St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-05-24
AFFAIRS.
For the CdIedOnidn.
DENVER,

one would not be surprised, on coming
here, to find the picture a little over
drawn. Such is not the case, however
AS we alight from the train and find
ourselves in the city, n may ask
care we really very much higher thar
we we're Is or % hours ago 7" Let ut
see. The government standard shows
that we are several thousand feet high
er than Mt. Washington, when we pass
along the streets of Denveri In other
words take Harris hill with PaddOck's
on top, and place them over the sigma
station on Mt. Washington then build
a tower and from that look a few thou
sand miles across the continent and
you will see a wOndrously beautiful
city nesting at the foot of the mOun
tains, which stand guard about her in
majestic silence. Denver is to the
cities of the whole West what st,
Johnsbury is among New England
Townsville Queen! Since leaving St
Johnsbury the writer has been in some
of the most beautiful and thrifty cities.
East and West, and not one has proved
SO attractive in natural scenery and in
social and business courtesy as this.
There are over $50 miles of drives
about this city. The finest boulevard
west of Chicago, is COlfax avenue.
This avenue runs from the centre OF
the city in nearly n straight line East.
For IL miles it is 100 feet wide with
three rows of shade trees. On one
side the cable road is now being built
and will be ready for use about Jan. l,
1889. The streets are in splendid COZ
ditiOn. Almost as level as floors and
nicely graded. This is the city of 'cy-
cles. On each side of every street re-
freshing water flows night and day,
except i'm winter. The Holly water is
used in dwellings, drinking water is
supplied from some $50 Artesian wells,
and is u~nexcelled. In the centre of the
city, within the part surrounding the
county court house, is al arteslan well
which gives mineral water to thou
sands. Hundreds of jugs and pals are
filled there every day, summer and
winter. The lavish use of water am
ply repays the labor.
Should we drive for two miles out
from the entire of the city, along Col
fax avenue, we would find elegant res
licences on every side, and here and
there, miles beyond, just as fine houses
are going up. Such is the confidence
of business men that they place thou
sands of dollars in homes, from one to
six miles out, expecting to reach them
nnIcElu Inv rho n1hln and avoid thn
close confinement farther in town.
About half Il mile from the Union de-
pot, where sixteen railroads centre, we
find the Grand Tabor Opera house
pronounced as fine as any building
of the kind in the United States. A
few streets to the left is the Denver
costing $l60,0OO. Just above this, a
church., which in appearance reminds
me of the North church, although Trim
ity NJ. E. church is much larger. 1t is
the finest west of the Mississippi river.
The organ alone cost 1900. Passing
along Broadway we come to the state
capitol, now being built; SI,O00,000
has been appropriated and it will be a
noble structure the beautifully grad
ed grounds, worth half Il million, will
add very much to its beauty. For Il
few blocks the rise up Capitol hill or
COlfax avenue is made the ascent is
SO slight that a horse can easily trot
along. After driving three or four
miles we reach one of the finest points
for observation. At our feet the city,
surrounded by shade trees which make
a fitting crown for our ''qneen." Across
the Platte river, the foot hills and be-
yOnd, mountain scenery surprising the
most vivid imagination. As one must
lOOk upon the Alps himself to realize
their wonder, so, to understand the
grandeur of the Rockies he must use
his own eyes. How strangely near
those Jagged bOulders and snowy
peaks SEEM. YOnder to the left, IS
miles away, is old Pixies Peak. The
same distance in the opposite direction
lies Longs peak between and beyond
each, the range i'll outline against the
sky. For over 300 miles one can clear
~ see the mountains stretching away
until lost to view beyond the horizon.
Before closing this letter, let me call
attention to Denver as one of the safest
and most desirable cities Oh the CONT
nent for profitable investment. In
1880 the population was but 35, 900 souls.
The directory for 1888 shows that we
have $4,000 IAN increase of IL, ZOO the
past year, or at the rate of over 1900
each month. Substantial buildings,
almost uniformly brick, are going up
by the hundred. The schools of the
city are worthy of New England par
entage. The high school building
alone is valued at S6OO,OOO The
teachers are mostly from the East and
the curriculum of study is worthy of
any eastern city. | have said but very
little about the business push of Den
yer. One could write pages in de-
scribiDg the seven colleges and semi
naries located here. Ground has Just
been broken for the "Vassar college,
of the West, the buildings at the start
to cost 100000. "Jarvis hail." an
military college for boys, to
cost 500, 900 has been begun. "Wolfe
hall" a female seminary, has just been
moved to new grounds. These build
ings will cost S250,000. Aside from
these mentioned there are over 20
houses i'll the city, costing in all
owe 81 100000. | cannot stop to
speak of other points of interest in de-
tail. Denver has a S400, 900 union de-
pot, a S35O,0OO court house, a $3.50, 600
hall, 33 hotels, steam heating
works, two electric light companies,
and Ii banks. 1t has large wholesale
and retail hardware, grocery and dry
goods establishments, Touring mills,
elevators, iron works, machine and car
terra Gotta works, planning and
lumber mills, iron foundries, marble
and granite works, whip and leather
and hOurishing business
of all kinds. We have the two
smelling, sampling and refining
works in the world, with an annual