The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-08-13
AN IDEAL TOWN IN AN IDEAL 10.
CALITY,
SAL1DA, COL, July 20, 1891,

time ago was fortunately called to Sa-
Ida on some business which required
my presence here for two or three
months, and during idle hours, I have
visited many of the places of interest
which are adjacent to the town on every
hand. Colorado is abundantly supplied
with grand and wild scenery, and also
with many scenes which arrest the ter
est of the gentler taste which morefeadi.
ly appreciates the beautiful than the
grand and sublime; yet Of all the grand
mountains and lovely valleys where pas
toral scenes greet the eye of the tourist,
the mountains surrounding Salida and
the valley of Arkansas in which it is sit
uated. are the most interesting and
lovely.
Salida is situated at the west opening
of the grand canon. At this point the
walls of the cancn widen suddenly and
the train which has fought its way over
dizzy cliffs and around cruel curves,
rusheH out into the broad valley of the
Arkansas River and in few moments
pulls up in front of the Monte Christie
hotel in the town Of Salida.
arrived in tho morning just before
daybreak, and as I walked up the main
street of the little city, I thought that if
all the lovliness of paradise could be con.
centrated in one moment upon one spot
it could scarcely rival the splendor of the
sight upon which my eyes rested for half
an hour. Mt. Shavano rises only short
distance from town to height Of 1928
feet, and against its snowy summit the
sun was shooting it's first rays from away
down behind the eastern mountain ran
ges. I stopped on the river bridge and
gazed in awe at the wonderful sight. AL
though darkness still hovered in the VAL
ley, the golden streaks of sunlight H.
lumined the crest of the grand old noun
tain, and as / gazed out beyond the dark
ness that surrounded me I saw the few
streaks of yellow combine into one splen.
did food of light which gave the noun
tain top the appearance of a knob of
shining gold. As the moments passed
the glow of light crept downward and
began to touch the tops of the lower
mountains in the range, and finally when
the entire range Of mountains was food
ed with the morning light it seemed that
wall of blazing gold had risen up
against my vision and had shut out the
entire world save this one lovely valley
and its surrounding mountains. As I
passed up the street I felt like uttering
the old time CRY of the miney, Eureka"
which cry has many time rung out in
the midst of the mountains when some
forlorn and weary toiler into the earth
has suddenly and abundantly been smil.
ed upon by the fates who jealously watch
over and guard the mineral treasures Of
the Rocky Mountains. In few mo-
ments the sun peeped over the eastern
mountains and filled the valley with life
and light and beauty, the breezes crept
out from their mysterious noctual homes,
the trees by the river side became musi.
cal with the songs of birds, and the mists
began to curl up from the valley and to
roll away into the vast reaches Of fspace,
and all nature seemed to silently bid
"good-morrow" to the rising God of Day.
It WAS lovely morning. The sky in 8
few moments was clear of every cloud
and fog, the lark was sporting in the al.
falfa and sending up to heaven his notes,
the river was dashing along between its
rocky banks shouting and singing to the
universe song of gladneas that rose up
to the clear sky and was lost in the ca
denees on high, and thought of the beau.
tiful lines,
1.-THE morn is up: the dewy morn,
"With breath all incense and with cheek
all bloom"
and here where the breath Of thousand
wild flowers perfume the morning and
the bloom of health is on the cheek of
everyone, I began to appreciate the sen.
timent Of thepoet.
South of the town of Salida the San.
gre de Christie Range of mountains ex-
tend for many miles, and there is scarce
ly one mountain in this range which
does not rise far above timber line. To
the north lies the Collegiate Range,
Harvard, Yale, Princeton and many
other peaks which are famed for the
grandeur of their scenery. To the west
are the vast mountains that constitute
the Continental Divide, the Backbone of
America, where the waters divide and
| flow respectively east and west. To the
east are the mountains which separate
the valley of the Arkansas from the ia.
nous South Park. In the midst of these
ranges salida nestlea, an infant in the
lap Of a strong protector; so situated
that the cold winds of winter do not
reach it, and so elevated that the sum.
mers are never other than delightful.
During the month Of July one may en-
Joy vegetables raised in ones own garden
and at the same time look out Of the
window upon half a dozen snow cover
ed peaks near at hand. In December
one may sit on ones porch and in the
daily papers read of the terrible storms
of snow and rain in the east and at the
same time enjoy, in the heart of the
mountains, the most delightful winter
climate in The world.
Salida was founded ten years ago in
the midst ola country which had but few
inhabitants and little development. 1t
may appear remarkable to the people of
Anderson that in this limited time the
town has attracted 1000 people as per.
manent residents, has completed q first