CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1908-01-02
MIGHT EASILY Be MADE INTO
BEAUTIFUL DRIVEWAY
The Grade of the Old State Ditch May BE Utilized for Pob
lie Purposes--As Roadway It Would Rival
the Famous "Sky Line" Bou1e'
ward.

For several months a proposition tc
utilize the grade of the old state ditch
or, at least, that portion of it extend
ing up into the Royal Gorge, for a
scenic driveway for the benefit of the
public has been quietly discussed by
the business men of Canon City, and
the indications are that it will result
in something tangible being done very
soon to carry their plans into execu-
ton.
The matter was taken up for consid-
Grafton by the Canon City Merchants
association five or six weeks ago, and
after hearty commentator, referred
by 1t to the civic improvement commit
tee which still have the affair In
charge. 1t is understood that the in
vestigations of the committee have
been highly gratifying and that 1t will
be able to report favorably on the pro-
ject when the proper time comes. The
expense connected with the enterprise
would be small compared with the ad-
vantages to be gained and would be the
best possible Investment that could
be made for the community.
That the ditch grade has been al
lowed to remain useless for so many
years is sad commentary on our pub
lie spiritedness, and, were it not for
the fact that so much work of a ply
sically necessary and fundamental
character had to be done first, would
be reproach to the enterprise and in
telligence of the community. The grade
invites usefulness as driveway and
must, inevitably, serve the public in
that capacity, as 1t is too valuable for
that purpose to continue idle forever.
The only way carriages and other
vehicles will ever be able to penetrate
the Royal Gorge will be by taking ad-
vantage of the old ditch grade, which
could not have been improved on had
1t been created with that particular
object in view. 1t is broad, level and
admirably constructed, a combination
Of qualities possessed only by the
most perfect mountain roadways. The
Royal Gorge, one of the grandest
pieces of natures handiwork in all the
Rocky mountains, cannot be seen in all
of its sublimity and beauty from the
railway train, which whirls the observ-
er through its mighty depths at the
rate of fifty miles an hour
To be seen to the best advantage the
Royal Gorge must be witnessed by the
pedestrian or from vehicle driven
slowly along its rim. 1t is only then
that its marvellous beauty and majesty
can be understood and comprehended
1t will not be long until there Is an elec'
trio railway to the top of the famous
canon, but it will not conflict or an
tagonize in any way the, proposed
driveway along the old state ditch: in
deed one is the complement of the
other and it will only be by studying
the canon from both of them that a
comprehensive idea can be obtained of
its matchless depths and the ever
changing colors of it's massive, grano-
lithic walls.
1t is believed that by an expendi-
ture of few hundred dollars the old
ditch grade can be made available for
buggies and similar light vehicles and
that its utilization for that purpose
would be an advertisement for Canon
CIly "OItn uIdHS lle y.
Some repairs would, of course, have
to be made, but it is probable that
there would be no difficulty in raising
by public subscription the money that
would be needed for that purpose. The
Skyline Drive" was constructed by
the public spiritedness and generosity
of warden Cleghorn of the Peniten-
tiary, who drew upon the convict
labor at his command for the men to
do'th work: the people of Canon City
furnishing. the required tools and ma
terials to carry on the enterprise The
Skyline" is a splendid monument to
Warden Cleghorn. and his name Is
inseparably associated with that grand
and beautiful roadway along the crest
of the range of hills which form the
western boundry of the city
A roadway for carriages along the
grade of the state ditch would be
fully as attractive as the Skyline
although the scenery it would reveal
would be of an entirely different char
acter. 1t would bring to us hundreds
OF tourists every year that otherwise
would not penetrate this far into the
interior of the state and would give
Canon City a reputation for beautiful
mountain drives unequalled by any
community in the west. 1t is thought