The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1913-04-17
BY CAPT. B. F. RocKAFELLow.
A Paper Read Before the Friends in
Council.

Council.
Lady Directress, Friends in Council,
and Your Friends:
The most exciting events in the his
tory of railroad construction in Colo
rado occurred right here. Our first
efforts in 1867 we're through John d
Perry. president of The aKnsas Pacific
railroad. The hope seemed well
founded that their company might
build to the Pacific coast via our
Grand Canyon. IT being great rent
in the mountain range that led by
easy grades through the lowest passes
over the Continental Divide.
II was fastened in the memory OF
engineers by Lieut.. Zebulon Pike hav-
ing risked his life In coming down
through 1t the last of December. 1906,
and by Gen. John c. Fremont in 1s43
having his way to the Pacific coast
blocked by It.
Our county and Fremont's Peak TAX
ing the name OF the latter, and Lieut.
Pike giving his name to Pixies Peak
For some years Thos. Mason said we
lived on lead pencils. drafting descrip-
tions OF this wonderful land and
schemes to attract the attention of
capitalists and railroad engineers. For
having got our wives in prairie
schooners and stage coaches to this
barrier where 1t seemed civilization
must halt, they declared they never
would 60 back until a railroad was
built.
Finally we got the great railroad
guns by the ears and real guns bris-
tied about us In a more threatening
than dangerous manner. the concise,
interesting details OF which l ask
leave to urge you to read as given in
the Fremont county history portion OF
"The History of the Arkansas Valley"
written in 1881. directly after the
Grand Canyon war. while the enacting
characters, dates and details were
fresh in mind. Being on double coll
umn pages 500 to sos. fair synopsis
OF which cannot be given In a short
paper.
The first thorough examination OF
the Grand Canyon with view TO rail-
road building was by Col. VIM II.
Greenwood. piloted by my father.
George RockafeIlow. in November.
1868. In January. 1873. strong ice
formed along the rock-bound river
edge. and a party Of US Canonites
went on a picnic, accompanied by
Capt. Albert Walter and his little
brass band. followed along that strip
OF ice to a point near where the Hang
ing bridge now is. There the ice
closed in from both sides. leaving
about three feet open channel. The
foaming waters formed a raised rim
OF Abalona shell-like hues and smooth
ness.
We built our camp fire on a fiat
rock near shore. where preparations
for the dinner commenced. The rapid
waters splashed and surged In that
narrow way in their icy channel. while
the cornet notes twirled and leaped
skyward among the storm and wind
brushed and smoothed rocks OF that
mighty cleft.
As the band played. and We danced
until fatigued with the exercise and
excitement OF the occasion. we lay
down on the Ice and gazed upwards
in silent wonderment and admiration
in that hall with 1000 feet high walls
formed aad decorated in brightest
shades OF granite by the Great Archi-
tect and covered with strip OF ceru-
lean sky. The. band played and play
ed. until 1t seemed as though every
breath would leave their lungs. and
the Grand Canyon as well; while our
souls we're stirred with ETHEREAL life