Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-10-25
A DRIVE AMONG THE
ROCKY MOUNTAINS.

NUN i MUM
Tozier, Of Denver, Col. formerly Of sede-
wick.
Wednesday morning, Aug. 2 with
twelve relatives and friends, We left Dem
yer by team for trip among the Rocky
mountains. With q feeling that all was
going we'll with US on our long talked Of
trip, as no hitch had occurred In our pre-
parations, we set joyfully forth ON stout
wagons, loaded with tents, clothing and
provisions and drawn by able horses,
upon our first days journey. This took
us from Denver through the suburban
town OF Berkeley, through Fruitdale, q
fruit-growing district, on to the town OF
Golden, noted for its beautiful scenery,
fine industrial schools, school OF mines,
smelters and 80 forth.
As Golden IL situated in the foot hills, it
was but matter OF . few miles drive into
Golden Gate canon before We came to our
first camping ground.
The roads over which We travelled
wound around the sides of the mountains,
along the crests and down into the canons.
Oftentimes the road-bed was 70 near the
edge Of the mountain side that one could
look down hundreds OF feet into the canon
below, and in one place it resembled 1.-THE
Giants Ladder" Of the MofIat road, there
being the three tracks, and those on the
last team could Qf they choose) look
down upon the others, and the feeling Of
relief which one experienced % they
reached the canon was great.
Our mode OF conveyance gave NJ ample
time to view the surrounding country, the
cattle ranches, the mines, the timber, the
mountain streams and lakes. Tho farther
we advanced the wilder and grander grew
the country, but all its grandeur could not
sustain the body, 30 we, realizing what
was to come BY what we had passed, never
failed to And some pleasant nook where
we and our horses could eat dinner in
comfort SO that we might have the nerve
and strength necessary for such . trip.
Black Hawk, our next camping ground,
is very old mining town. Its elevation
is s,o32 feet. All along the sides OF the
road, which winds down the mountain
side into the canon where it is situsted,
can be seen the mines and prospecting
holes OF days gone by. return Of its
oId-time activity is looked for, as Eastern
capitalists have become interested in the
mines. The town is built on the sides Of
the mountains, the streets winding
around as do the mountain roads.
In Black Hawk resides Mr. Blake who
left Rockland, Me-, forty-five years ago
for that country, and it was our pleasure
to meet with him and from him we
learned much OF interest.
We went next to Central City, mile
distant, and located at the base OF the
Snow range. Its gold mines are very rich,
the Gregory lode being the Hrst discovered
in Colorado. Its prosperity was very evil
dent. As we gained the "High Line" in
Central City, we were enabled to look
about us in every direction, and as far as
eye could reach we saw mines, ranches,
streams and lakes lower down on the
mountains.
For some miles we drove through q COM
paratively level country with ever vary
ing scenes before Us. We passed above
Russell's gulch, very thrifty mining
town, and drove south towards Idaho
Springs. From an elevation OF about 5000
feet we descended to the city, which is
7,543 feet above ses-Ievel. The road by
which we reached the city made Ali others
fade, and as we went down many, many
feet, We passed many mines, also went by
the Newhouse tunnel, which extends for
about Ave miles through the mountains to
Central City. The main tunnel, with its
branches, is twenty-five miles long.
After we reached the town we found it
to be OF different class than the others,
for it is quite summer resort on account
of the scenery and springs, ss well as
mining town.
Driving three miles west Of the town we
pitched our tents near Clear creek in Clear
Creek canon and only fourteen miles from
the Continental divide. There we re-