Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-08-06
Local Items.
FROM KANSAS CITY TO DENVER.

Leaving Kansas City, Mo-, over the
Chicago and Rock Island K. X. we start
cut along the Miss oun river and soon N
ter the state of Kansas. Following the
Kansas river we run through level
stretch Of country and soon reach T"pe-
ka, the capital IF the state. Here we
made short stop, and then on through
Kansas to Colorado. The tlip across The
great plains from the Missouri river to
Denver is full of interest and variety, and
nothing could give such vivid impress
ion of the greatness of our country as
when one beholds this vast eXpanse for
the first time.
The r. f. for distance of three or
four hundred miles west Of the Missouri
river passes through thriving cities and
towns. Then newer territory is reached,
the towns are of less frequent occurrence
and smaller in size. The plains appear
more nearly in their native state, only
dotted here and there with the Claim
Cabins of the settlers. Here one sees
whole villages of prairie dogs sitting on
launches like small kangaroos looking at
the passing train or scampellng into their
burroughs. Before reaching Denver,
away in the distance we get our first view
of the Rocky Mountains. AS we APP
proach nearer the view is one of unsur-
passing beauty. That the strength of
this assertion may not rest on my own
individual statement, permit me to quote
what one of the greatest of travellers has
said of this view:
81 know no external picture of the
Alps that can be placed beside it. If
you take away the valley of the Rhine
and unite the Alps of Savoy with the
Bernese Overland you might obtain
tolerable idea of this view of the Rocky
Mountains. Pixies Peak would then rep
resent the jury from a nameless snowy
giant in front of you, Monta Rosa, and
Longs Peak, Mount Blanc. The alti-
tudes very nearly correspond and there
is certain similarity in forms. The
average height of the Rocky Mountains
HDWtNSI pHooCo liipe Vi viz apo
From this point there appears to be three
tolerably distinct ranges. The first rises
from two to three thousand feet above
the level of the plains, is cloven asunder
by the canyons of the streams stretched
with the dark lines of the pine, which
feather its SUBMITS and sunny steep
slopes Of pasture. Some distance behind
it appears a second range of nearly
double the height, more irregular in its
masses and of dark velvety hue. Be-
yond leaning against the sky are the
snowy peaks, all of which are from thr-
teen to nearly fifteen thousand feet above
the sea. These three chains with their
varying but never dscordant undulations
are as inspiring to the imagination as
they are enchanting to the eye. They
hint of concealed grandeurs in all the
glens and parks among them, and yet
hold you back with doubt whether they
can be more beautiful near at hand than
when beheld at this distance.
With such an approach Denver must
be more than an ordinary city, not to
strike the traveller as a discord in the
grand booming of the scene. 1t is
pleasure for US to say that Denver fully
measures up to the requirements of its
grand surroundings. OF it as a city we
will have something to say in our next
letter. F. A. R.