Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1899-10-06
ANNAPOLIS. ND. FRIDAY. OCTOBER 8. 1899
COLORADO"
"THE SWITZERLAND OF
AMERICA"
Its Early History And Develop
ment-Its Scenery Excels
That of All Europe.


Special Correspondent to the Evening Capital.
Colorado has been properly named.
II is word of Spanish origin and means
red or "colored." probably because
OF the red or ruddy-colored sandstone
prevalent through hout the State. Colorado
has inspired as much sentiment as any
Of the older States. and Pixies Peak
stands in poem, picture and romance as
well as Plymouth Rock.
There is reason after all for this. The
story OF gold camp. with its dramatic
movement. tragic tlnts of color, and epi-
sodes OF humor and pathos. makes strong
material for history, and the narrative OF
the struggles and triumphs of those pion-
GERS, who sat down before the mountain
walls 10 build State. is beyond romance
and partakes OF the heroic. The early
settlers were "chff-dwellers, and on the
Rio Maucos their houses may still be
seen. They are thought to be the de-
scendants Of the ancient Aztecs. In time
the cliff-dwellers gave way to the Mexi-
cans, leaving no history of themselves
SdtC tllCSC SWdHOW-uhS uOtuNS III kuC
mountains and cliffs.
The Spanish were the next to invade
and explore Colorado. They were seek
ers for gold, and dreamers of wealth.
The Spanish and the Indians possessed
the country and married and intermar-
ried and swindled and traded TO their
mutual satisfaction. There we're no
other invaders for perhaps a couple of
centuries. and the people had long rest
from exploring expeditions. Colorado.
it will be remembered, was part OF the
Louisiana Purchase" in 1903. and three
years later Capt. Zebulon Pike. while ex-
ploring the valleys of Arkansas. coming
north, discovered the famous mountain
peak that now bears his name. Colorado
alone equals in area the whole of New
England and the State of New York put
toeether, and has greater and more var
led resources than any State in the Union.
Co orado has been aptly termed The
Switzerland of America
The Alps have long since become the
synonym OF grandeur. but they cannot
rival these grand old Rockies, with their
sublims magnifcence. Were the CLAM
our OF romance and the tendrils OF tradi-
dition cast and twined about the Rockies,
as they have been about the Alps, or
we're the Alpine heights stripped OF their
legendary lore, and the magnihcence Of
both measured with unbiased mind. then
and only then. could a just comparison
be made. Many tourists who have be-
held both the Alps and the Rockies Of
Colorado, assured US that the variety of
scenery and grandeur of our own home
mountains. surpassed that of Switzer-
land. We. therefore, commiserate those
OF our countrymen and women who 60
abroad foi scenery, without having be-
held the grandeur OF Colorado. the land
OF color, the land OF fame, the land of
startling variety. MoDotony here is an
unknown quantity. beauty is present
every here, while grandeur gfeets the
reverent eyes OF all who traverse the fast
nesses OF these Rocky Mountains. these
everlasting hills, that tower with their
snow-capped lofty tips as though to
pierce TIE sun-illumined vault of heaven.
Colorado is indeed the land OF sun
shine. The Weather Bureau reports
show an average OF 357 sunshiny days.
covering a period OF twenty years. Sun
shine means health, and health is to be
found in Colorado. Humidity, which is
all-pre vailing in Maryland. in Colorado
is an unknown quantity. Official obser-
vaiion for twenty-five years shows an
average of a. 81 per cent. OF saturation
in Colorado, while in New York the av-
e,age humidity is II per cent. We don't
know what it is in Maryland, but you
may compare your per cent. of satura-
ton in the last twenty two years with
that OF Colorado. The altitude of this
State naturally carries with 1t crisp. cleo
trio atmosphere, through which the warm
sun shines with slight loss. The climate
OF this State is almost perfect specific
for pulmonary troubles. One can live
an out OF door life here the whole year
round, because the cold OF winter, like
the heat OF summer. is tempered by the
rarihed air. Extreme cold weather il
rarely known here. and there is little
snow and practically no sleighing. The
light SHOWS they have here occur be-
tween sundown and sunrise and disap-
pear under the glowing morning sun.
Next to Climate Colorado excels the world
in scenery. No pen can portray, nc
brush can picture, no words describe the
majestic grandeur of the Rockies. Colo.
RADIO possesses i55 mountain peaks. ris-
ing beyond 1850 feet Of altitude, oi
more than ten times as many as there
are in Europe. Colorado's Io4, soc
square miles are broken up into majestic
wonders of mountain and plains, of glens
and canons, Of waterfalls and lakes. ol
caverns and peaks. Mineral springs
abound here. and the noted waters oi
France. Austria. Switzerland and Ger.
many are fast surendering their reputa.
ton to those OF Colorado waters. Scenery
altitude. sunshine and climate, therefore,
constitute the factors which are making
Colorado the health and pleasure grounds
nf the world r C.