Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-05-26
Letter from Colorado.

1t is now nearly three years SIllce
| visited in dear old Highland, but
| still remember it and the great
number Of strange faces | met
there, many if not all of which are
dear to me often think of the
queer customs and ways Of the
Highlanders and Virginians gener-
ally, and feel amused, for indeed
your ways are odd compared with
ours. | suppose, though, you would
think the same of ours if you would
see them.
Perhaps your readers would like
to hear something Of my native
city, Denver, 1.-The Queen City of
the Plains" the great, bustling,
western town.
Our city has grown and improv-
ed wonderfully in the past three
years. Everything there is life and
activity, even though times be dull.
There is always surging mob OF
humanity on the streets and to UNI
acquainted observers it would seem
the greatest EXCITEMENT prevailed
and everybody and his neighbor
were going to investigate the cause.
1t reminds one of the earlier days
when Denver in it's infancy would
be aroused by the great gold excite
ment and the reported new funds,
Why there are always crowds of
people on the streets, even in the
lull Of business, can be accounted
for by the energy and push charac-
teristic of the true Westerner.
During the late Knights Tenn
plar conclave, when people from all
over the I. S. came to our city it
was taxed to it's utmost capacity.
Denver was at her best then and
amply deserved the many praises
heard Of her. Not an effort was
spared to entertain her guests roy
ally, and only regret to speak of
the enormous prices charged by
some, and | may say most all the
hotels and bOarding-houses for ac-
commodationS.
Denver contains many handsome
buildings. In fact she can boast
of some Of the finest in the world.
Among the most elegant ones are
the Equitable Building 10 stories
high, built of granite and buff
brick, finished off on the INSIDE with
marble and onyx. Its cost is ever
one hundred and fifty millions dol
lars. 1t contains 10 elevators for
the accommodation Of the people.
1t is really the handsomest business
block in the city. The Mining Elk
change is another large and expen-
sive structure; the Boston Block,
Peoples Bank Building, Mack block
in which is located the Central Bus
mess College, one Of the largest
business colleges in the west, where
young gentlemen and ladies are in
structed in a thorough business
course of bookkeeping, stenogra-
ply, typewriting telegrcphy, &c.
From the top of any of these bull
dings can be had a grand view Of
the city and surrounding country.
Among the public buildings are
the postoffice and Custom-house,
lately completed; the city hall and
courthouse and Capitol building,
nearing completion. While the
Brown Palace Hotel, among the
finest in the world, is a massive
brown srone structure triangular
in shape, nine stories high, costing
one million dollars, and located on
fremont, Broadway, and Seven
teenth SITS. The st. James, Albany
Brunswick and others are also lead
ing aristocratic hotels.
The Tabor Grand Opera House
and the Broadway Theatre are mag
nifcent play-houses, both Of which
are visited by the best companies
on the road. The portals of both
have rung and re-echoed with the
melodies Of Patti, Bernhardt and
other famous prima donnas. The
interior of the Broadway cannot
be surpassed for beauty and ele-
gance.
Locomotion to any part of the
city is rendered easy and inexpen-
sive by the cable and electric cars
running in nearly all directions;
with each alternate street reserved
for a driveway, all Of which have
smooth surface, being paved with
asphalt. Thus bicycling, or eye
ing as it is generally called, is ia
vorite sport among both ladies and
gentlemen. The smooth, straight
roads OF Colorado, not turnpikes of
Virginia, are usually in splendid
condition far out in the country and
bicycling is rendered u universal
sport, as it is such a healthful ex-
ercise. In fact everything seems
to favor the advancement Of every
thing so natural to the heart of the
weSterner. Of course there are diff
iculties to Surmount as there are
every Mace else.