777
COLON i
t/
University of California • Berkeley
HOMPSON,
srtger Jgent
Santa Clara St.
ROYAL GORGE.
THE OPINIONS
OF
THE JUDGE AND THE COLONEL
AS TO
THE VAST RESOURCES OF COLORADO
THE MANY ADVANTAGES WHICH IT OFFERS TO THE RICH AND POOR, ITS
ATTRACTIONS FOR PLEASURE SEEKERS AND INVALIDS IN ITS CLIMATE.
HEALTH RESORTS AND PLEASURE GROUNDS, THE WEALTH
OF ITS MOUNTAINS AND THE FERTILITY OF ITS
VALLEYS
PUBLISHED BY THE PASSENGER DEPARTMENT
OF THE
DENVER & RIO GRANDE R. R.
COPYRIGHTED BY
S K. HOOPER. GEN'L PASP. AND TICKET AGENT
1898.
COPIES OF THIS BOOK
WILL BE SENT FREE ON APPLICATION TO ANY OF THE
OFFICIALS OF THE DENVER & RIO GRANDE
RAILROAD NAMED BELOW.
E. T. JEFFERY, President and General Manager, . . Denver
A. S. HUGHES, Traffic Manager, ... . Denver
S. K. HOOPER, General Passenger and Ticket Agent, . Denver
T. E. SWANN, Ass't General Passenger and Ticket Agent, . . Denver
H. E. TUPPER, General Eastern Agent, . . No. 353 Broadway, New York
J. \Y. SLOSSON, Gjueral Agent, . . . No. 236 Clark St., Chicago
P. B. DODDRIDGE, General Agent, . 102 N. 4th St., St. Louis. Mo.
H. V. LUVSTER, Traveling Passenger Agent, 315 N. Y. Life Bldg., Kansas City
\Y. H. CUNDEY, Traveling Passenger Agent, .... Denver
\V. J. SHOTWELL, General Agent, . .314 California St., San Francisco
R. C. NICHOL. General Agent, . . 251 \Yashington St., Portland, Ore.
B. F. NEVINS, General Agent, . No. 58 South Second St., Salt Lake City
H. M. GUSHING, Traveling Passenger Agent, 58 So. Second St., Salt Lake City
WHAT THESE GENTLEMEN TALKED ABOUT.
"PERHAPS A PASSING MENTION."
PAGE
• 24
. 20
• 14
1C
24
Anthracite Coal,
Antlers Hotel, .
Architecture in Denver
A Model " Lunch Room,
Area of Colorado, .
Agricultural Lands, . . 35
Alamosa, . . . .35
Alamosa Branch, . . .33
Alfalfa, . . . .go
Apples, . . . -38
7^» •*••» Arkansas Valley, . . .43
f "'if Animas Cafion, . . .51
"Around the Circle," . . 41
Air Brakes . . . .55
Altitude. . . ' -13
Aspen, 61
Assayer's Supplies, . .31
Artesian Wells, . . .35
Barley, 36
Bath House at Glenwood Springs. . . 60
Beer, 31
Book Cliffs. 61
Breakfast at " Minturn," . . . b7
Brick, . 25
Broadmoor, 20
Brown's Cafion, . . . • . .52
Buena Vista 52
Building and other Stone, . . .25
Burnham, 13
Canned Goods, Crackers and Cigaru, . 32
Cafion City, 44
Cafion of the Grand River, . . .60
Cattle, . . . . . . .53
Cement 46
Character of the People, . . . .27
Charcoal, 45
Chain of Parks. . 53
Chemical \Vorks, .
Cheyenne Mountain,
Churches,
Clay,
Cliff Dwellings
Coal, . .
Coke
"Collegiate Mountain Range,"
Colorado's Climate
Colorado's Climate vs. Switzerland's,
Colorado's Mineral Wealth,
Colorado's vs. Switzerland's Scenery.
Colorado Springs
Colorado Flour,
Colorado Fruit
Copper
Cotton Mills of Denver, .
Cottonwood Springs,
Creede,
Cripple Creek
Dairy Farming, ....
Deceiving Distances,
Delta County Fruit Lands,
Denver as a City, ....
Denver a Poor Market for Sleighs, .
Denver Business Men,
Denver Club Houses,
Denver's Daily Papers,
D. & R. G. Hospital
Dining Stations, ....
Durango,
Eagle River Cafion
Educational Advantages,
Effect of Altitude at Leadville,
Fifty New Gold Camps, .
Fire-brick
Fishing
PAGE
. 31
. 19
. 27
. 25
. 43
24, 64
. 24
. 53
. 12
. 13
25, 64
. 62
38, 64
25, 64
. 31
. 52
. 33
. 41
. 39
. 17
. 14
. 12
. 15
. 14
. 27
• 47
6
PAGE
Florence, 40
Florence & Cripple Creek Railroad, . 41
Fort Logan 13
Foundries 31
Fruit Growing, 38
Game Laws, 59
Garden of the Gods, . . . .19
Glass Works of Colorado City, . . 32
Gillman, 57
Glen Park, 16
Grades in the Mountains, . . .55
Grand River Valley, . . . .61
Grand Junction, 62
Granite Placers Mines, . . . .54
Glenwood Springs, 61
'Slenwood Springs Pool, . . . .60
Gold, How extracted from the Ores, . 23
Gold, How much to the Ton, . . .23
Gold, New Discoveries, . . . 22, 64
Gold, Old Camps, 22
Gold, What Ore will Pay to Work, . . 23
Goose Creek 49
Great Divide 27
Hanging Bridge, 44
Hay, 52
Hog-raising, 46
Hops, 36
Hotel Monte Cristo, 47
Hotel Colorado, 60
Hotels of Denver, 14
Hunting Grounds for Big Game, . . 59
Iron, 24, 64
Iron Manufactories, . . . .30
Iron Ore, 24
Iron, Where Found, . . . .24
Irrigation in a Buffet Car, . . .21
Irrigation Ditches, 37
Irrigation, the Advantages of, . . 37
Irrigation, the Cost of 37
Irrigation, the Ownership of (Ditches), . 33
Kaolin, 25
Lake City 49
Lakes of the Mountains, . . . . jg
La Plata Mining District, . . .51
Lava Beds on the Grand River, . . 59
Lead, 23, 64
Lead Mining, 23
Leadville, the Carbonate Camp, . . 50
Leadviile, the Gold Discoveries of, . 50
Lime, 4G
Lime Rock 46
Lung Diseases, ... • • 13
PAGE
Manitou Waters, 19
Manitou, " The Saratoga of the West," . 19
Manitou & Pike's Peak R. R. . . .17
Marble, ....... 25
Manufactories of Colorado, . . .32
Mesa County Fruit Lands, . . .39
Mild Winters of Colorado, . . .12
Mileage of the " D. & R. G." . . .51
Mineral Palace, 30
Mining Shafts in the Cliffs, . . .57
Mineral Springs 61
Model Bath House 60
Montezuma Valley, 35
Montrose County Fruit Lands, . . 39
Monument, the Potato District, . . 16
Mount of the "Holy Cross," . . .57
Mount Ouray 47
Mount Shavano 47
Narrow Gauge System, . . . .49
Natural Gas 41
Newspapers 27
No Delay of Trains, account of Snow, . 12
Oats 36
On to Utah and California, . . .62
Onyx, 25
Ore, Smelting of 23
Oil Fields, 40
Ouray, "The Beautiful," . . .51
Packing Houses, 31
Palmer Lake, 16
Paper Mills of Denver, . . . .31
Peach Culture, 39
"Peach Day," 17
Physicians Recommend Colorado, . . 13
Pike's Peak, 17
Pintsch Gas 53
Placer Mines at Granite 54
Population of San Luis Valley, . . 35
Population of the State, . . . .25
Potatoes, 35, 64
" Potato Bakes," it>
Poultry Farming 39
Prices of Lands, 40
Property Valuation, . . . .28
Pueblo and its Industries, . . .30
Pueblo Depot 28
"Rainbow Route,'' 51
Real Estate in Denver, . . . .15
Red Cliff, 57
Reduction Works at Florence, . . 41
Rents in Denver, . • • 15
Residences of Denver. . . . .15
Rio Grande Southern Railway, .
Rio Grande Western Railway, .
Rolling Mills,
Round Houses of the "D. & R. G.,"
Royal Gorge ......
Salida,
San Francisco Sleeper, . . .
Sangre de Cristo Range, . . .
San Luis Valley,
Scenery of the Rocky Mountains, .
School Houses,
Sheep Raising,
Silver, ......
Silver Circuit,
Silver Still Lives,
Silverton,
Silverton Railroad,
Sleeping Cars into Cripple Creek, .
Small Farming,
Small Fruits,
Smelters,
Snow in Colorado,
Spanish Peaks, . . . .
Sportsman's Paradise, . . .
Stage Line ......
State Debt,
State Institutions,
Stone .......
PAGE
. 49
. 02
31
.47
.44
48
.11
.47
33
. Gl
27
45
22, 64
27
22
51
51
. 41
PAGE
Siop-Over Tickets, ... .54
Street Car System of Denver, . . .32
Sugar, Beet, .46
Tennessee Pass, 57
Telephone System 32
Trans-Continental Line, . . . .48
That "Third" Rail 48
Trains Run Smooth, . . . .55
Track, Road Bed and Bridges, . . 55
Tillable Lands, 35
Timber and Timber Lands, . . . 4~>
Toll Road. .... . . .51
Towns of the San Luis Valley, . . 35
Trinidad, 33
Trinidad Branch, 32
Trout Fishing, . . . . .59
Utah, Resources and Beauties. . . 63
Ute Reservation, 35
Veta Pass, . . . . . . .32
Wagon Wheel Gap, 33
Water-melon Day, 16
Water Power 53
What WTill Grow at this Altitude, . . 35
Wheat 36
Wool 45
Wolhurst 13
White Lead Works, 31
THIS BOOK
is
DEDICATED
TO
THE PIONEERS OF COLORADO
TO THEIR DESCENDANTS
4ND AT.T. THOSE WHO HAVE EMULATED THEIR EXAMPLE
THUS ESTABLISHING, MAINTAINING AND UPBUILDING
THE STRUCTURE OF THIS
3REAT COMMONWEALTH
NOTE. — Space will only admit of brief mention of the many subjects
referred to, but full and complete information on any of the subjects can
be obtained upon application to Mr. S. K. Hooper. General Passenger
Agent of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, Denver.
PREFACE
,HIS BOOK is a condensed report of actual conversa-
tions, with the added value that every fact stated
herein has been carefully verified by a comparison
with the latest official statistics. No attempt has
been made to give a highly colored narrative, the
facts being of sufficient interest to challenge attention, with-
out the aid of literary embellishments. The reader can con-
fidently rely on these statements, and with the hope that
through its perusal many will be enabled to better their
condition, either physically, financially, or in both regards,
this book is faithfully submitted.
CHAPTER I.
"THE JUDGE AND THE MAJOR.'
THfe MY AFTER
T WAS a typical Colorado
1 day. The moderate snows
of Christmas night had
melted away in the glowing
morning sun ; the skies were
clear and bine, and the pure, balmy
air was bracing and delightful. The
mountains to the west were white with
eternal snow, but the city of Denver
lay basking in the genial warmth, sjig-
gestive of a bright spring in the East. At the Union Depot the newsboys
were crying the morning papers ; uniformed trainmen hurried through
the busy, shifting crowd ; the tireless gateman politely made reply to the
hundreds of questions put to him ; the loaded trucks rattled along with
mail and baggage, and the west-bound trains were " making-up " for their
long journeys toward the setting sun, and awaiting the arrival of the
" Rock Island," " Burlington" and Union Pacific trains from the east.
Judge Stark entered the depot, and, as the conductor called out "All
aboard," walked hurriedly to the Denver & Rio Grande train, ready to
start on its journey to the Pacific Coast, and boarded the through San
Francisco sleeper. Upon entering the " smoking apartment," the Judge's
eye met the florid countenance of Major Preston, who was seated beside
the open window, through which he was intently surveying the scenes
outside.
The Judge seated himself opposite the Major, who was too absorbed in
thought to observe his entrance.
"Hello, Major; what are you thinking of," said the Judge, after a
moment's silence. The Major looked up surprised at this interruption,
12
but reco^nizdng the Jndge, cordially shook his hand, and replied, as the
train moved quietly out of the station :
"Well. Judge, I was thinking of this beautiful weather you have here.
I came from the East ten days ago, and found it very raw and cold every-
where I went. The biting winds gave me a touch of the ' Grippe,' but I
had not been in Colorado more than three days before I was all right
again. This climate is certainly delightful, and very surprising to me. I
had an idea that your winters were more severe. Is this a sample of
your winter weather ? "
"Yes, Major. This is a fair sample. We boast of three hundred and
forty-eight sunshiny days in an average year."
"Why, it was really warm this morning. I walked down from the
hotel, and found that my overcoat was actually burdensome, and yet it is
the middle of winter."
"Oh, such weather is quite common during the greater part of our
winter, and in the middle of the day for more than half the season we
seldom have use for overcoats ; in fact, our winters are very mild, as a
rule, and this is not an extraordinary day for Colorado."
"But you don't mean to say that you never have any colder weather
than this?"
"Not at all, sometimes it is quite cold in the mornings and evenings,
but we always have warm sunshine during the middle of the day, and it
is very seldom, indeed, that the thermometer (in what we term the valley
towns) ever falls below zero, and then only during the night or early
part of the day, and for a short season during the winter, usually about
two or three weeks in January."
"Well, isn't there a great deal of snow?"
"On the contrary, we have very little, except in the mountains ; occa-
sionally snow falls in the valley, but the warm sun usually melts it away
within a few hours. Denver is a poor market for sleighs ; we have had
good sleighing in Denver only three times in the last fifteen years. Why,
we actually have to sprinkle the streets in the winter. What snow we
have, you understand, usually comes in the early spring."
"But the snow in the mountains must interfere with your railroad
lines?"
"On the contrary, the main line of the Denver & Rio Grande, which
is strictly a mountain road, suffers less from snow blockades than the
more exposed roads of the east, or in fact, those that are known as the
'southern lines.' The exposed places are amply protected, and the trains
run upon schedule time in winter as in summer. Some of the unimport-
ant branch lines are troubled slightly in the spring, but I am informed by
an official of the road, that there has not been a serious delay ovor Hie
main line for eight years."
4 'By the way," said
the Major, as lie lit a
cigar and handed one to
the Judge, ' ' was there an
accident? I saw them carrying some one into the
station on a litter."
"Oh, no. That was a lady suffering from con-
sumption, brought here for benefit from our climate.
Such scenes are not uncommon at the Union Depot."
"Indeed! Have you any idea where she came
from?"
"The attendant told me that she was a New York
lady, but had come directly here from Davos Platz,
in Switzerland."
" That's strange — has Colorado climate such a high reputation
for the cure of lung diseases?"
"Most assuredly, many of the most eminent physicians and
medical journals recommend it as superior in every respect to the
noted places of Europe, and if patients only come in time, a cure is
almost a certainty."
"In what respect does Colorado's climate excel that of Switzer-
land, for instance?"
"In its pure dry air and sunshine. Colorado has about twice the
hours of sunshine and a higher average temperature, while there is
a great deal less rainfall and consequent humidity."
"How do the altitudes compare?"
"The altitudes of Colorado range somewhat higher, but the
temperature also ranges higher, and we have no extremes of heat
and cold. Timber grows in the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of from
11,000 to 12,000 feet, while perpetual snow in Switzerland begins at 8,500
feet ; there are many varieties of tender trees and plants that thrive in
Colorado that cannot exist at the same altitude in Switzerland — just so
with delicate invalids, who can only remain at Davos during certain
seasons, while they can derive benefits in Colorado through the entire
year."
The Major crossed his legs, leaned back in his seat, and reflectively
puffed his cigar; the train had passed Burnham, where the great shops of
the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company are situated, and was now
bowling along the valley of the Platte. The Judge pointed out Fort
Logan in the distance, and explained that "Uncle Sam" had already ex-
pended a million dollars upon its construction, with the intention of mak-
ing it the model military post of the country.
As the train moves swiftly by "Wolhurst" (the beautiful suburban
14
home of Senator Wolcott, a dozen miles from Denver), and as the Judge
explains to his friends how, in a few years, irrigation has converted an
arid plain into this beautiful park, we will take the opportunity to intro-
duce these gentlemen to our readers.
Judge Stark and Major Preston had met each other for the first time
the week previous at a banquet of Denver's business men. Maj. Preston
is a dignified, handsome gentleman of perhaps sixty, but looks ten years
younger, and had come to the West as the representative of an Eastern
syndicate, with the view of making investments. He was inquisitive
upon all subjects pertaining to the resources and investment advantages
of Colorado, and found Judge Stark a gentleman thoroughly competent
to furnish him much valuable information, because of his wide experience
and intimate and varied knowledge of Colorado's resources, for the Judge
had come to Colorado during the first gold excitement in '58, and, after
having successively worked as a miner, as a newspaper editor in a mining
camp, practiced at the bar as a mining and corporation lawyer, and
crowning his legal career with a term on the state supreme bench, he is
now enjoying the fruits of a well-spent life, as a retired capitalist and
honored citizen.
The Major threw his cigar out of the window, and a pleasant smile
lighted up his face as he said, —
"Judge, I have visited nearly every important city in America and
many in Europe, but this is my first visit to Denver and Colorado, and I am
simply amazed at the beauty, the size and cleanliness of your city, as well
as its wonderful growth and the magnificence of its public and private
buildings. It is a liberal education in architecture to look at your public
school buildings, while the Court House and State Capitol are truly mag-
nificent. Why, you have many buildings that are not surpassed in
Chicago or New York ; and then you have so many good hotels. Take
the 'Brown Palace Hotel,' for instance; there is none in the country
superior to it, so far as I know, either in architecture or appointments. I
I have heard it spoken of as a very fine hotel, by some New York gentle-
men, but it far exceeded my expectations ; I was not prepared for so much
magnificence."
"Are you interested in clubs, Major?"
"Yes, I am quite a club man, and was entertained at your principal
ones, the ' Denver Club ' and the * Athletic Club ; ' they are housed in
exceptionally fine buildings that would do credit to any city ; and, as for
their membership, I do not care to meet more cordial ; kindly or intelligent
gentlemen. I did not visit them all, but understand that there are several
other delightful clubs in your city."
•' Did you know, Major, that they build no frame houses in Denver ?"
" I did not observe any, now that you have referred to it, but I took
OUTSWfe especial notice of the many
elegant residences that lie to the east of the
'Capitol Building.' The tasteful and hand-
some architecture impressed me very much."
" Then you drove about the city?"
"No, I learned that I could see the city
better by taking the electric and cable lines,
and I spent two afternoons in visiting such
points as the smelters, stock yards, suburban lakes and the
resorts and universities, and thus secured a good idea of the
wide extent of your educational, manufacturing and resi-
dence districts."
" What is your idea of Denver real estate, Judge ?"
" Where it is judiciously located, it will certainly see a rise in values on
the termination of the present world- wide financial stringency."
" How are rents in Denver?" asked the Major.
"They have never been out of proportion to the business done, and
naturally fluctuate somewhat with the times. At present they are very
reasonable."
" To be candid, what impressed you most with Denver ? "
"Its life," promptly replied the Major. "Compared with the large
cities in the East that I have recently visited, Denver seems to be very
prosperous, indeed. I had expected, since the silver agitation, to find
many more unemployed people in Denver, but I find very few as com-
pared with the cities of the East. There is a ' go-ahead ' air about the
people that shows a spirit of business push which fully explains to me the
secret underlying Denver's marvelous growth."
"You remember that one of the speakers at the 'banquet' dwelt par-
ticularly upon this subject," suggested the Judge.
" By the way, your reference to the banquet," said the Major, "recalls
a very pleasant experience. Not only was I cordially entertained, but I
had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of some of your brightest
business men, and I was especially impressed with the character of the
speeches, as well as the character of the men. So long as this class of men
have in trust the future of Colorado the prosperity of your state is assured."
The train glided smoothly along past Castle Rock, with its pink stone
quarries, and on through the beautiful landscape of plain, with the moun-
tains to the west. The snow-patched foothills contrasted prettily with
the ranches that carpeted the slopes which led up to the " Divide." This is
the watershed between the Arkansas and the Platte, and the elevated
16
plain presents a variegated view made bright and beautiful with brooks
and rivulets, while the serrated ranges of the Rockies stretch away in the
distance. The train slows up, and conies to a standstill at Palmer Lake,
011 the crest of the ''Divide," having imperceptibly made an ascent of 2,000
feet in the fifty-two miles run from Denver.
As is the fashion with all passengers passing through Palmer Lake, the
two friends join the crowd that throng into the dining-room and refresh
themselves with a lunch of coffee and sandwiches, such as is not equalled
between the oceans. Experienced travelers know this to be a fact,
and that is why this particular lunch-room is called the model one of the
continent. After lunch the two friends strolled for a moment along the
margin of Palmer Lake.
"What a charming spot," exclaimed the Major, "and what a beautiful
lake up here on the crest of the mountain. Isn't this extraordinary?"
"Familiarity with the wonders of Colorado has dulled my keenness of
appreciation, but now that you speak of it, I must admit that Palmer
Lake is a wonder, and one worthy of a long journey to behold. It is a
remarkable fact that the lakes of Colorado, of which there are nearly
five hundred, are almost invariably in the high mountains/'
While the gentlemen were engaged in conversation the train began to
move off, and the Judge and Major quickly stepped upon the rear plat-
form. They remained standing, as the Judge pointed out the hotel and
beautiful villas and pavilions of Palmer Lake. And, as the train neared
Glen Park (the "Chautauqua of the West"), the attention of the group
was called to the grotesque monoliths on the left; among them they found
''Phoebe's Arch," with Monument Park in the distance, and the dozens of
tasteful cottages amid groves of trees that nestle among the hills, which
blend gracefully away into a billowy valley, and lose themselves in the
fringe of the horizon. In a few moments the train went whizzing by the
quaint little town of Monument.
"This is where we have our 'potato bakes,' Major," said the Judge.
" What under heaven is a 'potato bake'?" exclaimed the Major.
"Why, the main industry of this community is potato raising, and this
product has such a reputation that the people celebrate their harvest in
the fall of each year with a 'bake,' which is in reality a grand out-of-doors
banquet, and a general jollification, attracting people from all the sur-
rounding country, including Denver on the north and Pueblo 011 the
souin. it is to us what a 'clain bake' is to your people in Connecticut,
only 'more so,' and of the same order as our 'water-melon' and 'peach
days.'"
"And what are they?"
"Well, in one locality, near Rocky Ford, which is especially adapted
to the growth of water-melons, we celebrate the abundant harvest once
17
a year in the same
manner. As many as 5,000 melons are
jj~. given away on occasions like this, and
on ' peach day,' which is celebrated at
Grand Junction, where the finest fruits are
grown, tons of peaches are given away to
the thousands of visitors, all of these pro-
ducts of the fertile soil being freely con-
tributed by the producers."
"I beg pardon, sir; you seem to be ac-
quainted with the country, will you kindly point
out 'Pike's Peak?'" interrupted a voice, which,
by its accent, was quickly recognized by the Judge as belonging to an
English gentleman.
"That is it yonder, sir," said the Judge, pointing south westward to
the bald white heap that lifted its head above the neighboring crests.
" Oh, that is only five or six miles away," said the stranger.
"A little farther than that," said the Judge, with a smile. "It is
exactly thirty miles from here. Distances are deceiving in Colorado."
"And why?"
" Because the air is so clear, and rare and pure, that nothing obscures
the view, and remote objects appear as clear cut as if viewed through an
opera glass."
" This is the highest peak of the Rockies, is it not?"
"No, there are several that out-rank it; but Sierra Blanca, in the
* Sangre De Cristo Range,' is the highest. Pike's Peak is the better known,
however, and is more prominent, from the fact of its being in the front
range, and thus the first seen from the plains as you approach the moun-
tains, and also from the fact that the district of the early gold excitement
took its name frou . the peak."
" What is that winding line I see through the snow?"
" That is 'Windy Point,' and what appears to you a a line is the Cog
Railroad, which runs from Manitou to the top of the Peak. Can you see
that little dot on the very summit of the Peak ? "
" No-o-o," drawled the gentleman, as he looked closely ; but drawing
his field-glass from its case and pointing it in the direction indicated, he
said : " Yes, I do ; it is a building."
"That is the railroad station. It was formerly the United States
Signal Station."
" What is the beautiful mountain between us and the 'Peak?'"
19
" That is Cheyenne Mountain, said to be one of the most beautiful in
the Rockies. You can easily see the entrance to the famous Cheyenne
Canon."
' * What are those towering red walls ? "
" That to the right is the gateway to the ' Garden of the Gods.' The
other you see are the ' Cathedral Spires.' "
The Judge then went on to explain that the gateway, which rises up
from perfectly level ground, reached a height of 330 feet, and then told
of quaint sculpturings to be found here, carved in stone of various hues,
by those cunning instruments in the hands of Nature, the wind, the rain,
the sunshine and the frost — curious, often grotesque, figures, irresistibly
suggestive of forms of life.
" Manitou is near the ' Garden,' is it not?"
" Manitou is just beyond those rolling hills. It is a beautiful spot, and
Nature hid it away in a cup-shaped glen at the base of the Peak. It is
easy of access, however, as the Rio Grande road has a branch line there
from Colorado Springs, and thousands of visitors yearly spend their
summer there. It is frequently called the * Saratoga of the West,' prob-
ably because of its superb hotel accommodations. Its many caves and
canons, its sparkling waterfalls, charming walks and drives, make Manitou
an especially desirable place to pass the summer season. Its numerous
springs of delicious waters have a national reputation. These waters,
including the ginger champagne manufactured here, are unexcelled as
table waters, and are bottled and shipped all over the world."
"Yes, some of my London friends spent last season there, and they
were better pleased with Manitou than any of your eastern resorts, and in
fact preferred it to the Swiss resorts. I shall stop there myself on my
return."
The three gentlemen then retired to the interior of the car, and in the
course of conversation it was developed that the English gentleman was
Sir John Moreton. This is Sir John's first trip to America, and he came
across the "big pond" to transact some business in the east. Having
some spare time upon his hands, Sir John decided to take a trip across the
continent to acquire a clearer idea of the breadth and extent of the United
States, and, like Maj. Preston, to make a careful study of the country,
with a view to investing, and, perhaps, from like motives, he was quite
as inquisitive as the Major.
The train rolled onward with slowly slackening pace, beside the stream
of the Monument, and parallel with Cascade Avenue, with its continuous
row of elegant homes, and came to a stop at the beautiful stone depot in
Colorado Springs. A block away was the " Antler's Hotel," a handsome
stone structure, parked with splendid trees and walks, and approached by
broad and shady drives.
RfePLIfeP
This delightful city has a pop-
ulation of about 15,000 ; many of
its most prosperous citizens remain here on
account of its excellent society and superior
climatic advantages. The dry air, pure
waters and continuous sunshine make it an
all-the-year-round health resort, and many
wealthy health-seekers have their permanent
homes here. A number of .prominent gentle-
men have established, about five miles from
the city, at the foot of the mountains, on the
banks of Cheyenne Lake, a most picturesque resort
known as "Broadmoor," and erected a handsome club house,
called "Broadmoor Casino." During the summer an excellent band is
employed, and the musical attractions of the place are such as to secure
a large and refined clientele of delighted visitors.
CHAPTER II.
THE COLONEL JOINS THE PARTY.
JHILE the train waited the three gentlemen sauntered up and
down the platform, and much to the pleasure of the Judge he
met his old friend Col. Norcross, who, upon inquiry, stated that
he was going west on the same train. The Colonel .was duly in-
troduced to the Major and Sir John, and his free, open manner,
quickly and favorably impressed them. The quartet boarded the
train and by the time they were comfortably seated, it pulled out.
"Gentlemen," said the Judge, "I am very glad Col. Norcross has
joined us, because he is thoroughly informed about Colorado, and I am
sure he can tell you much that is of interest. Although he is a mine
owner at present, and a high authority on that subject, he is also
thoroughly posted on farming and irrigation matters."
" Well, gentlemen, I see the Judge is disposed to flatter me. We all
consider him one of the best informed men in the state ; still I know some-
thing of the subjects he has referred to, and I shall be glad to give you
any information in my power."
"I say, Col. Norcross, the Judge tells us you are posted on the subject
of irrigation. Can you tell us where we can get a bottle of ale? I believe
that sort of thing is often referred to as 'irrigation' in this country."
Joining in the general laugh, the Colonel replied, "Right here in
your seat, Sir John."
" Why, how can that be ; are such refreshments served in the train?"
" Oh, yes. We are very proud of the 'D. & R. G-.' because it is a pro-
gressive road, and keeps right abreast with the latest improvements. This
is the buffet car, you see, and all you have to do is to press the button,
like this."
Sir John watched the Colonel's business-like movements and before he
had time to speak a white-jacketed porter approached.
" What shall it be, gentlemen?" quickly asked the Colonel, who insisted
upon being the host. Sir John expressed a desire for a small bottle of
ale, the Major ordered his accustomed glass of Manitou water, while the
21
Judge and the Colonel, with smiling coun-
tenances and in a confidential undertone,
called for something stronger.
The Judge supplemented the order by
calling for the cigars. In a few moments
the porter brought the refreshments, which
were disposed of, after which the gentle-
men lit their cigars, and Sir John said :
"Well Colonel, I presume you felt the
depression of silver greatly in your mining
business?"
"Well, personally, I did not feel it to a great
extent, for the reason that the properties in which I am interested are
located at Leadville, and run very heavily in gold, and the depression in
the value of the silver product was more than counter-balanced by the
increase in the yield of gold."
"But I thought the ores of Leadville were entirely silver and lead."
"No. Leadville was originally a gold camp, and it was not until the
carbonate discoveries of '77 that it became known as a silver district. On
account of the immense bodies of silver ore that were uncovered, gold
mining was completely overshadowed for the time, but through it all gold
was found to a certain and almost fixed proportion with silver. Since the
depreciation in silver and enhancing of gold, there has been more develop-
ment in gold properties."
"Has silver mining seen its day?"
"No. Most assuredly not. Many of the principal mines are still in
operation, and many others are shut down temporarily, because their
owners are waiting a better price for silver, which is bound to come in the
near future. It is very probable, though, that gold mining will take the
lead of silver."
"How will it do that?"
" By reason of the immense new discoveries. The increased purchas-
ing power of gold has stimulated a vigorous search for it in the mountains
and in the river placers, and thousands of experienced miners, who were
deprived of employment during the closing of some of the silver mines
last summer, promptly turned their attention to the search for gold and
immediately began finding it in every part of the state, and in such unpre-
cedented quantities and unexpected places, that the sum of their new dis-
coveries is amazing. Even old gold dumps that were abandoned when
the silver excitement of '77 occurred are found to yield handsome profits
23
now, because to-day we have cheaper treatment and transportation, and
Because of the fact that gold will buy nearly twice as much as it did then.
It is almost beyond belief that over fifty new gold camps have been estab-
lished in twenty-one counties in the state since September, 1893, and they
are so widely distributed and so independent of each other that it proves
that gold will be found in enormously increasing volume for many years
to come. The old established districts like Gilpin, Clear Creek, Boulder,
Granite, Leadville, Ouray and San Juan, have since last fall enormously
increased their output, and the new camps, such as Cripple Creek, Balf our,
Goose Creek, La Plata, Crooked Creek, Amizett and Fulford, have added
enough new gold to the year's output to place Colorado second only to Cali-
fornia. The increase of gold production from September to January was
115 per cent, over the year before, and this ratio is constantly being
enlarged, so that it is only a question of a few months when Colorado must
be the leading gold producing state in the Union."
"What processes are used, Colonel, in smelting these Ores?"
"They do not all require smelting. In placer mining the gold is found
native by simply washing the earth and sands in the crudest manner. In
quartz mining, where the ores are of a free milling character, the gold is
extracted by pulverizing the ores under stamps, and in the form of dust
it is taken up with quicksilver. The more refractory ores that cannot be
handled by either of these methods, are sent to the smelters and treated
about the same as silver."
"How valuable should gold ores be to make their mining profitable?"
"Under favorable conditions ore running $4.50 per ton can be mined
and treated under the stamping or milling process at a fair profit. In
ordinary placer mining, sands that will wash fifteen cents a yard are con-
sidered remunerative, while ore running as low as seven dollars is
considered paying mineral under certain smelting processes, and by the
new cyanide treatment even lower grade ores can be smelted with profit.
Of course you understand that these are very low grade ores, and not by
any means an indication of the average, which is very much higher. In
some instances ores are discovered that run as high as $10,000 to $20,000
to the ton. By the way, Major," remarked the Judge, drawing his hand
from his pocket, "here is a specimen of gold ore from a Cripple Creek
mine that runs $25,000 to the ton."
"This is all quite interesting, Colonel. The lead industry is also quite
large, is it not?"
"Yes. Lead is nearly always associated with silver ores, and it is
frequently found with gold. Its fluxing quality in smelting sometimes
makes lead more valuable than its commercial price. The lead produc-
tion though, like that of copper, will keep pace with the gold and silver
yield, and over five million dollars worth were produced last yoar.
24
are very few exclusively
lead mines in the state,
but in many instances lead predominates in quantities
sufficient to justify the operation of the mines for lead
alone. Then, too, iron is frequently found with gold."
"Is the iron found in your mountains always asso-
ciated with gold?"
"No. The small amount found with gold has no com-
mercial value. Our iron ore deposits are measured by the
size of the mountains that contain them, and iron is one of
our greatest resources, although comparatively undeveloped.
Gunnison county alone has more iron than the State of Penn-
sylvania, and enough to supply the markets of the continent,
and its ores can be converted into steel pig for less than $8
a ton. Iron is also found in immense bodies in Chaffee and Saguache
counties as well as in many other parts of the state. Our great iron re-
sources are beginning to attract widespread attention, and it is among
the probabilities that future years may see our iron interests supersede
those of gold and silver."
"Are your coal facilities large enough to make this result possible?"
" We boast that the quantity of coal in Colorado is far in excess of
that of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia combined, and I do not
believe this to be an exaggeration. The supply of coal in Colorado is
practically inexhaustible. One particular area of bituminous coal extends
from St. Vrain on the north to the Raton Mountains on the south. This
great coal measure is about 220 miles in length and varies from 20 to 25
miles in breadth. Extensive developments in this vast field have been
made in the vicinities of Trinidad, Walsenburg. Canon City and Coal
Creek. And the same kind of coal abounds in Gunnison, Garfield, Huer-
fano, Las Animas, Pitkin and La Plata counties. Anthracite coal is
found in large quantities in the coal basins of the Elk Mountains in Gun-
nison county, of which about 86,000 tons were mined and shipped in 1893,
which does not begin to represent the capacity of this one field ; the de-
mand is largely increasing, as are also the facilities for production. One of
our best informed citizens lately made the assertion that if all the known
coal of Colorado, which is over 18,000 square miles in extent, were equally
distributed it would carpet the 104,500 square miles of this state three and
one-half feet thick. Colorado coal fetches a higher price at Missouri
River points than Pennsylvania coal. Of course our coal resources are
only partly developed, but the growth of the iron, manufacturing and
mining business will stimulate it into an interest of great magnitude; and
the coke industry will grow along with it — last year's production alone
being 360.000 tons."
25
" There seems to be a great variety of mineral wealth buried in your
mountains," said the Major, who had been listening attentively, " which
ought to be a source of great prosperity to your state."
"Yes, a high authority has said that Colorado has every variety of
mineral known in the world, in greater or less quantities. The state pro-
duces nearly a million dollars worth of copper annually, and also zinc,
nickel, mica, mercury, china and pottery clay, gypsum, mineral paint,
bismuth, asphaltum, asbestos, alabaster and many more of the like."
"Judging from the many massive rocks we have seen, I should infer
that you are well supplied with building stone."
"Yes, indeed. The quarries of Colorado are unsurpassed for the
extent, quality and diversity of its stone. We have granite enough to du-
plicate all the public buildings of the world, and tint the structures blue,
pink, gray, purple or mottled, the natural colors of the stone. We pro-
duce the best of flag stone for sidewalks and also fine paving blocks. The
beautiful lava stone you saw in many of the buildings in Denver is pecu-
liarly a Colorado product ; it is found in white, pink, blue and gray tints.
Colorado sandstone is extensively shipped to Chicago and intervening
points for building purposes, also for sidewalks and pavements. The gov-
ernment used Colorado granite for the basement of the Post Office in
Kansas City, and is using it exclusively for the 'Federal Building' at
Omaha ; and our own beautiful Capitol building and Custom house, as
well as the principal business blocks and residences of Denver, are built of
Colorado granite or sandstone. We have large areas of marble, serpen-
tine and in variegated colors, in Gunnison and Fremont counties, and they
are now being developed. Onyx, of beautiful mottled and honeycomb
design, is an important and recent development. Then we have in
various parts of the state a fine quality of clay, from which a superior
pressed brick is made, and it finds a market in many remote cities."
"By the way, Colonel, clay is a very valuable product. Does it exist
in sufficient variety for its many uses ? " asked Sir John.
" Our clay banks are so varied that they yield excellent material for
sewer pipe, tiling, firebrick, pottery-ware and china, and newly discovered
kaolin deposits make excellent whiteware which some day will give rise
to a large industry."
"Your material resources are certainly wonderful, but even still more
wonderful is the energy of your people which has produced such a vigor-
ous development in so young a state."
"About what is the population of Colorado now?" asked the Major,
looking up from his notebook, in which he had been making memoranda
during the Colonel's conversation.
"You'd better ask the Judge about that. He knows everybody in the
state."
WDLLYOV OTPLY POOOT
FIE
The Judge brightened
up from his quiet doze and responded,
"Well, the population in 1890 was
412,000. I presume at least 100,000 more have come
in since then, but I've not yet made the acquaintance
of all the new-comers."
"Where do the additions to your population
come from?"
"From Ne\\ ^i gland, the Middle, Southern and
Central states, ano from Europe. Colorado's people
are picked from the best communities in the world,
and they come this long distance because here they
find the best opportunities for health and wealth,
and many are attracted by our superb climate. Col-
orado is just far enough from the denser settlements
of the country not to attract the indolent and the shiftless. We pride our-
selves only on quality, not quantity. We have four hundred churches in
the state, and four hundred and twenty-three newspapers, and the intelli-
gence and morality of our people is far above the average. Denver alone
has seventy-six newspapers and periodicals, the dailies of that city being
equal in every respect to those published in the metropolitan cities of the
"I have heard your educational facilities highly spoken of."
"Yes, there is no state in the Union of like population that ex-
cels Colorado in educational advantages. The government provided
for this great factor, originally, by endowing the state with ample
lands; the State University, the School of Mines, the Agricultural
College, and the Normal School are all maintained from the bount-
eous school land fund. There are nearly 1,500 school houses in the
state, and their average value is $2,500 each, nearly double that of
the average of the nation. Nearly every religious denomination has
its distinct university or academy. The School Board of Boston has
copied features from the Denver High School, Germany adopted the
plan's of one of our school buildings, and the Chamberlain Ob-
servatory at Denver is a new help to astronomy. Scientific, his-
torical, medical and art societies exist in the leading towns and
cities, while the 'Silver Circuit' of the Denver & Rio Grande
Railroad enables the leading dramatic companies of the country
to tour the state profitably on their route to the Pacific Coast."
28
" While I think of it, Judge, what is yonr state debt?"
" Only two million dollars, which is about five dollars per capita, and,
considering the vast necessary improvements and the valuation of prop-
erty, it is extremely low."
" What is the property in Colorado estimated to be worth ? "
" Because of the peculiarity of our assessment laws, the assessed valu-
ation of our property is only about two hundred and thirty-eight million
dollars, but, according to the last report of the Auditor of State, its actual
value is seven hundred million, or about two thousand dollars for each
inhabitant — men, women and children."
" Excuse me a moment, Major," said the Judge ; "it is about this point
where the Spanish Peaks come into view."
The Judge looked out of the window, and said, " Yes, there they are.
Let us go to the platform, where we can see them better."
The four gentlemen proceeded to do so, and as they arranged them-
selves in convenient positions to view the scene, the Judge asked :
"How far away do you think they are?"
"Oh, about twenty-five miles," said Sir John.
"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the Major. "Remember your Pike's Peak
experience, Sir John. They are nearer fifty."
" Well, Major, I think they are nearer twenty-five than fifty and I am
willing to wager another punch of the bell on it."
" Very well, Sir John. How far are they, Judge?"
"Exactly one hundred miles, gentlemen."
The view was as enchanting as its distance was deceiving. Far to the
south the level line of the plain lifted itself into the ' ' Twin Breasts " of
the " Wahatoya," whose conical curves blended with the dark blue dome
of the overarching heavens ; while in the distance to the west the faint
blue outlines of the "Greenhorn" range were discerned and to the east
the union of earth and sky was unbroken.
A sharp turn in the curve induced the gentlemen to return to the
inside, and the train sped through the steel bridge over the Arkansas, rat-
tled across the countless switches of increasing rails, and rolled past gates
and semaphores, and moving trains. The pace grew slower ; the air brakes
heaved a sigh of relief and the gentlemen alighted at the Union Depot of
Pueblo, the "Pittsburgh of the West."
The attention of the Major and Sir John was at once attracted to the
handsome depot building of pink stone, with its broad., inviting approaches
and elegant interior of hard-wood and brass trimmings, which have given
it the reputation of being the finest depot structure west of Chicago. A
scene of animation presented itself about the depot as the trains of the
" Missouri Pacific," "Rock Island" and " Santa Fe" came in from Kan-
sas City, St. Louis and Chicago, and transferred their passengers to the
29
Denver & Rio Grande
Railroad to continue the
journey to various points
of destination in Colo-
rado, Utah and the Pacific Coast.
The four gentlemen passed into the
elegant dining-room, which is managed upon the
same high standard of excellence that characterizes
all of the dining stations on this popular railroad, and
were met by a polite attendant, who escorted them
to seats around a handsome dining-table spread
with the whitest of linen and laden with an elegant
service of china and silver.
CHAPTER III.
THE COLONEL TALKS OF AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION.
HE excellent repast was fully enjoyed, and, as there was still
some time before the train would proceed, the gentlemen lit
their cigars and strolled leisurely about the parked grounds of
the depot.
"Judge, what gives Pueblo the name of 'Pittsburgh of the
West?'"
"Its coal, iron and smelting interests. Pueblo has three great
ore smelting plants, which in themselves constitute a town of consider-
able importance, and besides it is a young giant in the iron and steel indus-
try. Here is the great iron and steel plant of the Colorado Fuel & Iron
Co., which takes the crude iron ore of Colorado and manufactures it into
pig iron, Bessemer steel, castings, merchant bar iron, and a large percent-
age of the steel rails consumed in the west. The company also controls
many very large anthracite and bituminous coal mines in various parts of
the state. Then Pueblo has many other allied interests, such as foundries,
machine shops, etc. Cheap fuel and close proximity to raw material are
making Pueblo a great manufacturing center, and its growth has been
especially marked in the ore smelting and lead refining industries. All of
these varied interests give employment to several hundreds of families,
and are adding constantly to the population, which is now 50,000. The
magnificent Mineral Palace, erected by its public spirited citizens, is an
attractive exposition of the state's mineral resources, and the many fine
residences on the Mesa! and business blocks down town, make Pueblo a
city of metropolitan proportions."
"How extensive are the smelting interests of the state?"
"There are twenty smelters, all told ; the largest of which are at Den-
ver and Pueblo, and they are fully equipped to handle all the gold, silver,
lead, copper and zinc ores of the state, besides that of five or six adjoining
states and territories. As a rule the smelters of Leadville, Aspen, Du-
rango. Rico and other interior points, handle only the ores of their
districts.7'
"Is Pueblo the only iron manufactur-
ing point?"
"No. Besides the large rolling mill
plant here, there is one at Trinidad, and
in addition there are many machine shops
and several foundries in Denver, where
mining and heavy machinery is manu-
factured, which find a market in the ad-
joining states, and as far away as the
City of Mexico ; and there is also a stove
manufactory with a considerable trade."
"What other important manufactur-
ing interests has Colorado?"
"They are varied and numerous, and new ones are being established
right along. The only news-print paper mills between the lakes and the
Pacific coast are located at Denver, which not only supply the Colorado
market, but ship their product for a thousand miles in various directions.
A very large book paper mill is about to commence operations ; a sulphite
pulp mill has been running for some months ; a manilla and wrapping
paper mill and soda pulp mill, all about to be built, the whole represent-
ing over $2,000,000, most of it eastern capital, and Denver is alread^ the
greatest paper manufacturing center of the whole trans-Missouri country.
What has been done in paper making will inevitably be done in the early
future as to woolen manufacturing, glass manufacturing, whiteware pot-
teries, etc., for which there are as good openings as there were three years
ago for paper making. A large cotton mill is also in successful operation,
and its fabrics are sold as far as the Pacific coast, with a probability of a
trade with China and Japan. Chemical works utilize the pyrites of the
mountains in producing acids. Soap is manufactured to a very great ex-
tent. Denver has a tannery, together with a shoe factory to handle the
product, while it makes beer enough to 'paint the town red' and lead
enough to paint it white again. The white lead works of Denver ship
their product extensively to Missouri river points and eastward, also to
the Pacific coast and Texas. The packing houses of Denver ship lard and
cured meats extensively to Washington, Oregon and California. Denver-
made fire-brick fetches a higher price in Portland, Oregon, than English-
made bricks brought around Cape Horn as ballast, while Denver-made
assayers' supplies are shipped in car lots to New York City, San Francisco
and the City of Mexico. Denver makes its own street cars, having a
plant that cuts off competition from the east almost entirely, and these
32
cars travel the one hundred and fifty-nine miles of street railway lines of
that city — the best equipped rapid-transit service on the continent. Den-
ver also makes carriages, hardware, canned goods, crackers, pickles,
cigars and many other articles. While I am unable to give you the total
manufacturing result for the state, I can say that Denver alone manufac-
tured in 1893 nearly $40,000.000 worth, and Pueblo's manufactures were
proportionately large."
"Do you have to import your bottles and jars?"
"No. The glass works at Colorado City make the bottles in which
hundreds of car loads of Manitou water and ginger ale are shipped yearly
to the east and abroad."
At this point the conversation was interrupted by the voice of the
depot master, announcing the time of departure. The Judge requested
one of the depot attendants to telephone ahead to the Vendome Hotel,
Leadville, to reserve accommodations for himself and the Colonel, having
neglected to make the arrangements before.
• ' To Leadville ? How far is it to Leadville ? " asked Sir John, in surprise.
" One hundred and sixty miles," answered the Judge.
"I must say that you are an enterprising people. Is it profitable to
maintain such a long line as that ? "
"Yes, indeed, we could not get along without it. It is almost indis-
pensable to the Leadville mine owners residing in Denver and Pueblo,
and the same remark applies to the general telephone system which con-
nects Denver and Pueblo with cities like Colorado Springs, Florence,
Cripple Creek, Canon City, and, in fact, all towns within a radius of 150
miles from Denver."
The train moved off and the quartet resumed their seats in the smok-
ing apartment. As it gained in speed and rattled over the crossing, the
Major detained the passing porter, and asked him:
"What road is that?" pointing to the straight line of road leading
s ~>nth.
"That, sah, is the D. & R. G. branch to Trinidad an' Alamosa,"
4 ' How can it go to both points ; are they not wide apart?"
"Yes, sah, but they is a branch road dat goes from Cuchara to
Trinidad."
" Is there much business on that road?"
"I really don't know, sah."
" Well, then, what's the character of the business?"
" I don't know, sah. I'se nevah been on dat 'run,' sah, but I do want
to go down dere sometime, and go over Veta Pass."
" Why do you want to go over Veta Pass?"
" Because dey say it's so purty. De cars jis dim' up till you git 10,000
feet high, den go right down agin like a toboggan."
33
The Judge here
came to the porter's
rescue, and, after describing the
attractive trip over this wonderful
pass, explained that at Trinidad
connection was made with the Union
Pacific, Denver & Gulf road for Texas
points, as well as New Orleans and all
southern cities, and that it also tapped the great coal
treasures of Trinidad, which have already been re-
ferred to, and that there were seven or eight branches that fed the main
line from as many great producing fields, and made an enormous traffic of
coal and coke for the Denver & Rio Grande R. R.
"By the way, Trinidad is one of our most promising cities, being the
center not only of the coal districts of southern Colorado, but also of
the sheep raising and wool interests."
" Is Alamosa also a coal district ?"
"No," interrupted Col. Norcross, anxious for an opportunity to talk
on his favorite theme. " Alamosa is the center of a great agricultural and
pastoral region. It is the focal city of the great San Luis Valley."
" What is the San Luis Valley?" asked the Major.
"It is a perfectly level stretch of most fertile land, about sixty miles
wide and one hundred and seventy-five miles long, lying between the
Sangre de Cristo and Cumbres ranges of mountains. The soil is from six
to fifteen feet deep, and the valley lies 7,000 feet above sea level. The Rio
Grande River runs down through its center, and the Denver & Rio Grande
Railroad cuts it into quarters, with its four branches centering at Alamosa.
The branch from Pueblo over La Veta Pass and through the well known
Trinchara Estate is the east leg of the quadrant ; the south branch out of
Alamosa goes down to Santa Fe, with a continuation of its main line
beginning at Antonito and running in to Durango and Silverton, and from
the latter point the Rio Grande Southern makes the connection through
the 'Silver San Juan,' around to the beautiful city of Ouray. From Sil-
verton over the 'Rainbow Route' a second connection with Ouray is made,
which completes the famous trip ' Around the Circle.' West from Ala-
mosa a branch runs through Del Norte to Wagon Wheel Gap, and thence
to Creede, the wonderful silver camp whose extensive silver mines so
amaze the country. The north leg from Alamosa runs straight as an
arrow to Poncha Pass, and joins the main line at Salida."
"Why, Colonel, I had no idea there were such large areas of level
plain among the mountains."
35
" Oh, yes. Besides the plain which lies east of the range, there are
many of these mountain valleys known as parks, which make the area of
level lands in Colorado equal to about 35,000 square miles, or one-third of
the total area of the state, which under irrigation are suitable for agricul-
ture. San Luis Valley alone contains about 8,000 square miles, and is as
large as the State of Massachusetts, while the Montezuma Valley, which
is in the extreme southwestern corner of Colorado, has an area of 350
square miles, and is becoming the center of a large and thriving agricul-
tural and pastoral population. It is watered by the Dolores river, and an
extensive system of irrigating canals. The Ute Reservation, too, near
Durango, covers an enormous area which will soon be thrown open to
civilized settlement. This is a strip of fertile land fifteen miles wide and
eighty miles long, through which the ' D. & R. G.' runs for almost its
entire length."
"What is the population of the San Luis Valley?" asked the Major.
"About 15,000, and rapidly increasing. Alamosa is a thriving town
near the center of the valley, and from this place, as has been said before,
the railroad branches to the four points of the compass. Antonito, La
Jara and Manassa are well established towns on the Southern branch ;
Monte Vista and Del Norte (both well built and prosperous places) are on
the Western branch ; Villa Grove, Moffat, Garrison and Mosca (all beauti-
fully situated and exceedingly thrifty) are on the Northern branch, while
Garland (occupying the historic site of old Fort Garland) is on the Eastern
branch.
"Is the San Luis Valley irrigated?"
"Very extensively ; as I explained, the Rio Grande River runs through
its center, and from it and several lesser streams extend many miles of
large irrigating canals, which have reclaimed this wonderful valley and
practically placed it ready for the plow, and in addition there are a large
number of flowing artesian wells, with an unlimited supply of water,
which are everywhere available for stock and domestic uses."
"What can you raise at that altitude?"
"Wheat, alfalfa, oats, barley, peas, potatoes, hops, and vegetables;
almost everything except corn — nights are too cold for corn. Wheat and
potatoes take the lead, and potatoes are shipped extensively into Texas,
and a San Luis farmer won the' American Agriculturist prize of $500 a
couple of years ago for having raised 847 bushels on an acre ; the average
yield, however, is about 200 bushels to the acre."
"Are potatoes grown elsewhere in the state?"
"Yes, indeed. Colorado can produce enough potatoes to feed the
population of Ireland. The districts about Monument and Greeley pro-
duce $1,500,000 worth a year, and their market is over many states, and
their superior quality commanding higher prices in competition with
those from the
east- The Possi'
bmties Qf the Colorado po_
tato crop would be hard to estimate ;
they grow almost as prolific as alfalfa."
"Tell me about alfalfa."
"Alfalfa, or lucerne,, is a nutritious
forage plant, whose growth is peculiar
to the arid region, and its root grows
sometimes to eight or ten feet in depth ;
it is a perpetual crop, and can hardly be eradicated when
once rooted. It usually averages three crops a season, producing two
tons at first and second cutting and one ton at the last, or five tons in
all per acre. Alfalfa is a fine fattening grass for live-stock and feed for
horses ; it is one of the most profitable of crops and is widely cultivated.
About §5,000,000 worth was produced in 1893. It is more profitable than
hay, although all kinds of grasses grow in Colorado and are largely raised
and readily marketed within the state."
" Does wheat grow well at these high altitudes?"
"Yes. Colorado wheat is an important interest, and Colorado flour is
sold in many remote markets, where it is in demand for pastry purposes.
Flour, representing 100,000 bushels of wheat per annum, is already shipped
outside of Colorado state lines. In the San Luis Valley, which is especially
adapted to wheat raising, there is a single field of fifteen thousand acres.
The wheat crop of Colorado in 1893 was 3,000,000 bushels. The average
yield of wheat in Colorado is twenty-three bushels to the acre, which is
the highest average yield of all the western states."
"Do oats thrive well?"
"Oats grow well in all parts of the state, but the San Luis Valley
seems particularly well adapted to the growth of this crop. The yield is
from sixty to one hundred bushels per acre ; the weight, which is from
forty to sixty pounds per bushel, makes them a very profitable crop.
Farmers are giving the matter of oat raising much more attention than
formerly."
" I presume barley also does well ? "
''Excellent. Barley is grown all over the state, and is one of our
staple crops ; it does especially well in the San Luis Valley. It matures
early, is of superior quality, and owing to the absence of rainfall in har-
vest season, it is always bright and unstained. It weighs fifty pounds to
the bushel, and yields on an average of thirty-five bushels to the acre.
There is a good local market, as all Colorado brewers are supplied from
our own product, and there is a demand for Colorado barley from eastern
states."
37
"And hops?"
"Yes. Hops do well in Colorado, as the soil and climate are especially
adapted to their culture ; however, as yet, it only has a small acreage of
hop gardens, and the brewers annually purchase nearly $100,000 worth
from other states, although Colorado could supply St. Louis and
Milwaukee with hops."
" And all of your crops are dependent upon irrigation? "
" Almost entirely. There are a few places in the state, like the Divide
district, where artificial irrigation is not always required, but it isn't safe
to depend on rainfall, which is so limited, and irregular, and comes too
early and too late in the season to be serviceable. But artificial irrigation
is of such great advantage over rainfall that the scarcity of rain is no
drawback to farming."
"Then you claim an advantage for irrigation? "
"Most certainly."
"Why?"
"Because, by artificial irrigation you can apply moisture to your crops
when it is needed, as much or as little as you want. Then again, you can
distribute the water unequally to suit the requirements of the various
crops ; some plants, you know, need more moisture than others, whereas,
while rain would nourish some crops, at the same time will ruin others."
" But isn't it very expensive?"
"Not at all. Under ditches the expense is only about a dollar to a
dollar and a half an acre a year, and the insurance of a crop makes it
worth a great deal more than that. Where is there an eastern farmer
who, when he plants his crop, would not pay a dollar an acre to insure it
against either drought or an over-abundance of rain? Besides, irrigation
acts as a fertilizer, saving this additional expense. The experience of all
farmers (and the farmers of Colorado acquired their experience in the
rain-belt states) is that artificial irrigation is far superior in every way to
a dependence upon rainfall."
"How extensive is the irrigation system of the state?"
" There are about 12.000 miles of main canals which feed as many more
miles of lateral ditches. There are 5,000,000 acres of land under ditches
in the state, and 1,600,000 acres are being cultivated, while new irrigation
enterprises are steadily adding to the mileage of canals and developing
new acres of fertile lands."
" Is the water sold by the acre? "
"No, it is sold by the inch, and, as a rule, an acre requires about an
inch of water, but in many soils a half an inch is sufficient. What is
termed an inch is the quantity of water that will run per second through
an inch square aperture at a certain pressure. It is easily measured and
apportioned along the main canals to adjoining farms."
'•Who own these
ditches?"
' ' There are sever-
al systems of ownership. First :
There are large companies, who
have constructed canals to irri-
gate their own extensive lands, to make them saleable. Second : Purely
irrigation companies who build the canals for the purpose of deriving a
profit from the sale of water ; then again some of the shorter canals are
built by land owners, whose lands are benefited thereby, and they pool
together and operate their canals on a pro rata basis of stock ownership."
"Are there no individual ownerships?"
"Plenty of them. The farmer who lives beside the creek or river
usually builds his private ditch, where the supply of water will warrant;
if not, he can sink artesian wells, as they do in the San Luis Valley, or
lift the water from the stream for his garden, by constructing an ' Egyp-
tian Wheel.'"
" Is that one of them?" asked the Major, pointing out of the window to
a large crude water wheel, with its tin-cupped circumference, that was
slowly revolving, propelled by the waters of the Arkansas, along whose
right bank the train was speeding.
"Yes. It is one of the hundreds used all along this river, and other
rapid streams."
At this point Sir John, who had been an attentive listener, remember-
ing the '-modus operand!" of summoning the porter, leaned over and
pressed the button, saying :
" Gentlemen. I think it is about time that I was settling that ' Span-
ish Peak account.' "
This episode was enjoyed all around, and in a moment the porter ap-
peared ; at the same time, the train-boy came swinging along, calling out
his wares: "Colorado fruit, gents?"
The Colonel bought a supply and shared it with his friends.
" Do you mean to say this fruit is grown in Colorado? It is very fine,
and this apple is certainly delicious."
" Colorado grows the best of fruits," replied the Colonel. " Canon City
is famous for its orchards, being especially noted for its apple crop. Pears
are also grown. All of these fruits thrive well at altitudes of 6,000 feet,
and less."
" Is Canon City the only fruit-growing section?"
"By no means. Montrose, Delta and Grand Junction are very suc-
cessful in this direction. Apples and peaches overshadow all other fruits
on the Western Slope in their abundance, as well as in quality, while
apricots, nectarines and quinces grow well in the last named localities, as
do also plums and cherries."
The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad runs one hundred miles along the
Valley of the Gunnison, through the fruit belt, and sixty-five miles
through the Valley of the Grand River. There -is an immense area of
land in Mesa, Delta and Montrose counties, which in altitude, climate,
soils and water is exceptionally well adapted to fruit culture. These im-
portant facts are inducing a large immigration to the Western Slope,
where the finest opportunities exist for the horticulturist. At present
Colorado can consume more than double the amount of fruit it raises, and
/ the markets afford a high price for all varieties, but with the immense
area of fruit land open for sale in the Valley of the Grand River, and sur-
rounding Grand Junction, as well as in Montrose and Delta counties,
there will, in time, be a fruit industry built up that will equal that of
California. In 1893, a single fifteen-acre fruit farm in the Grand River
Valley yielded $3,800 in peaches, pears, cherries, plums, apricots and small
fruits. The total product of the state last year amounted to $2,250,000.
"I can see, from what you say, that the agriculturist and the horticul-
turist have an excellent opportunity in Colorado, but how about the
small farmer?"
"His opportunities here are of the very best, owing to the great de»
mand for his products, and the certainty of his crops. Around all the
cities and towns of the state are clustered the holdings of the small farmer,
varying in extent from five to twenty acres. Vegetables and small fruits
are very prolific and command good prices, but at present the garden
product does not supply the demands of the cities and mining districts.
Owing to these conditions, there are great opportunities in Colorado for
the farmer with little capital ; the same may be said of the poultry in-
dustry. Why, Colorado imported eggs and poultry last year amounting
to over a million dollars."
"Is it possible?"
"Statistics prove it, and you can gather from this fact what an open-
ing there is in this direction, as at present the home poultry product is
only about twenty-five per cent, of the demand."
"Excuse me for interrupting," said the Major, "but a moment ago
you spoke of alfalfa and other forage plants ; this suggests that Colorado
should be a good state for the dairyman."
40
' ' One of the best. There are not yet enough
milch cows kept in Colorado to supply the
local demand for dairy products, and the state
is sending away about one million dollars per
annum for butter, cheese and milk consumed.
Of course, this demand is increasing with the
increase of population, and therefore there is
no branch of small farming that will pay better
than this, and certainly none that is more
needed."
"How do the prices of land range in the
state?"
"Well, fruit lands will run from twenty-five to three hundred dollars
per acre, according to location and water. Good agricultural lands,
under ditch, will run pretty well from ten to twenty-five dollars an acre,
while hay and grazing lands cost from $1.25 (the Government minimum
price) to $15. It all depends, of course, upon the character of the land,
its location and water facilities."
The Major looked out of the window at the turbulent waters of the
Arkansas, and said, "I think, Judge, that there is no lack of irrigation
here?"
"No," replied the Judge. " This is known as the Arkansas Valley ; it
is a strip of fine agricultural land extending along the river the most part
of a hundred and fifty miles. It is not very wide, but what there is of it
is very fertile."
The rolling hills to the right, the broken ranges of the Rocky Mount-
ain foothills beyond, the river to the left, characterized by peculiar castel-
lated rock formations, formed a scene both picturesque and enchanting.
As the Judge ceased speaking, the train rolled into Florence and came
to a standstill, and the gentlemen stepped out upon the platform of the
sleeper in order to get a view of the town.
"Gentlemen," exclaimed Sir John, "I am losing confidence in you."
"In what respect?" asked the Judge, earnestly, while the Colonel
looked his surprise at such.an accusation.
"You have apparently been giving the Major and I all the information
in your possession about Colorado, and yet I see evidences before me that
you have kept back a most important fact."
"What evidences?"
"Those tall derricks over yonder. They tell me something you have
not mentioned. There are coal oil deposits in your state."
"Indeed there are," replied the Colonel. "And just at present Flor-
41
ence is the center of that industry, although there are other undeveloped
fields in the state. Last year the product of petroleum was 756,000 bar-
rels. This is the only section west of Ohio where petroleum in paying
bodies is found, having paraffine for its base. The petroleum of Pennsyl-
vania and Ohio yields seventy-five per cent, illuminating oil and twenty-
five per cent, of paraffine, the latter being, by far, the more valuable
product. In the Florence oil the above figures are exactly reversed."
" Has any natural gas been discovered? "
"Yes, at Grand Junction, quite recently, and the results are going to
be of great importance."
" This must be a coal district ?
"Yes, one of the largest in the state; the Denver & Rio Grande has
three or four branch lines radiating from Florence into as many extensive
coal measures, and the shipments of coal are very large."
" What is the cause of all tr-3 bustle and activity I see here ; the erec-
tion of new buildings and the crowds of people in the streets ? "
"Florence is the junctional point of the Florence & Cripple Creek
Railroad, the direct connecting line of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad
reaching the world-renowned gold fields of Cripple Creek. The interest in
the Cripple Creek district has naturally attracted the attention of merchants,
smelters, investors and live business men, who recognize the fact that Flor-
ence is sure to become a large center of activity in the near future."
"Did not the completion of the Cripple Creek road materially assist the
Cripple Creek district?"
"With the solid through daily train service from Denver, through Col-
orado Springs and Pueblo, making Cripple Creek within easy and comfortable
access,and the Denver & Rio Grande system open for the carrying of ores from
the camps and coal and other supplies in, the cost of transportation has been
greatly reduced on both passengers and freight, which has given new im-
petus to these wonderful gold fields."
"What snow-crowned mountain is that we see yonder?" asked Sir
John, pointing to the northeast, as the train pulled out of the station.
"That," replied the Colonel, "is your old friend, Pike's Peak. You
now see its western slope, however, and this is the last view we will catch
of it in our westward journey."
"Some time ago, Judge," said the Major, "you spoke of the trip
' Around the Circle ;' will you explain what that is ? "
"Certainly. It is an extensive journey of about a thousand miles
through the most interesting features of the Rocky Mountains. It is called
the Circle, because in making the journey you almost describe a circle.
Not having to double back over any of the road, it has become a favorite
trip for tourists and is extensively patronized. Originally the journey was
from Denver to Silverton by the * Denver & Rio Grande ' road, thence to
Ouray by the 'Rainbow Route' and the Ouray Stage Line, thence to
43
Montrose and back
the Marshall Pass Line of
the Denver & Rio Grande.
Recently the Rio Grande South-
ern has been built from Durango
to Ridgway, so now a choice of
routes can be taken between
Durango and Ouray."
"Is this such a very wonderful journey ? "
"It is without doubt one of the most won-
derful tours in the world. A well known
author has said, ' Take Toltec Gorge as a cen-
tral point, and within a radius of two hundred miles draw a circle, and
within the confines of that magic ring will be found more grand and won-
derful scenery than there is in any similar circle anywhere on the face of
the globe.' "
" What are some of these wonders? "
" It would be impossible to name them all. There are sixty especially
attractive features on the trip. The most noted, however, are La Veta
Pass, Sierra Blanca, Toltec Gorge, Animas Canon, Bear Creek Falls, Cur-
recanti Needle, Black Canon, Marshall Pass, and as a culmination to all
this grandeur, the Royal Gorge, which you will see yourself."
" The list is certainly attractive," said Sir John.
" The journey is a thousand times more so," exclaimed the Colonel.
"In addition to the attractions mentioned by the Judge, I would like to
call your attention to the marvelous Cliff Dwellings accessible by the Rio
Grande Southern from Durango. By this route it is an all-rail journey
'Around the Circle.' By going to Silverton, there is an eight mile
journey over a magnificent toll road down the mountains by the ' Concord
Stage,' one of the few stage lines left in Colorado. Many enjoy the
novelty of the stage ride, but it's a hard matter to determine which route
is the more attractive after all, as the scenery of the Rio Grande Southern
is magnificent beyond description."
"Is the trip 'Around the Circle,' as you call it, an expensive one?"
"Not at all. The railroads make an especially low rate for the trip
in the summer and fall, from May till November, I believe, and allow
plenty of time, with the privilege of stopping off at pleasure at all the
points of interest."
"What is known of the Cliff Dwellings?"
" These are the ruined homes of an extinct race who built their castles
If hewn stone in the clefts of almost inaccessible canons. Scientists are
greatly interested in these relics of an ancient people, and the Canon of
the Mancos, where the dwellings abound, is visited during the summer
44
Dy hundreds of tourists attracted by these prehistoric ruins. Excavations
are continually being made and many curious relics are found which give
an idea of the manners and customs of this strange people. The interest
is growing as more is learned of this lost race, and it is quite a common
occurrence now for parties to be made up expressly to visit the Cliff
Dwellings."
The train stopped and the porter announced :
"Canon City, gein'men."
"This," said the Judge, "is a very pretty little city, around which are
some of the finest orchards in the state and it is a great shipping point
for fruits of all kinds, especially apples and strawberries, and is a delight-
ful place for invalids and pleasure seekers, both summer and winter."
The train proceeded upon its way, and just as it was leaving the
suburbs of the city, the Major asked :
"What is that large stone building to our right?"
"That," replied the Judge, "is the State Penitentiary."
"A fine building," said Sir John.
"Yes. Colorado's state institutions are all well housed. The Insane
Asylum is at Pueblo ; the Institute for the Deaf -Mute and Blind at Colo
rado Springs ; the Reformatory at Buena Vista ; the Reform School and
the School of Mines at Golden ; the State Agricultural School at Fort
Collins ; the Soldiers' Home at Monte Vista, and the State University at
Boulder. All have excellent buildings and are excellently managed."
By this time there was a great stir in the train, the passengers were
eagerly looking out of the windows and clustering upon the platforms of
the cars. The porter approached the gentlemen and said : " We's comin'
to de Royal Gorge, gem'men. I's fixed some camp stools fo' yo' on de back
platform, wha' yo can see de grandes' sight on de whole round earf ." The
party hastened back to the place reserved for them by the porter, and in a
few minutes the train swung into the shadows of the Grand Canon of the
Arkansas.
The scene is one that no words can describe, no photograph reproduce
no artist paint. Its fame grows greater and greater with each advancing
year, for no one can behold it without treasuring its magnificence in his
memory, and endeavoring, though vainly, to impart the impressions there
received to friends who have not had the privilege of looking upon this
masterpiece of Nature's grandest works. The canon is seven miles in
length, and through it the Arkansas River pours its waters, gathered in
the mountains, out upon the plains. The walls vary in height, but are
2,600 feet at the highest point, reaching the culmination of grandeur at
the point where a steel bridge, swung between the walls of the canon and
parallel with the stream, gives passage for the railroad : This is the
Royal Gorge.
45
After the train had passed
through the "Gorge" the
party remained seated upon the
platform, enjoying the delightful
air just crisp by a tinge of coolness blown from
the snow peaks of the mountains. The scenery
had changed from the wildness of the canon to the rolling pine-clad hills
that abut on the eastern verge of the Great South Park.
"What are those peculiar conical structures of white?" asked the
Major, pointing to the right.
"Those are ' charcoal ovens,' " replied the Colonel. " The manufacture
of charcoal is widely distributed over the state, and the industry reaches
large proportions. Charcoal is extensively used in smelting and all min-
eral assaying, which makes the local demand very great. Generally
fallen timber is used, free of expense to the charcoal makers, but when-
ever they find it necessary to use live trees, they pay the state or the
government an agreed price on the amount employed."
"Does Colorado produce much timber for general uses, as such?"
asked Sir John.
"Yes. There is an abundance of pine and spruce timber in the state
for all the rougher uses of this nature, such as are used in the mines,
bridge timbers, railroad ties, etc. The finer grades of lumber, and all
hard woods are imported. Pine lands are well distributed throughout the
state. There is one tract of 100,000 acres on the San Juan Mountains,
through which the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad passes. The timber
lands are being worked to a great extent, and produce about 8,000,000 feet
of lumber to each section. There is a steady demand for this product at
good prices."
" I should think these dry rocky hillsides would be suitable for sheep,"
said the Major, musingly.
" There is no country better suited for that industry," answered the
Judge. "Foot-rot is unknown, and the general health of the animals
perfect."
" Aren't you a long distance from market?" queried Sir John.
"We cannot supply the home market with mutton, and as for wool,
we are only two cents a head further from New England than the Ohio
sheep raiser, and it costs him six times as much to raise his wool."
"What is the cause of this difference in expense?"
46
"One of the prime advantages is that this is largely a land of free
grass. The sheep can graze iipon this for eight months in the year, and
be fed with hay from cheap lands during the winter. In the East and
Middle States grass costs money and the sheep have to be carefully fed
for at least five months."
" How important is this industry?"
" There are about two million head of sheep in Colorado now, produc-
ing ten million pounds of wool annually. The profit is estimated at about
twenty per cent, on the amount of money invested."
" How many sheep can Colorado support?"
" At least twenty-five millions. They can be raised in any part of the
state, either in great herds upon the range, or in small flocks upon the
farm."
" Do they raise swine to any extent?" asked Sir John.
"Hog raising," replied the Judge, "is an industry quite new to
Colorado, but it is becoming an important branch of farm production.
Hog cholera, the bane of the Mississippi Valley, is absolutely unknown,
and on account of the altitude and climatic conditions cholera could not
exist even if imported. It has been discovered that alfalfa is even better
than corn for fattening purposes. Peas are extensively raised and are
considered cheap fattening food, as is also the sugar beet. Recently this
matter has been given more attention on account of the large profits in
pork and the industry is certain of a very large increase."
" Do you raise sugar beets ?"
"Oh, yes, although this also is a new industry. Satisfactory experi-
ments have been made in this direction in Montrose and Delta counties,
and the beets are shipped to a sugar factory at Lehi, Utah, with a satis-
factory profit. It is quite likely that a factory of this character will be
established in Western Colorado, as the soil of Mesa, Delta and Montrose
counties is especially fitted for this purpose, as is also that of the San
Luis Valley. Because of the high per cent, of sugar in the beets which
these lands produce capital has become interested in these particular
localities."
"Is that a mine on the hillside yonder?" asked the Major.
"No, that is a limestone quarry, and although it is not a mine, its
product is largely used in the mining industry. Limerock is one of the
most valuable of fluxes and each smelter in the state uses from four to six
car loads a day of this product. Probably ten thousand tons of this rock
are mined each year. Lime is also manufactured from this rock, and, of
course, vast quantities of it are used in building. By the way, we also
manufacture a very fine quality of cement in Colorado."
Here the conversation was interrupted by the Colonel, who is an en-
thusiast on the subject of scenery. He called the attention of the party
47
to the grand
view which
opened before them. The serrated summits of the
Sangre de Cristo range, crowned with perpetual
snow, rose clearly denned against the western sky,
while to the northwestward swept the magnificent
peaks of the Collegiate range. In the center of the
picture towered the fire-scarred summit of 'Old
Ouray,' an extinct volcano, supported on the left by Shavano, a brother
mountain, whose fires had died out long ages ago. While looking at this
magnificent spectacle, the train rattled over a countless number of switches,
and on either side innumerable tracks were seen.
"What's this?" asked Sir John.
"The freight transfer yards of the D. & R. G-.," replied the Colonel.
" We are now about three miles from Salida."
Soon the train passed the handsome hospital building erected by the
' D. & R. G.' road for the care of the sick and injured employes of the
road, and, rolling by the immense round-house of the company, came to a
stop at the depot, and the party walked into the refreshment room of the
Hotel Monte Cristo — another one of the elegant dining stations of the
road. Attracted by the inviting appearance of the dining-room, the
gentlemen regretted that the train arrived at such an hour that it was
not possible for them to take their dinner here.
CHAPTER IV.
THE INTEREST DOES NOT FLAG.
FTER leaving the hotel the gentlemen walked up and down the
platform for a few moments, while the baggage and express were
being taken off and put on. They paused at the upper end of the
long platform to obtain a view of the handsome town of Salida,
lying along either bank of the Arkansas river. The town pre-
sented a very attractive appearance, and called forth many ex-
pressions of praise on the part of the Major and Sir John, both of
whom were charmed by the magnificence of the mountain view, and sur-
prised at the evidences of thrift, prosperity and good taste which lay be-
fore them. They were especially pleased with the appearance of the
elegant residence portion of the city lying on the Mesa.
The conductor called "All aboard" and the party resumed their places
on the rear platform of the Pullman.
"Colonel," exclaimed Sir John, "I've been wondering what that third
rail in the track means. It has been with us all the way from Denver,
and I see it is still with us."
"And it will stay with us until we get to Leadville," replied the Col-
onel. "That rail makes this both a standard and a narrow gauge railroad,
and is necessary, because the Denver & Rio Grande has many feeding
lines extending all through the mountains to mining towns and shipping
centers that are built with the narrow gauge. Originally the entire line
was but three-foot gauge. The third rail enables the road to maintain a
through service from Denver and Pueblo to all points on its system,
though they may be situated on a narrow gauge branch. The geograph-
ical situation of the D. & R. G. road, making it a very important link for
the conduct of the trans-continental traffic of the country, made it neces-
sary that it should be of the standard gauge. With the customary enter-
prise which characterizes this company, this emergency was promptly
met. Therefore the line was broadened from Denver to Grand Junction,
by way of Leadville, and in 1890 the D. & R. G. became equal in all re-
spects, as to its through service, with any of the other trans-continental
48
lines of the conti-
nent. This sleeper goes through to San Fran-
cisco, you know."
"Is the through line the only standard gauge
that the road has?"
"No; in addition they have a standard
gauge to Trinidad, and to all the connecting coal
branches in that section, besides being standard
gauge into Manitou and Aspen, and the coal
branches in the vicinity of Florence."
"What particular districts are reached by the
narrow gauge lines?"
" The mining districts on the Blue River above
Leadville, and from Salida there is an extensive
system running in the San Juan country and radiating through the
southern part of the state. I have already described the various branches
in the San Luis Valley terminating at Santa Fe and Durango. From
Salida to Grand Junction extends what may be called the main trunk
of the central portion of the narrow gauge systems, which after passing
over the Continental Divide at Marshall Pass and through the famous
Black Canon, descends into and penetrates a very rich agricultural,
pastoral and horticultural region, with Gunnison, Montrose, Delta and
Grand Junction as the leading towns and shipping places. This line
is deservedly famous among tourists for its glorious scenery, and forms a
part of the wonderful trip 'Around the Circle.' There are several feed-
ing branches connecting with the main trunk ; that from Poncha extends
to Monarch, in the Monarch mining district, another from Mears over the
range to Alamosa and the San Luis Valley, a third from Gunnison to the
anthracite mines of Crested Butte and the new coal district of Ruby, and
one from Sapinero to Lake City, with its great gold and silver mines, as well
as the new gold discoveries of Goose Creek. From Montrose a branch fol-
lows up the fertile Vcaiey of the Uncompahgre River, penetrates the
Uncompahgre Canon and terminates at Ouray, one of the most beautifully
situated towns in the world. This branch also connects at Ridgeway with
the Rio Grande Southern road, which passes through some of the most
magnificent scenery of the Rocky Mountains, extends to Durango, thus
forming a double line to this important city."
"You have mentioned Durango so frequently in your conversation that
I infer it must be a place of some note," said the Major.
"It is the metropolitan town of southwestern Colorado," replied
the Colonel, " and has great prospects for the future. It has a population
now of about 8,000, and is growing rapidly."
51
" What is the cause of all this prosperity?"
"Its great advantages as a business center. It is situated near one of
the great coal fields of the state, and has an abundant supply of excellent
timber. It is the commercial center of the vast grazing and agricultural
regions of the Montezuma Valley and the Ute reservation, as well* as the
mining districts of the Great Southwest. This, with the recent discovery
of large and rich gold deposits in the La Plata district, which will be
vigorously developed this spring, must make Durango one of the most
prosperous cities in the state. It has two smelters in full operation, which
are kept constantly busy reducing the ores of the Silverton,Red Mountain
and other San Juan districts. It is also largely engaged in the manufac-
ture of coke. It has eight business establishments carrying stocks of
$100,000 in value each, and as many more that carry stocks valued at
$50,000 each. The wholesale and retail business of this town during the
last year exceeded $4,000,000, so you see Durango is not only a town of
great expectations, but really a place of great achievements. It is a
delightful place of residence, and has an inexhaustible supply of pure
water. From here the 'D. & R. G.' road extends through the Animas
Canon, one of Nature's greatest scenic wonders, to Silverton, a thriving
mining town filled with prosperous and enterprising people."
" Silverton is the southern terminus, is it not?"
"Yes, it might be termed the terminus, but it is, after all, more properly
speaking, a point in the great circle of this narrow gauge system, for
from here we take the Silverton Railroad, known as the 'Rainbow
Route,' over Red Mountain to Ironton, from which point the stage road
leads down to Ouray, at which point we again strike the narrow gauge
system of the 'D. & R. G.' I have already spoken of this stage road, but
1 want to say right here that if you ever have the opportunity, or can
ever make the opportunity, don't fail to take this ride ; it is the experience
of a lifetime."
" You spoke of Ouray as a beautiful place?"
" Yes, it is considered one of the most beautiful towns in the mountains.
It is situated in a little valley surrounded by great cliffs of rocks banded
with variegated colors, and is a most delightful summer resort. As a
business place it is the center of a large and rich gold and silver mining
district."
"I had no idea that the 'D. & R. G.' had such an extended system,"
said Sir John. " How many miles has it?"
The Judge hesitated for a reply, when the Colonel exclaimed, "By
the way, Judge, I had occasion to look that up the other day, and am
happy to say that we are not checkmated yet in this game of questions."
" Well, give it to us," replied the Judge, smiling.
" There are six hundred and seventy miles of standard gauge; nine
LI
HWT €
hundred and eighty-seven
narrow gauge, belonging to
the <D. & R. G.' proper,
and with the addition of the
Rio Grande Southern and
Silverton Railroads, which
are practically a part of the
system, the length of the
lines in Colorado and New Mexico is eighteen hundred and fifty miles.
This does not include the Rio Grande Western, which forms a part of
their great Trans-Continental Line, though operated separately, and has a
mileage in Utah of five hundred and twenty miles, making a grand total
of what is known as the Rio Grande system of twenty-three hundred and
seventy miles." ,
* During this somewhat extended and discursive conversation, the train
had been bowling along through the beauties of Brown's Canon, up the
Valley of the Arkansas with the bright river constantly in view, and the
Collegiate range of mountains drawing nearer as each mile-post is passed.
The train swept around a broad curve in the Arkansas River and stopped
for a moment at the attractive little city of Buena Vista.
A short stroll on the depot platform gave an opportunity to catch a
glimpse of the town, which, in addition to its beautiful situation, possesses
many attraction of its own.
"This is a pretty place," said the Major. "What are its business
interests?"
"It is surrounded by a large agricultural and hay producing country,
and its people follow agricultural and horticultural pursuits mostly,"
replied the Judge. "Besides it is contiguous to good mines, notably the
gold mines of Crooked Creek. Buena Vista is especially adapted to manu-
facturing interests and will some day become a manufacturing center.
Near this place the Denver paper mills have saw mills. The pulp made
from Colorado spruce, grown at an altitude of 9,000 feet, has a finer
grain than the timber of Wisconsin, and makes a finer news print
paper. 'A-n other element of prosperity is found in its nearness to the
Cottonwood Hot Springs, which are highly medicinal and the resort of
many invalids."
53
As the Judge ceased speaking the train began to move out of the sta-
tion and the party resumed their places in the Pullman car.
" That is the Collegiate range of mountains," said the Judge, motion-
ing to the massive peaks looming up from the level plain.
"Why do they call it the Collegiate range?" inquired Sir John.
" Because the highest peaks are named after leading colleges in the
United States," answered the Colonel. "For example, that peak is known
as Princeton; that other, yonder, Yale, and that one, Harvard. These
peaks are each over 14,000 feet in height, and all of them excel Pike's
Peak in altitude."
" This rapid river suggests to me that Colorado must have an abund-
ance of water power ? "
"Yes, especially in the mountains. It is already utilized to a great
extent to drive the dynamos of large electric plants in the mountain towns,
both for illumination and the economical working of mines. The many
rapid streams all over the state make the possibilities for its use in manu-
facturing, applied directly or in combination with electricity, something
enormous."
" This must be one of the parks that you spoke of?"
"Yes, this is the upper Arkansas Valley, a continuation of the Great
South Park. By the way, there irf a regular chain of these parks in the
Rocky Mountains of Colorado, extending from the northern to the south-
ern part of the state. Their names indicate their geographical position,
being called respectively North Park, Middle Park, South Park, and San
Luis Valley."
"These parks must furnish excellent pasturage?"
"They do in some instances, as for example in the South Park, great
quantities of most excellent natural hay is grown, and they all provide
excellent grazing lands."
"Are cattle raised extensively?" asked Sir John.
"Yes, but not GO the extent we used to raise them when the ranges
were free, but the quality much more than makes up for the quantity;
still there are about a million head of cattle in Colorado now. Blooded
stock and high graded cattle are the rule now, and the profits of the
business have been largely increased by this change. Cattle raising is
still, and will always continue to be, a large industry with us, and each
year will show a steady improvement in the breeding of the stock."
It was now growing dark, and the gentlemen retired to their comfort-
able quarters in the smoking compartment of the sleeper, which was made
bright and cheerful by the brilliant gas light with which it was illuminated.
Sir John looked with astonishment at the glowing light, and exclaimed —
" Surely that must be a gas light ; how in the world do you manage to
have it in your railroad cars ? "
"That's a
JL Cl H l£ 6 0 HO~
tion," laughed
the Colonel.
"The entire train, even the baggage car, is lighted
with gas."
"But where the dence does it come from, and what
kind of gas is it?"
" This is what is called the Pintsch gas system ; the
gas is stored in a tank under the cars, and sent through burners made ex-
pressly for its consumption."
"Indeed ! It is a marked improvement over any light I have seen used
on cars."
It was now quite dark, and Sir John turned, in evident disappointment,
from the window with the remark —
"I'm so interested in this trip, and so charmed with the magnificent
scenery, that I regret to pass over any of i>. during the night."
"Why not stop over in Leadville, Sir John, and resume your journey
by daylight to-morrow?" suggested the Colonel.
" But my ticket won't allow that, don't you know ; I made no arrange-
ments to stop off when I secured it."
"I think that can be fixed all right," said the Colonel, pressing the
button, to which the porter promptly responded. "Charley," said the
Colonel to that sable servitor, " won't you ask the conductor to step this
way a moment ? "
" Certainly, sah," answered the porter, departing quickly on his errand.
Sir John looked rather surprised at the familiarity of the Colonel's ad-
dress to the porter, and, in response to the look the Colonel said, "For
convenience we assume that all the porters are named Charley, and they
answer cheerfully to that designation."
The conductor entered at this moment and the Colonel said, " This
gentleman would like to stop over at Leadville to-night, provided you can
arrange it ;" as he spoke he gave him Sir John's ticket. The conductor
glanced at it and replied, ' ' Stop-over-privileges-are-allowed-on-all-through-
tickets-when-the-limit-of -time-permits-it." With this remark, which was
evidently a familiar formulary, the conductor made a few hieroglyphics
on the back of the ticket and returned it to Sir John. The Major, catch-
ing the idea, suggested that if the Judge and the Colonel would consent
to go on with the party, he would also stop off and they would resume
the journey from Leadville in company. The suggestion was accepted
unanimously, and the conductor arranged matters for all concerned.
The Colonel and the Major expressed their regret that on account of
darkness they could not show their friends the great gold placers near
55
Granite station, which have been profitably worked for the last t-w-e-n-
t-y y-e-a-r-s.
. The train stopped at Malta, where an extra engine was put on to pull
it up the grade into Leadville. Sir John, who was quick to observe,
noticed this addition and said : "There must be quite a stiff grade here
to require two of these enormous engines ? "
"Yes," said the Colonel, "this, as I remember, is a three percent,
grade."
"How many feet would that be to the mile ?"
"About 168 feet, one per cent, being 52 feet 9 inches."
"Are there many grades on this line as heavy as this?"
"No, this is the heaviest on the standard gauge line ; that over Tennes-
see Pass being the next heaviest, about 152 feet to the mile on its western
slope."
"How about the grades on the narrow gauge lines?"
" They are very much heavier, those over La Veta Pass, Marshall Pass
and the Cumbres range being four per cent, or 21i feet to the mile, and on
a short branch to the Calumet iron mine, the grade is 409 feet, the
heaviest grade in the world operated by a traction engine."
"Are not such grades productive of danger?"
"Not at all. Every train is supplied with all the latest inventions to
secure safety, including automatic air brake, also water and hand brakes,
and the best proof is that there has never been an accident to passenger
trains on account of grades in the entire history of the road. Due credit
for this state of affairs should be given to the careful management of the
road, who never allow an engineer to drive a passenger engine until he has
had a most thorough and exhaustive education in mountain train ser-
vice. Observe how our engineers handle this train, no jerking, every-
thing smooth and quiet, and so skilled are they that we take a curve at
the rate of forty miles an hour and scarcely notice it."
"I have particularly noticed that," said the Major, "and also the
extreme smoothness of the track."
"And I," remarked Sir John, "have been much surprised at the sub-
stantial construction of the roadbed, track and bridges ; it reminds me
more of our English roads in that respect than any I have seen."
The train was now passing through the suburbs of Leadville, and the
Colonel called attention to the fact that since leaving Pueblo they had
been steadily ascending and now were 5,530 feet, or more than a mile,
higher than they were at lunch time.
The train stopped at Leadville station and the gentlemen took car-
riages for the Vendome Hotel.
CHAPTER V.
THE JUDGE TELLS OF THE HEALTH RESORTS, HUNTING
AND FISHING GROUNDS.
ALL TAR0V6A
FTER a good dinner at the hotel the party took a
stroll through the city, curiosity concerning which
being greatly excited in the minds of Sir John and
the Major. The fact that it was the great silver
camp of the world, and that a city of 15,000 people
with metropolitan advantages had been built at the
unprecedented altitude of 10,200 feet above the sea, filled them with pro-
found astonishment. The life and bustle on the streets, the unfamiliar
figures of the miners, the talk of veins, fissures, lodes, carbonates, por-
phyry, dykes, the excitement over new gold discoveries, all interested and
entertained them greatly.
"I have heard a great deal about the difficulty experienced in breath-
ing at this extreme altitude," remarked Sir John, as they entered the
hotel after their walk, "but I must say I find myself very little affected."
" These matters are greatly exaggerated," replied the Colonel. "The
fact is that such troubles are the exception and not the rule ; it is by far
the minority who feel the effect of the altitude to any extent, except after
violent exertion, and all persons, unless troubled with heart affections,
soon become acclimated and do not notice it."
After their exercise the gentlemen found comfortable accommodations
for the night at their hotel, and retired with the understanding that they
would catch the early train west out of Leadville in the morning, and
take their breakfast at Minturn.
As the bright sun rose above the mountains, the gentlemen boarded the
train and resumed their journey westward. The scene was one of grand-
eur and was greeted with many expressions of delight. Leadville lay
56
57
cradled among tremendous mountains, captained by Mount Massive, that
towered above her, and the sunlight transformed their silver crowns of
snow into diadems of shining gold, as if symboling the transformation
of the famed silver camp into what is bound to become an equally famed
gold producer. The Colonel pointed out many of the famous mines which
dotted the hillsides on every hand, as the train sped rapidly on its west-
ward way. Soon the ascent of Tennessee Pass (the Continental Divide)
was achieved and the tunnel threaded at an altitude of more than 10,000
feet above the sea. Descending the Pacific Slope, through a beautiful
valley, the Colonel called attention to the range of mountains to the
right, as containing the famed Mount of the Holy Cross. The train rolled
between the red walls of a picturesque canon into the town of Bed Cliff.
"This," said the Colonel, '4s a thriving mining town, and if you
would like to see some of the mines, I would suggest that we adjourn to
the rear platform of the car."
The suggestion was adopted, and the Colonel pointed out the shaft
houses of mines on Battle Mountain, perched like eagles' nests on the
very verge of the cliffs, and the mining camp of Gilman, seemingly
tipped ready to topple over upon them as they passed.
" What canon is this?" asked the Major, as the train dashed on under
it and out of view between butting cliffs.
" This is Eagle River Canon, the walls of which are fully 1,000 feet
from the level of the track, and some of the greatest silver mines of the
state are under those rough looking buildings that we have seen hanging
on the cliffs."
" This is certainly one of the most beautiful and interesting scenes I
have ever witnessed," exclaimed Sir John. "Not so grand, perhaps, as
the Royal Gorge, but surely worth a journey especially to see."
Retiring to the smoking compartment the gentlemen made their pre-
parations for breakfast, and by the time they were ready the train
pulled into Minturn. The party entered the eating station and were soon
enjoying a most appetizing meal, a special feature of which was a boun-
tiful supply of most delicious mountain trout Returning to the train,
Sir John, who, like most English gentlemen, was an ardent sportsman,
turned eagerly to the Judge with the remark, "I enjoyed those trout
very much. Has Colorado a good supply of fish and game?"
"It is the sportsman's paradise," replied the Judge, with much enthu-
siasm. "The forests, which cover so large a proportion of the state, are
the natural covert for elk, deer, antelope, the Rocky Mountain sheep, as
well as a variety of smaller game, while the streams and lakes, in count-
less number, are teeming with mountain trout, those speckled beauties
that so delight the heart of the experienced Nimrod, while the more
common varieties of fish ply the waters in ample swarms."
* ' Are trout especi-
ally abundant?"
"Yes, indeed; there are
6,000 miles of the finest kind
of trout streams, and the
supply is practically inex-
haustible. There are nearly 500 lakes which are alive with fish and water
fowls. Trout fishing is almost the universal pastime, because of the
great abundance of the opportunities, the ease of access to lakes and
streams, and the comfort with which this delightful sport can be pur-
sued."
"How about large game? "
"The great parks and valleys, forests, streams and lakes of Routt,
Grand and Garfield counties are the favored region for elk, deer, antelope,
rabbits, duck, geese, prairie chickens, grouse, quail, and other varieties of
game, including the wolf, mountain lion and bear."
" Is your game protected?"
"Certainly. We have stringent game laws. The laws permit the
killing of game birds from August 15th to November 1st, water fowl from
September 1st to May 1st. Deer and elk may be killed from August 1st
to November 1st. The killing of buffalo and mountain sheep is prohibited.
It is lawful to take fish with hook and line from June 1st to December
1st. Netting and explosives are prohibited."
The train was now speeding along down the valley of the Eagle River,
which was dotted here and there with the comfortable homes of farmers,
showing that agriculture had here an established footing. Soon the scene
changed, the further bank of the stream gloomed darkly with the black-
ened scoria of some extinct volcano. Exclamations of surprise from the
Major and Sir John greeted this phenomenon, and their wonder was excited
greatly at beholding the barren rock-field which swept away from the
river up to the distant foothills.
"I see no sign of a volcano," said the Major ; "how do you account for
this lava deposit ? "
" It is a strange fact," replied the Colonel, " that the foothills show no
signs whatever of volcanic action, yet beyond them there is an extinct
volcano, which, no doubt, is the source from which all this lava originally
60
came. Bnt we are approaching the Canon of the Grand River ; let us
take onr post of observation on the rear platform, for, I assure you, the
sight is one of a lifetime." w
The gentlemen quickly complied with the Colonel's request, and
the train was soon whirling through one of the most wonderful
canons of the Rocky Mountains. As compared with the Royal Gorge,
there is more of variety and less of that stupendous, awe-inspiring grand-
eur which overwhelms the beholder. Here are weird forms of rock,
suggestions of pyramids, towers, turrets, even statues of wind-carved,
water-worn and earthquake-riven stone. Spires and pinnacles climb
towards the sky on each hand, and towering walls of living rock seem to
bar the way, but a quick curve avoids these apparent barriers, and the
train svnngs into and through a long tunnel and stops at Glenwood
Springs.
"This place," said the Colonel, "is one of the most noted watering
places in the West. In some respects it is unsurpassed in the world. The
famous hot springs, the great swimming pool and the unique cave baths
are unequalled anywhere."
" In what way is the pool you speak of peculiar ? " asked Sir John.
"First, in size; it covers more than an acre of ground, and is three
and one-half to six and one-half feet deep. Second, in temperature ; the
hot water pours in from the spring at a temperature of 120 degrees Fahr-
enheit, at the rate of 2,000 gallons per minute. In this pool you can bathe
out-doors both summer and winter."
"Are there any other bathing facilities?"
"Yes, an elegant bath house which has been erected at a cost of over
$100,000. Its walls are of the beautiful peach-blow sandstone, and its
interior arrangements are the handsomest and most complete that money
can buy or taste devise."
"Such accommodations indicate that a great many pleasure seekers
and invalids visit Glenwood Springs."
" It has become a very popular pleasure resort and sanitarium."
"I suppose this explains the existence of that magnificent hotel yon-
der," remarked Sir John.
"Yes, so great was the demand that ' The Colorado,' a hotel containing
two hundred guest-rooms and built of peach-blow stone and Roman brick
at an expense of §350,000, had to be built. Its dimensions are 224 feet front
and 260 feet front to rear. The hotel is built around three sides of a large
court 124 feet square. This court is terraced and is adorned with paths,
grass-plats and beds of flowers. The accommodations and furnishings are
unsurpassed by any hotel of a similar character in the country. The
town of Glenwood Springs is attractive, beautifully situated and
thriving."
61
IQRft
" Colorado seems
to abound in min-
eral springs?" -»
"Yes, it has
more than any
other state in the
Union. There are eighteen resorts in
the state that are fully developed, pos-
sessing medicinal springs and supplied
with hotel accommodations. Fourteen of these
are hot spring resorts. Each of these places is
fortunate in the possession of from five to one
hundred springs, varying among themselves as to their
medicinal qualities and of different degrees of temperature,
no two springs being alike. In addition to these there are
myriads of springs all through the mountains that possess
the highest medicinal qualities which, as the population
of this state increases, will be developed and add their
healing influences to the sum of Colorado's health-giving
appliances. The mineral springs of Colorado are equal in
all respects, and superior in many, to the famous watering
places of the Old World."
The train pulled out of the station, and a section of it
was switched on another track and a locomotive attacKed.
"What is the reason of this?" asked the Major.
"That is the Aspen section," replied the Colonel.
" Aspen is a mining town, is it not?"
" One of the most prosperous in the state. It is situated most advan-
tageously for business and is surrounded by many of the richest mines in
Colorado. It is second only to Leadville in the out-put of its mines. It
also has its own smelter, and in addition is a most delightful place of
residence."
The train followed the course of the Grand River through a rich valley
and amidst the most entrancing scenery. On one hand the hills rolled up
from the river side, while on the other the broad valley extended back to
the Great Book Cliffs, which walled it in with ramparts of vari-colored
rocks carved into manifold forms by the action of the elements.
" Truly the scenery of Colorado presents great variety," said Sir John.
* ' The most varied, I believe, in the world," replied the Colonel. ' ' Every
mood finds here some scene that touches a responsive chord. Among the
mountains Nature asserts herself in ecstacy, rising to the highest expres-
sions of grandeur and sublimity. In the foothills and by the sparkling
rivers, quiet beauty reigns supreme, while on the plains, the vastness of
62
the sea is vividly suggested and in the valleys the calm content of peaceful
prosperity broods like a benediction."
"Amen," said the Judge.
"lam an enthusiast on this subject," said the Colonel. " It behooves
us to show the world what we possess. The Via Mala cannot compare
with the Royal Gorge. The hundred peaks of the Rockies, each exceeding
14,000 feet in height, more than compensate for the grandeur of Mount
Blanc, the beauty of Monte Rosa or the splendor of the Jungfrau ! No,
we need not fear comparison with Europe. One can ride over the lines of
the <D. & R. G. Railroad' for 1,850 miles within the State of Colorado and
never once be out of sight of mountain peaks, and during that time pass
over a dozen ranges where the track attains an altitude of from eight to
eleven thousand feet above the sea."
The Colonel's eloquence was interrupted by the slowing of the train,
and the porter announced —
" Grand Junction ; time for dinner, gentlemen."
The party disembarked and all went in and enjoyed an excellent dinner.
During the meal the Major and Sir John expressed themselves as so
charmed and impressed with their trip through Colorado that they had
fully determined to return and make more extended investigations.
The Colonel and the Judge had reached the end of their journey, but
the Major and Sir John were to remain the occupants of the car until its
arrival at San Francisco.
As Grand Junction was the last place of importance in the state, Sir
John requested of the Judge that he tell him something of the town before
they separated, and the Judge explained that Grand Junction was one of
the most thriving towns of the western slope ; the commercial center of a
vast agricultural and horticultural region destined to rival California, or
in fact any locality on the continent, in its fruit-growing industry; of its
location contiguous to the great coal fields ; of its many advantages for the
location of manufactories, and of its prospects of one day being a great
manufacturing point, and last, but not least, of the enterprise and push of
its citizens.
" Then it is no exception to the rule," remarked Sir John, as the Judge
ceased speaking.
"In what respect?"
"Enterprise and push ! I have seen no evidence of anything else since
I came into the state, and with such people, and such resources, the possi-
bilities of Colorado can not be contemplated."
The Rio Grande Western Railway, the continuing link in this great
railroad system, lay before them with its many scenic attractions, which
would add variety to the sum of their experiences and give them last-
ing impressions of Utah and the mountains, valleys and rivers that lay
between Grand
Junction and Salt
Lake, the famous
City of the Saints. And let us hope
that they may be so fortunate as
to meet on their journey, companions as well versed upon the vast
mineral and agricultural resources of Utah, as were those left behind,
in regard to Colorado.
As the party came from the dining station the conductor called : "All
aboard!" and with mutual expressions of esteem and of regret at parting,
the Major and Sir John shook hands with the Judge and the Colonel,
and stepped on to the rear platform of the sleeper as it slowly continued
its journey westward.
' ' Good-bye, gentlemen," exclaimed Sir John, who spoke for himself and
the Major ; "we'll return soon."
MWWLl
BROWN PALACE HOTEL, DENVER, Jan. 2nd, 1898.
MAJOR GEORGE H. PRESTON.
My dear Major: —
Your recent letter was a source of great pleasure to me, and it is gratify-
ing to know you will return home to Colorado after your extended absence
abroad. Your statement that there is a great increase of interest in Europe
concerning Colorado securities and the general development of the State is
not surprising to me, for this fact has been manifested the past year by some
of the heaviest foreign investments ever made here.
Sir John has not only identified himself wholly with Colorado as a citi-
zen, but at this date a number of his British friends are touring the State
and thoroughly exploiting its resources with the view of investment, and I
feel sure it will all result as it did with Sir John and yourself— they will
come to stay.
64
It is again a pleasure to me to give you the results of another year's in-
dustrial progress in Colorado. " The Silver State" is now justly entitled to
the name of " The Golden State," as its product of gold for 1897 exceeded
that of every other State in the Union, including California. The yield was
upward of §22,000,000, as against $15,110,960 for 1896. About $12,500,000 of
this total is credited to the wonderful new field of Cripple Creek, which in
the short space of seven years has achieved a distinction second only to that
of the Witwatersrand. While this camp is now attracting the world's at-
tention, there are many new gold districts which promise in the future to
share its fame. Among these are the " Silver San Juan," now a marvelous
gold belt, the Gunnison district, the La Plata country, the Leadville gold
belt, the Hahn's Peak district and many others.
The silver industry remains about the same as in 1896, the value of the
white metal produced being $14,756,604. The lead product amounted to
$3,323,877, and that of copper $1,006,334. The iron interest showed firmness
throughout the year. The coal industry shows a total output of 3,516,960
tons with over 300,000 tons of coke.-
The fruit industry has made great strides in 1897, the value of the year's
crop being estimated by the State Board of Horticulture at over $5,000,000.
The acreage in orchards is now put at 100,000, the greatest increase being
on the western slope. The live-stock industry is rapidly developing in
importance, the estimated value of the cattle, sheep and hogs in Colorado
now being $21,000,000.
There has been a large inflow of population in recent months, the larg-
est numbers being attracted by the wonderful gold discoveries. But the
home seekers are coming in rapidly, and the pronounced mining movement
will make a very profitable market for the products of orchard and farm in
this and future years.
The banks of Denver show $24,000,000 in deposits, which is a heavy in-
crease over a year ago. The real estate market is firm, with frequent sales
of residences. Money for loans is in fair supply at lower rates than a year
ago, and rents as a rule are strengthening all over the city. The clearings
for the year show a decided gain over those of 1896, and the city has gained
at least 5,000 in population, which is now 165,000. The Denver factories
are busy, the value of products for 1897 (including smelting) being $43,000,-
000, giving employment to 16,000 persons, showing a satisfactory increase
over 1896.
Taking all in all the condition of the state was never stronger, nor its
future prosperity ever so promising.
With the hearty well wishes of Mrs. Stark and myself,
Yours very truly,
AMOS STARK.
F-'E. THOMPSON,"
Passenger Agent
16 West Santa Clara St
SAN JOSE - - CAL
POOLE BROS. CHICAGO.
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