Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-09-27
At A COLORADO RANCH.
Milwaukee Scientist Writes Of
Life in Middle Park.
SOJoURN IN ROCKIES.
Interesting Description of a Vacation
Visit in a High Altitude
Canned Food Diet.

| count OF my summer vacation experience
upon a ranch in Middle Park in Colora-
| do might be OF interest and it is at this
| suggestion that | have endeavored to re-
| late something of the life which exists
in that remote part OF the country out
| side of the beaten lines OF travel
Leaving Chicago at IL o'clock D. m.
we arrived at Denver the second morn
ing at s O'clock. The entrance to Middle
| Park is near Empire, on the Colorado e.
| Southern railroad, for which place, and
beyond, trains leave Denver several times
a day.
In Clear Creek Valley.
The road winds through the narrow
valley OF Clear creek-in places so narrow
and with such high and precipitous walls
as to deserve the name of canyon, afford
ing for almost thirty miles very pictur-
| esque scenery, with a rushing torrent at
| one feet and steep crags overhanging
the roadbed. This scenery attracts every
Sunday, during the fine season, ex-
| cursioniSts out Of Denver who extend
the trip TO Georgetown and around the
| loop, thus getting in a half days ride
very good idea of the beauties of Rocky
| mountain scenery; for one enters here
| right into the high mountains, snow
streaked. many of them, all summer.
Empire has a good hotel, where we
rested over night and started in the
| morning by stage over the range, through
| Berthold's pass, the only one into Mid
die Park traversable by carriages The
| attitudes attained are; At Denver, 5000
| feet; at Empire, 5000. and at the sum
nit of the pass, 1900. The road con-
tinues for some distance uD one of the
| forks OF Clear creek, ever ascending
| ot
every turn, and the stream dwindling
finally to silver thread, a thousand feet
| below The road soon makes a sharp
| turn and we zig Jagged up the steep as
cent for about an hour. finally attaining
| timber line" or the limit of forest
growth, and the summit of the pass.
Here we stopped for lunch, and near by
| found patch Of soft snow. The day
| was perfect; mild and clear, and with
most exhiarating air. The effect OF the
rarifed air was felt but little, except
when exertion was attempted, but on
running out, to the snow patch | was
soon stopped by a throbbing heart and
shortness of breath, but few minutes
rest quite restored me.
The Descent Into the Park.
The descent into the park was longer
and roOgher, and was made rapidly, and
we were well jolted, but it was rare fun
and we all enjoyed the plunge down the
valley of the tortuous Frazier as much
as the more picturesque ascent. The
road winds through dense evergreen for
ests, mostly spruce and pine, with the
foreground made brilliant by bright-hued
flowers.
The stage generally goes through to
Grand lake in twelve hours, but il is
hard days drive and we. having char
tered the coach for our own use, stopped
one night at a place called Gaskills,
where we found good accommodations
There are several such stopping places
alohg the road-halt private hotels-or
SIMPLY ranch houses that entertain trav
elers during the summer. The next
morning brought us to our destination,
through valleys and up and down the
hills Of pretty undulating country with
frequent views OF the encircling Rockies
in the distance
The park is by no means level but
succession OF morane hills with inter-
vening valleys, that often broaden out to
extensive meadows. The hills are big
heaps of rock and gravel plowed up by
the ancient glaciers and this evidence of
that stupendOus ice action of former ages
, is one Of the interesting features of the
country to the student of geology
$ Something of Ranch Life.
$ My companions went on to Grad lake
l remaining at a ranch a few miles this
side, where | stayed a month. and per-
maps an account OF ranch life ami pur-
suits may be interesting. First asst to the
/ houses OF these pioneers, for their homes
: ana life remind one much of Roosevelt s
: account of the early settlers of the West.
. The country everywhere abouads in
\ foreStS-all cOnifers-and it is rapid
work for these skilled axemen to fell the
e trees and hew the logs more or less. gen
e orally only notching the ends, and in n
= day the rough frame of small house
e can be put up. | saw a building 1ti feet
i square thus erected. 1t takes several
4 days, however, to cut out and fit in the
4 doors and windows and put on the roof
OF split poles, and then the chinks of the
{ Logs are filled in more or less with strips,
l. and "dauhe5," or plastered up outside
+ with clay. Neighboring sawmills. though
= mt some distance. had to furnish the
: boards for the floor and door ard win
. dow castings, while the finished doors and
: windows come from outside. The roof
ia generally mud covered, and such a roof
is found warmer and better than a
shingled one, though eventually shingles
h generally supersede it, but the real pio-
$ neer's cabin has always a mud roof. The
e inside walls are left bare at first and
n present a picturesque roughness well ac-
o cording with the life Of its occupants,
= but as means come the walls are lined
Z with calico or some course material. and
: thereby the dwelling rendered less
a | drafty. as we'll as OF more tidy appear
z ance, for the outside daubing soon cracks
and admits air freely.
+ Irrigation is Necessary.
Such rough looking houses make very
comfortable homes. even through the Sc
= we're winter. They are generally one
stored, mere huts in appearance The
stables and outhouSes are similarly CON
j. structed. The country is still mostly in
: government possession, the ranchmen
e only entering the more attractive mead
= ows with access, when possible. to q
{ stream, and they depend on the wide
e open mesaS and mountains for ranges for
Q their stock. The homestead is fenced in
9 to keep up" tn" cattle and horses, and
Y an irrigation ditch'is an essential addition
a 20 their ranches, as tame grasses will not
: thrive otherwise. and these bitches are
/, often several miles long and. with the
:. fences. represent a good deal OF labor
Real farming is prohibited by the cold
: summer weather caused by the altitude
. about 5000 feet-and frOsts are frequent
i even in July. and cattle and horse raising
. / is the sole remuneratiVe OpCunpfinp. but