The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-07-26
THROUGH EGERIA PARK.
Steamboat Springs. Col. July -

The ascent from the Missouri river Al
Omaha. Nebraska To Denver. Colorado
the latter being just a mile above the
level Of the Atlantic ocean. does not an
press one with its lofty altitude. The
elevation is gained by gradual lines n
If up Il gently inclined pam IN fact me
great prairie> sweep III almost unbroheI
lines from the foot hills of the Rockies
10 the basins of the great rivers III mid
continent. The approach to Denver Is
both picturesque and interesting. The
Rocky mountains with their burden OF
perpetual snow glistening in the blue
distance and the fields of green and gold
ut your feet make a charming landscape,
The detail is one of monotOny-leld after
field stretching into distant prairie. oc-
caSi0nal ranches cut with lrrlgatlns
bitches. bleak stretches of Stubby grass,
cacti and the prairie dogs Scurrylng nth
er and thither. This little animal stand
ing upright upon its hlnd legs looks
most quizzically upon the moving tram a>
much as to say: What is that noisy
intrusion?" Then seemingly answering
the query for himself. drops 10 the
ground with an apparent conviction that
it is only Il moving train and proceeds
in 4 most tranquil way TO the enjoy
ment of its domestic affairs.
Denver is one of the cleaneSt and
brightest Of cities. Coming from Oma-
ha with stock yards and generally un-
kempt appearance. ONE is most agreeably
impressed with the beauty and cleanliness
of Denver. the Queen City Of the p~rairies
But it is not of Denver that | wish to
write. but CT Il stage ride in the heart OF
the Rocky mountains. Leaving the Den
yer and Rio Grande railway at Il little
station called Wolcott, and taking a
seat in the stage for Steamboat Springs,
50 miles distant. one cannot but have
some apprehension as to the final out
come Of such Il journey. Nevertheless.
the start is made NJ. mp. Il steep grade
which the driver says is nine miles long.
The landscape presents little of interest
for some miles. Sage bush and a dry
alkali soil with but sparse vegetation IS
about all. except an occasional glimpse
at the distant Snow-capped peaks. At
last the summit is reached aud the
horses are whipped into Il lope and then
settle down to 4 long swinging trot down
hill for another nine or ten miles to the
canon Of the Grand river. thence up
another long and dreary climb TO i
plateau. known as the Cedar hills. This
region is the most unlntereStlng anu
tedious | have ever encountered. lma-
NilIt tth III VI I'"A Up 'A'N
hundred thousand hillockS. ten to fifty
feet high. the ground perfectly barren
save for a few scrub cedlrS from > to
l. feet in height. The driver has no
mercy-he swings up one and down the
other in Il trot until one becomes al
most sea-sick from the swinging OF the
stage. But this does not last always
for soon we dip into the beautiful and
fertile Egeria Park which affords scenery
Of the most enhancing character. There
are many stately and picturesque
butte formations: or great upheavals
Of stone. the finger marks of ages long
agonc. 'Taponas' and "Flnger Rock
are striking examples of this feature III
E"eria Park. The latter rises sheer
above the grass-green undulations to Il
height of $50 feet. and is said to have
been held in deep veneration by the Ute
Indians. now forever baniShed from the
peaceful vale. The Park is some 80
miles in length and bountifully watered
I by rivers and creeks of limpid cool
water. On all sides rise grand noun
tains and majestic peaks in sharp out
line against the bluest of skies. and
glistening in the July sun may be seen
great snow drifts. which are perhaps
thousands of years old. as they remain
from year to year apparently needless Of
the heat of the INNER sun. The
hills and wales of this Park are covered
with horses and cattle. the property of
the thrifty ranchmen who dwell in COM
fort there.
From this enchanted region we drive
to Steamboat Springs. where nature has
wrought from her subterranean labOra-
tories many wonder in the form of
boiling springs. which are forced up
u,In. r,rncS1lrn of yaScnC Tho most
noted is the Steamboat Spring. which
gave the locality its name, and it is so
called because Of the excess of carbonic
acid gas. which finds escape iii the spring
in regular pulsationS not unlike the noisy
exhaust pipes of Il steamboat. The
Pavilion Spring is most sought as Il bev-
erage; it is Il sparkling effervescrnt
water. temperature $50, and by analysis
shows the following:
Chloride of sodium. 3S.O1 parts in
100. 900; Chloride Of Magnesia, 20.42;
Chloride Of PataSsium, 9.16; Bicarbonate
Soda. 2O2.45: Bicarbonate Of Lime,
1884: Bicarbonate of Iron, go; Silica,
2.SS. Total solids. 341.26.
The bath sprin" is the next in i'm
portance: il discharges % gallons per
minute ut Il temperature of q degrees
and affords 4 most delightful bath. as
the water is soft with 4 small per
centage of sulphur. There are more
than fifty other springs in the valley, of
varying temperatures and OF differing
mineral contents. the hottest being the
boiling spring diScharging its bubbling
waters at a temperature of $50 degrees.
This region, because of its adaptability
to the habits of animal life and of its
remoteness from the centres of popula-
ton IS perhaps the best
game preserve in all this
mountain region. This county con
tains no less than five and Il quarter mil
lions of acres and has a population of
less than 1000 souls. who inhabit the al
luvial river and creek bottoms leaving
vast areas as free range for game. The
bear, cinnamon, black and silver tip or
grizzly; the elk or wappati, the bis-horn
or mountain sheep, the black-tailed deer
o. hnut twice the Sizn Of tho Airninia