The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-01-22
Over the Rockies

Over the Rockies.
We take the following from a letter from
+. S. Wallace which, though notintended
for publication, will contain points of in
terest to our readers. The earlier portion
of the trip is omitted:
Soon after entering Colorado We run
for 70 miles over very handsome, fertile,
unsettled prairie. The almost entire
absence ofrain has prevented this country
from being settled. However in 's4
there was quite u rainfall and this sum-
mer even more SO that there is good
growth of vegetation, and the venture
some settlers are rushing in by the hum
dred and taking Prescriptions and home
steads. They will be almost certain to
suffer seriously from drouth, but it will
eventually equal Nebraska as u grain
producing region. For the buffalo, the
grass-hopper and the rainfall are forced
westward by civilization and cultivation.
Arrived at Denver at 8 p. M, Dec. End.
Denver has 900 people and is prettily
located one mile above sea-level. AT
seven this morning 1 me. the excursion
party and was glad to find that they were
going to spend "a hours in the city. In
the afternoon I foundJ. H. Crandell, who
drove me around the prettiest parts of
the city, among the magnificent homes Of
the wealthy miners and "cattle kings"
The smelling works here are the largest
III the world. To-day 1 had my first
view of snow-capped mountains and in
the bright sunlight it was a magnificent
sight. In common with other new
corners, l was very much deceived in the
distance to the mountains. In the early
morning had thought to go out OIL some
street car line that would take me near
1.-THE Foot Hills " in the suburbs, but OH
inquiry l learned that they were 20 miles
distant and that the "Snowy Range" just
beyond were 80 miles away. "Long's
Peak" where the New York lady was
frozen to death last July, is plainly in
sight.
December 4th. We left Denver at s a.
M, via the Denver & Rio Grande II. r.
to Ogden. twenty-five in our party and
we have car to ourselves. This Is Il
narrow guage road, and the short cars
with their small wheels are suited for
turing sharp curves and climbing mount
aims. Their is not a tunnel OH the whole
road. We run 100 miles directly south
from Denver. For seventy miles it is up
grade until on the "divide" we are at
an altitude Of 1000 feet and quite near to
" Pixies Peak" which is 1900 feet high
and is in sight all morning. Then we
run down grade to Pueblo. where we take
dinner, only 1900 feet above the sea.
Crossing the divide we ran through
fierce snow storm, but now it is bright
and warm. Turning westward We soon
enter the mountains again and following
the windings of the Arkansas River we
trace it to Its source. For many miles in
the Royal Gorge" We see nothing but
walls and rock on either side sometimes
reaching almost perpendlcularly a thous-
and feet above us. Beside us is the rush.
ing. narrow stream whose waters never
get the sunshine. Sometimes the fssure
between the narrow walls of solid rock is
so narrow that the road runs in u cave
that has been blasted out, and again on
an iron bridge that spans the whole
clasm with our train running directly
above and parallel with the stream. 1t
is impossible to conceive of the weird,
tolemn grandeur of this run. About D.
IN. at Salida. we get second engine and
climb the mountain to Marshall Pass. 1t
is only IL miles as the bird flies but the
ascent is 1900 feet and it takes two hours
with two engines and only four cars, to
make that distance. Marshall Pass is Mt
an altitude of nearly 1900 feet and is
the highest point on any !rans-continental
railroad. 1t is the backbone of the
Rockies" Here we are among the eter-
nal SHOWS and the road runs through
many miles of snow sheds. While the
train is standings at Marshall Pass, a water
tank, three quarters of mile distant. is
pointed out. 1t is a thousand feet below
us and we circle around for five miles
before getting to it. Again VIC pass three
times within easy speaking distance of a
section house. But the darkness spoils
the pleasure of the descent and the Black
Canon of the Gunnison seems to us we'll
named.
December 5th:-We awoke this morn
ing among the barren sand hills Of Utah