Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-03-15
NOT BUILI LIKE THE EAST.

NOT BUILT LIKE THE EAST.
Reasons Why the West Has Its Own
characteristics.
Merely spotted and stained with hab-
itation is the country across the Mis-
souri,, and more particularly that be-
yOnd the eastern line of Colorado.
Nearly 100000 square miles-a third
of the total area of the union-with
only 100000 population out of the
grand American census Of 1900. 900,
Surely geology has done it's work in
the rockies and beyond. If there is a
breeziness that blows from scattered
centers to scattered centers. it is but
logical. Ii the politicians will assume
tasks and experiments, and presume
occasionally upon an abnormal capac-
1ty against the world, as when a solid
west votes for silver, it is to be expect
ed. The people are used to long
reaches and big movements and nervy
undertakings. They have to be in
order to get things done at all. The
closely knit power of the east is SUD-
planted in the west by an expansive
grasp and faith. 1t is a long-range ad-
heslveness, with the elements of in
spiration and mutual trust and conf
dence in it. 1t is chivalrous and noble.
because it is founded upon honest aspi-
ration and broad fraternal sympathy.
1t takes victory with citation and swaI.
lows defeat with determination to have
no more of it,
interesting as the land itself, even
interesting as the monstrous canyons
through which the Rio Grande railway
has constructed its marvels of engi-
neerlng skill to afford pleasure to the
sIghtseer, are the marks which popu-
lations have left upon the surface.
Many of them stand like the ruined
cities of ancient nations, less venerable
only because less ancient, but equally
fruitful in suggestions of history.
equally pregnant with memories that
concern man. Beginning with the
border of British Columbia and run
ming continuously southwark to the
Rio Grande, these landmarks remain.
Deserted forts and trading stations
they are in the far north, where the
Hudson Bay company made fortunes in
furs long before American agriculture
lists or miners stepped out of their
eastern homes. Decaying haciendas
and adobe villages and towns that
seem old even by name, as Tuscon in
Arizona, are on the far southern
border
The huge cavities and lamentations
which the placer hose washed in the
foothills of California resemble aban-
doned acropoles, or sometimes inspire
one with the belief that some giant
prehistoric race has left its work of re-
constructing the earth's surface unfn-
lshed. In later years the people nave
gone back over most of the landmarks
in Colorado and rehabitated them: but
about such places as Kokomo. at the
NNO~eNA .,
where once the overland and the gold
seeking trains crossed the mountains.
there is an ineffable atmosphere OF
dreariness and desertion The toll to
reach the point-even the toll for the
railroads. so great that the instincts
of admiration assume proportions of
amazement and wonder at the pluck of
the pioneers and their brazen hardi.
hood in venturing into such lofty will
dernesses in order that generations to
follow them might be richer and that
the destiny of the nation might he DUR
sued.
The mountains that lie eastward of
the Great Salt Lake, and through
which the Union Pacific twined its way
first among the transcontinental rail-
roads, are marked in places unnum-
bered with the signs of sturdy thrift
and humble religious obedience, where
the Mormons worked out their incomes
in building the railroad, for which the
| leaders of the church had taken the
contracts of construction.
Some day the people of the west will
themselves hunt out and consecrate to
! history these remnants and relics of
the places in which once they hoped 20
| thrive, and from these points as begin
nings the future historian will pro-
coed to analyze the character of the
sections of the nation in which they lie.
I-Ainslee's Magazine.