Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-10-02
FROM DURANGO TO SEATTLE.
tBy r. T. PearsonD


On September %. at 1880 a. m. We
Departed for Portland and Seattle.
On leaving Durango we find ourselves
in charge of Conductor Gogerty and
Engineer Jack Hagerty at the throttle
on his old favorite, Eng. No. 25. We
go winding around curves and over
gulches over the same trail that your
humble pencil pusher whacled mules
for Tom Graden in 1882. hauling
rreigth tn old Fort Lewis then a gov
ernment fortified post, to protect our
then little city of only 500 or 500 in
habitants from the hostile Indians chat
We're wearing the war paint and -four
ishing the tomahawks. Later came
Otto Msars, the famous pathfinder,
who constructed the now scenic liue,
the Rio Grande Southern opening up
beautiful agricultural and mining
country, with coal and all resources
TO support a city of 10000 people
with prospects of two new standard
gauge railways On our way we pass
Mancos a prosperous little town sit
uated at the head of Mancos valley,
a fine farming and stock raising coun
try Nearby are the gold mines of
James Doyle which will in the near
future be second Cripple Creek
in the mining industry.
Now we arrive at Dolores, a town
surrounded with every facility to in
sure 1t prosperous future, being sit
uated at the head of the Montezuma.
valley, fine agricultural and stock
country. the fruit industry being
specially, with the Cliff DwelleTs'
homes, which affords the tourist an
interesting visit and study of an eN-
tinct race OF people,
Now we are slowly winding around
curves up the Dolores, a beautiful
stream of water in which abound the
swift, speckled mountain trout, wnich
affords fine sport in fishing and hunt
ing game from the common cotton
tail rabbit to the cinnamon bear. We
now pass Rico. Passing Lizard Head
the scenery becomes more grand and
magnificent, winding around curves
and across gorges. with the high,
snow.capped peaks; we pass around
Ophir loop, in which is nestled the
little mining camp of Ophir. As we
pass around and down the deep canon
looking above us, on the opposite side
of this deep gorge, we see he rail
way 5000 feet above. More fine ard
skilled engineering is 10 be found no
where on the continent and the seen
cry is grand and sublime. Indeed,
that noted pathfinder, Otto Mears, has
never been accorded the praise he so
much deserves in constructing rail
way into the very heart of the rugged
old Rocky mountains, thereby open
ing up to the commercial world such
rich industries as 1t now affords.
Leaving ophir we descend and back
over the switch-back to Telluride, a
prosperous mining camp Of about
1900, surrounded with very ricl
mines and grand and beautiful seen
cry. with mills. concentrator and a
large power plant that provides elec
trio power for all mills and mines II
this locality. After a nights stun
her and rest we retrace our iuurne,
for seven miles down the canon OF
to Ridgway, a town where are situat
ed the railroad shops for the Ri
Grande Southern Railroad company
Changing cars. we are whirled on {
Montrose a prosperous little city SUI
rounded with fine fruit and agricultuI
al country.
On arriving at Grand Junction W
find a prosperous city of 1000. sit
uated in the midst of a grand frui
growing country, with canning ia,
tory and a sugar beet factory. all O