Mexico weekly ledger., 1897-07-22
Garden Of the Gods.
LEB CRIGLER SEEMS RATHER
DISAPPOINTED IN HIS
WESTERN VISIT.
he Saws to Make q Visit to Colorado is
to More Fully Appreciate Mis-
souri, - Climate Does Not
Benefit His Health.
correspondence of the Ledger.

Correspondence Of the Ledger.
MANIToU, Colo, July IL, 1897
When we visit the caverns, and can
ons, and caves, and peaks, of this
wonderful mountainous country, we
are not always favorably impressed.
If you have lived in a beautiful,
level country, where nature has every
opportunity to assist in the production
of the wealth of the common people,
and come to Colorado, where you see
nothing but the riotous efforts of some
maddened and powerful agency, you
will feel a touch of sadness creeping
over you and through you. Walk
through Lafayette park in st. Louis
before the cyclone and you sec Mis-
souri, in her beauty; walk through the
park after the tempest, and you see
Colorado with its torn and rugged
countenance. To visit Colorado is
but to fully appreciate Missouri. You
show these natives q 500 acre tract of
u Missouri land, rich In grasses and
dotted with fat cattle, and it would
scare them to death. They would
think they were in the "garden of the
Gods" sur enough.
By the way, when you visit the gar
den of the gode you must bring with
you your most vivid imagination,
because You will be called upon by
vpUr uuida to ovaro;oo THAT saorJt-% -
a high degree. There are but three
things in this garden that / consider
worthy of any special mention. They
are: the Balance" rock, the "Gate-
way" and the strange freak Of nature
that erected side by side the immense
red granite columns and the towering
limestone castles. The "Tower of
Babep' and the "Echo rock" which
make the guarding castles to the
entrance Of this garden, are two beau
tiful and grand pictures. In awful
silence and power, and with solemnity
day and night, century in and century
out, they stand guard. No wonder the
Indians fell down at their feet and
worshipped them as their gods.
Through this gateway is the only place
in the garden from which you get a
good view of Pixies Peak. Nature
never makes a mistake and it seems
as though some huge stone was torn
away from between the gateway cas-
ties, that, with the naked eye, man
might behold the beauty and grandeur
of this snow-capped mountain.
The Garden of the Gods Is two miles
from Manitou and less in altitude, and
you are shown about twenty points OF
interest Ito some people,.
On past the garden and two miles
further up the mountainous ravine is
"Glen Ayrie," the summer residence
OF Gen. Palmer, President of the Rio
Grande R. R. Here art has assisted
largely in making the beautiful pools,
fountains and grass plots, that are SO
pleasing to the tourist.
The Garden of the Gods Is q 2OO-acre
tract of land, and Is owned by one
man, but being very wealthy he
charges no entrance fee. But the time
is near at hand when you will pay to
see this spot, like you do when you
go into the "Grand Cavern" or the
"Cave of the Winds" places I have
not entered as yet.
Manitou, q beautiful little city, near
the famous peak, is full of visitors
now. Kansas City and st. Louis send
people here every day, and on the
register at the Cliff House, I find the
name Of W. y. johnson, Jr., Mexico,
Mo-, but not knowing him, 1 have
been unable to Q him. Tell Jim
johnson that 1 thought it might be
intended for him, but changed my
notion when I found that the name
appeared OF the Cliff register-$25 q
week.
Well, no fountain of youth and rosy
cheeks has dubbed out Of these hills
for me yet. 1 have been benefited
none by my stay so far, but I hope
that the delightful climate, good sleep
ing nights and plenty of grub will
send me back to Missouri better and
stronger than I've ever been before.
Yours truly, L. P. @.