Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-12-12
A MOUNTAIN RIDE.
VIVID DESCRIPTION OF STAGE
COACH TRIP IN COLORADO.
SCENERY OF SURPRISING GRANDEUR
AND BEAUTY - WHEELING ALONG
A ROAD OVER DIZZY CHAsMs.
written for THE AMERICAN by Mrs. c. A. Toll.
man, of seattle, Wash

Pe" VI peucii as HI VINO nave traVefIeO In
that state will readily testify. 1t had
been my good fortune to traverse some OF
these canyons by rail. viewing them from
the bottom upward, when opportunity
offered to reverse this order by taking q
stage ride along the upper edge Of one OF
| the most notable, and by this means ex-
perience the sensation OF looking down
its gaping gulf for miles.
had been spending some weeks on
mountain side two miles above Silverton,
In the valley Of the Rio los animas per-
ditas (River Of Lost Souis), literally in
the heart Of the Rockies, where majestic
peaks bearing majestic names crowd
closely about the stream-Pelian piled on
Osss-snd billow away in every direction.
The valley itself is 5000 feet above sea
level. Eleven thousand feet, approx
mately speaking, forms the timber line,
and above this the hoary, denuded peaks
rise 1900 and 5000 feet higher. But no
height proves too great for the pros
pector, and his cabin or tent often may
be discovered clinging like a swallows
nest to some zzy crag.
Every mountain is mineral deposit OF
greater or less value, and they are all per-
forated with prospect holes or tunnelled
with mines in active operation. Long
trains OF patient burros go up and down
zig gag trails, laden with supplies one
way and ore the other, or trsmways do
the same with greater facility. Mills
grind and smeiters smoke, and beautiful
flowers bloom in profusion up to the
timber line
Many find it difficult to work or walk
rapidly here, at least until heart and lungs
have had time to adapt themselves to the
thin atmosphere. Some cannot endure it
at all, and case OF pneumonia must be
taken to lower levels or death ensues.
OFF FOR THE RIDE.
On the 80 h of August l left Siverton.
1t was early morning. The air was sharp,
and each mountain doomed up clear cut
and stately. The "circle route" Of stages
from Red mountain to Ouray had been
fixed upon as affording greater surprises
in scenery than the one OF her route, which
l had already been over, and it afforded
beside suggestions of possible danger SUI
ficient to stir the pulse aud stimulate the
Imagination.
The short ride from Siverton to Red
mountain is made by rail, and some cele-
bration at Ouray for the rest Of the week
made an unusual rush OF travel that
morning, SO that a car OF venerable and
somewhat decepit appearance, called the
yankee Grip, had been released from
innocuous desuetude in some railway
home for superannuated cars and pressed
into service. 1t looked as il the year o;
its construction might have witnessed the
birth Of another old Yankee girl who was
to try its mettle that day, and there
seemed fateful appropriateness in the
coincidence that made one view its faded
and worn exterior with sympathy and re-
spect. 1t proved staunch and reliable, as
Yankee girls, whet her old or young, are
apt to prove, and the run to Red noun
tain was quickly made, winding along
mountain sides with an up grade, passing
but one small town which we entered at
its level, and after some time passed again
but many hundred feet above. This is
nothing in state which nature has
chosen as the theatre of her most bewiI-
dering scenic exploits, causing prodigious
difficulties to exist at every turn for the
engineering genius Of man to conquer.
MAINE LANDLADY.
We arrived at Red mountain-so-c called
because it's top is red-at 10 a. M, and
finding the stages did not start before l,
made our way over the roughness and
debris OF a mining town to the American
house, W here we were told a good dinner
could be procured and seats secured for
the anticipated ride.
The landlady, a native Of Auburn,
Maine, greeted US warmly, but expressed
CONSERVATION at the number OF hungry
mortals who so UNEXPECTEDLY made de-
mands upon her larder. How, in this re-
mote and almost deserted town, were de-
ficiencies to be made good? The dinner,
however, proved excellent in quality and
sufficient in quantity. Learning that
once hailed from the Pine Tree state and
have never failed in allegiance during
many years of nom residence, the land
lady assured me that her heart often
y
to the extent of good cry now and then
After dinner the passengers grouped
themselves around the platform outside
to watch the preparations in progress for
that wonderful ride. Three stages Of the
Buffalo Bills Wild West Show and Dead
wood" pattern stood ranged before the
house, battered and SCARED exteriorly,
worn and rent interiorly, giving no hint
of the paint tnat once adorned them, but
massive and strong as to running gear;
and that, after all, was the main point
modern surry, looking frail and dudish
by contrast completed the outfit.
Each passenger was struggling with
the vital question as to which vehicle and
which driver promised the greatest
safety. The latter were all small men
and one wore glasses! Now precon
ceived ideas of mountain Jehus demanded