The Opelousas courier., 1888-05-26
Routes and Resorts in the ROCK
les.
n. O. City Item.

tiOl OF Uh6 WGStWalu 1OuAioo CIV -"
season Of the year is the Rocky Noun
tains. The blue line OF these moun-
tains is seen across the plain 100 miles
before they are reached, and when
within SO miles of the ridge they seem
but q few miles distant.
The first city in Colorado reached
by the lines from the East is Denver,
the railroad centre and metropolis OF
the State. Here at the foot of the
Rocky Mountains, 5000 feet above the
level of the sea, the visitor would do
we'll to rest after his railway journey !
and enjoy the sights of this beautiful
| city. and the comforts of it's fine hotels.
Denver, with its background of
mountains, is not only the gate of the
wonderland of this continent, but it is
also the centre of an extensive and wi
dening commerce, and of great a
featuring enterprises. 1t is a city Of
schools and churches and Of social re-
fnement and culture. Vistas of shade
trees line the smooth, broad streets and
velvety lawns surround beautiful homes
and magnificent public edifces.
Greeley and Longmont, towns in the
agricultural region of Northern Colo
RADIO, are within a few hours run of
Denver and we'll worthy of u visit.
Beautiful Boulder, Economically sit
uated at the mouth ofBoulder Canyon,
is onlfyptw hours distant in the same
direction. To the south the great in
dustrial city of Pueblo may be reached
in half a day.
From Denver excursions may be
made to all the mountain resorts, and
the pleasure seeker may at his leisure
select as his place of %sojourn the one
best suited to his taste.
It would require a book to do justice
to all points Of interest in Colorado.
, Such brief mention as the limited col
umns of a newspaper permit will be
| made, however, of some of the most at
0 traetiye routes and mountain resorts.
!, The three lines of railroad that cross
S the mountains are the Uuion Pacific
G narrow guage, called the High Line;'
t the Denver and Rio Grande, also q mar.
row gaage, and the Colorado Midland
e broad guage. The High Line rams NJ
the magnificent Platte Canyon
through the beautiful South Park, {
valley IS mileslong and 20 wide ther
d climb up to the summit of the Cont
mental divide at Boreas, 11,498 fee
above the seaVthen a descent, and thel
another climb to cross the divide agar
at Fremont's pass by the mount 0
the Holy Gross, and on among th'
s~now-capped peaks to Leadville, til,
'e terminus of the road.
is Along the line of the Denver an.
Rio Grande is also some of the fines
, scenery in the Rocky Mountains, bu
= never having been on that road th
"a writer is not competent to speak of
- from personal experience.
The Item has already had occasio
n to refer to the Colorado Midland as th
nj only standard gauge road that crosse
Mt the mountains. This line called th
"Pike's Peak route" begins at Colors
! do Springs connecting with Denver o
- the North and Pueblo on the south b
ns the Atchison, Topeka and Santa F,
il. The first point of interest it reaches
Id Manitou, q resort of national repnti
\ ton. This is a rapidly growing tow
r.. at the foot of Pixies Peak 1t is ligh
ed by electricity, has fine streets an
half q dozen or more first-class hotel
Here are. located the celebrated effe
v~escent soda and iron springs, who's
" sparkling waters are delicious as we
as invigorating. There are numerol
attractions in the vicinity. The Gran
~ Caverns with their wonderful subtle
y ranean halls; Cheyenne, Engleman
"A and other canyons, and last not leas
the Garden of the Gods. d
Cascade CanGe also near the bag
~ Pixies Peak, is ole of the most att. ac
- i've resorts east of the C~ontinentaf5D
vide. IL is situated at the entrance
a magnificent canyon, and within q
e. easy stroll or a pleasant drive are to
found beautiful cascades and waite
tP falls, lovely parks and health giyiI
i springs. The hotels possess all Il
eonyeniences, comforts and Injuries
r modern civilization. In the yicinii
fine fishing and hunting are to be hal
n Two of the most prominent poin
on this road are Leadville AID Aspel
the greatest mining camps in the worl'
s. The Hagerman tunnel on the Mil
re land has an altitude of IL $50 feet an
9. is the highest tunnel in the world.
is GlenWood Springs, in the Grand va
III ley, on the Pacific slope of the Cont
mental Divide hss a location of unsul
passed beauty and grandeur, and
G probably the finest mountain resor
it for both tourists and health seekers
a. the country. It has numerous b,
n springs of we'll known medicinal vi
r tues. IT has, also, attractions for Il
DIS sportsman, ais the mountain strean
abou6d in trout, and it's parks AT
- woods in deer, antelope, elk and moul
tain sheep.
- The Colorado Midland is one of ii
- most substantial and luxuriously eqnil
ped roads in the country. Even q
= ordinary coaches are all provided vii
saloons, layatories and smoking room
he The scenery along this route be;
Q gars description at one time the trai
to Is speeding along d bnbbling .rivul
th through the lovely scenery Of one
the green parks; at another it is eros
ing mountain torrents with huge wal
of rock on either side and q deep ably
IN below. Again, tho engine strains an
~quivers, as with its heavy load it climl
among the rugged peaks capped vii
Z, eternal SHOWS. And as the storm tos
~ N ed mountains lie ON every side it is Of
~ ~ by looking up to the blue sky th'
= one can realize that he is in the san
y world that he was in a few hours b
fore. aSee Naples and de- reads q
\ old proyerb. The Item would chang
7 it to See the Rocky Mountains befol
--1. asos ~ M