The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-07

Performs a Great and Noble Work.
The following interesting letter was
written by Attorney J. w. Browning.
| formerly of this city, from Canyon
CITY, Col, to the Imperial Chautauqua
circle. of which he was a member:
Perhaps few lines written in the
| shadow of the Rockies will find a well
| come place on your programme.
| Your kind words contained in the
| resolutions of our departure have been a
| reminder of associations dear indeed to
| us. Neither will we soon forget the lit
| tie group who gathered with us at the
| train. At Binghamton We were again
| cheered with the greeting of an I'M
! perial" These kind farewells made the
| Journey easier. They reminded us that
ever along life's pathway are friends
kind and true.
| Our trip, though full of incident TO us,
| has In 1t little of incident to others.
| doubtless you prefer to hear something
Of the land to which we have come. Let
| us then hurry On over the space between
| Pennsylvania and Colorado. Buffalo, Chi
cago and Omaha are quickly reached
even with belated trains. We took a
hasty view of the exposition by electric
| light.
The principal lesson of the great OK
| position has been, as we believe to teach
the world that west of the Mississippi is
q group of states, large in area, wealthy
In resources, healthful in climate and
wonderful in scenery waiting like har-
vest field the sickle Of the reaper.
WEST OF OMAHA.
| Passing Omaha we will carry you in
thought further westward. We hurry on
over the rolling prairies of Nebraska
| already green with winter grain or COW
cred with fields of harvested corn.
| Here and there gathered in the fields
| by the roadside or near the long cribs
| of corn, were train loads of fattened cat
| tie waiting for the eastern market. Soon
| we reached the broad plains of Colorado.
| Here, too, we realized the truth of the
| words, THE cattle upon q thousand
| hills are mine" At this season of the
year October and November, they drive
| the herds in from the ranges to points
| near the railroad. Here the buyers
come and select purchases or. as in most
cases. the herds are shipped to the corn
| belt east for feeding before they are
sent to the packing houses. We noticed
| several herds running well up into the
thousands, tended by typical cowsboys.
As the train rolled on over the plains
| we were deeply impressed with the size
of our national domain. We wonder If
| the ingenuity of man will ever transform
ant homes and thrifty cities. We admire
| the persistent energy which has already
| belted the prairies with steel and made
| modern travel a constant round of COM
fort. AS the first glimpse of the Rockies
burst upon our vision there came over Us
q sense of reverence for Him who fash
ioned the snow mantled peaks and who
| spread at their feet the broad prairies
| and gave all into the custody of man.
Soon we reached Denver.
| There Is but one Denver and she holds
the scepter among the cities of the foot
hills. Her broad, busy avenues of trade;
her practical buildings and beautiful
homes quickly impress one with her i'm
portance as a railroad and commercial
center We have now carried you with
us to the "open door" OF a great empire
which lies among the Rocky mountains.
TRIBUTE TO THE PIONEERS.
Shall we 60 back for a moment to
| Omaha and pay tribute to those by
whose hands the "open door" was un-
locked? In the art gallery of the expo
sitino were many rare and beautiful pic
lures which in memory We love to study.
In one of the the artist has placed on
canvas an immortal scene. It is a les
son in history. A volume written, not
with pen but with paint. The background
stretches away over the great western
plains until we almost see in the dis
ldliC6 the SliO"y DtdhS Ol the lkOCkltS,
In the foreground is a little group of
travellers just starting out on their jour
ney westward. In the group are two
men, four horses and two dogs. One
of the men has already mounted his
horse. He Is an old man with shaggy
beard and flowing locks. His compan-
ion, robust man somewhat younger in
years is just mounting to the saddle.
The pack horse, loaded with the camp
utensils has already started out on the
trail toward the mountains. Close al
his heels follows one of the dogs, smiling
the pure morning air of the plains. The
other horse is saddled and bridled, but
no hands graspes the reins. No form
fills the saddle. The dog looks up into
the face of the horse and together they
take their "wordless farewell" of the
newly made grave by their side. Their
master has found his resting place be.
side the trail.
A generation since these scenes were
familiar to the plains. These men were
among the pioneers who blazed the way
for civilization. They have unlocked the
door TO Colorado's stOrehouse and given
the keys Of an empire to a waiting world
In our eagerness to grasp the legacy
ships they endured. When justice writes
the records Of the years she will ascribe
to each pioneer his BETTING eulogy.
COLORADO HAS A DESTINY.
How quickly the cycle moves onward
Men and machinery have rapidly fol
lowed the footsteps Of these brave men
If the development of a commonwealth
depends on her people as well as her re,
sources, then l believe Colorado has q
destiny beyond the power of pen to un'
fold. l believe that God has slfted the
republic to find the seed OF this great
state even as he sifted the nations oi
Europe to find the seed for the republic
itself
Let me illustrate from fact. on q
ranch some twenty miles from Pueblo
were gathered at Thanksgiving a com
pany of ten people. Chance circumstances
had brought them together. After the
dinner was over all gathered in the liv'
ing room around the large tireplece
There for the first time we learned thai
every one was college bred.
One was from Massachusetts, one from
Connecticut, two from New York, two
from Pennsylvania. three from Michi
gan and one from English nobility. As
we sat around the blazing hearth somt
one called for music. One of the young
men Of the ranch took up his guitar anC
in a rich baritone began to sing, Jesus
Saviour Pilot Me over Life's Tempestu
Gus Sea-" The others, some of then
thinking doubtless of the old friends anC
other scenes, quickly Joined the chorus
Surely this scene like many others con
years have been scattered over these
plains and among these mountains.
If you wish, at some future time, l viii
Ill