Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-07-25
wICHITA'S BEAR HUNTERS.
Word From Our Boys Mid the Snow
Caps of Utah.

journey westward across the plains was no
marked by anything of special note TIL
night was hot and the train crowded witt
passengers, many of them excursionist
bound for the same destination as ourselve
California Daylight found us about th,
state line, and here and still further ives
we saw scattering cabins of settlers Soor
after sun up the mountains could be seer
appearing above the horizon like distan
storm-cloud
T We reached Pueblo at $50 and laid ovel
until 1880, visiting the smelling works anC
other places of interest, Met Lee Ong and
| Ed. Miles on the street Pueblo is very
dull and makes Wichita boy feel as
though it were Sunday all the time The
smeter and great steel works are about al
that keep it alive.
From Pueblo we take the Denver and
Rio Grande narrow guage and follow the
Arkansas through deep and picturesque
valley. reaching Canon City at 2 p. ~
Here we spent two days, drinking water
/ from the mineral springs and doing justice
to the hotel fare; were joined here by Geo
Lewis, who was so late making up his
mind to join us that he could not start till
next day
Canon City, like all Colorado towns
at present. has a quiet and sleepy
look which contrasts strangely with the
hustle and business during the mining ex-
element few years ago.
We have called on NJ. S. Adams and wife
and Frank-old residents of Wichita, who
moved to Colorado five years ago They
were greatly interested in our glowing des-
cription of the Queen City" and the
changes which had taken place since their
departure Mr.. Adams feels that he missed
it in leaving Wichita, remarking that when
it rained soup his bowl was upside down
They wish to be remembered to old
friends.
AT Canon City we laid in a good supply
of provisions and boarded the train for
Marshall Pass Monday afternoon. The
ride through the Grand Canon of the Ar
kansas was grand, but it has been described
to often to need repeating here Emerging
from the canon, we enter Pleasant Valley,
with its irrigated farms, while beyond the
Snowy Range rises far above timber line,
with numerous patches of show whitening
the SUBMITS At Saida the train is divided
and the climb begins One powerful en-
CINE takes the two baggage cars and two
Others follow with the four or five coaches.
The scenery along the ascent is beyond all
description. The train ascends narrow
valleys and winds back high up along the
sides of the mountains passing the same
point several times. The air becomes de-
cidedly cool and we land at the pass just at
dusk and take a short turn at snowballing
in large drift near by.
Here we took possession of deserted
log cabin and made ourselves at home
in a short time Our first night
was a cold one and the outside boys had to
get up at intervals and pile wood on the
fire. We got up on the morning of July
18th to find a heavy frost on the ground
and a scum Of ice in our water bucket.
Notwithstanding the cool nights at this
altitude, al, 900 feet the sun shines warmly
and the days are pleasant. The birds twit-
ter in the morning as they do at home in
the spring time. The mountains are covered
of endless variety and brightest colors, and
even above timber line and to the very
summit where it freezes the year round,
they are found wherever little dirt in the
crevisses of the rock gives them foothold.
We climbed Mt. Ouray, over 14,00O feet
high, and before we got back were thor
oughly impressed with the fact that dis
tances are deceiving in this country We
left Marshall after three days stay and
spent a couple of days in the Tomitchi val
ley, thirty-five miles beyond where we
were told game and fish were plenty
There are abundance of mountain trout in
the streams of the western slope but we
were only moderately successful in catch
ing them, We found no game, but were
told, as we had been right along, that it
was plentiful lust over the mountain.
We took the train again Saturday evening
for Salt Lake City, and during the next
twenty hours travelled through new and
and strange country. We passed through
the furious Black Canon on the
Gunnison bv moonlight. This, in
beauty of scenery, if not in grand
eur. far surpasses the Grand Canon.
In eastern Utah we saw the most barren
and desolate country we had ever beheld
Stations were far apart and many of these
only of a sign board with the
name such as Solitude Further on we
came to some pretty little valleys where
tolerable fair crops are raised by means of
irrigation They tell us that if water for
irrigation can be obtained all this barren
desert will produce fine crops and rruit
Several hours more ride through q rough
country and we enter the
great Utah, and Salt Lake valley. This is
an immense, low, plain bounded abruptly
By high mountains Here irrigation is
carried on with the highest degree of sue
cess, and grain. fruit and vegetables are
raised In abundance. Portions of the val
ey seem divided up like gardens, and quiet,
shady villages, are scattered along at short |
intervals
We reached Salt Lake City late in the |
afternoon. and are charmed with It's loca- |
ion and appearance. There is great deal |
lere of interest, and we intend to see and |
.nrn al w. can IF liz. Mormon uaor1lle snd l