Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-07-29
ls1ReR FROM "MIKs" HOFFMAN.
The journoy Across the CoNtlaenl
:. III Greet A0erican Desert and Salt
Lake City.

| TIC S0OeoOy ACfO03 tne SOataoe1s'
~ Great Ausrican Desert and Salt
Lake City.
We left Denver at IL o'clock and ran
T. Colorado Springs. Here We finished
cur sleep, and were then informed that
there we're six or seven train loads al.
together, which would lie there until 8
o'clock in the evening. Pixies Peak,
with it's snow on top, can be seen quite
plain some fourteen miles away. but
apparently close by. 1t would not have
crested much sur prise If it were not
for the snow on it's summit. One would
hardly think it 14,1 147 feet high, as it
Is, probably for the reason that this is
high altitude. Colorado Springs close
by IL over 5000 feet high and lies on a
nat. Elk Point is l, 100 feet in altitude,
and some say 1t lies in hole. Height
10 not very amazing unless it has per-
pendicular to it. In starting out for
the day We intended to 60 TO the top Of
Pixies Peak, but in this we failed for
tickets by the railroad route we're sold
for some eight hours ahead. This we
regretted very much, rs it may be our
last opportunity OF getting v ,ry high.
We then visited the Cheyenne Canon
and Aanitou Springs. We wanted our
school marin and late graduate to write
these up, but she did not want to be
caught having anything to do with
this correspondence. BY four O'Clock
We were tired and returned to the car
where We spent the rest Of the day in
zsading and writing.
At eight o'clock We ran to Pueblo
where We dnished our sleep and then
breakfasted 1t the hotel. Our ride
west Of Pueblo followed the course Of
the Arkansas river to its fountain
head. This took US through the Royal
Gorge composed of solid rock. At one
place the walls reach to a perpendicu-
lar height Of 5000 feet; at another
place it is just wide enough for the
river to pass In rapid current, which
had to be bridged lengthwise on which
to build the railroad track. The Chey.
enne Canon that We visited the day
before somewhat resembles this. The
trains stopped few minutes at differ
ent &1aoes TO lot US view and take Ko-
lnk pictures. Some places the rock
irunssi1 hsstsous.f isysfs, gradually
c,,svianr ~ - ,,orron1ic,,l~r 90
though they were heaved up by some
great force. At some places there
were large monuments and columns of
great height. Further on we see large
boulders Of all kinds Of shape, some
lying on top Of others a. II laid there
by hand. We look at them and wonder
what mother Earth's past life has been.
After passing the gorge, which is some
ten miles long, we come In view again
Of snow covered peaks innumerable,
which would appear and disappear sll
day long on both sides of US. A section
boss pointed to some peaks which he
said had no snow on them few days
ago, saying that that was showed"
there yesterday. These looked grand
or and nicer to US than Pixies Peak
did; they also had more snow on them.
Got into Leadville at six o'clock. It
was quite cold. listers and overcoets,
we're brought into use. Cultivated
vegetation does not grow here, and 1t
u no wonder when We see the snow all
around us. A few miles west of Lead.
vile We crossed the divide. Here We
parted with the fountain head of the
Arkansas river which runs east, and in
. few minutes We discovered the head
waters of the Colorado which runs
west. This 10 the most lively and inter-
esting stream that many of Us ever saw,
with its nice clear pure water and
rocky bottom, its swift and white
foamy current. We descended the
mountain quite fast. Night shut our
vision Oh, though we did no, care much
for our brain cells we're full. After an
hour Of songs and = praise service, the
porter made our beds and We saw no
more until July 4th.
We woke up on what was once called
the American desert, some 24O miles
from Salt Lake City, where we ought
i to have been long before this. The
desert 10 not 90 aat and smooth a.
many expected to find it. Sand hills
run in ranges, some high enough to
4 be called mountains, and others have
. rocky and red chalk appearance
with weather beaten sides. Nothing
tgrowv here but little punches Of some.
thing that looks like dry sage. 1t does
not seem possible that people should
undertake to cross these plains from
Omaha to California - they did In 18ae
and l6z0.
July 9Th finds us in Salt Lake City
Here we dnd nfty or sixty coaches o.
Eudeavor excursionists. We visited