Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-01-31

coal mines were plentiful. What woult
these people do without this coal
There is scarcely any timber to be seen
rolling prairie as far as the eye Car
reach. All the farmer has to do fol
fuel is to dig hole a few feet deep, ,ant
there it lies in abundance.
A bout P. NJ. we came to Emporia
fine large thriving city, is spreae
over many acres of ground. Nigh,
overtakes Us soon after leaving l.ere
and shuts out the world. AT Newton
we have supper and a fine one it is
Everything cooked in good style. Soor
after supper W. go to bed and have a
fine nights sleep. With nothing te
worry about; only to wake up in an.
other state. Colorado. At O'Clock by
my watch | reached La Junta. Here
I change trains for the south. AT La
Junta I looked at the clock in the de.
pot and found it Z O'Clock instead of
as my watch indicated, having gained
an hour since leaving Missouri. From
La Junta the scenery is grand. No
longer a farming country, as when
night overlook us but barren desert.
Nothing but cactus and sage brush to
be seen. Far to the northwest stood
old Pixies Peak towering above the
plain. And to the southwest stood
Spanish Peak. These are the only
mountains visible. The former is about
80 miles distant, the later IS miles.
Both are covered with snow. While
walking aronnd the city / had the
leasure of seeing the sun rise, don't
before, but now it is an everyday oc-
currence. The higi. altitude and light
atmosphere made it look brighter and
grander.
After leaving La Junta and travel
ing few hours south We came in sight
of large ranges of snow-capped noun
tains, most of W hich are so and rs miles
to the west. About 10 or II O'Clock we
came to the foot hills of the Rocky
Mountains. Our road winds around
among these until about l p. NJ, at
which time we reach Trinidad, Colora-
do. Trinidad is a pretty little city sur
rounded by high mountains on all sides
except the east.
From La Junta, which is 4,061 feet
above the sea level, we ascend steep
grades all the way up the mountain
side, turning from side to side, crossing
high trussels until we are near the top
of the hill, 1922 feet high. Here we
enter long tunnel and after several
minutes come to daylight in New Mex
leo. The tunnel being on the State
line. Here all brakes are locked and
our train slides down the hill in the
same circuiious route as in ascending.
We continue down grade as far as
Springer, New Mexico, which is 5.7S3
feet high, fall of ,s39 feet in about Is
miles. 1t requires two large engines to
move trains over these hills.
From Springer our road is up hill
again till we reach Las Vegas 1898 feet
high. Here / change cars again, TAX
ing the accommodation train for Las
Vegas, Hot Springs, six miles from Las
Vegas. This is certainly grand place.
Tie air is so light and clear, one is-
greatly deceived, The city is three
miles from our hospital, but Jocks like
short mile.
Breathing is hard work for new
conner, and the heart beats as though
one were running race. This is the
place for weak lungs, a person has to
keep them expanded, in order 10 get
air enough.
Our Hospital is on high hill about
miles from town and about 100 feet
higher. We have fine view to the
North and East, but in other direc-
tions the Mountains are to near to al
low much to be seen. There are no
farms near here, only few gardens
along the river, probably 40 acres in
all, aud this all has to be irrigated.
Our meat comes from Kansas City, I'll
miles; is frozen and packed in ice.
The water is the purest L ever Saw;
clear is crystal. Las Vegas Is sup
piled with water from the springs, six
miles up in the mountains. The
Company also have ice-ponds up in the
canon, about mile above the springs:
there they are now cutting ice 20 and 80
inches thick, while a mile below it
isn't three inches thick. The sun
never shines in this canon during the
Winter months. For timber we have
pine and cedar, though they only
grow up on the high hills. Coal is
used mostly for fuel. There are three
Mexican Villages between Las Vegas
and the Springs. Most of the houses
are mud. The mud is mixed with
straw and moulded Into brick about
6xSxi4 and these are sun-dried and
then built into houses. Most of the
houses are about feet high and every
dimension from side to side; for a roof,
logs and boards are layed over the top
and mud put on this about one foot
deep. Outside these houses look very
dirty but inside are carpeted and pa
pered, fine furniture, Pianos and
Organs and always a fireplace. Some
are plastered in SIDE and gold dust
sprinkled in it while the plaster is
soft. There is Catholic church near
here made of mud, but from distance
one can't tell it from a brownstone
e