Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-08-13
A Trip to the Pacific Coast.
Canton, S. D., Aug. 4, 90

ers Of the LEADER, but finding time
too limited l postponed doing so,
therefore III now write a brief ac-
count of what l saw in the west.
My brother, John Sletten and l left
for Denver, July 3rd, and before our
arrival there met several Dakota peo-
pie who were also on their way to the
Teachers Convention.
On our way from Canton to Omaha
we noticed nothing new in the line of
scenery but the Sioux Valley did not
look as picturesque as it generally does
on account of the heavy rain fall at
that time. We reached western Neb-
raska on the morning of July 4th.
The western and central part of state
is mostly level and in general the crops
looked fine; the extreme western part
is sandy and more desolate looking
than some portions Of eastern Colora-
do, but on nearing Denver much of
the land is irrigated and good crops
are raised.
We arrived at Denver on the same
day and on the 5th saw the city and
attended the opening meeting of the
Convention. II h g Convention in
every respect was fine and continued
for four days.
After leaving Denver we next visit
ed Colorado Springs, a famous all-the-
year health resort where many people
find certain relief from aSthmatic and
lung affections. At this place we
walked up the Cheyenne Canyon and
saw the beautiful Seven Falls and
climbed the stairs to the top of a
mountain and saw Helen Hunt Jack
sons grave. Helen vas compelled to
make that place her home on account
of bronchial affection. ramona"
her Indian novel, is one of her best
known works. She wrote many Of
her beautiful poems on this mountain.
She was born at Amherst, Mass, in
1881, and died at San Francisco in
1885, and at her request her body was
brought to Colorado Springs and laid
to rest on the top Of Cheyenne Noun
tain.
1t was her desire that tourists visit
higher grave should deposit two stones
on that heap that forms her monu-
ment and take away one as a souvenir.
Her body was however later removed
from that place.
On our way up and down that grand
canyon we saw what is termed Her
culeS Pillars, which are large masses
of stone extending many hundred feet
into the air. The water in the brook
along the canyon was very clear and
looked very picturesque as it dashed
over the rocks and pebbles.
Near Manitou which is a short dis
tanc from Colorodo Springs, we visited
the Garden of the Gods where the aw-
full forces of prehistoric nature have
played strange pranks with the rocks.
We saw here many strange things but
we had to imagine a great deal; some
things are not readily seeE unless
pointed out.
At Manitou there are springs Of
carbonated water bubbling from the
ground. The largest soda spring In
the world is below this station.
On July 10th we concluded to walk
up Pixies Peak, and we walked it.,
Prof. Hotf of the Mitchell schools &C
companied us. We walked and rested
and walked and walked by way of the
Cog road, finally the summit was
p9rha1 ii 1l7 foot nhnVo Soa 10 vol
We were tired but after resting a
while we saw sunrise above the clouds,
a beautiful sight. On way up we
also saw the moon rise, a sight never
to be forgotten. After three hours
rest on the mountain we started down
and Oh! it seemed so warm before we
got to the foot, and the weather was
certainly cold enough at and above
the place called timber line. The dis
lance by way of Cog road is $50 miles
making a distance up and down from
where we walked of about twenty
miles.
The next stop we made was at Salt
Lake City. 1t is a beautiful city Of
co,ooo pcoplc. Liz SIedU "OILloIl
Temple is seen for many miles. We
had the pleasure of listening to a re-
cital at the tabernacle, which is a
very large building. A few minutes
ride from the city of Salt Lake brought
us to the Lake. The lake is 42S feet
aboye sea level and has an average
depth Of % feet, the greatest depth
being Is feet. The lake has no outlet
and is about % per cent. salt, and
swimming or floating in it is therefore
easy. Saltair, a wonderful bathing re-
sort, is located at the lake and has
over 1000 individual bath houses.
We left Salt Lake July Is and on
our way to Portland, Ore, we say
mountain scenery of different kinds.
We enjoyed our two days stay at
Portland and while there went to AS
toria where We saw the waves of the
great Pacific ocean. On leaving Port
land we next visited the A. Y. p. ex-
position at Seattle and enjoyed the
same very much. I'll not attempt to
relate anything we saw there. On
our way home we visited several points
of interest; the one of most interest
tO mo was the Yellowstone Park