People's voice., 1898-09-22
Tore About Colorado,

OuT ldSb ltJJtT lelJ lu euTOubt lTOlD
Cripple Creek to Leadvle and Glen
wood Springs.
We arrived in Leadville Thursday
morning (the 10Th aud were agreeably
surprised to be invited tn breakfast
with Mr.. aud Mrs. E. &. Austin,
friends Of former days stGsrden City,
Kas. Leadville is still one OF the
largest producing camps IN the state.
She works more men Ia her mines
than any other camp. The party did
not stop at Leadville longer than two
hours, though many would have been
glad to have spent the day there.
There was nothing OF special interest
at Glenwood Springs, beyond the hot
springs and bathing pool. We arrived
there at 3 o'clock and left the same
night for Grand Junction.
At Grand Junction we left our Pull.
mans and boarded the little narrow
guage coaches OF the Denver and Rio
Grande railroad. All day Friday was
spent travelling eastward over a fer
tile irrigated taOle land, through the
Black Canon of the Gunnison and
over Marshall Pass, down to Salida,
where we met our cars again. The
scenery was grand beyond description.
In the Black Canon We took kodak
snap shot Of the wreck OF the day
before where an engineer and con-
ductOr were killed. They we're TAX.
ing the empty cars up to Grand
Junction to meet the editorial party.
The engine and tender rolled down a
hundred foot embankment into the
rushing stream. The wreck was at a
short curve called dead Mans
Point"
Friday night we were taken through
Pueblo to La Junta, where we were
rendered magnificent breakfast 10
Fred Harvey's railroad dining room
by the Lamar people. Later we were
taken to Lanar-50 miles east
where We viewed the largest irriga-
ting reservoirs, and one of the most
prosperous towns in the state.
The writer was 10 Lamar at its
founding and wrote it up In a whole
page article for the Garden City Irri-
gator at 10 cents a line. We confess
that it was hard job but we based
all our argument for future metrop.
oils on the anchor OF irrigation and
twelve years afterward we return to
find that the dream has been realized.
The people had gathered together on
short notice splendid collection Of
fruits and products and they were
conclusive evidence OF the fertility Of
the soil, as we'll as a basis for the de-
mand for the buildings that were GO
ing up on all sides. Lamar is In the
heart Of the Arkansas valley and will
no doubt become one Of the foremost
irrigating sections Of the state.
- We left the party at Lamar and
started for home, and few general
observations only remain to be told.
The eastern slope OF the mountains
furnish the enterprise and push of
Colorado. We saw no special evi.
dence OF thrift west OF the divide.
Glenwood Springs is pretty and inter.
esting but unattractive as a com.
mercial center. Grand Junction and
Montrose are marketing fine fruit.
Gunnison was the deadsst town we
ever saw, and not until we got back
to Pueblo, La Junta and Lamar did
we again see evidence Of enterprise
and ambition.
Mountain passes, and canons and
springs aud scenery and railroads are
nice but one Tires OF Them and longs
for the free open prairie. The majes.
tic sweep OF the magnificent Santa Fs
trains and the speed across the beau
tiful prairie was so in contrast with
the rugged curves and climbs, and
jars and jolts Of the mountain roads
that we were filed anew with pride
for Kansas, and her great railroad
3 There are none better anywhere. Tht
Midland and the Rio Grande art
|. monsters In the mountains, and NJ
8 traveller should fail to enjoy the feast
, afforded from their Car windows, but
s the Santa Fe as 1t sweeps across th'
{ prairie IL an object OF admiration
s Colorado is sublime in scenic grand
D eur and wonderful In mineral re
!. sources, but Kansas is a thing o
d beauty and a JOY forever.
v LYMAN NAUGLE.