The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-11-11
Through the Rockies On An Engine
Mrs. c. R. Miller in Leslie's Weekly.

| y tllp III the cap Ul an en8lne over
level track, even at moderate speed, is a
novel experience, especially to woman; /;
but when it comes to sitting beside the
engineer while he guides the great putting
machine through weird canyons; to watch
ing his control over steam as he coasts
down mountains; to shiver as the great
machine darts in and out of huge tunnels
and across deep ravines over delicate wooden
trestles-it furnishes genuine excitement,
and one eets the real atmosphere of train
man ; life. This was my experience a short
| time ago when | went over that wonderful
little railroad which runs from Colorado
Springs to Cripple Greek, and which is
regarded among railroad people as mar
velous engineering achievement.
After some little difficulty my permit to
sit beside the engineer was obtained, and in
order to avoid the curiosity of station
crowd decided to ride in the coach until
the first stop outside Of town was made.
The train was filed with large party of
New Workers who were on their way to
convention in the far West, and who had
stopped over for the sole purpose of making
the trip to the famous gold field Of Colo
rado went to the big observation plat
form in the rear of the train. Five peo-
pie could comfortably sit at the end, and
as only four we're there | asked big man
who was spread out over two chairs to
kindly move to one side In order that |
might get TO the railing with the camera
To my surprise he glared at me with that
how dare YOU disturb me mir, and said
There's no room. It's case of first
come first served. That the way we do
in New York |, of course, ignored his
reply and edged my way to the rail My
experience in New York has been that
there is always room for one more, and |
did so want to ask him how he managed
to exist when riding on Broadway cable
ear.
We ran over a few miles of plains, pass
ing the biz reduction plants Of several
mines Of the Cripple Greek district, and
gradually climbed through the flower COW
cred foothills At the first stop | slipped
quietly off the train aud up TO the en-
gineer cab He was big, mildfaced
man. with mouth full of gold filled teeth,
50 suggestive of the district through which
We travelled. lie looked at the permit
and made room for me in the cab. The
monster locomotive was one of the consoh-
dated type, built especially for mountain
climbing service, and had eight 81 inch
drivers. the total weight of the engine and
tender being nearly $50, 600 pounds |
pinned my hat securely and adjusted the
camera for quick work. There was
trembling sensation as the great wheels
started 10 reyolye. and we began the scenic
trip uf the Rockies We had started at
an altitude Of d, 600 feet, and in 10 miles
we were 10 attain a height Of more than
10. 900 feet. Such climb might easily
be made on a road Of the Otis or cogwheel
s,yle, but this Is a plain railroad PROPOSE
ton. aud was really built for hauling ore
70 the smeliers, bat on account Of its rare
scenic attractions i. has developed phe
nomenal passenger traffic,
We threaded our way through the weird
scenery Of Bear Greek Canyon, and just
as the base of the mountain vas reached
ouI tram dashed across the ravine aud
through the frst Of the riue tunnels The
raad seemed TO be made up Of curves, yet
even on the engine, where the slightest jar
l. felt, they were net uncomfortable.
This, the engineer explained, was owing
10 the curves being scientifically elevated.
We rau slowly while passing the well
named Point Sabine, where one looked
into the valley / POO fee, below on a pan
Drama Of indescribable beauty, where Colo
RADIO Springs, the Newport Of the West,
was spread out as a checker board at our
feet. while countless lakes giisiened like
diamonds in the sunlight, and the great
rolling plains faded away in the uncertain
horizon We were now climbing in earn
est and the engineer hand was ever on
the throttle. while the fireman watched
every inch Of the track Many times we
stopped to take water. for the engine, like
the human being, gets Thirsty often during
hard climb. We dashed in and cut of
tunnels with great rapidity and my camera
got busy. Photographing from an
engine cab is unique, but not pleasant,
and bumped into the engineer two or
three times, and once the picture machine
narrowly escaped going out of the window.
When we reached the foot Of st. Peter
Dome. that mountain in shape 50 like unto
a huge cup cake, a stop was made of sew
/ u. l,tr h
10 get better view Of the grandeur of the
near BY canyons, Two days later | walk
ell to the summit of that awe inspiring
peak and pictured the track over which We
had Travelled in order TO get a clear idea Of
the grade The ascent of the mountain
by the railroad is triumph in civil en-
glnceriug
Once | photographed train several
miles ahead Of us. The track forms IN
Vulnerable horseshoes and 5 curves, and
when the dizzy height Is reached the pas
senser- who have been absorbed in the
magnificent display of nature fail to realize
that they have passed over the four tracks,
which are in sight. Ii was during this
climb that little incident occurred which
for few seconds made me wish myself
back in the coach was talking with the
fireman, as he fed the furnace, when the
shrill whistle Of the engine caused a start
of alarm, and | saw the engineer leaning
from the cab \ COW was on the track.
Visions of seeing the animal tossed high in
the air arose before me, and braeed my
self. closed my eyes, and waited. Per
haps man might have photographed the
scene, but a womau-never. Again the
whistle blew and the train came to full
stop, and the good natured engineer
..shooed the animal off the track.
WAS that humanity" asked ''or
were you afraid of wreeking the train ?
Perhaps it was both, came the
answer Il never like to kill anything if
| can avoid it, and, besides, don t want
to even jar the engine along here. A
ravine 500 feet deep was on one side of the
track and solid granite mountain rose high
on the other.
Between st. Peter Dome and Dufields
our train ran three miles to gain distance
Of 600 feet and an elevation of $40. 1t
was these roundabout climbs which made it
the most COSTLY road accordino 10 mileaoe