Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-05-29
ON A COLORADO RANCHE.
THE JOURNEY THERE FROM DENVER AND TIL


BoRo RESIDENT.
From private letter from Mrs. NJ. h. whitman.l
TnouBLEsoME, GRAND Co, Col,
April 2Sth, 1885.
After leaving Denver by the Denver q Rio
Grande narrow gauge road we ascend an easy
grade, passing many solitary cabins and few
painted frame houses, the homes of the hardy
ranchmen, until we reach Palmer Lake on the
height Of land between Denver and Pueblo.
II is an artificial pond. Here are bath houses,
a pavilion, and pionc-ground for the use
Of pleasure parties. From here we pass
through a region called good grazing land !;
large herds of cattle and sheep are kept here !;
through il run the iriigating bitches without
which no agriculture can be carried on. In
the East, the first OF April, we have snow and
mud here the land looked almost baked, and
the dust blew in clouds. Pixies Peak is in
sight for many miles. Arriving at Pueblo We
stop half an hour for dinner. Standing on
the car steps count four saloons on one side
OF the train and within twenty rods of IL.
This city is built on bluffs or high ridges Of
land, and is very hot and dry. 1t has the ap-
pearance even now OF being parched with
heat. Some large iron works give life to the
place, and il il the centre Of largo country
trade
Leaving Pueblo, we pass Canon City and
enter the Royal Gorge Of the Arkansas. Here
the solid granite towers for 2OOO feet above
the train on either side and the river runs
swiftly below with hardly width for the rail
road track twixt river and rock. In many
places the rock seems to overhang us as we
dash along at the average rate Of q mile in q
minutes, and it is with sigh OF relief we
once more reach open land and sunshine. II
is always cold and gloomy in the gorge.
Leaving Salida, we begin to climb the noun
tain to the Monarch mining districts. On
this branch OF the railroad one can see from
the car window two tracks far up the noun
tain, but il is not best to think Of the short
curves 10 be made in following those tracks.
In some places the train goes forward, then
switches and backs on higher track, then
forward again. One engine can take up eight
empty cars and a tiny passenger car, about
half a. large az the Brattleboro & whitehall
passenger car. This branch road is used for
conveying ore from the mines TO the smelters
in Salida. Mules and ponies manage to live
here. There are / 80 inhabitants in Salida,
and II boasts five saloons. The miners work
in relays, night and day, Sundays and all, and
get So per day Of ten hours. Eight miles
down the valley mon are plowing and plant
ing, while the snow in Monarch il four feet
deep in the stree The altitude Of the place
il 1915 feet and the air is 80 thin il affects
ones breathing until accustomed to it. Cook
ing has to bo learned over at this height po-
tatoes needing to boil full hour and corned
beef two whole forenoons.
l arrived in Leadville at 10 A NJ It takes
longer to go down the mountain than to go
up.) There | went to the smelters, where
the ore was being melted and separated.
Loadvile is not booming as it was a few
years ago. II has some nice public buildings,
very good stores, and more saloons than
churches. AT Rohomo the summit is reached
at an altitude OF 10, COG feet. The snow is as
high rs the top Of the cars on each side. We
go very slowly over gulehes and trestlework.
At Dillon left the cars for - mile ride to
Middle Park the first seven miles on horse
back, through deep snow drifts then bare
ground, jumping small streams and fording
large ones. Next came a seven. mile ride on
a sled the rest of the way in an express
wagon. In fording the Grande the water
came in the wagon body and the horses swan.
Finally the cabin that is to be my home for
as long AZ 1 can be content to stay came in
sight / wasn't sorry to see it. That was
Saturday, April 18th.
We are on the western slope of the noun
tain, at the head of the Blue Grande and near
the mouth OF the Troublesome and Muddy
rivers, and in one OF the best cattle and sheep
camps in Colorado. Our nearest neighbor is
eight miles away. Every one has irrigating
bitches with them crops are az sure as in
the East, for you can control the moisture as
you please. The area of Middle Park is
3, lSl square miles, or one-third that Of the
state OF Vermont. One man has been here
six years, and is worth $50, 600 from his cat
tie and sheep, starting with but little. Many
others are well of and making money. 1
stand in the door of our cabin and watch an
telope go past. The climate is all that could
be desired for GOODNESS and dryness. Flowers
and snow side by side. | send you some
flowers. We have over 80 different kinds Of
wild flowers.
wish had that gun of Myron's here; I'd
use it, Varnum has two, but they are too
heavy for me. NJ E. W.