The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-12

Of the passage Of the Royal Gorge ia
reached. with the red granite wallis
sparkling with Mica aioft on either
hand for 1927 feet. The shy S. a
thread. almost o~bliterated by the Jag
|lged granite. and stars may be seen
at midday.
At one place. the Hanging Bridge.
the width Is but ten yards, and the
roadbed has been built over the
waters, The river boils madlys
through; the engine sways now to the
right, now to the LEFT, dragging the,
train. The vista ahead, momentarily
blocked. OPENS again; . way Is al
ways found. and always there is the
green stream foaning against its
boulders.
There was attached to the train
an opentoppedI observation car. where
all passengers took In the grand view.
Our course Is along the upper Arkan.
sas amidst hay and cattle ranches,
and rugged scenery. Arriving at Ma.
throp, there comes In view on the left
mountains. Harvard and Yale anu
Princeton OF the collegiate range.
drawing constantly nearer. Ahead is.
Mt. Massive, The highest mountain IN
the state, 1924 feet. Then we came
to Malta and the Arkansas river. now
small. Amidst snow and stunted cer
OARS and bleak stretches, the train
climbs the winding grade Of the Ten:
nessee Pass over the Continental di.
vide. The crest Of the pass 10
pierced by a tunnel, the farther end
opening upon the Pacific slope ana
the highest point Of the road being
reached, 1920 feet.
Since leaving Tennessee Pass the
course has been descending and will
continue SO into Utah. We sped on
with the brakes drawn to the canyon
of the Green river where It joins the
Grand river. The train enters the
canyon OF the Grand river and for Is
miles the eye Is constantly bewfldered
by the variety Of changing of view
OF the canyon. 1t closes and opens
again and is now wooded, now bare.
now rugged. now darker, and the i'm.
mense closing walls. $500 feet in
height, are tilted, scratched and cut in
fantastic figuration. Three tunnels
are encountered. Ono place the rail.
road and river occupy the passage.
Out Of the tunnel we came into
Glenwood Springs and near here Is
the largest deposits OF white marble
in the world. and said to be the larg-
est single marble mill In operation.
Out Of Glenwood. we traverse the
valley Of the Grand, the hills are
Ih1aaL o.d canraa with rad Earaftp
New Castle, made famous because
President Roosevelt disembarked
here for the big game region. To the
right is Smoking Mountain in under.
ground coal bed which has been on
fire for 20 years. Onward from here
stretches Colorado desert and on
either side Of the train is the gray
soil, cut deep by Arreyes, broken by
hummock uplift and flanked by the
hazy distances.
After passing many miles OF desert
we come into Ruby Canyon, SO
named because OF the Ruby sand
stone. The hues and the; strong fig
ures are cut by wind and water. This
canyon is 10 miles long. Midway of
the canyon at the mile post, 4S3 miles
from Denver, can be seen painted a
black line on the east side. Color;
ado" and west side Utah." while far
in the south, show the snowy crest
of Sierra la Sale mountains. The
Utah desert is being crossed which Is
fantastic beyond description amidst
the sage and the grease wood r
myriads Of sheep trails. Now way In
the far distance can be seen a rim OF
the Grand Canyon Of Colorado. Coll
umns and pinnacles reach before and
behind and on either side, onto Castle
Gate where extensive mines and hun.
dreds Of coke ovens. thence through
the giant Castle Gate from which the
station takes its name.
Passing on comes the brink of Utah
valley and before the eye spreads a
vast spectacle. all of lovliness and
prosperity. Lake Utah 80 miles long,
by six miles wide, simmering IN the