Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-09-20

| the Gods, Glen Eyrie, Ute Pass, Monu-
ment Park and other interesting points
afford convenient modes of transporta-
ton which are daily taken advantage
OF by tourists and residents. [ made a
very enjoyable trip to Manitou taking
one or the numerous carriages always
IN waiting at the beautiful little noun
tain resort. | drove about the lonely
mountain roads, drank at the famous
soda, iron and sulphur springs, investi-
gated the mysteries of the cog road up
Fixes Peak, and viewed the odd-look-
ing engine and cars with their sloping
seats and inclined floors 1t seems
strange enough to look up the steep
mountaln-side and observe at a SEEM
1ngly unattainable height q beautiful
summer home surrounded by rocks and
cliffs and mountain shrubbery, but it is
a surprise SO often repeated that it soon
ceases to excite wonder, as does also
the fact of a beautifully kept lawn
sprlnglng i-to view when one expects
to see only the wilds of nature. The
genuine old Chicago signboard is also
there with It's Lots for Sale-25x100
it; and think they could truthfully
add, High and dry location"
The most enjoyable incident of oy
stay here was drive through the Gar
den OF the Gods, Glen Eyrie and up
the Ute Pass to the Rainbow Falls.
The mountain roads are perfect, the
scenery inconceivably grand, and one
feels that new language ought to be
used III describing the wonders of tF ;se
mountain pictures. The road to the
Garden of the Gods leads over the
mesa, high, fiat strip of land about a
M a in u l. l. ,l, l. ~
RADIO Springs and the foothills of the
Rockies and from which there is an
excellent view of the surrounding
country. We scarcely realized the as
cent OF the road, so gradual is it, until
we reached the topmost height of the
mesa and naturally paused to observe
the grand panorama surrounding us.
Winding along the mesa back of us was
the road we had just travelled, no trees
to obstruct the view, no living creatures
IN sight but ourselves, farther beyond
lay the little city We had just left, while
still farther to the east were vast plaius
with rocky hills and scattered houses
at Irregular intervals. Twenty-Five
miles distant to the north a patch of
woods can be seen as distinct as if but
two miles distant, to the south repe-
tltlon of the east, and to the west--ah, to
the west of US! What words of mine
can describe the beauty and grandeur
of that landscape? Far, far below us,
200 feet or more, lay the road we were
to follow, It's tOrtuous windings hidden
from our sight by the heavy foliage of
the trees growing along the abrupt
descent from the road to the valley be-
low. Directly opposite us across the
valley were the two massive red rocks
between whose towering height of $50
feet is the entrance to the Garden of
the Gods, ti:at famous natural garden
SO often described yet ever new to the
traveller interested in Natures lavish
display of wonders. Rising beyond,
their rugged, massive forms in deep
shadow at the base in brilliant sun
shine at the summit stood the lofty
range Of mountains, ever aWe-inspiring
in their silent grandeur, and shutting
out from view all the world beyond.
Though apparently SO near it was af-
ter some time of brisk driving that we
finally took our way through that gate
way which was to open to us new
vista of scenes wonderful indeed to our
uninitiated eyes. Rock after rock of
strange fantastic formation, all of the
same rich red, met our gaze, and ap-
propriate indeed are the names given
them by former sight-seers to whose
lmaginations their odd, suggestive
forms appealed. Our drive was one
long exclamation of wonder and ad-
miration but it was at the base of the
famous Balance Rock that it seemed as
if words would 90 no farther-silence
must express what the tongue failed to
do. For as We paused in the shadow
IF no oraa rnoy 1OIX CO. n
securely placed, yet held there for
centuries, and gazed down the steep
road with its over-hanging red cliffs to
the left, aud to the right the changing
panorama of rocks and mountain peaks
with flowers, trees and verdure of
kinds, it seemed as if Nature could do
no more. But the climax of the day
was the drive up the Pass which for
grandeur, beauty and wildness sur
passes anything one could imagine.
Following the road which passes
through Manitou one enters at last
narrow gorge, with steep ascent
through which the road winds around
solid red rock towering hundred feet
above, and in which is cut out at short
distances alcoves to permit of the pass
ing of teams, SO narrow is the road
which at one place extends barely
three inches beyond the carriage
wheels. AS one looks down, down,
down at the stream rushing headlong
below it takes steady head to remain
entirely free from dizziness. Opposite
on the other side of the canon winds
the old Ute Indian trail. narrow path
| winding around the preci pitous sides
Of the mountain, which to white man
seems impossible. Continuing up the
gorge to the steepest part ct the road
we reached Rainbow Falls and what a
sight that was. The melody and tumul-
| tuous motion of a mountain brook can
| never be realized, until one has seen
and heard it for himself, and when to
its dashing murmur as it rushes,
| eddies, tumbles and glides over the
stones which form its rocky bed is
added the imposing beauty of foam
| ing cascade of water, which as the SUMS
rays strike it glistens with all the rain
bows hues down fifty or sixty feet, is
it strange that the memory of that sight
will be ever with me?
And now space and time forbid far
ther trespassing for were I to write of
Cheyenne Canon, Glen Eyrie and many
other points of beauty abounding in
| that mountain district, I could, like nv
mountain stream, ''go on forever