The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1901-08-29

Al COlOTauO Springs lour oACuESlOu IIdlue
caused mutual delay and possible acct
dent, though we had none to our train or
to individuals. At Manitou there was
some pocket picking from other parties.
We waited for the excursion trains ahead
of us to move, and the trains behind US
were also waiting to pass on to various
points on the Pacific coast. Here also we
had our first view of Pixies Peak, nearly
200 feet above sea level. We were
5000 feet high at this point, and the
mountain did not show Its real altitude,
but the next morning, as our train pro-
ceeded westward, on our right and to the
north we saw 1t from its base to its sum-
NIT in all its greatness. The great gorges
near the summit were filed with snow ;
Its sides brown and barren rock. Higher
and apart from all the other mountains it
stood with the sky alone for a back
ground. Our eyes were fixed upon this
rare mountain till others came In sight
we had seen the grandest mountain of
them all.
At Manitou the cable cars ascend the
mountain. The height is so great at the
top that many of our party who went up
were much affected with difficult breath
ing and faintness. The steep is so nearly
vertical In some places that the first car
is not so much ahead of the second one,
but more above 1t. 1t Is more than 5000
feet higher than Mt. Washington in New
Hampshire.
Another place here always visited is
called the Garden of the Gods. All have
seen these strange rock shapes illustrated,
and how they are without seeing them.
There are rocks of all conceivable forms
standing vertical, leaning and of many
colors. The driver has fauciful names
and descriptions for many of them. The
cathedral rocks are the most striking
stending nearly $50 feet high in several
masses, looking much like church spires
In ruins. They are upheaved and of diff
dense and firm, another strata sand stone,
which wears away more rapidly from &C.
ton of rains and freezing, leaving some
rocks just balanced upon others. OF
course the driver understood his business,
and driving was only part, SO every odd
rock has fanciful name and a descrip-
ton.
The next rock scenery Is the Royal
xrh ho
Arkansas river, the rocks upon both sides
of the river rising many hundred feet
above our heads, overhanging in enor-
nous masses the little. river far below
which rushed down to finally join the
Mississippi. The road Is built hugging
the base of the rocks. We were full
hour in going through. At the western
terminus Is great mass of rock towering
above us higher than the others, called
the gateway to the canon. The passen-
gers went nearly daft over the first canon.
Emerging from the canon we had another
sight of the higher peaks of the Rocky
mountains. All their higher SUBMITS
were covered with snow lying In the deep
valleys upon the northern sides. Half
way up the sides are covered with a
growth of pine, and at the base with
grasses and sage brush. From vegeta-
ton to snow line the sides are steep,
brown and bare. The SUBMITS are cone
shaped, like the pyramids, and were form
ed at an early geological age of which
there is no history save what is written
in the rocks themselves. Snow was on
all the higher peaks on all sides. As one
disappears others come in sight All the
day long we have the panorama of noun
tains. We were In mountain-wonder
world
Late in the afternoon we entered anoth-
er canon, that of the Grand river. Again
the track is built upon the perilous edge,
with high rocks above and the river al
most under us 500 feet below. The grade
was 100 feet to the mile. We went down
without steam and with brakes set.
When we reached the next stopping point
we had a hot box.
Sunday, the 18th, we entered the desert
Of Eastern Utah. Sage brush was the
only vegetation great plain of shin
ing sand and alkaline dust. We were
from early morning until noon in passing
through, taking lunch at Helper, 70 miles
east of Salt Lake. Here were three or
four large excursion trains crowding each
other. The engine of one of them was
disabled. Its train was joined to ours,
and another engine was brought up and
placed In the rear OF the double train.
Then we went many miles through cover
ed snow sheds, and arrived late in the
afternoon at Salt Lake City-altitude
1000 feet; $4,000 people. We saw no
difference in this city or people from an
eastern city. Electric cars waited for us
at the station. Streets, sidewalks, shade
trees and hotels all had the familiar ap-
pearances Of the east. Our remembrance
of the accounts Of this peculiar people
being driven out of Illinois; their set