Excerpt from My Native Land1903James Cox
We have already spoken of the discovery of Pike's Peak. At
the summit of this mountain, 14,147 feet above the sea level,
there is a little signal service station, which can be reached
by railway. When the mountain was first discovered several efforts
were made to reach the summit, but without success. Major Pike
himself recorded his .opinion that it would be impossible for
any human being to ascend to the summit. In these days of engineering
progress there is, however, no such word as "impossible."
Several enthusiasts talked as far back as twenty years ago of
the possibility of a railroad to the very summit of the once inaccessible
peak, and fifteen years ago a survey was made, with a view to
building a railroad up the mountain, by a series of curves and
nooks.
It was believed possible by the engineers that a railroad of
standard gauge and equipment could be operated without special
appliances, and so strongly was this view held that work was commenced
on the project. Eight miles of grading was completed, but the
project was then abandoned in consequence of adverse reports received
from experts, sent out for the purpose. Their statement was that
no grade would be able to stand the force of the washouts, though,
strange to say, all the grading that was accomplished stands to-day,
as firm as ever. Three or four years later another project, destined
to be more successful, came into existence. In 1889, grading commenced,
and finally the work was completed, and the summit of Pike's Peak
can now be reached by railroad.
The road itself is one of the most remarkable ones in the United
States, and, indeed, in the world. The road-bed is fifteen feet
wide, and there is not a single foot of trestle work in the entire
construction. There are three short bridges of iron, and the precautions
in the way of cross sections of masonry are very elaborate. The
average ascent per mile is 1,320 feet, and the total ascent is
nearly 8,000 feet. In the center of the track, between the heavy
steel rails, are two cog rails, of great strength. These are provided
to insure absolute safety for travelers, one being for general
use and the other as a kind of reserve.
Special locomotives are used on the line. These were constructed
by the Baldwin Company, of Philadelphia, and include the latest
patents in engine building. When standing on a level track they
appear to be at a slant of about 8 per cent. When on a mountain
road, like that of Pike's Peak, they are approximately level.
There are three wheels on each side of the engine, but these are
not driving wheels, being merely used to help sustain the weight.
The driving wheels operate on the cog rails in the center of the
track. The cars also slope, or slant, like the engine. No couplings
are used, so that one great element of danger, is avoided. The
engine and the cars have each independent cog brakes of almost
unlimited power. When traveling three or four miles an hour, the
little train, with the locomotive pushing instead of pulling it,
can be stopped instantly. When the speed reaches eight or nine
miles an hour, stoppage can be effected in less than one revolution
of a wheel.
Not only is the ride up Pike's Peak a wonderful sensation and
a constant reminder of the triumphs of engineering, but it is
also a source of continual delight to the lover of the beautiful
and awful in nature. About half way up the mountain is a most
delightful little hillside retreat, aptly namedThe Half-Way
House." It is a very comfortable establishment within rustic
walls. The pines and firs which surround it add a great charm
to the outlook, and the cool mountain breeze is charged with very
pleasing odors. Tourists frequently spend a night here and consider
the sensation one of the most unique of a long trip.
A tourist describing a ride up Pike's Peak by this singular
railroad, says:
"We are now far above timber line. On all sides can be seen
strange flowers, of lovely forms and varied hues. Plants which
attain considerable proportions on the plains are here reduced
to their lowest forms. It is not an unusual thing to find a sunflower
stalk in the prairies rising from a height of eight to ten feet;
here they grow like dandelions in the grass, yet retaining all
their characteristics of form and color. Beyond this mountain
meadow are great fields of disintegrated granite, broken cubes
of pink rock, so vast in extent that they might well be the ruins
of all the ancient cities in the world. Far below flash the waters
of Lake Morain, and beyond, to the southward, lie the Seven Lakes.
Another turn of the track to the northward, and the shining rails
stretch almost straight up what appears to be an inaccessible
wall of almost peerless granite. But no physical obstruction is
formidable enough to stop the progress of this marvelous railway;
and passing the yawning abyss of the 'Crater,' the line proceeds
direct to the summit. The grade here is one of 25 percent., and
timid passengers will not escape a thrill of fear as they gaze
over the brink of this precipice, although the danger is absolutely
nothing. At last the summit is reached, and, disembarking, the
tourists can seek refreshments in the hotel, which will cater
to their wants, and then spend the time before the train returns
in enjoying the view, and in rambling over the seventy acres of
broken granite which form the summit.
The view from the Peak, once beheld, can never be forgotten.
The first sensation is that of complete isolation. The silence
is profound. The clouds are below us, and noiselessly break in
foaming billows against the faces of the beetling cliffs. Occasionally
the silence is broken by the deep roll of thunder from the depths
beneath, as though the voice of the Creator were uttering a stern
edict of destruction. The storm rises, the mists envelop us, there
is a rush of wind, a rattle of hail, and we seek refuge in the
hotel.
"Pause a moment before entering, and hold up your hands.
You can feel the sharp tingle of the electric current as it escapes
from your finger-tips. The storm is soon over, and you can see
the sunbeams gilding the upper surfaces of the white clouds that
sway and swing below you half way down the mountain sides, and
completely hide from view the world beneath. The scenery shifts,
like a drawn curtain the clouds part; and as from the heights
of another sphere we look forth upon the majesty of the mountains
and the plains, an ocean of inextricably entangled peaks sweeps
into view. Forests dark and vast seem like vague shadows on distant
mountain sides. A city is dwarfed into the compass of a single
block; water courses are mere threads of silver, laid in graceful
curves upon the green velvet mantle of the endless plains. The
red granite rocks beneath our feet are starred with tiny flowers,
so minute that they are almost microscopic, yet tinted with the
most delicate and tender colors.
"The majesty of greatness and the mystery of minuteness
are here brought face to face. What wonders of creation exist
between these two extremes! The thoughtful mind is awed by the
contemplation of this scene, and when the reflection comes that
these vast spaces are but grains of sand upon fin infinite shore
of creation, and that there are worlds of beauty as far and varied
between the tiny flowers and the ultimate researches of the microscope
as those which exist, on an ascending scale, between the flowers
and the great globe itself, the mind is overwhelmed with wonder
and admiration. It is in vain that one strives to describe the
scene. Only those who have beheld it can realize its grandeur
and magnificence."
Lovers of horseback riding regard the vicinity of Pike's Peak
and Manitou almost in the light of a paradise. A ride of a few
miles in any direction leads to some specially attractive or historic
spot. Crystal Park is one of the popular resorts of this kind.
It is enclosed by high mountains on all sides, with an entrance
which partakes of the nature of a natural gateway. In summer time
this park is a profusion of bloom, with wild flowers and vines
seldom seen in any other part of the world in such splendor. There
are several elevated spots from which the surrounding country
can be seen for miles. Above the park is Cameron's Cone. This
is a mountain of much interest, although it can only be reached
and climbed by hardy, athletic individuals. All around there are
a profusion of canyons The Red Rock Canyon was at one time a popular
resort. It took its name from the profusion of red sandstone on
all sides. This natural wealth finally destroyed the beauty of
the canyon, which is now a mass of stone quarries. Bear Creek
Canyon has less of the practical and more of the picturesque about
it. A very charming brook runs down the center, and there are
two or three small but very delightful falls.
The Ridge Road is a species of boulevard recently constructed
for the use of visitors to Manitou. At places the grade is so
abrupt that timid ladies do not care to drive down it. Otherwise
it is a very pleasing thoroughfare, with fresh surprises and delights
awaiting the tourist every time he passes along it. The view in
every direction is most charming and extensive. Pike's Peak can
be seen to great advantage, and in the forty miles of the road
many different features of this mountain can be observed. The
road also leads to William's Canyon.
Cheyenne Mountain, although dwarfed somewhat by Pike's Peak,
is deserving of notice. It is very massive in its form, and its
sides are almost covered by Canyons, brooklets and waterfalls.
Two vast gorges, know as the North and South Canyons, are especially
asked for by visitors. The walls of these gorges are of rich granite,
and stand perpendicular on each side a thousand feet high. The
effect is very wonderful in a variety of ways. In the South Canyon
are the celebrated Seven Falls, which were immortalized by Mrs.
Helen Hunt Jackson, the well-known poetess, whose remains were
interred on Cheyenne Mountain by her own request. The Seven Lakes
must also be seen by all visitors to the Manitou region, and there
are so many more special features to be examined and treasures
to be discovered that, no matter how long one stays in the neighborhood,
a pang of regret is felt when the visit is brought to a termination.
There are other spots in America where more awful scenes can
be encountered. There are few, however where the combinations
are so delightful or the general views so attractive and varying.
Pikes Peak
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