San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-09-18
VISIT TO PIXIES PEAK.
From Denver to the Top OF the
RockieS-How Texas Boy
Made the Grand
Rounds.

Daily LIGHT:
Leaving Denver Sunday morning
August 18th, at $50, over the Denver
& Fort Worth, r. r., eighty miles
south we changed cars at Manitou
Junction, tap running to Colorado
Springs, a distance of some ten miles
Changing cars at Colorado Springs tC
the Colorado Midland, at 2:l5 p. M,
three miles west out passed Colorado
City, reaching Manitou Springs, only
six miles west of Colorado Springs
before 3 o'clock. Had some trouble in
getting located. Found Manitou full
of hotels, and hotels full of guests.
Mr.. Rogers, of the Sunny Side hotel,
had to get me room with private
family and L take my meals at the
hotel. Manitou occupies perpetual
kneeling posture at the base of Pixies
Peak, a rock-bound hamlet of fifteen
hundred to two thousand people, but
celebrated the world over for its
springs and scenic splendors. tits half
an hours ride from Colorado Springs,
via either the Colorado Midland r. r.
or Denver and Rio Grande railroad.
One glance only will surprise the be-
Will IhO vi thO
scene. Looking around be will think
of the fireside tales of some white
haired traveller, for Maniton is ro-
nance cut in rocks, continental
novel carved from the mountain side.
On the north, pillows of hills; on the
south the needle like pinnacle of Cam
eron's cone meets the eye; on the
east glimpse of the plains and over
looking the garden of the Gods; and
on the west, the narrow passage
through which the train goes, higher
and higher "like the swing of Ma
riar.n In every direction the view is
fascinating, and the viewer wishes
for all the eyes of Argus that he may
comprehend it.
The lower hills show rich foliage,
and above them the pine trees stand
out like green bannerets harmonizing
beautifully with the red and gray of in
tervening hedges, the barren rocks at
timber line and the snowy crest of
Pixies Peak. spent the afternoon
visiting the several springs. First
sulphur, next soda, and last but not
least iron springs. They are all first
class and my preference over all
springs at all watering places 1 visit
ed during the summer. Il must state
that Waukesha is hard to beat.
Monday morning there was a great
hurrying up the hillside to the Mid
land depot and at a. M. large
crowd boarded the train for Cascade
canyon, six miles upgrade and seven
tunnels to pass through. In a few
minutes we were at Cascade, Such
an unloading of human freight re-
minded me of my railrOading days at
Medina park on picnic day. There
we found seven large hacks or
carriages with seating capacity for
fifty-six and over one hundred
anxious to take passage for Pixies
Peak. AS some of our party from the
same hotel could not get seats, all
from our hotel who bad seats gave
them up with full understanding for
first place next day for all of our par
ty. A short ramble around the mag
nificent Cascade Canon Hotel and we
soon took the train back to Manitou,
and will say, more were left than had
got accommodations. We spent the
afternoon visiting ManltOu's grand
caverns and caves of the winds. They
are grand and most wonderful. Next
morning bright and early. our party
with big picnic baskets was among
the first of the many eager,
to take trip on the snow
capped mOunta ms, over the same
route, and we soon were at Cascade.
Before the train stopped 1 was sever
al yards away followed closely by
Col. Lansing from Chicago. We soon
had two hacks and our outfit ready
for one of the grandest drives in this
world. AS before all carriages were
full and overlooking and many were
Over fifty again left
for want Of room. The ingenuity and
energy of man which has leveled
ntains, bridged great rivers,
cleared forests, sUbdued prairies and
spread factories over acres of earth,
has also conquered Pixies Peak and
last summer a good carriage road was
built to the great mountain top from
Cascade canon, an achievement al
self. It is the highest driveway IN
the world. Starting from Cascade
the road makes circuit Of the noun
tain overlooking the town and
then taking westerly and north
westerly course proceeds past tim
Der line to the pinnacle. At
the half way house we stop for
dinner; those with lunches sit beside
lovely brook of snow-dripings hurri-
ing down the mountain; others took
a good meal in the large pine-log
hotel. Changeing teams, this time
mules instead of horses, the distance
by the carriage road from Cascade
to Pixies Peak is Il miles and four
hundred yards. The road runs