gives as factors for {
desirable climate in the majority of cases
OF consumption drgness, equdbility, and ele
cation. Two of these, namely, dryness an(
elevation. are possessed by the climate O.
fact that the greatest equabilty is usual.
to be found in conjunction with tn
greatest moisture. the rule is deduced
''In the selection of climate for equabilit.
choose rather a reasonable equability witt
less moisture, than great equability will
excessive moisture unavoidably throw
i'm
4 Passing over the general qualification
of the State as q sanitarinm, which wi
readily be admitted by all who appreciat
the advantages possessed by mountain owe
sea air, in all cases where nervous irrita
bility is not excessive, in that the fran
must have certain strength, particular
of heart and lungs for sea air to produce
favorable reaction, While the gentler, sui
tier influences Of mountain breezes recrui
without shocking the feeble system, al
that places highly situated get more SUI
shine and less fog and moisture. Passin
Overthese general advantages, we turn
Colorado Springs and Manitou. The tw
places. or the double town, as one migl
3 call them, are, all things considered. d
cidedly the most favorable resorts for il
2 valids within the lines of the centenni
: State. They possess the comforts and lu,
+ uries required by the weak, which are alt
gether lacking in many Colorado town
There is even talk Of establishing here
$ model sanitarium for special treatment,
, project which has met with much favo
|. They have not the scorching summer he;
of Pueblo nor tile inferior water and d
y fectiye sewerage Of Denver the smelte