The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1900-03-16
Letter from Colorado.
CANON CITY, COLORADO, March 4, 1900.
To those who would like to hear about

CANON CITY, COLORADO, March 4, 1900.
To those who would like to hear abou
my whereabouts and surroundings
| Canon City is a city OF 5000 inhabitants
! situated on the Arkansas river and 52St
feet above the level of the sea, will
mountains OFT in the distance and some
pretty fair peaks within a few miles.
| The climate is simply wonderful. Many
who have travelled a good deal pronounce
this the finest climate they have ever
| found.
They had more winter weather the
first week | was here than they had hau
before this winter. and l didn't call that
very bad. If it showed an inch or TWO at
night it would be gone and the ground
dry by noon, with one exception when
the snow stayed TWO days.
Since the first week it has been very
warm, and seems more like May than
February and March. Nearly every day
is warm enough to sit OH the poarch with
out wraps The sky is very blue and
clear every day.
othing grows without irrigating, but
Lss-9grlgatlng crops can be raised at any
time OF the year. or nearly so.
While my sister was out riding week
ago she passed a garden where lettuce,
radlshes, onions and parsley were grow
ing.
Ihestreets are all shaded, having shade
them where little later the water Will
run TO make them grow. 1t must be very
pleasant when they leave out.
vi course you nave ali read of Cripple
Creek gold mines. They are only 30 miles
from here, and are the richest gold mines
in the world. 1hey We're not discovered
until 81 and now cripple creek Is d city
OF 10000 lnbabil ants.
lien the famous and wonderful ROYAL
Gorge is only one mile ana half from
here, through hich the ARKANSAS flows
with only room for the railroad beside.
The sides of The gorge are 1000 leet high.
Colorado Is full OF springs. Ihe hot
springs are less Lhan Two miles from us,
and mile from US dre TWO more, a sui
phur and an iron. l haven't learned to
like the water yet, but may in time.
When l went TO the springs people old
and young were all coming and gong
with all sizes and shapes OF bottles ana
jugs to fill With water 10 take home.
In going 10 the springs we pass the
State penltentiary where there are 600
Inmates and about 81 guards. The in
mates al all dressed in black and white
striped clothes. Those who are cOnSid-
cred trusty have narrow stripes and the
others wide, but guard usually goes
with them unless they are very trusty.
Their ground covers several acres, but
with such high wall around one can't
see much. The guards have little huts
scattered all over the grounds, and some
are stationed close to the sidewalk, only
up 20 feet where they can see if any try
to escape. A good many do escape every
year and are never found.
AS we go past the pen" we can look
through a window into a room where
they used to hang convicts, but now there
is law prohibiting hanging, hence the
large number of inmates. Many are there
for life so the number increases. There
are usually about II women there.
haven't been around much yet, as my
sister isn't able to go with me, but what
have seen of the place l like very much
and l am sure enjoy the weather here
better than | should the SHOWS and blows
)f the Green Mountain State.
l am not used to this kind of BUSH ess
writing for newsDapeIs) and am fearful
hat 1t Will not be very interesting, but
80 many asked me that l thought | must
make an attempt.
II