The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-02-22
NATURES ART GALLERY.
vi, W. Along the De"ve' & Rio Grande
Railroad in Colorado.

Goldsboro Headlight.
Like IL necklace Of golden beads,
with here and there diamond of
purcst ray and most dazzling So len
dor. the scenic beauties OF Colorado
lie upon her breast. The royal er-
mine OF imperial and eternal snow
,,.~ts on her shoulders Of her noun
ms. These comparisons may
-nund exaggerated to those unfamll-
hr with facts and may appear an un-
,arrantrd employment OF poetic IL
..enSp, but such is not the ease. There
are some emotions too profound Tor
adequate expression III words, and
there are some scenes too grand for
language to describe. The Traveller
in Colorado, especially through the
Rocky Mountain section, cannot fail
to experience some emotions, rXcltpd
by brhOlding he transcrndent gran
deur of such scenes.
Even the artist whose work APP
pealS directly to the eye, can never
hope to convey to one unfamiliar
with the scene u iithp OF the sublim!-
II
COlOrHdo's least famous canyons,
to say not hing about in attempt to
depict those OF the Royal Gorge,
Black Canyon of the GunnisOn, the
Rio de- Las Animls or the Canyon of
the Grand River. But the memory
OF One who has behpld these trains
crndently beautifui scenes becomes IL
IL
rated with views from nature which
surpasS the most finished product of
artistic skill and genius. These pie
tnres would be almost infinite Ill
number and of such variety that i'll
terest would never flag i'll recalling
them to view. lust as interest never
tinggeI when they were first brhrld.
Among them would be the Cam
Won of the Grand River through
which one passes on the main line
OF the Denver K Rio Gran,le road
Just before reaching GenwoOd
Springs For distance of sixteen
miles the towering walls OF the can
Won rise on each side, combining the
river and track within narrow limits
aud rising at times to the stupend-
Ous height OF nearly half IL mile of
perpendicular ascent. The stratifi-
cation of the walls is plainly marked,
Il characteristic not present III many
OF the famous canyons Of Colorado,
and, in addition to the wonderful va
riety of shape assumed by the rock
formations, their cOlOrS are quite as
wonderfully varied. Brilliant tintS
of red and yellow, of maroon. laven-
Il constant study and lend il delight
ful variety to the scene.
The overwhelming grandeur of
| this gigantic Specimen of naturc's
architecture is sOftened and beauti
| fled by these chrOmatic ornamental
| tiOns, and the effect upon the mind
| OF the spectator is that OF mingled
delight and awe Turning from this
! picture. Il sharp and strOngrOntrast
is found in that of the Black Canyon
of the GunniSon. This tremendous
| chasm through the mountains is the
passage way OF the Gunni>On River
and is followed for II miles by that
line of the Denver & Rio Grande
road which connects Salida with
Grand Junction and traverSes the
central part of Colorado from it's
eastern to its western border. Here
the lack of brilliant color gives d
gloomy grandeur to the scene, while
the presence OF that majestic sky
piercing pinnacle known as sCurecanti
Needle and of the lovely Chipeta
Falls adds an element of varied in
terest which banishes all monotony.
As in the Canyon of the Grand
River, the rock walls rise to tre-
mendous height, the skyline being
frequently more than 1000 feet
above the eyes of the observer. 1t
is difficult to grasp Understandings
the vast proportions thus briefly
noted, but some idea of them may
be gathered when it is suggested that
this rocky wall towers upward to a
distance equal to that of the street
frontage OF four city blocks. And
still another picture OF abysmal
heights and depths is held in memo
ry. 1t is that of the Canyon of the
Animas. En- route from Durango to
SilvertOn the tourist behOlds this
marvellous chasn. which has been
made the water-course of what the
Spaniards called the Rio de las Ami
mas Perdidas or River of Lost
Souls.
But the grandest of all the master
pieces of nature whose pictures Orna-
ment the walls of m"mOry'S art gal
lery Is that of the Grand Canyon OF
the Arkansas and its crowning glory
the Royal Gorge. Easiest of access
among all the canyons OF Colorado.
being situated on the maine line OF
the Denver 4 Rio Grande between
Canyon City aud Salida in the front
range of the Rockies. it is the most
spectacular, awe-inSpiring and mag
niticent. Down this mighty cleft in
the heart of the granite rock-barrier
rush the raging waters of the Arkan-
saS river, lashed into foaming fury
and dashed into spuming spray bv
its swift descent through the tortu-
GUS detile. So narrow is the passage at
one point that there was no room
for both road and river, and there
fore Il curiOusly constructed bridge
: OF steel had to be thrown lengthwise
OF the stream, suspended from iron
supports mortised into canyon walls
on each side to the right and left.
Right here can be seen the climax
, OF all the great canyons grandeur
that which has been aptly called
The Royal Gorge" For $500 feet
the solid monoliths soar upward
five times as lofty us the Washing
ton monument, the highest perma
nent structure reared by the band O