The Daily Texarkanian., 1900-07-15
COLORADO LETTER.

the Norris House, the same hotel
which housed us two previous sum-
mers. Mr.. ]. A. Ray, the genial
proprietor, and his wife extend US
most courteous attention, as they
do all their guests. Left Ft. Worth
at 1O:45 on the 9Th, with two en-
gines to pull the heavy train up the
mountains. Up, up, we came, and
late in the afternoon on reaching
Clarendon, Texas, which is over
1000 feet higher than Ft. Worth,
found it much cooler. From ANA
rillo, which is over 5000 feet eleva-
ton, we no longer suffered from
heat, and during the night children
required cover. This place, Mani
tou, is 6, 48O feet above sea level
more than one and a quarter miles
above Texarkana in altitude. No
wonder it is so much cooler-and to
make it still cooler summer showers
fall every day or two. Mercury sell
dom reaches 800 in the shade, and
cover is needed every night. 1t is
funny to see ladies wearing winter
apparel on all sides. 1t is not so,
however, with myself or wife, both
being a little corpulent. Such
thing as a fan is never seen or
thought of here.
Besides the cool, dry and invigor-
ating Colorado atmosphere, Mani
tou has many other things to make
her the queen of all summer resorts
in America, First in Importance is
her healthful and restorative min
eral waters, which l will speak of
later in this letter. Second, is the
unsurpassed natural scenery, sur
rounding her on all sides-Pike's
Peak and its cog railroad, and all
varieties of Rocky Mountain seen
cry, gorges, passes, canons, etc,
with numerous water falls. For
nations from rock, of animals,
birds, ETC., in the famous Garden
of the Gods. In my letters last
summer, l gave condensed descrip-
tions of most of this, and will not
write more of it now.
Wish l had the journalistic muse
to describe the several mineral
springs as l desire. Most noted of
these is the Manitou or soda spring,
from.which the tov7r gets itsiname.
1t was named by the .edians, who
resorted here before the advent of
the white man. There are several
large soda springs, but all are COW
cred over except one, to which the
public are given free access, (all
owued by company, and large
quantities are bottled and shipped),
This spring has capacity of five
gallons per minute, and boy stands
within a small enclosure under the
large pavilion, and serves it free of
charge to all-he uses wire dipper
in which he places three glass tum-
blers, and it is interesting to watch
him rapidly dip up water to large
crowd. Spring is walled up in the
shape of an immense Jug, with
brick and concrete, and water is as
clear as chrystal, but constantly
effervescing, from soda gases-looks
as if boiling. The "Ute Chief" iron
spring, up the pass half a mile, is
next in public favor. 1t, too, is
covered with large pavilion, with
a seating capacity of several hun
dred. 1t is also owned by a com.
pany, but unlike the soda water
company charges for all water car
ried away in bottles or otherwise,
Spring is not so bold. A boy serves
it free to the public Water is very
strongly impregnated with iron,
with some soda. Directly in front
of the Norris House in small park,
is large sulphur spring, much in
demand--it also contains some soda.
Water from all springs very. cold.
That from the soda spring aids di-
gestion and cures stomach troubles;
the iron spring tones up and reha-
bilitates broken and worn out con-
stitutions; the sulphur water cures
liver disorders and drives out all
impurities from the system, There
are other mineral springs, but these
are the principal ones,
/ have my fishing tackle and am
getting up party to try my luck
in the mountain streams for the
famous "speckled beauties" noun
tain trout, If successful, may
write it up in future letter.
Also have in mind trip to Pixies
Peak-may speak of that later
But have no more time to scribble
now--so adieu for the present.
]. W. G.
Manitou Col Julv II 1Q00