The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-08-31
HOME THROUGH ROYAL GORGE

Leaving the summit of Tennessee
Pass we get a good view of the Mos
quito Range which lies to the north
and west. Immediately north lies
Mount Massive, 14,402 feet high which
with Mount Ebert is said to be the
highest peak in the state.
Our course is o downward through
the valley of the Upper Arkansas
amidst hay and cattle ranches and
then on down through Grand Canon
and Royal Gorge. During the tourist
season an 'open top observation car
is attached to the train for the ride
through the Royal Gorge and the
seats can be occupied by those who
desire at 25 cents a head. | chose
to occupy one of these seats with DR..
and Mrs. Ben Bulge of Ames, Iowa,
and at first we were inclined to think
that we had been held up" for our
money, as the scenery was quite or
binary and it began to rain, but af-
ter the trip was ended we had to ac-
knowledge it was well worth the price.
There is probably nothing in the
world where trains run, like the
Royal Gorge. Clinging close to
every twist and turn there is scarcely
space betwixt wall and river for the
single track on which the train is run
and the red granite walls on either
hand tower 1927 feet above our head,
the sky is but a thread almost obliter-
ated by the jagged ramparts. The
v%astness and beauty of this wonderful
gorge is almost beyond pen pictures
and l shall leave it to the imagination
until some time you may be fortunate
enough to see it with your own eyes.
At Pueblo we reached the foot Of
the Rocky Mountains and here could
still be seen evidences OF the food that
had devasted that region but one
short year ago. 1t was here that the
S%hriners, on their way to the I'm
perial Shrine at Des Moines, stopped to
alleviate suffering and rescue the
the perishing. Several thousand dol
lars was contributed on the spot and
having done what they could many
Mobiles returned home happy I'm the
thought Of having been of service to
humanity and without seeing the I'm
perial Shrine that year.
The next stop Of Importance was
Colorado Springs. BY this time l had
become well acquainted with a bunch
of Shriners from Indiana, in fact the
passengers Of this train was largely
made up of these very fine people
who insisted hat l must stop off with
them but on learning that there were
some five or six thousand girls there
attending a convention l considered
discretion the better part of valor"
and, bidding my new found friends
farewell, proceeded on to Denver.
The train was some late when we
arrived but / managed to secure a
good room with bath, the last one to
be had in hat hotel. After a re-
freshing bath ] went on the streets
to look for something to eat and got
a glimE So Of what is recognized as
an ideal city with a population Of
about 4 10000, sometimes designated as
THE City Beautiful"
The following morning I called up
DR.. George Wright who, though a very
busy man insisted that l come right
over to his Office. DR.. George is
known and still remembered by the
older residents of Brookings and by
those who attended the State Agrf-
cultural college In the early SOS. He
is a nephew OF J. A. Hegeman OF
Brookings. The doctor was quite q
sport and m Al around athlete In
his younger days but aftsrward gradu-
(coatfnusds % page l0-Col. -