The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1902-03-21
we arrived at Palmer Lake a popular re.

we arrived at Palmer Lake, popular re.
sort of this region. There are others of
course, but Palmer Lake is an exception.
.ltis pretty little body of water, from
the center Of which plays fountain, the
stream rising 80 feet into the air. Many
people, am told get the idea from this
that the lake is artificial, but such is not
the case. Palmer Lake enjoys the dis.
tinction of being situated exactly on the
summit of the "Great Divide"-a place
where the falling rain may descend either
to the Atlantic or Pacific ocean, owing to
which side of the mountain it flows down.
Still farther south % miles we reach Col
orado Springs, city of 5000, and the
residence of the swell people of Colorado.
Pm told there are lot of millionaires
living here. The fashionable resort is
called "The Antlers," a handsome hotel
with grove in front Of it, the limbs of
the trees being kept trimmed down to
make them resemble the antlers of deer,
The simile isn't so bad in winter, but
would think it would require stretch of
the Imagination when in leaf. 1t is from
here that side trips are made to Manitou,
Garden of the Gods, Pixies Peak, &c.
There is not much object in going to the
latter at this season of the year, as it is
impossible to reach the summit in the
usual way, viz: by the novel cog-wheel
railway. This road runs from Manitou
to the summit of the peak, distance of
about nine miles as it winds around, and
reaches an altitude OF IA, LAT feet. AS
small as the road is, it cost over half
million dollars, but l III told it is a good
paying investment.
At Pueblo, 120 miles from Denver, our
train stopped for little while and we
got out for walk on the depot platform.
l thought l saw a familiar figure and
closer investigation proved l was right.
1t was Mr.. Frank Sprague OF Grafton,
who with his wife is making tour OF
California. Their eldest son is at Stan
ford University attending college.
$ At Canon City, the last station before
entering the Royal George, we passed
the state penitentiary and had several
glimpses OF the men in stripes, who now,
no doubt, wish they hadn't. Three
miles further and we are told to raise our
windows and look out as we are just
entering the Royal Gorge, and here 1
fall down completely. The stock ofadjec-
tives, superlatives and inteUections l
Elearned in youth / find now are entirely
inadequate to express the grandeur Of
this handiwork of dame nature. II you
ever go to California, paste Denver and
Rio Grande RR." in your hat and don't
miss this sight.
The Royal Gorge is canon miles
long, through which the Arkansas river
very narrow and quite Insignificant
looking here-passes. The railroad is
built just a little above and follows it
through all OF its tortuous windings, and
the engine plays hide and seek with the
back cars as it whisks in and out. The
great boulders and crags rise in fantastic
form in every direction, and here and
there in apparently pailful of dirt pine
tree takes its nerve in lis hand and tries
to grow. AS we get farther in. the crest
ed crags grow higher the river rushes
more madly along its rocky bed and now
and then the way becomes mere fssure
in the rocks. The view of the sky above
comes almost as it does to boy suffer-
ing with an eye swollen by bee sting.
There are dark shades in the gorge where