St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-05-25
WESTWARD H0.--III.

Hundred Miles for Twenty Five Cents.
-GIenwood Springs and the Haeer-
man Pass.
An express train furnished quick
and grateful change from the chaos
of Jackson Park to the eternal rest
fulness of the Rockies. On any of the
trunk lines from Chicago to Denver
this trip of 800 miles can be made
in Sc hours. We came out on the
Rock Island road, making short
stop at Rock Island and taking
from there the new train called the
Rocky Mountain limited" solid
vestibuled train with brand-new Pull
man sleepers and dining car ser
vice that is unexcelled.
At Rock Island we had our first
glimpse of the Mississippi. The
river there was then IA feet above
low water mark, but within the
week it has risen nearly 10 feet more
and caused great loss of property in
the South. Taking electric cars here,
we rode out to Black Hawk Noun
tain, the lookout station of the
noted Indian chief when the Indians
occupied the great West. A sweep
ing view of the valley is obtained
from this eyrie, which is now a park
and pleasure ground for the people
of Rock Island. A casino stands
where Indian watch fires once burn
ed, and toboggan slide is only an.
other evidence of advanced civiliza-
ton over the days of 10, the poor
Indian"
From this eminence could be seen
in the distance the beginnings of the
Hennepin canal. This canal is being
built by the government to connect
the great lakes with the Mississippi
1t will extend rs miles from the
Mississippi to the Illinois river, and
the most confident promoter does
not expect to see it completed this
century.
From Rock Island, ILL.,, westward
through Iowa, the railroad passes
through a fertile section, rich graz
ing lands and fine soil for corn,
Iowa's greatest product. But when
northwestern Kansas is reached one
quite agrees with one of our fellow
travellers, a New York drummer,
who said that he did not want to
live out here for fear he should die in
this forsaken country. He said he
wanted to be buried in the East, SO
as to start" with his folks any
way.
Kansas in 1888 was the banner
republican state and in 1892 one OF
the leading populist states. Her soil
is as her politics. In some sections
of the state there are as fertile farms
as can be found anywhere in the
West; in northwestern Kansas the
prairie is almost devoid OF vegeta-
ton, except where it has been arti-
tcially irrigated by the deluded
farmer who came there only to have
his farm mortgaged to some more
fortunate Fastener. Many of the
houses are built of clay with stove
pipe piercing the matched roof. The
hogsshave the freedom of the farm,
for no village fathers disturb them
in their wanderings and no village
clerk calls hog meetings every
other week. From the car window
prairie dogs could occasionally be
seen scudding towards their holes
while often by the side of the track
would be heard the song of the
Western meadow lark, whose rich
notes are the pleasantest memory o.
the trip across this desert.
Colorado Springs is the Western
terminus of the Rock Island road
and a great health resort. 1t is II
miles south of Denver and about SIX
miles from Pixies Peak. From here
excursions can be made into all the
picturesque parts Of the silver state
J and the first one we made was Ger
tainly most memorable one. re
marked when left home that | be
lieved it would be cheaper to trave
this summer than to stay at home
My prophecy has been more thar
fulfilled in Colorado. We found tina
the Colorado Midland and the Den
yer & Rio Grande were engaged il
{ bitter rate war. The D. & r. G
dropped its rates to about one cen
mile and the Colorado Midland
which is part of the Atchinsol
| system, announced a 25 cent rate t.
any part of the state. The latte
! road extends 400 miles westward
= | Al. Al