The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1906-08-30
IN THE ROCKIES.
A Few Impressions Jotted Down
by the Editor Of The Times
While In Camp.


The Rocky Mountains are ma.
isstic; grand; awe-inspirihg.
This is not the first impression
one gets, however. while rolling over
the hot dusty plains OF Colorado,
when the long line Of cloud-shsped
objects first appear above the ives.
tern horizon, nor when a nearer In.
spection reveals the immense piles Of
varied colored rocks, apparently
preventing further progress In a
western direction The feeling Is
rather Of disappointment. But on
a closer contact the glories OF the
mountains grow upon you. New In
spiration is added at every turn as
one traverses the shadowy gorges
and canons with their rushing
streams Of pure, clear water, form.
ing cataracts, falls and rapids in
rapid succession, with cliffs towering
heavenward hundreds, Of feet en-
either hand, which q vivid imagin q.
tion can people with fantastic shapes.
Oae can but wonder at the tire.
mendous power that threw up these
vast elevations and the Divinity
shat controlled the power and gave
weired shapes, wonderous beauty
and grandeur to finish the whole.
But man who has bridged the
ocean, tunnelled the mountains and
brought all nature under his control,
did not stop at this natural barrier,
this great divide between the east
and the vest, but built bis railroa de
through and over them, following
the water courses, when practicable,
otherwise climbing the noun tain
where, to one below, 1t would look
hazardous for q mountain goat, or
the patient, long-sunering and sure
footed burro to find Q sale footing.
The Midland Short Route to
Cripple Creek forms an excellent ex.
ample OF these wonderous fats Of
engineering. This road winds It's
course along the side Of the noun.
tain, rounding deep and vide de-
pressions. tunnsling and cutting
through projecting spurs, along can
ons hundreds and thousands Of feet
above the valleys.
OF all the wonderous scenery Of the
Rocky Mountains that can be seen
from cars, there are none superior
and few equal to that along the Den.
yer and Rio Grand railroad, and per-
haps the browning glory OF all over
that road IL the Royal Gorge. The
D. & R. G. follows the course OF the
Arkansas river from Pueblo to near
its source above Leadville. Between
Canon City and Salida 1t runs
through this wonderous gorge, this
marvel Of nature, where the tower
Ing cliffs, at places three thousand
feet high, nearly touch at the top
and one can easily toss rock across
the valley, at the bottom. At one
place the river touches the cliffs on
both sides and II became necessary
to build q bridge up and down the
stream, possibly the only one OF the
kind In the world. This was acco M
plished by throwing heavy steel
beams across the stream, Joined In
the manner Of raiters, one end firmly
In the rocks. From these
huge steel rafters q bridge was
swung and the track laid thereo n.
The gorge Is seven miles long and
IN observation car was attached to
he rear end OF the train for the &C.
,omodation Of the passengers, which
'nablsd them to get good views Of
III its wonders. The train turns In
md out, following the channel Of
he water, which following tho course
i least resistance from the top Of
ihs mountain TO the plains, washing |
mt here, dissolving the minerals
here, for countless ages, tireless at
vork, cut thousands Of ieet through
hese great rock barriers, q task
hat would appear endless and a.
most impossible to human agency. L
From Salida il requires two heavy
FOUNTAIN engines tn pull the train
o the summit, where Il reaches an
levation Of nearly 11,000 feet. |
rom there to Gienwood, 8 distance I
I about so miles, It drops nearly (
700 feet. The latter place lie q {
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