Mexico weekly ledger., 1904-02-11

Writes Interestingly Of His Trip to
His New Home-The Rockies
the Backbone Of America.


IDAHO CRY. IDAHO. Feb. 6.-After
leaving Mexico we went to Cameron
where we put up 4 monument to the
grave Of Dur dear boy, lee Then to
st. Joseph, where we spent a day with
cur old friend, DIR. Bentley; then to
Downs, Kan, where We visited two
weeks with my brother. In company
with Mrs. Smith and Sir Foster | left
Downs on the morning train Jan
uary LIST. west bound, and arrived at
Marvin In due time The genial
hack driver was on hand and In a very
short time Mrs. Smith, Foster, myself
and trunks were on wheels for Phil
.lipsburg. Hack driver paid, goodby
and good wishes said, we took refresh
ments and bought tickets for Denver.
Now, I met my first difficulty on
the trip. The train was due at l:55
p. m. and IL was almost 2s55 BY good
old Missouri time, and I said, I'VE are
left" Mrs Smith tried to explain
that 10 central Kansas they had an
other kind OF time. What did l care
for their kind mf time. when ! had old
Missouri time? 1t was good enough
for me or anybody, and never did
like this putting on airs. new tangled
stuff and al that kind Of thing. But
a woman B a woman, l guess the Lord
made them 50, and US men have got
to stand It. Well, what do you thinks
She just found an old central Kansas
clock, an hour slow gof course Ii wasl
and set her watch by IL, then stuck to
IL that her watch was right. l knew
it was not. but being peaceful | said
nothing and kept still, and enjoyed a
great inward calmness knowing time
would justify the right. ! had just
settled down when in came the train,
just an hour late BY my time. We
had to just grab u grips and hurry
for the train 30 / did not hear the II
told yon So"
Well, this was a fast train. VIZ sped
away over the plains, mile after mile,
here and there seeing a habitatiOn
that in fact looked more desolate than
Imagination could have pictured. But
this was Colorado. At 9:55 we rolled
into Denver, making 400 miles in
eight hours. Fast enough for ordina-
ny business. Now for a hotel. Good?
Yes, fairly 50. Breakfast, then back
to the depot. Tickets for Salt Lake
City over the Rio Grande, and away
we 60.
We pulled out for Colorado Springs
ten minutes ahead of the Midland fast
train. We had made about forty miles
when we saw the Midland train. It
was surely out-running US. The roads
are parallel, about twenty rods apart,
straight and level. The fireman on
the Midlsnk sat in the window OF his
cab, whipped bis engine with his hat
and did other annoying things just to
let US know they were out-running US,
as though we did not know 1t. 1t was
a pretty sight, but IL l had been that
Rio engineer / would have pulled that
throttle wide open and made the other
fellow earn his laurels. But away
they went and left us to mediate
over the uncertainties OF human
events.
Now all eyes are again turned to the
Rockies, the grand old Rockies. The
back bone OF this staunch old world.
How grand How magnificent and In.
spiringl There Is a burned out voica-
no, which looks like an unfinished
crown. Yonder In the distance is
Pixies Peak lifting its proud head
above its fellows
Colorado Springs, ten minutes stop,
and away We go for Pueblo. This is a
hourishing city, with a population Of
5000, full Of enterprise and push, and
IL has certainly been favored BY ma |
ture, for there is plenty OF coal got
more than fifty miles away, iron ore
not more than fifty miles away, smell
ters for the reduction Of gold and sill
rel ore, planning mills. flour mills, |
machine shops, etc. The city is sur
rounded by a great stretch Of rich
soil, and looks like 1t might be a gar
den OF the world, while in fact it is as
sterile a the desert OF Sahara. Well, |
here we turn square to the west and
make a straight drive for the noun
tains Nov we glide In by the Arka-
nsas river, little laughing, dancing,
prancing Arkansas. Should have a
better name, Minniehaha, or some
thing like that Now we will stop,
and next week give you something of
the mountains, Mormans, etc.
d. S. SMITH.