The Republican journal., 1916-04-27

Our train left for Denver at one
o'clock, and we were soon travelling
| try. A mile long tunnel at Altamont as
| we crossed the divide gave US anything
but an enjoyable experience, as the train
rolled through so slowly that the air in
the Pullmans grew very close and stiff
ing before the end was reached. The
| journey was uneventful, and we were
glad to reach Denver at eight o'clock
next morning. Our stay in Denver for
| that day was only long enough to get the
mail that had accumulated there for US,
and to secure our reservations East, for
which we had telegraphed-th we con-
tinued our journey south to Colorado
Springs, where we arrived about noon.
A glimpse of Pixies Peak raising its
lofty head above the surrounding coun-
try, and of the strange cliff called Ele-
plant Butte, which really did look like
an enormous bronze elephant against the
! sky, were the chief points of interest in
an otherwise rather uninterestine Jour-
ney.
At the hotel in Colorado Springs, we
made the acquaintance of a pleasant
young Pittsburgh dentist, DIR. A. T.
Bowers, who, with his wife, accompa-
MED US on our various trips about the
country. They were just beginning
| their transcontinental tour, and expect
ed to return to Pittsburgh about the first
of August.
Our first objective point was the ia
nous Garden of the Gods, and soon after
lunch the four of US engaged Chalmers
for the afternoon, and started out to see
the sights The fine Colorado roads,
made of the red sandstone so prevalent
in the region there abouts, filled US with
admiration, and together with the clear
bracing air made the afternoons drive
one of the pleasantest of our trip. The
curious sandstone rocks of the Garden
of the Gods, with their weird shapes and
immense size, make the spot memoir
hciS Oi'Cs bS SoIC" dy AoSho oAC oN0A
300 feet high, and at the top the odd
shapes of the kissing Camels" can be
distinctly seen. The Garden of the Gods
is part of the park system of Colorado
Springs, presented the city by the chill
dren of Charles Eliot Perkins. Adioin-
ing it is privately owned tract of land
known as Mushroom Park, which con-
tains many other queer rock formations,
most of them mushroom-like in shape
hence its name. The Toad and Toad
stool Rocks seemed particularly realistic.
The far-famed Balance Rock and the
Steamboat Rock were carefully fenced
in, and could only be seen by the pay
ment of an admission fee. Once inside
one could see various points of interest
from the observatory on the top of
Steamboat Rock, and have the privilege
of mounting certain docile little burros
and have a novel picture taken in the
shadow of Balance Rock, which by the
way has been firmly cemented in place
to insure keeping it's balance forever.
Leaving the curious sandstone forma-
tions behind us, we took the Temple
Drive up through Williams Canyon to
the Cave of the Winds. The scenic
beauty of this drive was very great, and
our machine climbed easily up the al
most incredible grade, through the "Nar-
rows" and out on the heights above,
WI IF
tourists proclaimed the popularity of the
Cave of the Winds. We had paused for
few minutes at the "Narrows' in Or
der to get snapshot of Chief Manitou,
full blooded Indian, logged out in all
the glory of war paint and feathers. He
had so far overcome the prejudice CT his
race as to condescendingly allow tourists
10 buy picture post cards depicting him
; in all his glory, or else to photograph
him themselves for consideration.
The trip through the Cave of the
Winds was novel experience for US,
and as we traversed its mile or more OF
intricate passageways and chambers,
with their stalactites and stalagmites in
curious formation, and saw the strange
and beautiful ceilings of white Towering
= alabaster, we felt deep awe and admi-
ration for the great forces of Nature
i that had been at work fashioning these
/ wonders for SO many centuries.
4 The view from the entrance OF the
cave over Williams Canyon. with the
little town of Manitou in the distance at
: the base of its sheltering mountain OF
: the same name, was a beautiful one,
f and it was with regret that we left it tc
= descend the new auto road through Ute
Pass, back through Manitou, to oul
hotel at Colorado Springs once more.