Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1885-02-21
CORREsPONDRNCE.

CORREsPONDENCE.
The Early Days of CoIorado-Shantfes
and WtgWamst Midnight Scare-A
Great State-MOuntain Ranges and
Parks Medicinal Springs Health
giving Atmosphere and Sunshine.
DENVER, Col, Feb. IA.
To the EDITOR of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
Colorado is the youngest child of the great
family of the United States; and though
often called the Centennial State, does not
wish it to be inferred that she is century
old. In fact, it is less than quarter of
that period since the first shanties were erect
ed on the banks of Cherry Greek, where now
the massive walls of the City Hall of it's capi-
tai and chief city stand. Nor were those
frail temporary shelters standing there alone;
interspread among them were the wigwarns
of the aborigines. The Indian tribes of that
region, the Arrapahoes, the Cheyennes, the
| Sioux and others, made the spot a common
camping ground, where now the busy, beau
tiful "Queen City of the Plains," with her
seventy thousand people, instead of savage
life and customs, exhibits all the business
activity, the wealth, the comforts and refine
1 ment found in the cities of the Eastern
States.
| It was as late as the year 1864 that, on account
of the threatening hostility of the savage
| tribes, the people were kept in constant ap-
prehension of attack and massacre On one
occasion, a midnight alarm was raised by q
report that a large band of the redskins were
| approaching, determined to exterminate the
| entire settlement of pale faces. The cruel
murder of the Hungate family, father, mother
| and children, but a little while before, just
| on the outskirts of the settlement, was
| enough to strain the nerves of the people to
/ ioJ,oc no Of
movement was sufficient to create panic.
1 The dashing of man on horseback through
| the streets, crying out in thes darkness that
F.! the Indians were numbering the neighboring
ranchmen, were driving off the stock, and
| would soon attack the town, enough to
| strike terror into every heart. The scene
| that Immediately followed was indescribable.
Men, women and children, terror stricken,
| rushing from their beds through the streets
l with one accord, pressed forward to the CEN
| trail part of the town where they hoped to
| find protection. The spot where they as
sembled was on what is now Lawrence
street near Cherry Creek. After making
elaborate preparations for the defense of the
| town, squads of armed men were sent out as
scouts over the surrounding country, when
| they discovered that the alarm had been
created by the camping of a train of Mexican
| freighters, for the night, about fifteen miles
from Denver.
It seems incredible to anyone looking out
upon the city, as it is to-day, and over the
cultivated farms up and down the Platte val
ley, and the railroads from all parts of the
compass conve1ging towards the city as a
central point, that such an event has hap
pened within a score of years. Then the
various tribes of Indians hunted and roamed
over the plains and among the mountains
with perfect freedom; now the Indian and
buffalo, 5sare rarely seen except on exhibition
in menagerie.
The territorial extent of Colorado is large.
The dimensions a parallelogram, three
hundred and ninety $500 by two hundred
and seventy (270) miles, containing an area
of about one hundred and five thousand (105,-
000) square miles. This is equal to more
than twice the area of the Empire State,
New York; to more than twenty one (21)
States like Connecticut; and over one hum
dred 900 States like Rhode Island. Many
of the counties are larger than some States
Weld county is $50 long and 70 miles wide;
it's area is TO- 500 square miles, more than
twice as great the State of Connecticut,
and is equal to ten States like Rhode Island.
Bent county in the southeastern part Of the
State has greater area than the State of
Massachusetts,.
The Rocky Mountain range runs north and
south through the middle of the State, occu-
pying a breadth of fifty to one hundred
miles, spurs and peaks, of which many are
covered with snow throughout the year In
terspersed among these ranges are many
beautiful valleys or elevated basins, common
Iy called parks, which have become very at
tractive as summer resorts for invalids and
others who desire to escape from the sultry
heat of less elevated regions The attrac-
tions of these parks are greatly increased by
hot springs, of which the water is claimed to
be specific for all rheumatic affections, and
mineral springs furnishing medicinal waters
for great variety of diseases.
Colorado Springs misnomer, since there
are no springs there, is lovely village of
some four thousand inhabitants, just without
the 'foot-hills' in Ell Paso county, about six
miles east of Manitou where the springs are
found The curative efficiency of the waters
at Manitou has long been known, even by the
Indians, and the town is crowded every sum-
mer with visitors who make it resort for
pleasure or for the restoration of health.
Manitou is the Saratoga" of Colorado. Sew
eral large hotels have been erected there for
the accommodation of guests. The drive be-
tween Colorado Springs and Manitou is de-
lightful especially if one takes in the "Gar-
den of the Gods making the distance but a
mile or 80 farther than by the direct road.
Idaho Springs is an old and popular resort,
about thirty eight miles west of Denver on
the Central railroad. Only hot soda and sui
phur springs for bathing found here.
Poncho Springs have recently attracted ut
tention, and are regarded by many as quite
equal to the famous Arkansas hot springs in
their curative qualities. Although some 220
miles southwest of Denver, and far into the
mountains, the place ia quite easily reached
by railroad, and it is sad that hotel accom-
modntions soon to be provided for yisi-
tors. But of springs it may be said of
other treasure trove in this land which holds
untold millions of buried wealth in various
forms, the beginning of development has
been scarcely made.
Colorado has an immense backbone. II is
this that has already done much TO make this
infantilo State robust and vigorous, even be-
fore IL has reached its first decennary. First
of all, the mighty mountain Ennges are puri
fers of the atmosphere and make 1t delight
for tho whole animal creation to breathe. To
everyone 1t Is invigorating; to some II IL ex-
hilarating as champagne, md no prohibitory
law or constitutional enactment can ever cut
off tho supply These mountrin tops, reaeh-
ing far into the heavens, seem to strain out
every impurity and spread over the broad
prairies the purest of lung food to heal and
revive those who are sinking under the pow
or of wasting disease and impart increased
vigor to those who are well. Malaria finds
no lodgment here; nor can it ever be permit
ted to migrate hither except that which
comes in the body of some unfortunate ma
larial invalid, and even that will be quickly
searched out by the pervading, native air,
and soon by some necromancy peculiar to
this climate will be reduced to a nonentity.
Asthmatic lungs are speedily relieved of their
burden and are allowed here to play with all
their normal freedom. Phthisis, with it's
racking cough, consuming the fiesh redu-
cling the strength and depressing the spirits
of it's victims, is here compelled to relax its
grasp, if the disease is not allowed to get too
firm hold before the patient seeks help
from this health giving climate.
Nor is the genial atmosphere the only gift
of these lofty mountain peaks and ranges.
The brilliant sunshine three hundred days in
the year, such as can be found nowhere short
of mile above the sea-level out of the
reach of the humid fog producing, chilling
influence of the ocean, is inspiration to
cheerfulness, good nature and physical health
that makes it joy f'to live and move and
have being" 2.
SPECKE ED.