Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 August 1881 — On The Wing. [ARTICLE]

On The Wing.

DeNtEe, 001., July 27, 1881. . Dear Republican: —We srs about to say good-bye to the baby state,. a broth of a commonwealth. Wo wrote from Manitou and hare since made the lour of the C. C. branch of the U. 1\ At Diride is a lake having two outlets, one feeding the Arkansas and the other the Platte. The lake is a pretty sheet of water and takes its name, Palmer, from the President of the D. & ft. *O. The altitude is about 7,500. feet, and looking to the west as the son was sinking we beheld a picture worth a place in memory’s storehouse. Castle Kock is named from a huge rock standing on an apex of a spur of the divide having the odtw&rd semblance of a castle. It is the countr seat of Douglass county and noted for an extensive quarry of variegatid stone from which many of tbe public buildings in Denver are constructed. From Ihis town can be seen long “hog-backs’.’ of white, red and brown stone standing out from the front range like huge sentinels on guard. DENVER. This is a city and metropolitan in all its appointments. The name, “Queen City of the New West,” could be sustained by facts. Here we find a union depot COO by 150 feet, built of attractive stone, and in every respect first-class. Fine churches and school houses, elegant and costly homes, and more elaborate public improvements than in any city of its size we ever saw. Tho people are full of viin and seem “dead in earnest” to make this the entrepot to all the great West. Shade trees line the avenues and fountains play in the courts. Hundreds of brick and stone edifices are in process of construction, and there is a marked absence of worthless tumble down buildings. In fact the site (a few years ago a mere desert) is now a compact grove "filled with a bustling, active, progressive people, all bent on ’metropolitaa honors for their chosen eity.

AKOO. We visited Senator Bill’s smelting works at Argo, the greatest ore ipills in the world. The scores of furnaces feed on silver and gold ores by the train load from the mountains, filling the air with sulphur scented smoke by day and bloats of flume light up the darkness of night» We followed the concentrated ore received from the stamp mills at the mines through its treatment by fire and water, until freed from all impurity the machinery bore as fruit the ingots of commerce. We noticed museums of rocky mountain animals and minerals in profusion. A $400,000 opera Souse is almost completed.' The eastern capitalist and the fortunate ipiner in stocks or lodes alike build residences and make this city a home. From the plateau north of the city a fine prospect of the timbered mountains and snowy range gives the vision a sweep of hundreds of .miles, showing tho purple tinged pine lands and the gleaming naked summits of the rookies.

V. Av» T>. 1 ft. S (. These rival railroads both claim to have the superior scenic route nnd to present to the fancy of the picture hunting tourist transcendent attractions. We had, until reaching Denver, patronized the Denver and Rio Grand, the narrow gauge giant. The great U. P. purchaeed the Colorado Central and built the Denver and South Park, all narrow gauge, anifi there is a great rivalry between tbe two. We choso the C. C. and visited Central and Georgetown. CLEAR CREEK CANON, In one hour we enter tho rocky gorge of Clear Creek and begin our ascent at the rate of 100 feet per mile. The face of the solid walls by skill and labor is made to yield a smooth roadway. The rocks just ahead seem to resell the clouds, but we swing around on either hand and get glimpses of the sky resting on tho summits of the creek banks. We pass Hanging Rock and Mother Grundy with misgivings; sec Beaver Brook adding a cascade to the roaming current. The prospect widens and a great amphitheater appears; the moun* tains en each side are covered with ever* green bushes. The creek forks and wd’ go north into tho very mines themselves. This fork is murky with “elickens” from the mills. . The gulch has been worked by Americans os a •‘placer” and “jumped” by the Chinese nnd drained dry. We see the water of our creek playing into the hands of man to wash out the precious metal as well as to give his crops drink for their sustenance.

BLACKXIAWK. ‘ We are in (he midst of mines, stamp mills and smelters, and from the blasting of tlft rock to the bags of ore ready for shipment all is visible. We visited the bob-tail and saw where sunlight never comes, men wielding the pick, drill and shovel. rsC/M BLACK HAWK TO CSJfTRAL. No language can describe and no picture show the nevelty of the cigzag courj* of our train in ascending to Central City. A panorama of mountains, mines, mills and cities appears as we go up the giddy slopes and round the mountain sides. CENTRAL. In this coutly seat of Gilpin, the head of the corner—in gold mining, the houses appear in tiers one above another. The names es streets are Suggestive. Ist High, 2nd High, 3rd High and Summit. Central is the residence of Hon. James B. Belford, M. C.i end Senator Teller, and has no little political signifieance. Senator Teller lives in a modest frame bouse, and the Senator himself was bdsy ib his office. We called at the Belford plaee and had a pleasant visit. Mr. B. was at Leadville, but 'hia wife was very glad to see us and hear from her brother at Rensselaer. We ascended Bellevue mountain and then returned to Creek Forks. The fouto te Georgetown was picturesque. GftoTiaxrowjr. We here saw the “Devil's (&U’' and near by tbe “Bridal Veil.’* The mountains around Georgetown are honey-oombed with silver vein's. The stores and office windows and counters are lined with specimens. We remained bat three hours nnd from thenco returned to' iDAtfe Springs',’ This is a rival to Manitou. *We took a pltinge in the soda swimming bath, drank of the mineral waters and rambled leisurely about 4 The “ocean bath” is ahead-of Man-

itou; all etsa.fr On Sunday evening we returned to this city. THIHOS W 1 HATH EOT J t The speckled beauties of the mountain streams have evaded our sight. The disciples of Nimrod are also short on game. Profitable mining is controlled by corporations. We have looked in the prefhoe of Colorado; wo see some beauties, bat don’t like the book, end we follow the “Star of the East.’’ Pa***