Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1898-12-21
car and the cold air of the car the ride
at first was anything but comfortable.

car anu the cold air OF the car the rlQe
at first was anything but comfortable.
We do not usually complain about
speed when riding on the cars, but we
confess that at first we thought the
speed was altogether too fast on this
occasion. The feeling when the train
dashed around curve at full speed
was akin to that experienced when rid
ing in a carriage on a side hill. The
body would involuntarily try to catch
it's balance. The scenery along the
the world, which we take for granted
is the case. The single-windows of the
car were frosted so hard that it was
impossible to keep a small spot open
for observation, even had the dark
ness outside permitted anything to be
seen. So we must let the elaborate
advertising brochures OF this railway
company speak Tor the greater part
of the way we travelled. We passed
through Colorado Springs, Peublo
and Leadville during the night. The
latter place has an altitude of 10, 200
feet above the sea level. The train
was late and the gray dawn was steal
ing over the mountains when Tennessee
Pass was reached and the descent
down through the grand canon of the
Eagle river began. Red Cliff was
| next passed, place celebrated for re-
cent rich finds in gold. Had the: air
been clear we might have seen the
mount of Holy Cross from this point.
A peculiar accident befell our train
after leaving this station. In some
way the wheels of the car we rode in
became locked and before it was dis
covered had been ground down over
two inches. This necessitated that the
car be detached at the next station
| and the passengers were crowded into
| tourist sleeper. Here we were fort
innate in meeting a gentleman by the
name of Mack Fleck. He is the sher-
if of Eagle county. He made our
| journey down through the Eagle VAL
| ley very interesting. He gave US much
interesting information regarding the
history of the valley, the system of IT.
rigation and the life of the rancher.
The mining camps give the farmers
or ranchers as they are called here }
good market for their produce. If
they had to take Minnesota prices we
are afraid they would give up in de-
spair. Mr.. Fleck owns ranch in the
upper valley. Every inch of avail
able land for irrigation in this valley
has been taken by settlers. Herds of
cattle were to be seen at every ranch.
The early snow has compelled the
feeding of cattle here earlier than US
ual. The cured alfalfa and timothy
hay here looks as green as new-mown
grass. Mr.. Fleck was also somewhat
of a politician, having been twice re-
elected to the Office Of sheriff. He was
nominally a republican, but stated
that everybody was in favor of free
silver here. He stated that there was
some difference of opinion among the
republicans as to the correct RI alton,
but they were unalterably opposed to
the single gold standard. His county
mustered about 1900 votes, and he said
he knew every voter in the county.
There are four distinct political organ
izatiOns. The administration repub-
licans, the silver republicans, the pop.
ulists and the democrats. They are
divided on local issues and fractional
strife has much to do with the political
situation, but on national issues there
is little division. Pitkin comfy gave
Mckinley only 70 votes in 1896. Our
sheriff friend stepped off at the village
of Eagle, and the valley soon mar.
rowed down to canon again while
had another thrilling experience. The
train very suddenly stopped, and was
brought to stand still with the COW
catcher of the engine only few fee
from a rock which had fallen from the
heights above, Had our train rur
against the rock and our cars left the
track they would inevitably have fal
len into the roaring stream below. L
took but a few minutes to clear the
road from the obstruction. and in {
: short time our train was at Glen
wood Springs.