The Ordway new era., 1908-10-02
Stewart Rowland Writes OF
Colorado Scenery.
GRAND. STUPENDouS. MAGNi'
FICENT. ALL THAT


following letter which appeared In
that paper some time ae";
Denver. Colo, Aug. -. 1905.
Editor Gazette: |, is possible that
an occasional one of your readers may
be interested In letter from my
brilliant, but very modest pen.
cannot assay to cnumcratc the innum-
cradle impressions which have come .
TO me during my Sojnurn IN Colorado /
ISleSe Impressions cruwd in on onc's
mind like torrent and render their
translation In words simply out nt
the question. The thought which
lures the countless thousands OF tour
lists from every part Of the hahiiaolc
globe each year is the thought nt the
mountains. Communities and states
have their individual characteristics,
their local cnloring. Cnfurtunate, in
deed. Is that community or that state
which has naught to distinguish II
from other communities and Other
states. ! could describe tn you the
agriculture and the vast irrigation
projects Of Colorado. but other states
have lhe>r: could tell you Of the
commercial and wonderful mineral
weIltr, but these in their Ir'-emi-
nence do not belong to this state
alone: there are a hundred things
which might very properly claim our
attention, yet in inust Gf these par ,
- 80 l.l
She p ls>e>se> them simply IN common
with her sister states. In one respect, /,
however, She stands. IL admitted by /
all. in the very first rank. Her un-
doubted pre- emincnce lies in the /.
wondrous scenery ~ her mountains. |
THIS i the magnet which draws an |
increasing multitude Of health seekers |
and pleasure seekers and knowledge |
seekers during the falr days OF every |
recurring summer time. Here. indeed, |
the forces OF nature have done their |
uttermnst to express the beautiful |
and the sublime. The tourist on his |
trst visit views the glorieS OF these .
mountains with the eyes OF a child. |
Hitherto, the precipitOus ellis OF |
rugged rock, the little hut Of the .
pro>rector, the dreamer Of yellow /
gold; the snOw-covered peaks around .
which the storm gathers al /
most daily; the scanty vegetation of
grass and flower and pine which give
color and beauty tn the slope: the
rushing, roaring torrent stream leap
Ing from one massive ledge OF rock
to another below and down and down
TO join the great river which flows |
onward in majestic silence through |
the awe-in>piring canyon-these have |
all lain fancifully in the fairy land Of |
Imagination. Now, these pictures of |
fancy yield to those OF actual fac.
The behOlder has vi>ualized. has real |
lied mountain; and, reluctantly, and |
| think reyerently, he turns to for
sake this mightiest monument in the
handiwork OF God. The great magni-
tude OF the mountains. the thought
that some mysterious and almost all
powerful force operative within the
interior OF the earth, through centur.
les and centuries, aye. millions and
millions OF years, has upheaved and
formed these wrinkles upon the
earth's surface: and the thought that
these mighty peaks have stood out
there in the solidity and eternal
steadfastness Of their existenc.-im.
movable and ever alert sentinels. as
II were, OF ages and ages, are amply
suggestive to the most practical in.
tellect. There are some things for
which there is no adequate descrip.
tion, and such are COloradu's noun.
tains. l think it was Mohammed who
thought himself able to move noun.
tains. and who, after vain attempt
to bring the mountain to him, declar.
ed he would go to the mountain. Now,
since 1t Is impossible adequately to
describe mountain, there remains
the very practical alternative suy-
gested by the Mohammedan saint to
90 to the mountain.
III aught were needed to perfect the
pleasure Of mountain trip, it is fully
supplied by the climate. Just as tn.
grandeur Of natural scenery delights
the eye and mind OF the bcholder. 50
the fair days OF Colorado summer
add increasing zest and interest and
pleasure to the visitor The skies are
blue; the air is clear, cool and pleas.
ant; but withal. the old sun, at times
In a tit OF anger, darts down with a
degree of heat which causes a general
rush for cover. In the rarined air
OF the mountains, the eye makes
merry with distances; and it IL not
uncommon on n clear rnnrntnu No.,