My Native Land: The United States: its Wonders, its Beauties, and its People; with Descriptive Notes, Character Sketches, Folk Lore, Traditions, Legends and History, for the Amusement of the Old and the Instruction of the YoungCox, James
History
My Native Land: The United States: its Wonders, its Beauties, and its People; with Descriptive Notes, Character Sketches, Folk Lore, Traditions, Legends and History, for the Amusement of the Old and the Instruction of the Young
Cox, James
Indians of North America; United States -- Description and travel; United States -- Social life and customs -- 1865-1918
The Major Domo is a column of red sandstone, rising to a height of 300
feet, with a curious swell near the summit, which far exceeds in
diameter the base of the shaft. It looks as though it might fall at any
moment in obedience to the laws of gravity, and it is not exceeded in
this regard by the Leaning Tower of Pisa. There is another glen of a
similar character, about two miles to the northwest, which is known as
Blair Athol. It is a beautiful spot, but, lacking water, has never been
used as a dwelling place. It abounds in wildly picturesque scenery, and
possesses rock formations of strange shapes and brilliant colors. There
are groves of magnificent pines; and the view of the distant plains
stretching to the eastern horizon is unobstructed, and of great
interest.
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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