Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-08-12

Wln0ln& Valleys. IQe 6Oh ID eOnAosA
red and sometimes gray and black. N
the fields. which are commonly divided
1 BY wire fences are many hogs, cattie
and horses feeding.
The time from Chicago to the Missouri
river by the various routes ID from
fifteen to twenty hours As one ap-
proaches the Missouri, high hills are
seen. The descent to the level OF the
river IL about twenty-five miles. -
In my trip l am going to take ~" ~.
four sections Of ire country VIZ: tno
prairie section, mountain section, des-
ert section and Pacific slope. Thoush
fiat pra1ries alternate.
| Many grain elevators dot the land
scape, and there are large fields OF
wheat and corn. The lines Of railroad
are very straight compared with east
ern lines. As the Journey proceeds 70.
words the west the elevations increase
and air becomes colder. dryer ana more re
dusty. Bunch grass takes, the place
| Of white clovor, corn and wheat helds
slowly disappear; large herds OF cot
tie are frequently seen. Trees grow
scarce and prairie dogs arc plenti1ui:
showing the decreasing amount OF
rainfall.
The summit Of the upward slope Is
reached before Denver, and from II q
fine view Of the front range, when
looks like great white stone wall IN
the distance. The beautiful city OF
Denver Is situated about fifty miles
from the Rocky mountains. Two hours
ride directly south from Denver car
ries the sightseer to Colorado Springs,
the center of much remarkable seen
cry. Nearby It is Mnnitou with It's ex-
cef1ent mineral spring. A few miles
south Of Colorado Springs Is the busy
town Of Pueblo. Passing westward
from Pueblo up the valley Of the
Arkansas, the route leads through the
Royal Gorge. whose sides are 30 near
together in places that It is scarcely
possible for river and railroad to pass,
and SO high that sky and sunshine are
almost shut out. A wider part Is reach
ed at Salida, where the railroad
crosses the river anc, after a run Of
five miles 1t begins to climb the Con-
tinental Divide over Marshall Pass.
This Is the watershed separating the
drainage Lf the Pacific slope from that
Of the Atlantic. Near the highest point
of the climb of the mountains the
train passes through snow sheds. the
last ono mile long. In the center of
the Black Canyon. Colorado, where the
bulwarks are lofty, stands the Cur
recante Needle, the most striking but
tress and pinnacle In the Rockies. Be
tween the Rock mountains and the
Cascade range Is the interior basin or
the Rocky mountain highlands, which
so small an amount Of mois-
ture during the year as to have all the
characteristics of desert or semi
arid sections.
All through the eastern part Of Utah
the country is very, dry. Salt Lake City
Is the business center Of the state,
by fine irrigated farm
land pass through Nevada, the sage
brush state. It's surface is quite varied.
In PLACES there are long stretches of
plains and hills and acres of alkali and
sage brush. cross many rivers like
the Humboldt which never reach the
ocean. The highest point is reached ar
a place very properly called Summit.
There, amidst towering peaks and
ranges. the scenery Is rugged and pic
turesque In short time the road
crosses the divide and begins tho
descent Of the western slope into the
valley OF California, to be
greeted by rich vegetation, brilliant
flowers and mild climate.
I then go to San Francisco on to the
sea shore and thus my journey Is
ended. can now hunt pretty shells
and play in the glisrening sand and
enjoy myself
Guy Fresh, age 8,
Townsend, Kans.