The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-19
THn GREAT WEST.
Col. Estill Tells of the Impressions of
Bis Trip.

his TriD.
Col. J. II. Estill, who q few days ago re-
turned from Denver, Col, where he at
tended the conclave Of the Knights Templar,
ia replete with interesting "reminiscences of
his trip and enthusiastic over the wonderful
development of the great Western section of
the country which he traversed.
at Atlanta the car which carried the
Savannah contingent was filled with people
from Atlanta and other points. Although
there were more SavapnahIans on the car
than Atlantians, and the car had started
from Savannah. a streamer was tackled on
to each side Of the coach announcing it as
the ATLANTA car" AS usual, A Llanta was
determined not TO get left. The Americus
commandery, in a special car, joined
the party at Atlanta, and at
Rome the Rome commandery and the
grand commandery of Alabama Joined
the special train. At Chattanooga the last
contingent, the Knoxville commandery,
was taken on.
There was a delay at Memphis and from
there the trip was to st. Louis and Kansas
City. From Kansas City the run TO Denver
was direct. The party stopped three hours
in Denver. after which the journey was con-
tlnued to Colorado Springs Here carriages
were taken and everybody enjoyed pleas
ant ride to Manitou, the home Of the famous
spring, at the base Of Pixies Peak. Both
Colorado Springs and Manitou, Col. Estill
said, are pretty cities with fine residences,
hotels, driveways, electric and cable roads.
The party returned to Denver Tuesday in
time for the knights to take part in the grand
parade, which was the finest display OF the
order ever made in America. There were
organizations from every part Of the United
States and Canada, and many of the most
representative men Of the country were in
the ranks Although the crowd of visitors
was immense numbering about 100 900, Col
Estill said everything was admirably ar
ranged, and the accommodation committee
had things well in hand.
of the trip Col. Estiu said:
II was especially interested in the fine
roads that are to be seen around Denver,
Colorado Springs and Manitou. The latter
places are among the Rocky mountains
and 1t takes money to build good roads over
and through the country, hills, mountains,
to be crossed, and the work
costs great amount of money
The roads between Colorado Springs
and Manitou are ma gnifcens devices and
in some places they cost $4,000 per mile.
Good streets in city and good roads In the
country induce other improvements. In
Denver and Kansas City. and the latter city
is situated in a country Of abrupt hills,
streets are laid out for miles and miles"
Col. Estsll was a little surprised to find
out that in nearly all of the western cities
the barrooms carry on their traffic on Sun
days In the same manner as during the
week with the exception Of slightly olosed
doors. Nevertheless, the cities are orderly.
Another thing which surprised Col Estill
wes the fact that although 10 per cent. Of
Denver's population consists of negroes, yet
none of them are working in the trades.
They only do mental work, such as being
walters, bootblacks and common labor.
ers. None Of them are mechanics because
the white mechanics will not work with
negroes. Zone old southern darby, in talk
ing over the situation out there with Col.
Estill, said: "Boss, things yer amt like
down south. When q white man In de
south got through wild his hat he'd give it
to de niger, but out yer dey sell 'em.'
at is not much Of a journey nowadays
from Savannah to the Rocky mountains"
said Col. Estill. Railroads. and Pull
mans have made the trip not only easy but
pleasant. When ! was a school boy such q
trip as made in few days would have
taken as many months as IL now takes
hours. The Biographies then had a big
dotted space west of the Mississippi
river upon which was inscribed
the "Great Sahara or the American Desert, I"
or 1.-THE American Sahara" 1t was sup
posed to be sandy barren waste.
These geographers we're mist AIKEN. TIL ere
is an immense space. say 500 or 800
miles wide, that looks as though lot
of prehistoric saw-mill men and turpen-
tine hands had gone through it and cleared
away the trees, but from appearances it is
very good agricultural land. There is
plenty Of room on those treeless plains for
millions Of people.