The Newtown bee., 1904-08-26

in 1901, at cost of S75, 900 mile. AS the crow flies it is not long distance, but as the road runs it is ride of 45 miles to Cripple Creek district and still farther to Cripple Creek itself. Daily excursions were being given in July, and we were told it was far superior in scenic beauty and awful grandeur to the climb to Pike's Peak, and besides at that season of the year heavy fogs often hung around the Peak, greatly obstructing the morning | view.
 At 8 a. m., our train load of excur- siOnistS moved out. The observation car was quickly filled and all were in the best of spirits. We must reach an altitude of over 10000 feet, in the mighty climb before us. We have a run of six miles over Broad mountain. We. look down upon two greatreduction plants, the one with 200 tons capacity day, for treating the output of ore from the famous Portland gold mine of the Cripple Creek district, and the other of the Telluride Reduction Com pany with capacity of 300 tons day. As we begin to climb the foot hills we see to the right the pinnacles of the Garden of the Gods, and farther to the west Manitou Springs nestling in the cleft of the mountains. Near at hand is Colorado City, with the great works of the United States Reduction and Refining Company, with capaci- ty of 75O tons day. This plant is for the treatment of the ores of Cripple Creek district, and is where the trou- ble commenced that inaugurated the great strike of the miners that has caused 80 much loss of time, life and property, and upon which Governor Peabody has come down with both feet. Our climb begun, we wind in and out, around and up, now through tunnel, and again over high trestles that cross wide, deep and dark can yons, until we are 15 miles on our way and are looking up at St Peters Dome, huge mass of granite that seems to stand alone. The ascent of the Dome is feat of great engineering skill, and we make it on three elevations of track, the lower elevation being s7OO feet, the third elevation is $500 feet. We pass through three mountain tun- nels and travel over three miles of track to gain distance of 1000 feet. A little farther on at Rock Creek, the train is headed west, but after wind- ing around the mountain we emerge from tunnel on the second elevation and are headed directly east on par allel track, 50 feet above the lowel ele- vatiOn.
 AT ROCK CREEK LOOP,
 the train emerges from tunnel, and circles around mountain on a uniform grade in order to reach the upper elevation travelling a quar- ter of mile to gain a distance of 50 feet. At the Duffield Loop still fur ther on, we pass through two tunnels and as we go into the east end of tun- nel seven on the lower elevation or loop, we can also see the west end of tunnel eight to the left on the higher elevation. Midway between Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek we reach Summit three miles beyond the Duf- field loop. Here we are at 10000 feet elevation and the highest point reach ed by the road until it enters Cripple Creek district. The view is magnifi- cent, and we can see Pueblo the 'Pittsburg of the West," 45 miles southward. Here the train stops for lunch. The man at the throttle steps off and gets his cup of coffee, sand wich, and cigar. I stand beside the monster engine, that has seemed a thing of life, as heard it putting up the toilsome grade. As the engineer returns to his post of duty, ask for a grip of the hand, of the cool headed engineer, grimy though it be with the oil and coal dust. We grasp hands, and ask (which requires the most nerve, to take the train up these heavy grades, or to regulate the speed in the return trip over the heavy down grades. With a twinkle of the eye, he said, "It requires lots of nerve to do either," and so it seemed to me. Another hour and we reach Cameron, 10, ,O4O feet elevation, and then a de. scent of 800 feet, and we have reached Cripple Creek, 20 miles from Colorado Springs in an air line, 45 miles as the railroad runs. It lies near the western base of Pike's Peak, and to look down upon the city is like looking onto a checkerbOard. Houses of great varie ty of structure are huddled together the streets entirely destitute of trees flowers at discount, the bare hills al about honeycombed with holes made by the restless prospector.
 Once in Cripple Greek, the best wa! to see the great Gold camp of the dis trict is to take the circle tour by cleo tric car, running over what are called the flow line" divisions. The loV line division runs over the top of Bea