The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-24
tumbing waters and the jagged rocks below

tumbling waters and the jagged rocks below
almost an inferno in its ruggedness. On all
sides Of the chasm are the bare, blackened and
otherwise diseolored rocks, bespeaking a volca-
mic rent, which the waters have made serve
them as a passage way. Directly the scenery
assumes milder type, and we traverse the pref
ty, grassy dimples near the summit. which we
soon reach at an altitude of about 900 feet
above the sea- Our next object Of interest is
the snow sheds, for which there is ample
use in winter, in exposed places where the wind
drifts the snow to depth of from ten to twenty
feet 1t reached level here last winter Of four
or five feet. the trains being often blocked for a
few hours, till the track could he cleared. There
have been no serious delays, however since the
construction of the sheds, most of which were
built year ago. after the snow blockade of the
previous winter, when no train came through to
Durango for a period of six weeks These sheds
are built of very heavy timbers, which will
Withstand an immense pressure. and have been
the means Of keeping the road open the past
winter. The descent of the range is quite
another matter from the ascent. 1t doesn't take
long to cover the twenty miles down grade to
Chama-a Spanish name, pronounced with so
broad sound of the IA as to give the impress
sion of being spelled with an ''r'-which is a
charming place, for situation at least, being
built in open forest of large yellow pines
Here we are within the territorial limits of New
Mexico, as we have been ever since we left the
summit, the road traversing the soil OF that
Territory for a number of miles further, ALSO
before crossing back into Colorado
The next stream we strike is the Navajo,
which We follow to its junction with the San
Juan, following down that stream for a con-
siderable distance. Then we shoot across the
country to Durango over rolling mesa part
Of the Southern Ute reservation cross the Pine
river at the agency; then, few miles further on.
the Florida, pronounced Floreta) thence to the
Anlmas and up that river to beautiful Durango.
three miles north of the reservation-which is
here twenty miles wide, and extends to the New
Mexico line-sixty miles from the eastern
boundary of Utah, and $50 miles from Pueblo
10 the north Of the town tower the famous San
Juan mountains, the magnificent mass of the
purple La Patas looming up few miles distant
to the northwest, and the serrated Needles
frowning down from their lofty heights in the
northeastern horizon. The immediate
roundings picturesque beyond description.
The valley is shut in on either side by abrupt,
rocky walls. rising to height of from 700 to
LOO feet in places, with greater heights beyond,
rising in terraces until they become mountains,
several thousand feet high. ascends the
valley The boundary walls are broken right at
Durango by several creeks which here join the
Animas, each with its corresponding rocky
palisades. which everywhere show the edges Of
the more or less tilted strata which
vary greatly in color. different tints
of red prevailing in all the valley above the
town. and all worn into fancifnl shapes by wind
and water with occasional cascade leaplng
down their sides to add to their picturesque
in every little crevce ravine and the SUBMITS
crowned with pine forests. Right at the town,
the broken face of the ramparts takes the form
of a line of gigantic frigates with prows drawn
up abreast in battle array. In the midst dashes
the beautiful, clear, mountain stream of melted
SHOWS over rocky bottom. Sometimes, when
the SHOWS melt very rapidly, under the influence
of too ardent sun, it becomes raging torrent
and sweeps away bridges and makes itself gen
orally obnoxious for a time. 1t makes bend
near the middle of the town. plat. sweeping
across from the eastern side of the valley to the
very foot Of the western cliffs, which it follows
the rest of the way through the town. This
makes two Durangos-Durango proper, where
all the business houses and a great majority of
the residences too, for that matter, are located
and North Durango pretty residence suburb
across the river. many of whose houses line the
very banks of the stream, down which zgzag
paths wind amid tangled vines to the waters
edge, and little rustic bridges cross to the
islands.