Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-10
My Trip Through the West.


boarded the train in Ottumwa and
were soon speeding through Iowa. We
passed through Council Bluffs and
at Lincoln about dusk
The next morning we caught our
first sight of the Rocky Mountains
with their snow-clad peaks shining in
the light of the rising sun. After first
sighting them, we travelled for several
hours before arriving at their base.
Before entering the mountains we
passed high buttes of promontories
among which is Castle Rock. This is
high butte with slipping sides COW
cred with huge boulders. On its top
is a large rock which bears a resen-
blance to a castle. y
In the shadow Of this rock lies the
village of Castle Rock.
Passing these buttes, We entered
Colorado Springs, beautiful town
nestled close to the mountains. The
dry air. altitude, and fine climate
makes this a noted resort.
Pixies Peak can be seen plainly from
here. At Manitou one can take the
Cog Wheel Route to it's summit. Man
itou is six miles west of Colorado
Springs at the foot of Pixies Peak
One and one-half miles from Man
itou is the Garden of the Gods, one
of natures parks, surrounded by walls
of mountain. This park is filled with
wonderful sights. consisting of rocks
of different. forms and shapes. The
entrance is large gap between two
walls of red stone each about three
hundred feet high.
About three miles from Colorado
Springs are located Cheyenne Canons,
which are deep cuts In Cheyenne
Mountain. Near Seven Falls in
South Cheyenne Canon is the grave of
Helen Hunt Jackson, the noted writer
and poet. The stream in the South
Cheyenne Canon flows over a
precipice and forms beauti-
full cascade, consisting of seven falls.
A stairway ascends the precipice be-
side the falls.
Leaving Colorado Springs, we pass
ed Pueblo, where we saw Indians and
MeXicans and their adobe houses.
Soon after leaving Pueblo we en-
tered the mountains. The mountains
were covered with pine trees. AS we
penetrated farther AMI farther the
mountains became higher and more
rocky. In some places the mountains
rose from the track to the height of
hundreds of feet, covered with large
rocks, which | thought would be easy
to start rolling. There is quite con-
trast between the dark, tree-covered
mountains and the bare, snow-cov-
cred peaks. The train runs in the
valleys and the mountains rise from
both sides of the track.
High up on the mountains the trees
are very small, not more than two
of three feet high.
Far in the. mountains we arrived
at Canon City. where is located the
state penitentiary. We saw the
guards. standing by the guard houses
on the top of the walls. On the side
of the mountain the convicts were dig.
ging out rock.
Between cannon City and Salida is
the Royal Gorge of the Arkansas riv.
err. The Royal Gorge is the most mar.
row portion of the Canon of the Ar,
kansas river. Soon after entering
the walls of the gorge became almost
perpendicular and tower to the height
of two thousand feet In one place
the canon is so narrow that there is
not room for the river and the track,
so hanging bridge was built.
For many miles the train follows
the windings of this stream. Its
course is strewn with boulders around
which the water rushes and foams
sometimes green in color, then sudden
ly changing to black and again as
suddenly it becomes foamy and white
as it dashes over ledge Of rocks In
the form of falls and rapids.
Passing this gorge we were In the
heart Of the Rockies. We passed
through the most beautiful scenery OF
Colorado all that day and arrived at
Leadville at dusk.
Near Leadville we passed through
Tennessee Pass and began our descent
through the mountains. The rest OF
my trip l will describe in another let,
ter if this one escapes the waste bas
ket.
Rudolph Johnson,
Age, 10,
Dudley, Iowa