Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1899-09-19
WITH THE STAR OF EMPIRE.
WESTWARD FROM OMA-
HA TO DENVER.

Over The Great Northern Pacific Rail
roads Scenes And Incidents
Along The Route.
special Correspondence of the Evening Capital
AT last we are out of Nebraska, and
the FIRST stop made in Colorado. the State
whose name is of Spanish origin. and
means "red' or "colored.' and is so
called because of the ruddy colored sand
stone prevalent throughout its borders. is
made at Julesburg, 1877 miles from the
city OF Denver.
Julesburg has about GOO inhabitants,
and is named for one Jules Burg, who
was resident OF the town in I86o-6I.
He was desperate and is said TO have
''died with his boots on" At Julesburg
the train stopped fer quite little while.
and number OF the tourists got off and
enjoyed the famous Colorado morning
air and sunshine. We were very much
amused at a large placard posted in the
telegraph office at the station. Embla-
zoned in large type was the following
startling ad.. "Wanted-A Bride and
Groom.
At first we were puzzled to know il
weddings are such an unknown quantity
in this State that the exponents must
| needs be advertised for. On inquiry,
however, we were informed there was TO
be carnival. at which the drawing card
would be several weddings of those who
were willing to be 'tied up publicly in
odd and grotesque costumes. AS an in
centive to help advertise King Carnival.
the brides were to be given handsome
presents. One of these carnivals has oc-
Cured during our sojourn in the West, al
which one OF the grooms was physician
and he and his BRIDE were married in
Indian costume.
Another station of importance in Color
ado. is La Sale. 1t is 46 miles from
Denver, and is junction for the Union
Pacific and Denver Short Line Branch
for Julesburg. Crossing the praries there
were many things that attracted our no.
tice. Chief among these was the fact that
no matter how small town or burg. the
village or hamlet. il only dozen houses.
there was always school. The people
in the West believe IN education. and
| tteir schools are monuments to that be-
lief. They are no shoddy affairs either,
they are modern buildings. we'll painted, >
with good play grounds, and attractive
surroundings. We were commenting
upon the numerous schools in the small
towns en- route, when we were told that
Colorado has more school ground for its
size than any State in the Union, but OF
this we shall speak in another letter.
The little. chubby prairie dogs were
objects of interest TO the tourist For
miles along the railroad were to be seen
their mud and sand houses. These dogs
are curious little creatures. and at a dis
lance do not look unlike the chip munk
They are agile and playful. jumping and
running in about in apparently great glee.
Here and there whole families and villa
ges OF these prairie dogs were TO be seen.
when occasionally there would be but
one or two, perhaps the more seclusive
and aiistocratic OF the settlement. whose
clannishness forbade them from ming
ling with the common herd. We noticed
number OF ranches as we neared Den
yer. and camping out parties were not
infrequent along the route after Colorado
was reached. Some Indians niheir ma
tive costume were to be seen at the sta
tions, and one little fellow in our car
called to his mama to come to the win
dow and look at "a real live Indian"
After most deligh and thoroughly
comfortable ride of 500 miles from Oma-
ha, and. ,o62 miles from Chicago, Den
YER is reached at z.55 p. M. the next day.
The officials OF the Union Pacific spare
no pains in administering to the comfort
Of those travelling over their road. and
one meets with The most polite service at
the hands of the employees. from con-
ductor 10 porter. all of whom are ever
ready to give desired information. or as
sist the inquisiiive tourist. who is taking
notes" en- route. Union Depot is the
one depot in Denver, and is a very hand
some and imps sing structure OF granite.
When one alights from the train here, he
finds himself putting like a locomotive,
and at first cannot account for his short
windidness. When he stops to think,
however. that he is at an altitude of s, ITO
feet, he begins to take in the situation,
and endeayors TO grow accustomed 70 the
we shall speak again. suffice it to say
Just hCiCs - q lily Vi pDC0OtUCndl
growth. has now population of los 900.
From Denver the Alpine view of the
great Rocky Mountains chain. extending
north and south for 400 miles, with
Longs Peak to the north; Pixies Peak to
the south, and the dome OF the continent,
Gray's Peak, in the centre. is indeed
most exquisite. Supplement this picture
| with the beautiful buttes, foothills and
the rolling prairies. GOO miles wide to the
eastward, and the magnificent landscapes
is complete in all its grandeur and pic
turesqueness. At Denver one is about
two-thirds the distance across the conti-
nent,--a long way from home. and the
trip has been made without accident or
mishap of any kind. save an occasional
svash ont along the road here and there
lit was Monday. wash day, you know. J
With the greatest ease and comfort that
modern travel affords. we made the trip,
glad to reach Denver. "The Queen City
of the Plains, which. viewed from the
health-seeker's standpoint, is his Mecca.
and whose atmosphere is the healing
iount that has returned hundreds of his
kind to life and full vitality. <. A. G.