AND PACIFIC COAST GUIDE. 89 |

 

along and for some distance on either side
of the line is arich farming section, the
remainder of the road being through cele-
brated grazing lands. The desire to open
up this rich region, to connect the city of
Denver with the trans-continental railroad,
by which to afford a way for cheap and
fast freight and rapid transit of passengers,
induced the people of Colorado to take
hold of the s heme, when proposed, with
commendable zeal and alacrity. Sub-
scriptions for about one-fourth the amount
of money required were made ina few
days, and the county bonds of Arapaho
county were almost unanimously voted to
the amount of $500,000, and work com-
menced.

The road was completed to Evans early
in the fall of 1869, and to Denver the 24th
day of June, 1870.

During the spring of 1872, this road was
sold to the Kansas Pacific Railroad Com-

pany, which enables that company to con-

trol a through line from Kansas City, Mo.,
to Cheyenne. Distance, 748 miles, where
a junction is made with the Union Pacific
railroad.

Leaving Denver, our course is north-
ward, along down the east bank of the
Platte River, for 18 miles, to

Hueurs—The country is almost wholly
given up to grazing—except on the low
bottom land, and at such places where
water can be had for irrigating.

At Hughes, the Boulder Valley railroad
—previously alluded to—branches off to
the westward.

Jounson—is the next station from
Hughes, 14 miles distant, and 16 miles far-
ther brings us to

Evans—the county seat of Weld coun-

This is the headquarters of the St.
Louis Western colony and the New Eng-
land colony; population. about 900. The
Journal, a weekly paper, is published here.
Evans is fully provided with churches,
schools and most of the modern improve-
ments.

Soon after leaving Evans we cross the
Platte River, and four miles farther come to

GREELEY—This town was Jaid out in
May, 1870, by the Greeley colony, under
the fostering care of the late Hon. Horace
Greeley, of the New York Tribune. Thecol-
ony control about 100,000 acres of'as fine land
as can be found in the Territory. Extensive
irrigating ditches have been “taken out,”
and water from the Cache a la Poudre
River furnishes ample water for all pur-

 

poses. This town has increased rapidly;
population nearly 2,000, with ample
churches, hotels, schools, etc. The Gree-
ley Tribune and the Sun, weeklies, are
published here. One noted and glorious
feature of the place is the absence of all
intoxicating drink. It’s tough on the “old
soakers,” who now have to “pack in”
their “nips.’ on the sly, or be sick and get
a doctor to give a prescription; but it is
said that Greeley abounds in doctors and
druggists.

Leaving Greeley, we cross the valley of
the Cache a la Poudre and follow up
Lone Tree Creek, 14 miles, to

Prprce—situated in the midst of the
best grazing lands. From here, it is 20
miles to

Cass—This is a mere side track, at the
upper crossing of Lone Tree; then ten
miles brings us to the

SumMMir—a, side-track—on the top of
the ridge, ten miles from Cheyenne—which
we reach after crossing Crow Creek—a
distance from Denver to Cheyenne of 106
miles.

With this sketch of Colorado, short and
imperfect, because it is impossible to do
justice to this country, we take our leave
of it, and returning to the Pacific railroad,
start once more for the West.

Cheyenne—J ust in the border of the
city, we cross Crow Creek, on a Howe
truss bridge—one of the best on the‘road.
We leave the creek and follow up the bed
of asmall dry ravine. About two miles
from the city—by looking to the right,
northward—a fine view can: be had of Fort
Davy Russell, previously described. We
are now ascending the eastern slope of the
southern range, of the Black Hills of Wy-
oming, which are stretching away ina long
rugged line before us.

Hazard—six miles west of Cheyenne,
is the first station we reach, and the junc-
tion of the Colorado Central railroad.
The track turns off at the left of the sta
tion, and crosses the prairie and hills to the
southward—as described on our route to
Colorado. At Hazard, the traveler going
East, can obtain a view of Cheyenne and

Fort Davy Russell—the former directly
ahead, and the latter a little to the left of
his train.

Otto—is 8 2-10 miles farther west, where
passenger trains from the Hast and West
usually meet, stop for a few moments, to
exchange letters and papers, then pass on