The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-06-30

real business like manner. taking q direct
inc Tor the mouth NJ In Luz irhe Light
canon. About Ave MILES northeast Of Ala.
have gone SO far. regardless Of grade
we are now looking back upon the town
Just birdscyc view, aud now TO the west
Tar out upon the plain lays the famous
white sand spoken Of before this white
bed NJ graduated pure gypsum Is some
nfty or sixty miles IN length by twelve 10
twenty ave miles wide. In the BACKGROUND
sixty miles across tho main stretches thc
western border Of tho rularosa valley In
the, San Andres mountains; this is tho
background for our glddy climb up the
mountains. immediately NJ the mouth ~
the canon nestles the picturesque little vii.
lage of In Luz. with it's COTTONWOOD or.
chards. vineyards aud flowers galore. from
the tender heliotrupe to the hardy noun
tain rose. Abruptly We are brought into
narrow canon, barely wide enough for
the railroad, the small creek and wagon
roads, by winding aud turning we are
plunged seemingly into the heart OF the
mountain. now we reach the fork Of the
stream, our road chases the Fresnal Cash
Tree canon; here, we find quaint old mill
which we are told was built In the early
sixties. Tourists have named II Hazel KIN
and every kodak On the ear was leveled at
T. III Valle lEtviya) is ON first water
tank Everywhere in front we see moth
ing but mountain wall: close observer
win discern that the creek course points
10 the mouth of great canon. This Is
called the Box canon Of the Fresnnl with
it's perpendicular walls uf ilt1 feet this
height is too great even for our climbing
rouie, so we swing around to the hills and
soon the track Is seen against the SKY at al
most an Understandable height and, strange
at III vnlAc.
ana are told that 10 degree curves are the
rule rather than the exception. At Round
llill the rond seems ia he of an uncertain
tuln OF mind and almost gets lost and
starts back to Alamogorda then out on
4 NpuuH discovers rot so
II comes back round the other side to al
most where 1t started, at last II concludes
20 run a,ong side the mountain, following
the original plan. Here is the point Of
the tour visible tracks and, while the
road may seem not to know what It wanls
TO DO, one thing y certain, II knows how
to climb Now we reach Pinto lPaintl the
road here forms complete horseshoe Still
climbing we arrive at Grnndview: here our
train stops, for II Is said that the view NJ
this point Is unsurpassed in America eX-
cept when nearing Cloudcroft Now we
come to Bench tor Jump on. then to High
Rolls station, following the fertile valley
Of the Upper Fresnal; here the cedar, jun-
per and pinon grow 20 perfection among
the beautiful green hills. Soon we have
reached Tohoggan. here the scene Is all
the way growing more wonderful and pie
/ turesque, aud now into the hne timber
! lands.
! From Toboggan Cloudcroft is just about
/ one mile distant. hut IL Is also about one
mile above. Here IL is too steep to follow
/
! degree curve. Nothing daunted, we switch
| back towards Alamogordo but all the time
| going up another switch back and we are
| climbing the mountain side again headed
/ for the great divide of the SacramentoS;
/ on and mp we go until Cloudcroft is even in
! view; majestic sublime she stands out like
he-typical haven of rest after the toll
! some journey of life When ! remarked
| this to the old gentleman who had been
my guide, my Interpreter and bureau Of in.
/ formation. he said well that Is a good
/ comparison" So here is the grand finale
] which might he lkencd to the river We
must cross just before we enter the Eternal
/ city. And just then we swung under
| Scenic point through deep cut over n
( trestlc something like sixty to seventy feet
/ high with double reverse curves whore orr
/ ear swnys and swings from side to side
/ over this crazy, nerve trying structure the
1 blue cloudess sky above, eternity below
| But now. Gloria patH!" We are satcy
over and are at the station ut tioudcrOft-
on the summit Of the Sacramento noun
I tnins, 5000 feet above sea level and some
| thing over a mile above FL Paso. 1900 feet
above Alumogordo. 1t WAS rather y be
/ lated question. but I asked Of my old friend:
lis this not dangerous climb He
| smiled as he looked In my rather pale face
I and replied: Constant care. steady hand
/ and brain. in fact eternal vigilance make
l II one of the safest roads In America and,
I believe | could say, In the whole world 70
4 | hope some time in the future 90 be more
I explicit, hut time and space forhids at
this writing.
Catharine D. SchureBan.