Leadville, Colorado, Sept. 10.
|THIS morning we rose at 4:30, and rode from Buena Vista to Leadville,
arriving at the Clarendon for breakfast. Our party has been reduced in
one way and another until there are only eight here to-day. Secretary
Morgan and family remained at Buena Vista on account of the illness
of Misa Lillie Morgan, who suffers severely from sea-sickness on the
mountain railroads.
One thing I have not mentioned, and an incident certainly worthy of
note, was the sudden decision of our president, E. A. Slack, on Friday,
to remain at a little station on the South Parle road, above Como, while
the party continued on to Buena Vista. Mr. Slack is a man of iron will
and sudden impulses, as all who know him are aware. He got in a car at
the station referred to, and under the impression that it belonged to
our train, remained in it till he got impatient about something, and
asked a man who came in with a broom, why we were making such a stop at
that station. The man said that this car had been side-tracked, and the
train had gone sometime ago.
Then Mr. Slack made the rash remark that he would remain there until the
next train. He acts readily in an emergency, and he saw at a glance that
the best thing that he could do would be to just stay there, and examine
the country until he could get the next train. He telegraphed us that
the fare was so high on our train that he would see if he couldn't
get better rates on the following day. In the meantime, he struck
Superintendent Egbert's special car, and rode around over the country
till morning, while our party took in Buena Vista. The city is but two
years old, but very thriving, and has 2,500 to 3,000 population. At
the depot we were met by Agent Smith, of the South Park road, who had
secured rooms for us at the Grand Park hotel. He had also arranged for
carriages to take us out to Cottonwood Hot Springs, about six miles
up Cottonwood creek, where we took supper. We found a first-class
sixty-four room hotel there, with hot baths, and everything comfortable
and neat. The proprietors are Messrs. Stafford and Hartenstein--the
latter having been a medical student under Dr. Agnew. After a
good-supper we returned to Buena Vista, where the home military company,
under Captain Johnson, led by the Buena Yista band, serenaded us. I
responded in a brief but telling speech, which I would give here if I
had not forgotten what it was. Some of the other members of the party
wanted to make the speech, but I said no, it would not be right. I was
representing the president, Mr. Slack, and wearing his overcoat, and
therefore it would devolve on me to make the grand opening remarks.
It was the greatest effort of my life, and town lots in Buena Vista
depreciated fifty per cent.
We found A. D. Butler, formerly of Cheyenne, now at Buena Vista, also
Tom Campbell, well known to Laramie people, doing well at the new city,
and a prospective member of the Colorado legislature. George Marion,
formerly of Laramie, is also at Buena Vista, engaged in the retail
bridge trade. We also met Messrs. Leonard, of the and Kennedy, of the
_Herald_, who treated us the whitest kind. Mr. Leonard and wife went
with us yesterday over to Gunnison City. Billy Butler, formerly of
Laramie, is now at Buena Vista, successfully engaged in mining.
Yesterday we put in the most happy day of the entire trip. Under the
very kind and thoughtful guidance of Superintendent E. Wilbur, of the
Gunnison division of the South Park road, we went over the mountain to
Gunnison and through the wonderful Alpine tunnel, the highest railroad
point in the United States, and with its approaches 2,600 feet long.
When you pass through the tunnel the brakeman makes you close your
window and take in your head. He does this for two reasons: first, you
can't see anything if you look out, and secondly, the company don't like
to hire an extra man to go through the tunnel twice a day and wipe the
remains of tourists off the walls.
The newsboy told me that a tourist from Philadelphia once tried to wipe
his nose on the Alpine tunnel, while the train was in motion, and when
they got through into daylight, and his companions told him to take in
his head, he couldn't do it--because it was half a mile behind examining
the formation of the tunnel. Later, it was found that the man was dead.
The passengers said that they noticed a kind of crunching noise while
going through the tunnel that sounded like the smashing of false teeth,
but they paid no attention to it.
Mr. Wilbur afterward told me that there had never been a passenger
killed on the road, so I may have been misled by this newsboy. Still,
he didn't look like a boy who would trifle with a man's feelings in that
way.
However, I will leave the remainder of the Gunnison trip for another
letter, as this is already too long.