The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1902-08-21
ADAMS LAST LETTER.
Secretary of the Y. M. G. A. Tells of His
visit to Other Places in Colorado.

i EDITOR EVENING NEWS:-In the con.
cluding article on Colorado from the
Tourists standpoint I desire to SPEAK
about the three side trips we made into
the mountains from Denver and Colo
rado Springs and to tell something
about the attractions of these trips
Probably more excursionists go over
these three tours than any others, for
the reason that each can be made in a
day, they are easily reached, prices are
low, and they present different types
Of scenery.
| The ftst trip we took was a 56.r1ile
ride northwest from Denver to the old
mining town of Ward, reaching an al
titude 9,400 feet. This trip took us
within short distance of the Snowy
| Range, passage over which is impossi-
bic except through few passes. The
scenery over the Switzerland Trail y
as this route is called, is second only
to the Cripple Greek route and in some
respects even surpasses that. Coming
! out of Denver the train runs for thirty
miles near the base Of the mountains,
snowy peaks being constantly visible
until the beautiful city Of Boulder is
| reached. There the train at once
plunges into the wild gorge, Boulder
| Canon, over which their ponderous en-
gines can scarcely haul three cars.
The curves are sharp and for fifteen
miles you are surrounded by the per-
pendicu1ar precipices, at the base of
which Boulder creek leaps over rocks
and falls. At Sunset the train leaves
the gorge and begins to climb the
mountain side. The view from the
summit of Mount Alto was to me the
most ublime of the entire trip. From
this point the brilliant Snowy Range
is close at hand, numerous torrents
p1ow their way in different directions
through rocky gorges to the plains
which fade away to the east like a
great yellow sea dotted here and there
with silvery lake or streaked by some
river. AT Ward the mine owners show
many courtesies to the tourists, the
mines being opened to ali visitors and
mineral specimens being obtained
easily. The feature of the trip to
Ward is the combination of canon,
daring mountain engineering and the
view Of the great Snowy Range.
Time will not allow much descrip-
| ton of our second trip over the
'Georgeto'yn Loop" This is known
the world over as one of the greatest
pieces of railway mountain engineer
ing Hi 1t we'll deserves its notoriety.
The Loop Route is ffty-four miles
west of Denver, the track following
Clear Greek Canon all the way. The
Canon scenery excel1s Boulder Canon,
their precipices being higher, nothing
but great masses of torn rock being
visible. The great stone face of
Mother Grundy," Inspiration Point
and many noted spots are on this
route.
When the train reaches Georgetown
the passengers crowd the car platforms
and windows to get the best views Of
the loop. AT Georgetown the grade of
the creek becomes so steep on account
of numerous waterfalls that the road is
compelled to loop back along the
mountain sides, jumping across the
canon, running down the canon, re-
crossing on a high bridge and continue
ing the loop habit four times in vary
ing ways before the noted mining
town of Silver Plume is reached at the
base of Gray's Peak. The mountain
scenery here is grand, but the noun
tains are too steep to climb, as found
to my sorrow after nearly two hours
struggle to reach a certain peak.
Again at this point the miners are
very courteous in showing the tourists
the mines.
The climax, however, of all the Colo
RADIO railroad trips, according to all the
tourists met, was the trip to Cripple
Creek The Short Line Road from
Colorado Springs to Cripple Creek, a
distance of forty-fve miles, is ac-
knowledged by railroad men to be the
finest and most daring piece of engin-
eering found anywhere among stan
dard railroads. In twenty-four miles
the road climbs 1000 feet over a road
bed as perfect as the c. & N. w and
is equipped with engines and cars of
standard make and of superb finish. I
shall not attempt to describe the seen
cry here. It is beyond description.
Among the best views are those from
Point Sublime, from the top Of North
and South Cheyenne Canons, ST. Pc.
ter's Dome, the DEVILS Slide, Cathe-
dral Park, Duffields and the view from
Hoosier Pass 1000 feet above Cripple
Greek.
We found Cripple Greek hustling
town of 10000 people with many mod
ern conveniences. The houses are all
new and cheaply constructed. A miner
told me that recently the Law and Or
der League had driven every gambler
out Of town and that morally the place
would compare favorably with any
Colorado city. The city lies in a val
LEY completely surrounded by hills and
these hills are punctured with mining
shafts like so many gopher holes.
There are probably $50 prospectors'
shafts 10 ev ry one that pays. The
extremes of poverty and wealth are