Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-06-18

/ never hearu or them. / remember
her only slightly. as I was quite 9 lit
tie girl when she died. Her mother.
Mrs. General Pike, OF whom have Z
better memory, was tall, digntned.
rather austere-looking woman, who al
ways dressed in deep black, wearing
large black Canton-crepe shawl and
a large black crepe turban on ner
head. which. to my childish eyes, gave
her somewhat awe-inspiring appear
ance. She was highly educated and
accomplished woman, and a 1ne
French scholar. She kept for many
years diary which was written in
French"
Pike always carried about with him
n cheap reprint of book entitled,
The Economy of Human Life, Trans
| lated from An Indian Manuscript,
Written by an Ancient Brahmin.'
The contents consist OF philosophical
and moral reflections OF distinctly
oriental flavor. 1t purports to be
based upon manuscripts OF Immense
antiquity, discovered at the capital OF
Thibet by an agent of the emperor OF
China. Pixies copy. which is pre-
served by his descendants. contains
many marginal notes. and upon one
OF the iiy-leaves Is a touching memor.
andum. After affectionately alluding
to his wife and his son. then living.
he lays down two maxims which he
wishes may be ever present In tne
mind OF his child, as he rises from
yonth to manhood. First. preserve
your honor free from blemish. Sec
ond, be always ready to die for your
country"
Congress has passed bill author
lzing the coinage OF 100000 medals TO
commemorate the centennial of the
discovery of Pixies Peak.
Director Roberts OF the bureau OF
the mint has completed a design, and
It, is now in the hands of the engraver
at Philadelphia. Upon one side OF
the medallion viii be n profile bust.
with the name Zebulon Montgomery
Pike: upon the reverse will be an out
line of the summit of Pixies Peak.
with the inscription. Pixies Peak,
Nov 2G, 1906. Colorado Springs. Sept.
"a, 1906"
Inc program OF ceremonies for the
celebration OF the centennial anniver-
sary of the discovery of Pixies Peak
at Colorado Springs Ii Intended to
convince the country at large that
Colorado Is no longer the home OF
only buffalo and savage Indian tribes.
Tho nj ,f thaf axnpllnnt al Ia
want TO correct some false impress
sions and intend to demonstrate the
progress of one hundred years. The
census bureau is trying to help them
do SO, and has already issued bulle-
| tin giving a review of the material
progress OF the Centennial state. II
shows that Colorado IL rapidly becom-
ing manufacturing center. The
produest title 1t has ever assumed Is
THE Pennsylvania of the West" and
II 1t makes as rapid progress during
the next quarter OF century as It
has during the last 25 years II Will
| be entitled to that honor.
In his account OF his explorations
Lieutenant pike said that 1.-The great
plains between the Mississippi river
and the mountains are a providential
barrier. which will restrain the Amer
lean people from diffusion and ruin.
Our citizens being so prone to ramb-
ling and extending themselves on the
frontier. will. through necessity. be
constrained to limit their extent ON
the west to the borders of the Mis-
s.ssippl and the Missouri, while they
leave the prairies, being incapable OF
cultivation, to the wandering and un-
incumbered aborigines."
This shows what a poor prophet a
good soldier can be, but ne was ~ot
the only one to make that mistake.
Greater men than General Pike stanI
on record to the same effect. As
late as 1S43, when the project OF an
overland railway began to be agitated
the idea was hooted at. and 1t was
declared in the senate OF the United
| States and In the house OF represent
atives again and again that human
beings could not exist for 100 miles
| this side OF the Rocky mountains;
that the great plains would not sus-
tain anything but jack rabbits and
prairie dogs. Even as late as 1865
the Great American Desert appeared
on the official maps OF the United
States.
Notwithstanding these gloomy pre-
dictions the present wealth of the
people Of Colorado Ia now estimated
al 2O0000o.0O and on the basis OF
100000 population the per capita
wealth of the state is $3.50. or there
abouts. which is greater than that OF
any other state in the Union or any
country in the universe. About g.
600 900 acres OF the Great American
Desert In Colorado are now under cul-
tivation, and 100000 acres have been
put under the plow during the last
five years. The farm products ship
ped from that state, not counting
those retained for home consumption.
were last year valued at $4,000. 900.
Colorado Is the greatest potato state
. in the Union: 1t Is one of the greatest