The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-23

and alchemist of old are puerile. They
have achieved in the last hundred years
work which shames the combined re-
suits of the centuries. OF these mighty
wizards the civil engineers are the
Titans. and they would no doubt try
TO scale the heavens, piling Pelion
upon Ossa should they desire to do so,
and in the attempt not risk the conse-
quences that befen the giants of the
Greek legend.
will not say that southern Califor-
MIA is the wonderland of the continent,
for that is already trite. You have
been told all about its climate, produc,
tons, scenic beauty and the fertility OF
the soil. All these We're made avail
able to the rest of the world BY these
same magicians, the civil engineers,
who were the pioneers of the railroads
Through the terra incognito of the
far west, among wild mountain passes,
binding SHOWS, desert heats, dangers
and disasters of all kinds, they blazed
the way for the railroad and civiliza
ton, and to them we owe a debt Of
gratitude that, it is safe TO say, We
will never iquidate. Upon ali of the
great railroad systems of the country,
east and west, there are remarka BILE
examples of the subduing of natural
obstacles. Gorges are spanned by
trestles so lofty that the passenger,
safely seated In the luxurious coach,
fears to move hand or foot as he is
whirled rapidly over them. being OPP
pressed with a ridiculous sense that his
doing so will precipitate the whole
train into the yawning abyss. Tun-
nels burrow under mountains SER
pentine tracks climb over mountains,
and, winding about, find foothold
upon the edge of cliffs, cleave rocks,
defy storms and snowslides, rush down
into timbered canyons and leap wide
rivers.
There is mp the slope of Mount Wash
ington, as there is on Mount Vesuvius
and Mount Plate, a railroad, by means
of which passengers reach the top.
These feats of engineering in their day
excited the admiration of the world,
but they are far surpassed by verita-
BILE railroad in midair which has al
ready climbed a spur half way 10 the
summit of one of the loftiest mountains
in southern California, and will in a
short time be extended to the very peak
of Mount Lowe, six thousand feet
above sea level.
Man has a natural aspiration towards
the heights The valley is for every
day life, its occupation, pain and per-
formance; the mountain top is for the
sublime mood, the wider horizon, the
purer existence. In southern Califor-
mia the mountain walls seem in the dry
season TO be but brown battlements
cast ont by nature in hurry and travail
to protect from the desert heats her
chosen valleys. IN the wet seasons
these battlements turn from brown To
green, and always there are magic
lights playing about them. Tender
hazes veil their distance, purple gar
ments reach down to the nearer plains
and sunlight dwells on their SUBMITS,
clarifying their crowns of pine and locks
OF snow. Climbing any of these slopes
over the rugged narrow trails, every
on the face Of these Alps of the
west Is found 70 be deep gorge green
with gigantic trees, decked with laurel,
clematis, lilac and bay where the can
yon walls tower skyward, and made
brilliant with myriads OF flowers and
ferns. where the peak-born streams'steal
in the bottom of the cleft. To climb
on foot or the back Of burro 10 one Of
these SUBMITS is an experience 70 be (
remembered forever. Wherever you
look prospect Of enchanting beauty !
or stupendous grandeur Is spread ont I
before you, but the danger and difficult |
ties Of these accents can De endured /
only by The strong and hardy
Pasadena has a superb mountain /
background. and visitors 70 this lovely 1
town see far up one Of the mountains, 4
perched upon a lofty spur, a white I
and running sheer down from /
i until i i lost n the purple a line 4
ike thread. This thread i the IA
nous Mount Lowe cable incline rail /
way. already completed 70 the top 81 .
Echo mountain. and IN the near future
10 De extended 70 the summit % Mount
Lowe, seven miles further by the route
already surveyed. and terminating a.
point where the loftiest observatory
1pon the continent i 20 be built from
he Astounding granite The incline is
By an electric trolley road
hree miles long. which winds about
he base Of The mountain, passing cool
rreen canyons, aud trsverz.Eg The mesa
FAMED long ago ''Capa do C-oT - Cab
Milo, who deserted the colo % It's pop
res SIXTY miles away upon TIE "a
he trolley road terminates a. Euhio
anyOu, where the Traveller slsgh.s and
eating himself n st-sn2.lv-shaped
.x-sezted white chariot makes the
seer: % the incline The grade IS 20
-er cen. half the var. then = for q
hort distance, then 3. and finally -
ear Tie top. IN the 400 feet q TIE
istsuce. i makes a direc; ascent 4
80 feet . steep a grzie Wa 10;
he only diGculfy % be overcoEns ia
me rad mp ne inciirs Gi-
'z-t5e .c-As d. - - hurried fros