The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1916-05-11
"reminiscences OF
Western Travels.
BY HELEN NJ, TODD.
XIV.
From Denver to the East.


had been planned for the next day, but
when the day came, drizzling rain, -
|'most unusual in Colorado" came with
it. and the trip was necessarily abandon
ed, so that we utilized the time, there.
fore, in packing and in purchasing neces'
sary Photographic supplies. We said
xegretful goodbye to DR.. and Mrs. Bow
ers, who left at noon for the West, via
Salt Lake City, and in the afternoon we
ourselves left for Denver, where we ar
rived at 30 after rather dismal trip
through the rain The arch in front of
the railroad station at Denver seemed TO
US rather remarkabl affair, proclaim
ing as it did, in huge letters, Illuminated
at night, welcome" to the arriving
traveller, while the legend "Mizpah" Gil
the other side, served to speed the de-
parting guest,
After a call at the postoffice early
next morning, we turned our steps to
the Denver, Northwestern and Pacific
otherwise known as the Moffat Road
depot, where we purchased excursion
tickets to Corona. After we were well
on our way, the conductor coolly inform
ed US that thirty feet of snow at Corona
made stop there practically impossible,
and that it would be necessary for US to
buy tickets on to Arrow, the next sta
ton beyond, where the train would stop
for dinner. Why we were not given this
information and ticket to Arrow in the
first place at the ticket Office has ever
remained a mystery.
Almost Immediately after leaving Den
yer We began to climb into the foothills
of the Rockies, and soon were high
enough to get some fine views back over
the surrounding country. AS the train
began the real mountain climb, however,
the tunnels began TO multiply, and grew
so frequent that our position on the OBJ
servation platform became untenable,
and we were glad 10 retreat to our Pull
man chars to escape the sitting air and
the persistent cinders. Our coiored por-
ter was kept busy with opening and
shutting ventiiators, following regular
course Of procedure with each of the
twenty-nine odd tunnels which followed
each other in close succession.
AS the train stopped at Tolland, Al
miles from Denver, and nearly 5000 feet
above SEA level, a unique view presented
itself. Across beautiful valley, known
as Boulder Park, mountain doomed in
the foreground of the mightier snow-cla G
peaks beyond. Around the lesser noun.
ain the ever ascending railroad tracks
made three complete circuits and during
tour station stops we watched the regular
traln-Uhich was running ahead of oul
special excursion making it's spiral as
cent. Soon we were on the spiral our.
selves, and from its highest point could
look down on the tw track levels below
US.
Two little lakes, Yankee Doodle and
Dixie, lay among the peaks we'll above
the snow level at 10000 feet altitude,
scarcely mile apart. At the latter a
stop was made to allow the tourists the
novelty of throwing genuine snowballs
in midsummer. Both lakes, as we saw
them on the 23d of June were encased in
ice, and gave little hint of being the
beautiful placid mirrors" of the press
agents bulletins.
AS we mounted higher above the snow
line, snowshedes alternated with the tun-
nels and our glimpses of the truly mag
niticent scenery were exceedingly inter-
mittent. At Corona, the much heralded
TOP OF the World" II, $50 feet above
sea level, brief glimpse of the hotel as
as the train pulled into the station show
ed US only the roof peeping up beyond
the enormous snowdrifts, and we felt
that the conductors estimate of the
thirty feet of snow was an exceedingly
mild one. We did not in the least enjoy
our stop here, as the station was IN the
middle of long snowshed and the much.
advertised scenery consisted of the
damp, gloomy sheds, with countless lit.
tie rivulets dripping everywhere from
the snow that was piled high outside
The only excitement during the fifteer
minutes wait at the station was in hav
ing our notebooks, cards, hatbands-
everything stamp-able in fact-stampee
with CorOpa'e tra6opparL sETor, of <b<
World" However, as we had previous
ly visited at least three other place.
claiming the same proud title, our belle
in its validity in this instance was some
what shaken.
We were glad to descend the othel
side of the divide to Arrow, where ,