The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-08-30

down like that OF Lodors from the lake ness-
| ling IN the heart of the far away summit, aud
| there in the black heart of chaos itself starts
up the fair Alpine flower, with the tints and
the touch of the fszEest exotic, saying Even
here Is the God of beauty and Of promise"
PERILs OF ENGINEERING.
As we go so easily aud pleasantly through
these great Businesses of the earth we readily
fOrget-if indeed we have ever knOvn-bv what
perils and privations these great achievements
have been accomplished. The great feat that
Fremont and his men accomplished, but little
more than quarter Of a century ago, in going
over these very mountains, has faded into
the past the risks and hardships of the ex-
plOrer become as naught, and the surveyor
and the engineer aud the men who made the
roads and blasted the tunnels and dug away
the surface of the mountains. and through the
Ice and the SHOWS perfected this wonderful
triumph OF American genius, are remembered
not at all II the contemplation Of the wonders
OF nature which their work unf0Ids. OF
working in the SHOWS waist deep; OF plunging
into the melting spring SHOWS until descent
could only be made by lying prone on the back
and working down the poor chilled bOly with
the elbows and the feet; of crossing fssureS By
the aid of snow shoes only, Of sliding down on
the crust from peak TO base, hundreds Of feet
below; of running the lines upon such sseep
surfaces that che 6rm-fOOted burro would lose
his footing and roll from plateau 20 plateau to
the valley below; of the hOgrOrs Of cropping
snoT-bllnd TO place of refuge; Of gasping
at every step for the breath that fails when
needed most Of electrical shocks that seem to
tear the scalp from Inc head OF being foOt-sore,
weary and ill-fed OF sitting all night In a
miners cabin with feet over shOe-toD in the
mud, since 20 lie down is to be in the mud
deeper still; of subsisting on haf-bazed dough
and rancid bacon these are the experiences Of
which little is heard md less IS known. And
yet these are rot uncommon IN the country
through which we pass not only among rail-
road men, but the mining surveyors and en-
gIneers, the Pr0speetors and the miners. There
arc only about two months IN the year when
the mountains below tiHl5er-liue are entirely
free from snow. while as late as the 18th Of
June it fell to the depth of two feet over shs
| entire country through which We passed.
REGION OF PERPETUAL SNOW.
On the higher SUBMITS the snow never melts,
| lying in some of the assures to the depth OF
one hundred and fifty feet. So as we ascend
the air grows rarer and colder and the exear-
/ siOnists begin to shiver and sigh for the over
coats carefully packed up at Denver; the
sun shines brightly, and yet crystal shower is
! falling. Now we strike the long lines of snow
/ sheds on the summit of a naked peak, where
/ the winds rage furiously in the winter days.
4 Another and another, until in the heart Of
| Marshall Pass the train stops midway Of one,
/ anu the passengers are 3it0NEQ 70 Ci3Moer
| the barren heights, standing like two monster
giants guarding the gateway of the continent.
/ There they range themselves upon the apex OF
| the slope, and the Pacific and the Atlantic Join
/ hands in cOngratuIation, while the keen air
/ whistles the march music Of the pioneer.
| Laden with flowers and the sweet dwarf straw
/ berries the snow shed is re-eatered and the
/ descent begun.
| These snow sheds, extending for miles and
miles, are curiOsities in themselves. They are
| supported by three rows of the heaviest pine
| trunks, sunken like piles, and rooted and
| boarded with the heaviest timber. They ara
| wide enough for the accommodation of two
| tracks, with room on the sides for as many
more, and form a sure protection from thu
driving storms
on THE ATLANTIC SLOPE.
The descent from Marshall Pass is equally
picturesque and inspiring. with the irregular
/ Saugre de Cristo Range to the southeast, with
/ their sharp pinnacles outlined against deep
blue sky like the bayonets of Titan soldiers.
on TO the right are the slopes Of the distant
ranges, cleaning in the sunshine or deep IN
solemn shadows, the white vapOr5 rising from
their rounded SUBMITS Ike the planes from
| the knights of chivalry. We pass down the
same winding gOrges, down the wooded slopes
of aspen and cedar and pine, past the noun
tain huts with their sod roofs past more long
lines of snow sheds, until the air grown softer
| we come again 70 the cattle IN the mountain
coves grazing on the tough. sweet grass with
its rough spears and prIcltIy edges. Now
glimpses of fertile valleys appear, and locking
back, we see that the great gray peak Of Mount
/ Ouray Is passed, with its vast, upIifted amphi-
theater scooped out as if b. the hands of man.
1t requires slight stretch OF the imagination
/ to think that misty veil enshrouds the Olvm-
/ plan Jove, and that the curving rainbow
yonder is the veritable Iris conveying his mes
sages TO struggling mOrtals II the plains below.
! PONCHA SPRINGS.
At Poneha Springs, approaching salida,
| both being on the upper Arkansas, not fsr re-
/ mote from the Royal Gorge, we strike group
OF, hot springs as interesting IN character "a
/ those at Hayward, near the Alpine Pass. All
around are lofty peaks rising to the height Of
from 10000 to 1900 feet Poncha Springs
have been developed BY DR.. Reed, Major Nell
son and Major Lstta, formerly interested in
the Arkansas Hot Springs, and are pronounced
/ by these gentlemen as possessing all the vir-
I tues Of that famous resort, while In capacity
I temperature is from 909 to 1852 Fahrenheit, and
their supply fifty per cent. more than the
Arkansas springs. The water is clear, tasteiess
and odorless, and quenehes thirst taken cold or
/ hot. The number of springs is ffty-fve. all
/ flowing from a great field of tuia. Tufa is
/ soft and porous stone the natural precipitation
/ of ages by loss of temperature. Governor Pit
/ kin and his family have Summer residence at
/ this point, which is becoming q great resort for
| invalids particularly for those suffering from
rheumatism. Fabulous but well-authen ticated
/ stories are told Of cures effected in one day.
/ KATE SFfEEwOOD