Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1899-09-29
ANNAPOLIS MD. FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 90. lsee
QUEEN CITY OF THE PLAINS.
DENVER-A CITY OF PHE-
NOMINAL GROWTH.
Industrial Development And CONNER
cial Activity Its Growth In
Thirty-Five Years.


Special Correspondent to the Evening Capital.
There is so much TO be said Of Denver.
"The Queen City OF the Plains" one
hesiiates where to begin. Thiriy.6ve
years ago but a prairie village. today
Denver numbers los. .ooe inhabitants. and
is noted far and near for her commercial
activity and beauty as resident city.
Denver can boast OF no antiquity be-
yond September and October. 1859. and
her growth since that time has been phe-
nomenal. When we think OF our old
Mzryland and Virginia towns that date
their nativity century or more ago. and
have made little progress since. we blush
for their apathy and seli-satished condi-
ton when we behold active, progressive.
hus,hng, busting Denver, mere youth
in number of years.
OF all western cities it is the only one
that bids fair to wrest from San Fran
cisco her commercial supremacy. Al
though mere Insignificant trading-po
long alter San Francisco had become q
thriving and popular seaport, the rela-
tive progress Of Colorado's metropolis
has been more than on par with that of
the city of the Golden Gate. In 1859
Denver consisted merely OF a few one
story dwellings. mud-roofed and built Of
cottonwood logs. irnging the bank OF
Cherry creek near its outlet into the
Platte.
There was not a pound OF nails in the
entire settlement, and there were not a
half dozen panes OF glass. In the sum.
mer months the floors were of earth. in
the winter, of mud, the roofs retaining so
much water that the saying was. at
rained inside for days after it had stop
ped on the outside. Today Denver is
the commercial and industrial centre of
one OF the wealthiest States in the Union.
and is an important railroad centre, with
numerous overland lines passing through
its suburbs. and with branches extending
to all the principal agricultural and min
ing districts. Denver is situated IN the
valley Of The South Platte. twelve miles
from the foothills OF the Rocky Mount
aims. This column smiles when il writes
''ioothills, for coming from the East.
and when first beholding these "foot-
hills" it exclaimed OF their beauty as
mountains. and was somewhat abashed
when informed ''those are not mount
aims. they're only foothills.
We said, "then commend US to some
OF your mountains" and of these grand.
glorious and sublime towers OF thousands
OF feet Of rock. we shall speak in an
other letter. But, TO digress no further.
The site OF the city of Denver is neither
level nor hilly, but pleasantly diversified
with rolling and undulating surface. The
distance from the mountains is sufficient
TO give fine view Of the range. and TO
make 4 magnificent landscape without
parallel. The range is seen 10 best ad-
vantage from old City Cemetery. east Of
Capitol Hill. the highest elevation in the
immediate vicinity OF the city at the end
otEleventh avenue. Bayard Taylor said.
when visiting Denver in 500. that from
this hill could be had one OF the finest
mountain views in the world. Tne range
is visible for two hundred miles. Pixies
Peak, seventy miles to the south. when
the air is clear. seems hardly half SO far,
and Longs Peak, nearly as far to the
northwest, appears at times but biief
walk distant. The Laramie Hills, in
Wyoming, terminate the panorama al the
north, while Mount Evans, with its sweep
ing slope. and lap of snow and ice, lifted
to height of 1892 feet, is the chief
aims as seen from Denver. are a lasting
source Of pleasure, and their study. one
OF increasing interest.
The play of cloud and sunshine, of
light and shade, during the varying hours
OF day. and change OF seasons, gives the
beholder the most enchanting visions of
distant scenery. They can never be de-
sciibed, only observation and study can
bring TO the eye and soul the wonderful
transformation Of this mountain range.
We have been told to see the Rockies
well is to see them all the year round.
One must watch their velyety green
slopes in June. and their many -colored
tints in October; the bare peaks OF Au-
gust and the snowy range of January.
The mountains must be seen in the morn
ing and studied at sunset; one must watch
them in summer, and observe them in
winter. They are scarcely ever twice
the same in APPEARANCE. There is a sub
tie charm about the city of Denver for
the Eastern tourist. One comes here to
stay few weeks. but puts off his return
from time 10 time uniil he finds the weeks
are months. and in some cases the months
are years. This is particularly true of
the young man from the East, who de-
lays. spends his money in mining or in
ranching. The spell is upon him. the
charm stops him half way; he puts of
his return East until next year. then The
next. until at last he buys home and
only returns East for the bride. and his
wedding journey.
iCnnfinued In nnr next issue