The Portland daily press., 1890-01-04
"SHALL | STAY AT HOME OR GO WEsTa"
More Practical Suggestions for
Maine Young Men.
Hon. Charles r. Libby Gives His I'M
pressIons Of the West
And the Advantages 1t Offers to
Young Men from the East.

Pursuing its investigation as to the adj
yantages which the West offers to young
men and their chances of making success
there. the PRESS sought the opinion of the
Hon. Charles f. Libby who has recently
returned from somewhat extended visit to
Colorado and the Pacific coast. In response
to the suggestion that the PRESS would be
glad to have him tell its readers something
OF his journey and the impression he received
of the country, Mr.. Libby said:
The field opened up by your question
is large one and cannot be answered in
few works. The result of my journey has
been to open my eyes to the extent of terri
tory included within the limits of the United
States and the variety of its resources. My
journey carried me through twenty-four
states and territories before returned home,
but my stops we're principally made in Col
orado and California. This is the third trip
have made to Colorado, and each time ! am
more and more impressed with the attrac-
tions which this state offers to men of enter
prise and push seeking new fields for their
activity. The City of Denver is one of the
marvels Of the West, and on the whole one
OF the most attractive cities which I have
visited. Its situation on the eastern slope of
the Rocky Mountains, about halfway be-
tween the Mississippi and the Pacific, gives
1t geographical Importance aside from its
local advantages as the capital of Colorado.
No greater surprise can meet a traveller who
has been confined for two days in sleeping
car in his journey from Chicago to the
Rockies than which awaits him on stepping
from the cars at Denver. After leaving
Lincoln, the capital Of Nebraska, he mas
seen nothing but corn fieldSand arid plains
with an occasional western town. the rapid
ity OF whose growth is indicated by the tenn
porary character of most of the buildings,
but at Denver he finds city laid out on a
different plan and possessing as expensive
public and private buildings as can be found
In any city OF its size in the United States.
Elegant private residences, luxurious hotels,
large and attractive churches, spacious and
well-filled shops meet the eye at every turn.
Denver is noted for its schools and school
buildings and among these the high school
building stands out as a conspicuous monu-
ment Of its liberality in matters of education.
In beauty of construction, size and arrange
ment 1t is unsurpassed by any school in the
East. Its opera house is one of the largest
and most costly on this continent, and the
Court house is an elaborate and imposing
structure alongside of which our city build
ing seems a modest affair. Unlike most
western cities, the architectural features are
on the whole very creditable. Its street
railroads include two extensive systems of
cable roads, besides horse cars that traverse
the city in all directions. Denver has a
busy. bustling population which now ex-
ceeds 100000. and if its present rate of growth
continues. before another decade it will have
three times that number. The undeveloped
resources of the State of Colorado are i'm
mense. The extent of its mineral deposits
are as yet only partially known, but enough
has been shown to indicate their great
variety and richness.
My journey took me ito Southwestern
Colorado, through the San Luis valley and
portion of the famous San Juan country.
This is region which is being developed by
system of irrigation, and the fertility of its
soil under this method of cultivation pro-
duces abundant and satisfactory crops.
&AAeSi oNOih6 thCoC CiOPo Uuc Cdu uuu6ISbdlQ
how the American desert is being made to
blossom like the rose. The advantage of
constant and we'll regulated supply of water
In agricultural operations is so great that
dependence upon natural rainfall seems un-
satisfactory and uncertain after experience
with irrigation. mean by this that agrcul-
tural operations carried on with supply of
water equal to the demands and regulated to
the wants OF the crops produce results so
much more satisfactory than anything
shown under the old system, that one can
readily see why irrigation in the West is so
attractive to farmers. Coal is found abund-
antly throughout all this region and in some
districts coking coal Of the best quality Is
abundant.
No more picturesque and impressive
scenery can be found on this continent than
is seen along the line of the Denver and Rio
Grande Railroad. La Veta Pass, Toltec
Gorge, Marshall's Pass, The Royal Gorge
and the Grand Canon of the Arkansas, are
features well known to travellers who have
visited Colorado, but there are some views
of the Rocky Mountains which are not so
we'll known which 1t was our good fortune
to see. In crossing from Durango to Mont
rose we saw the finest mountain scenery Of
the Whole trip. Leaving Durango by the
narrow gauge railroad which follows up
the Animas Valley, by constant winds and
climbs we finally reached the terminus at
the important mining town of Silverton.
From that point we climbed still higher into
the clouds by means of a narrower railroad,
only two feet in width, through some Of the
richest mining districts of the State, till we
came to Ironton, our highest level being be-
tween eleven and twelve thousand feet above
the sea. From Ironton we journeyed by
carriage over road cut into the precipitous
mountain sides, so narrow and tortuous at
times as to NIKE one nervous when the
rapidly driven vehicle approached the edge.
This brought us finally to Ouray, another of
the delightful surprises which we found in
this picturesque region. Shut in ON all sides
by towering mountains, end owing its i'm
portance solely to the mines which are
worked in the neighboring districts, it has
grown up to be thriving town which affords
all modern conveniences to travellers The
tourist is likely to look back upon his stay
here as one of the pleasant features of the
trip, for after hard ride he finds here
hotel lighted by electricity, with an excellent
table and comfortable beds, such as he would
scarcely expect to find in the East in town
of five to six times its population.
The sons of Maine seem to have penetrated
all regions of the West. We met them at the
most unexpected points, and Ouray was 10
exception. Here we found two young men
who were born in neighboring town in this
county and who had been in Colorado but
few years. By their industry and pluck they
had gaineda ioothold in this new country
and were rapidly making a success. While
not forgetful of their early Eastern homes.
we found no disposition on their pant to turn
their backs on Colorado.
But enough. perhaps, of the details of the
trip, To trace our journey to Salt Lake City
and across the mountains to San Francisco