The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-05

Christian Pilgrims Caught in Mid
Summer Blizzard.


CHICAGO, July 4.-The Times-Hera s
Denver correspondent, under the date of
Saturday says:
"Out of the frying pan into the ice box
That is the kitchen allegory which tells
of the pilgrimage of the Christian Endeav-
orers. Gaily the trainloads of tourists left
Chicago for their long westward journey.
1t was hot when the left-irreligiousy hot
| but they didn't mind that Clad in linen
coats, duck trousers and shirt waists and
carrying fans and fortified by a cOpiOus
supply of Bible texts and hymn books, they
felt themselves ready for every emergency
of the way. But the girls didn't know and
the boys wouldn't learn. Mountain visions
did not trouble their serenity, and the red
fire that signaled the approach of the glori-
Gus Fourth melted all their memories of
snow storms. Pleasure and profit, gospel
| meetings and excursions made up the sum
of all that was spread out before them.
That was the beginning. 1t was the au-
| thors apology and the first chapter But
| Colorado was before them, and another
| chapter was written yesterday Up in the
mountains Old BoreaS was making frost
| and showing that he knew just the proper
| antldote for too much enthusiasm. The
| temperature was seven degrees below the
| freezing point, and the natives were plan
ming TO celebrate the national holiday with
| the biggest SNOWFALL game of the year The
statues of George Washington were clad in
| icicles, which even free-silVer discussion
| would not melt. Hot scotch was scoring q
| victory over the festive gin Hickey.
The eXcursioniStS left Denver with the
Thermometer at so. Four hours later they
| were huddllng In the corners of the cars
| trying to keep warm. They had gone the
| foolish virgins one better. Not only had
they failed to have their lamps trimmed
and burning-they had actually left them
| at home Moreover, Mr.. Pullman hadn't
| acted the part of kind providence, and
| most of his blankets were carefully stored
away in camphor and moth balls at head
quarters. The things that the Endeavorers
said will not be repeated verbatim at San
Francisco. They have learned that in Col
orado the wind is tempered to the shorn
lamb by blowing colder, and that it won't
do TO put too much faith in good intentions
For the first time in the history of their
opinions they have come to look on Utah
as a promised land.
The general condition of the weather
throughout the State has been very I'M
usual for the summer time, even in the
higher attitudes of the Rocky mountains
AT Telluride there was fall of eight inches
of snow and now the ground is covered
with six inches of flakes, while trees were
broken by the weight of CONCEALED coldneSs
Georgetown will celebrate with a SNOWFALL
contest as the choice feature of the Fourth
while Ouray, situated at an altitude of 5000
| feet, which had gone sto considerable eX-
pense in securing snow from the mountains
for independence day, finds the streets so
encountered with the f1eecy that shedding is
reported At Leadville it showed this
morning TOT SeNeIdl uOuIS, DuI ONlnS 10
the exposure of the fall melted rapidly
until by night it had disappeared At Sill
yer Cliff the bicycle races scheduled for
this evening had to be postponed on &C
count of the storm.
In the Gunnison country the surface is
covered with a light snowfall, and at Grip
pie Creek the surrounding mountains have
resumed their winter coats. Many of the
excursonists were treated to the unusual
spectacle of bucking snow on the Pixies
Peak cogway in JULY but the impeachment
was not great enough to interfere with
travel and the snow only served to en-
nance the pleasure of the trip for those
who were warmly clad.