The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-01-10
[spe cial Correspondence y1RG1NIAN.,
LETTERS FROM COLORADO.
NUMBER SIX.
MANIToJt

MANIToU
Manitou proper lies in Il cup-shaped
glen, open at the west through the Ute
Pass, and shut inIfrom winds by noun
tain wall whose precipitouss sides rise al
most from her streets, and adown which
the sunshine fingers long and lovingly.
Pixies Peak, vending westward and just
visible above the crowded SUBMITS, CLEANS
Ikea silver hem to the blue mantle of the
sky. Manitou is a warm ,cradled nest where
inyalids spendlong sunny hours on hotel
porches, or rustic seats, in utter forgetful-
ness Of the fact that the month is Jan
uary or March, until the sun drops sud-
denly behind the mountains. For summer,
stray breezes that are lost in the canyons,
temper the warmth of the day, and the
nights have the refreshing GOODNESS pecu-
liar to mountain resorts.
The busy trains plying between Manitou
and Colorado Springs, set down their pas
sengers at a picturesque, Queen Anne de-
pot, built of rudy stone, with wide Chin
neys and low caves. Here they are met by
carry-alls from the hotels. which convey
them, free of charge, to their destination.
Almost opposite the depot is the Manitou
House, the first hotel erected by the col
ony company, but so modernized that but
little of the structure remains as in pion-
eer days. 1t is three-story frame build
ing, facing broadly to the south, and en-
circled by piazzas east, south and west. 1t
is now kept by Mr.. A. w. Bailey, and its
100 rooms and sometimes it's broad corri-
doris, converted into sleeping rooms, are
filed with summer guests. 1t stands in q
grove of tall cottonwoods and its sweep of
roadway is curbed by an expanse of turf,
kept green by fountains aud the. winding
creek. A short distance farther up the
road on the right hand side, .past the little
frame cottage empowered in cIematis,
where Grace Greenwood lived long ago, is
the Beebee House,-a,, great white hotel
with 100 guest chambers and ballroom
30x50 feet. Mrs. Beebee is the embodi-
ment ofzenergy, and gives personal super
vision to all the affairs of her big house.
son with all sorts of people from all quar-
tiers of the globe. The road now bends to
the right, and beyond a garden-llke space,
dotted with clumps of glossy scrub-oak
smothered in clinging clemantis vines, is
the Cliff House, a square, commodious
hotel, painted brown with dark red trim
mings, standing against background OF
cliff. The Cliff House is open all the year
round, and is steadily and deseryedly pat
ronized by the habitues of Manitou, who
love it as we'll in sere winter as in verdant
summer.
Board at the Beebee House is $500 per
week; at the Cliff, $1,000 to $500. Be
sides, there are cottages attached to the
hotels where rates are more reasonable,
and number of smaller boarding-houses
where excellent accommodations may be
obtained. Sunnyside cottages, the Bell
House. and the Norris House are among
the number. Many advantages are COM
mon to the above mentioned hotels They
have professed cooks, q luxurious bill of
fare to which not only the surrounding.
but eastern markets, contribute hot and
cold water on all the. floors, telephones and
telegraphs, Il numerous corps of porters
and attendants, and for musement lovers.
billiard halls, pool tables, &c. Each hotel
has its band to awaken the echoes of the
Rockies, and ''hops' are the order of the
summer evenings. An artist S eye first Sc
lected the site of thesBarker House, built
on RuXton Avenue which forks to the left
at the point where Manitou's new bath
house is situated. 1t is nestled against |
the slope of hill, open on the south and
east to the vista of billowy plains. pre-
senting panoramic, eyaneScent changes, |
framed in the brown outline OF the buttes. |
The. Barker House is q delightful resort !
for those who do not care to frequent the |
Fabulous hotels, as Mrs. Whitney calls
them. 1t has wide verandas on twostories, |
forty-six bedrooms charmingly furnished, |
pleasant parlors and Office annunciator, |
telephone, and all the conveniences of lux
urious living. The table satisfies the most |
fastidious. as there is always skilled cook |
in the kitchen. There is not more genial |
host, nor one who provides more carefully |
for the comfort of his guests and house,
in all the Rocky mountains than Mr.. c. |
w. Barker.
Manitou's chief pride and glory is to be |
found in her group Of mineral springs. |
They are six in number, exclusive of one |
undeveloped, and lie, with the exception |
of the two Iron, near the banks of Foun- |
tain creek, between the Border and Cliff |
houses. This is the most picturesque por- |
ton of Maniton. The tourist S guide says |
''it is shut in on three sides by Pixies Peak,
and rustic pavilions couchant dot the cot
tonwood groves" We are not positive |
whether they are couchant OF rampant, |
but there they are, some serving as sum-
mer houses others forming pagoda-like |
roofs to the springs. These springs be- |
long to the general group of carbonated
soda-waters, their temperatures varies
from 430 to $50. Just opposite the Border
House is the Shashones Spring, a little |
aside from the main road, gurgling up
somewhat slnggishly, and leaving yellow |
deposit where its waters rest. This is |
commonly called the sulphur spring On
the bank of the Fountain, beyonda rustic |
fence. and in a tangle of shrub and vine is
the Navajo Spring. bubbling up silvery and
etfervescent, in basin Of pure, marble |
like soda deposit Itisliterally sureharged