The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-08-20
ABE BROWN AND HIS TRAVELS
a Former ocala Citizen Writes In
terestingly of His Trip to the
West and Northwest

chattanooga, Tenn, Aug. II, 1909.
Dear Jake:
Have made several promises to
write something of my trip and shall
now endeavor to do so, but it would
require better composer to give you
full description.
On July 8 the folks and myself left
here in special Pullman at 6:2O a. NJ,
arriving at Meridian, Miss, at 3 D. m.
where others entered our car, AMI af.
ter being entertained for three hours
by Meridian Elks, our car was at.
tached to a special train consisting OF
seven Pullman. two baggage and
dining car, having 164 passengers
from Tennessee, Alabama, Mississip-
pi and Louisiana Amid the roar OF
brass band we started upon our long
journey. Within a few minutes We
were notified that the Meridian Elks
had furnished our train with refresh
ments, free, sufficient to do until We
reached Denver, Col. This beec, Ii
quors and soft drinks were kept very
busy throughout the entire thirty-day
trip, for Elks all along the route
would meet our train and present
casks of beer, ETC.: that is, at stations
where We stopped only a few min
utes. At those stops for an hour or
more we were met by Elks who took
us out sightseeing and entertaining
us at their lodge. We made many
stops for sightseeing, and took in
quite a number of side trips, all OF
which | shall not attempt to state.
We stopped at Dallas and Fort
Worth, Texas and Denver, Col. From
Denver we took the short" line 70
Cripple Creek, the gold mining sec
ton. 1I.600 feet above the sea level;
mountains, snow-capped the year
round. in sight. Denver is a large
| and very beautiful city; buildings al,
Of brick aaa stone none of wood.
Denver's water comes from the top
of Snuw-capped mountain, seventy
five miles distant and is considered
| the purest water on earth. They
claim sufficient water in their reser-
voir to supply Denver for three years
without adding one drop to their pres
ent supply. 1t is said that there is
more gold in the walls of Denvers
buildings than there is in the United
States mint, as many buildings were
erected from clay and stone from
Cripple Creek prior to the discovery
Of gold.
Our trip through Mississippi and
Texas was the only portion that was
uncomfortable. especially through
the Texas desert-sorle 1900 miles OF
prairie: nothing to be seen but the
heavens and earth, which could be
seen for many miles with the naked
eve. However, irrigation is now be
ing established and this prairie viii
soon be productive; at present moth
ling there. put occasionally we saw
loa4tIe ranch with such cows, etc, as
those owned by Chambliss & Co.
At Colorado Springs we intended
to make Pixies Peak, or bust, bu'
when informed we would have to take
the cog-wheel railway at a. n, anC
return at S:SG a. m, l respectfully dc
oIinad as I could never have stood
the trim. it being an elevation o
more than $4,000 feet, and into The
snow. Those of our party who wen
suffered from nose-bleed and after
wards severe colds. / contented my
self with. drinking spring water De
inc naturally charged very much hk'
| .nnoIinaris. We were delayed heT'
eight hours on account of a wrecl
with a freight and some special iran
going through the gorge. Our tlah
vas the first to pass through aIle
.ba wreck. Some of the passenger
took SNAPSHOTS of the wreck, Whlcl
was fearful to see. The trip throug
The royal gorge must be seen 10 D
appreciated. Here a sightseeing ca
was attached to our train, and as "
vbirIed around the cliffs, and hr's a
great elevation and then in the va
Low with the solid rocks upon Dot
SIDES. many thousand feet nigh an
, the great cracks in the rocks cause
o,a 70 wonder at such engineerin
; skill and to fear a landslide
our first stop of any consequence
IN california was at Saint Barnadin'
uare we were met by Elks, VII
, fyuits and flowers for all, and aut'
, mobiles and carriages for sight-se'
inc but ou- train received orders
move on. and our stay there was CT
, short We then stopped at Pasa q
Robles. the hot spring of Callfornla
! then at santa Barbara taking III d
-. tban m Santa Cruz, WESI