The Alamogordo news. (Alamogordo, N.M.) 1899-1912, 1900-07-26

which tells us we are out of Texas, then
we turn the field glasses about to look at
stretches of beautiful valley bordered
by rugged mountain ranges. After an
hour and half we arrive at AlamOgor-
do. This is the junction of the Alamo
gordo & Sacramento Mountain railroad
the famous "cloud climbing route, :
and change is made to open observa-
tiOn cars. / hadn't time to visit this
pretty little village of about 800 popula-
tion, all of which has been built since
the fall of 1898.
Leaving the main line just above
town; the road proceeds to business" :"
at once by taking direct line for the
mouth of the La Luz Canyon, five miles
northeast of AlamOgordo, utterly regard
less of grade. Very soon we are looking
back upon birds eye view of the town
and, to the west, far out on the plains,
appear the world famous white sands
that vast, billowy bed of snow white
granulated, pure gypsum, forty to fifty
miles in length by ten to twenty miles in
width-whle in the background, fifty
miles across the plain, stretches the wes-
tern border of the Tularosa valley called
the San Andreas mountains.
This will be the background OF the
grand panorama soon to be before you,
along the dizzy heights of your noun
tain climb. The picturesque little ham
let of La Luz (the light lies Immediately
at the mouth of the canyon, with its
wealth of verdure, of cOttonwoods, orch
ards and vineyards. An abrupt turn
brings us at once into the canyon-a
narrow, precipitous valley; hardly more
than wide enough for the railroad, creek
and wagon road-and winding, curying
and twisting, we seem to be plunging
into the very heart of the mountains.
Soon the forks of the creek are reached
aud the road chooses the Fresnal lash
tree) canyon. A little further on the
quaint old water mill, built in the early
COS, Is reached. 1t has been dubbed
the "Hazel Kirken mill and every kodak
| iend takes snap shot at it Of course
Ell Vale (the vale) 10 miles out is the
first station and the water tank. Here
''troube commences for everywhere in
front stretches an abrupt mountain
wall. 1t is the Box canyon of the Fres-
nal, with perpendicular walls fifteen
hundred feet in height. But the grade
through the canyon was found too great
for even the "Cloud Climbing Route,
and so the plucky, undaunted little en-.
gine swings abruptly to the left and
takes to the hills" Now look care.
fully along the horizon little to the left
OF the line after leaving the water tank
and the track will be seen against the
sky In dizzy heights above. 1t seems in
credible, but very soon you will be rid
Ing along there and looking down a
this beautiful grove OF cottonwoods a.
FL Vale.
Hard Trials.-We strike out on oul
first heavy grade, viz: AZ per cent, and
30 degree curves are the rule and moi
the exception. We have ceased to fol
low the gentle meandcrngs of the Frcs
nal. AT Round Hill the road gets all
mixed up and nearly loses It's way, II
starts back to Alamogordo, then runs
out on the side OF Round Hill, but as il
could not get down, comes back around
the other side to nearly where tstartedr
and finally concludes to go along up the
side of the big mountain on It's original
course. At this point the spectacle oil
four trains passing each other ON SIN