Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1916-01-21
4 Wonderful Trip
Across the Continent
Written by NJ. A. Colaw

After several vigorous but futile
attempts to gain the snow clad
peaks he wrote, "No human being
could ascend to its plnnacIes," but
time and ingenuity Of man works
wonders,
Looking down from the tower of
the old U. S Observatory, one Of
the highest in the world, we thought
of the speech Coz. Williams made
in Crabbottom at Democratic
rally years ago, when he waved
his old hat and cried:
Gould | but stand where Moses
stood,
And view the land scape ov'r, etc. 4"
One sees the great panorama of
world wonders and scenic beauties
at one broad glance It's the roof
tree of our beloved republic with
its bold crest catching the first
CLEANS of the sun i'll the morning
and the last glow of its sky light
beauties in the evening; only the
painters brush or the pen of the
ready writer could adequately de
scribe its marvellous beauties and
perfect colorings in the dizzy dis
lance.
Passing down the Royal Gorge of
the Grand Canyon with 10 coaches
of jolly tourists, one sees and never
forgets those red, brown granite
walls towering aloft on either side
2627 feet high. almost obliteratine
The sky by its jagged ramparts and
developing the novelty or phenom
ana IF seeing the stars at midday
The foamy waters of the Arkansas
rush madly through while the train
swavs from side to side on its down
ward course, round curves and
through the dark narrow tunnel.
| At Hanging Bridge the width is
but ten wards wide, and the road
bed is built over the boiling waters.
| With a glass one could see herds OF
mountain sheep far off on the rug
sed peaks with only snow for their
beds and scrubby pines for a COW
ering.
We passed Castle and Elephant
rocks and Needle point, and many
other little mountain towns; then
with three of the, most powerful
engines in the world, over 26 per
cent grade, to the top of the Great
Continental Divide, which separates
the Atlantic from the Pacific slopes
Through Tennessee Pass to Lead.
vile, the highest Incorporated city
in the world, the roof town of
America, where more than $780,
600, 900 in gold and silver has been
mined since 1877.
In the distance could be seen Mt.
Princeton, Yale and Harvard, anc
as the evening sun went slowly
down behind those towering his
toric peaks, clad in perpetual snow,
and cast her golden rays over the
moon lit shadows, scene Of heav-
emily beauties was pictured on our
mind and heart that will live for
ever Near Red Cliff on our left
could be seen the Mount of Holy
Cross where nature has torn out OF
the rugged mountain a perfect
cross.
Passing over the Colorado Desert
a beautiful moonlight night from
Grand Junction it seemed the most
barren, desolate place on earth.
At Utaline we passed into Utah
through Castle Gate, the norman
entrance to the Promised Land and
over Soldiers Summit where Col
Ia S. Johnson's army camped in
1857 So after Norman War. Here
Lush Luck, the newsboy, made bis
memorable speech to the pretty
school marin from West Virginia,
and told how the graves of the mu'
tilated soldiers could be seen on the
hill to the left of the car. Many
of us parted with a wheel" for a
copy of his views of Rocky Noun
tain scenery, but We locked in vain
for the graves. till the brakeman
said he had been on the road for
LIS years and never seen or beard
of soldiers graves; besides it would
take all the faith of the norman
church and all the coal and explo-
sives made in Colorado to blow a
hole big enough in those frozen
peaks to bury news boy, let-a-
lone the soldiers.
The innocent Luck told US few
days later he was sorry he had de-
ceived the pretty school marin but
remarked that "custom made liars
of us all. )"
When the whistle blew for River
ton we could see the temple spires
projecting above the other build
ings in the Holy City of Saints, II
miles away.
After q good salt water bath and
a warm hearty meal and little nap.
we commenced to explore the sights
and see the places of interest. This