The Newtown bee., 1897-08-20
like that Of John Brown, is still "march- ing on." A Trip to Manitou, July 27,
 1897.
BY WANDERING WILLY.

My first visit to Manitou was in No | vember, 1896, just few days after my first appearance in Colorado Springs. The season was then over. All the large ho- | tels were closed and the town looked | quite deserted. There were only 8 few | people stirring and the general appear ance reminded me much of Coney Island in the winter time. Yesterday 1 saw the reverse of the picture and it was indeed great transformation. All the hotels, boarding houses, cottages and tents were open and filled with occupants. The streets were thronged with visitors from
 abroad walking about seeing the sights and tasting the water from the several springs. It was scene of much life and animation and so characteristic of gen. l uine pleasure resort.
 Leaving Colorado Springs from the
 business center of the city you pass by
 the famous Antlers hotel and over the viaduct spanning the tracks of the Rio Grande and Rock Island railroads. Af
 ter running mile or so we cross the boundary line and enter Colorado City, ! locally known as "Old Town" For this city is ancient in State and Territorial
 history. Here in days gone by was To-
 cated the capitol and the pioneer 1egisla-
 tors assembled to enact the first laws. There is nothing particularly prepossess- 1 ing about this city in it's present aspect.
 It has neither the solidIty of Colorado | Springs nor the attractiveness of Mani tou and now harbors gamblers and sa- loon keepers who have been excluded and
 restricted elsewhere. Passing along
 through this uninviting town we come
 to the open country and skirt the south
 ern border of the famed Garden of the
 Gods with it's curious and fantastic rock formations. The rock which elsewhere
 lies in horizontal or inclined strata here
 in this garden. stands exactly on it's
 end. Some of the layers rise into the air |, several hundred feet. The weather has
 rounded the ends and sides 80 that per son with lively imagination can see r more or less clearly numerous weird and , suggestive forms and shapes.
 al Now we are at Manitou and are well 3 comed by a throng of hackmen and hotel g porters who vociferously appeal to you , and urge their carriage or their house as F being eminently fit for patronage. But l silently declining all their offers we enter P an open trolley car and are soon hum-
 ming up the winding Main street. We I pass on our way the large hotels with the - Iguests fashionably dressed seated on the cool piazzas. Then there are the pavil- n ions in which are the springs where, like f the water of life, you may drink freely F without money and without price. Ii
 you are disposed to recognize the hospi. :. tality of the management you can buy
 flight refreshments or curios from com plete stock; but you are not obliged to-
 The car continues to pull us up the steeE
 grade, the panorama constantly changing
 ltill we at length reach the length of the llne at the Iron Springs hotel. We land fright in front of the tasty little station where the trains start for Pike's Peak uI Ithe famous cog road. This novel tracl
 Ewith it's serrated center rails for holding
 the cog wheels of the engine and car at y tracts our attention, and as wessafe look r ing the whistle of an engine far up in th' e canon is heard and soon the train is il d lsight and standing by the platform. Al lit stands on the level the engine present.
 an odd appearance with it's fore par down close to the track and the coal boz Il and cab high up in the air. The window }, of the car are large, extending from th' l, sill to the very roof so that there may b