Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1902-01-16

sea level, but i<e ascent had been
so gradual IS o be unnoticeable
Speeding along toward this wall al
an angle, the }unge being in full
view from one Side OF the car. we
witnessed a sc<ke that the most gift
cd writer couldeonvey but an mad
qnate idea Of. never expect to see
again auythins 10 compare with the
grand beauty + that Rocky Noun
tain sunset. e peculiar arrange
ment Of the cEnds, merging with
the tops OF the mountains, perhaps
lent il more tlI,p ordinary beauty,
but il snzt ~ q DO beautiful nn-
Der any condition.
We were nearing Denver and the
country began to take on o more CIV
ilized appearance, good portion of
the land !sqng under cultivation
all irrigated. l was informed that
absolutely nothing can be grown,
without this method of securing
water, anywhere in Colorado except
along the mountain sides and the
banks of streams where there is a
little timber.
Denver proved to be rather at
tractiye and hussling city. It is the
financial centre Of a vast and rich
country. Ithas numerous fine build
ings, is very preitiIy laid out and
has a fine climate, being q veritable
Mecca for unfortunate sufferers from
lung disease. 1t is also the home of
a large number of millionaires who
have made their money in Colorado
mines.
Leaving there the next night after
our arrival, we pushed on to Colo
rado Springs, this trip only occupy
ing about 2hours, and being at night
the scenery was lost. We arrived
Thursday and remained until Sun
dav, stopping at the "Antler's Ho-
tel, which seemed somewhat over
stocked with millionaires.
Colorado Springs lies at the very
foot of Pixies Peak and there are
some wonderful views around it.
As the ladies of our party declined
to venture up the peak, / gave up
the idea of making the ascent. On
inquiry, Tounu Tiiay IL required q
hours to walk up and 6 hours to
ride up on a donkey. There is also
a cogwheel railway that goes to the
top and takes two hours to make the
trip. The summit is far above the
timber line and perfectly barren.
This you can see without going up
as the atmosphere is very clear, en-
abling one TO see a long way.
Visited Manitou, five miles dis
tant from our hotel. This place is
the real location of the springs,
there being iron, sulphur, and soda
springs, all within a short distance
of each other. The soda water is so
highly charged that it is bottled
with its own [natural] gas.
Took trip through THE Garden
of the Gods, the formation of the
rocks in which is so wonderful that
all you have to do is to let your i'm
agination have little play, and you
can discover likeness in them to
almost anything. We had our pho
tos taken in group there, all seat
ed on donkeys. Visited a number
of other points, including the seven
falls OF the south Cheyenne river,
and the south Cheyenne Canon, both
of which are great natural beauties.
While at Colorado Springs, made
a side trip to Cripple Creek" the
great mining district, travelling over
the Short Line r. r., which is said
to be the most daring piece of rail-
road engineering ever attempted.
1t certainly passes through the wild
est, fEsS'.s> ---s.aad and nrs.assdlsr haa.s-
tiful scenery that one could expect
to find, at times the train clinging
to the solid, rocky sides of precipices
thousands of feet high, and again
winding around in its ascent of a
peak until at times you can look
down on four different tracks
over which you have passed sue
cessively in attaining your dizzy
height. Il seems almost incredible
that man could surmount some of
the difficulties which nature has
placed in the path OF this road, but
when one sees thing one is COM
PEELED to acknowledge the fact. II
passes through bewildering scenery
until finally you arrive in the gold
district, the country around [moun-
tains] being dotted with mines.
But while looking at all this, there
is also passing in view the monu-
ments Of many sad story, for the
whole place is scanned by holes dug
by prospectors. giving the appear
ance Of innumerable untitled graves
and in one sense they are graves,
for in them lie buried the hopes of
many poor devil whose search for
the precious metal has ended in fail