Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1899-10-11

THE SIGHTS AND SCENES
On The Denver And Rio Grande
Railroad-The Famous
Loop On a Bender.
GRAND JUNCTION ANDITs FRUIT

Special Correspondent to the Evening Capital.
We reach what is called "The Por-
tails. on each side the walls rise TO a
height of 1000 feet. the river and the
railroad fill the space between, while a
great monolith. to the left Of the track,
stands isolated. and rises, like a watch
tower. to guard 1.-The Portals
We are now within the Gates" the
picturesque approach to the Grand River.
The road curves around huge cliff 10
the left. while to the right are the river
and the perpendicular walls of the canon.
The scene, the portrayal OF which is be-
yond human ken. beggars description.
West OF Red Cliff. and 3o4 miles from
Denver, we reach Eagle Canon.
This is a remarkable gorge, not only
wondrous for its works OF nature, but for
the W nders of human skill and handi-
work. For here the sides and summit OF
the canon are made the resting places of
shaft houses. and dwellings Of miners.
elevated 2 1000 feet above The track. and
reminding one OF the eyries OF eagles.
This canon is rich mining region. of
which Battle Mountain is the centre.
Just beyond this the railroad enters Red
Cliff Canon, comparatively short, but
very interesting gorge in the mountains.
Leaving here, just as the train rounds
the curve. IS to be seen the "Mount OF
the Holy Cross" This famous mount
ain bears cross OF snow upon its bosom,
formed by deposits in an upright and
transverse canon. The upright of the
cross is about I. 500 feet, and the arms
about $50 feet in length. The elevation
OF the mountain is about I4.I76 feet
Eleven miles before reaching Leadville.
the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad
scales the Continental Divide, at the alti-
tude OF Io,4I8 feet. This is called Ten
nessee Pass. Thirteen miles from Lead
vile, on the Blue river. is Freemoht
Pass, the highest railroad pass in the
world. the elevation being 1880 feet.
Here we had view OF Grand Mountain.
AS we approach Leadville we see to
the west a remarkable mountain called
"Mount Massive. rising to an altitude
Of Ia 36S feet. Leadville is great min
ing camp and has population OF 5000.
lis elevation is 10. 200 feet and il IS the
highest city in the world. Buena Vista
is the next stop. Ii is city of consider
able importance. and is noted for its cot
ton-wood hot springs. The State reform
atory is also located here. Ii is hand
some building OF Colorado stone, and
surrounded with beautiful grounds. We
now reach Browns Canon, a small but
very attractive canon, flowing through
which is the Arkansas River. Not far
from here we have view OF three i'm
81 s.r l,~
named for Harvard, Princeton and Yale.
We soon reach the Royal Gorge, the
crowning wonder OF the Denver and Rio
Grande Railroad. What can we say of
this ? No exp etives can we call up by
word or pen that viii picture the grand
eur OF this magnificent monument to the
Omnipotence OF an All-wIse Creator
After the entrance OF the canon has been
made, surprise and almost terror comes
1.-THE train rolls round long curve close
under a wall OF black and banded gran
ite, beside which the ponderous locomo-
tive shiinks TO mere dot. as if swinging
on some pivot in the heart Of the mount
| ain. or captured by centripetal force
that would never resign its grasp. Al
most a whole circle is accomplished, and
the grand amphitheat'ical sweep OF the
wall in its smooth and zenith-cutting ia
cade. Will the journey end here? Is
it a mistake that this crevice goes through
the range? ? Does not all this mad water
gush from some spring. or boil out oi
subterranean channel, impenetrable to
us9 No. il opens.
Resisting centrifugal and centripetal
ioIce claims the train and it breaks away
at tangent past, the edge or round the
corner OF the great black wall which
compelled its detour and that OF the river
before it. Now what glories Of rock pill
ing confront the wide destended eye
How those sbarp.edged cliffs. standing
with upright heads that play at hand-ball
| with the clouds. alternate with one an.
other, so that first the right then the left
then the right one beyond strike oul
view. each one half obscured by its fel
low in front. each showing itself level
browed with its comrades as we come
even with if, each score OF hundreds oi
dizzy feet in height, rising perpendicular
from the water and the track. splinterec
atop into airy pinnaeles, braced behind
against the almost continental mass
L t0IOuRn WHICH tuC CHdStI UdS UcCU CICIt
And this is Royal Gorge
There is not whit Of egotism in u.
now. we are even smaller than the ant, Z
mere animalcule. The Royal Gorge i.
indeed the climax of grandeur. The
shades Of night are falling, and the ex
Quisite scenery is shut in by the drapery
Of mig htfall, pinned back here and there
by the stars. We begrudge the veil o
darkness which obscures the view. every
finch Of which we have thoroughly en-
joyed, and over which we are naturally
enthused. There was no monotony
about it all, for the scene was an ever.
changing one. with mountain. river. gorge
canon, and now and then ranches, los
huts and mining camps looming up along
the road, not to mention the foliage
great green and red patches Of which
interspersed with yellow, dotted the
mountain sides. The trip to Grand juno
ton is too grand for mere description
One had as well try to make deaf per
son appreciate the deathless harmonic:
Of Wagner or Lange, as to attempt to de-
pict with word or pen the beauties with
which nature has endowed Colorado
The colored porters' description is a.
eloquent as any we can think Of: "Yes
indeedy Miss, nachuh has sho'ly beer
heah. an she's heah yet
E. A. C.