GATEWAY, GARDEN OF THE GODS.
In Cheyenne Cañon where, almost imprisoned by the perpendicular rocks, lunch was eaten with keen relish, and the health of our host drank with cool, foaming “Manitou Spring water,” Wall Street was forgotten. Attention was directed to a prominent Wall Street bank president sitting on a rock enjoying the bountiful collation, with two young ladies acting as waitresses.
After lunch we rambled through the beautiful cañon and visited the Falls, where for 500 feet cascade follows cascade, till in “Seven Falls” they reach the bottom of the cañon.
How reluctantly we entered our carriages, for it was to be our last drive on this delightful journey. The “Pillars of Hercules” from a height of 1,500 feet looked down upon us with approval, and the “Seven Falls” united with us in singing the “Doxology.” We drove back to Colorado Springs and through its principal streets to our inviting quarters in the “Dalmatia,” ever ready to welcome us.
The next morning we were again riding through the fertile fields of Kansas. A brief stop at Hutchinson to say good-bye to Messrs. Burns and Bennett, thence to Topeka, Kansas City, St. Louis, and home, via the Big Four System to Indianapolis and Cleveland, thence by Lake Shore and New York Central, reaching Grand Central Depot on time Saturday evening, October 5th.
Probably no one enjoyed the trip more than Edward Merritt, Esq., President of the Long Island Loan and Trust Company. We had not finished the first day’s travel when, on account of a striking resemblance, Mr. Merritt was recognized by the crowd at the depot as President Harrison. This gave him a prestige and popularity with the party that continued. Should any of us need counsel, we appealed to him. The young ladies always did. Did they fall, Mr. Merritt was expected to help them up. Captain Snow, when accused of sleeping soundly, was delighted to secure his counsel, and from his judgment there was no appeal.
One of the advantages of such a trip is safety. To travel over 4,000 miles involves some risks apparent to all. To have a skilful physician and surgeon at hand in Dr. Frank W. Shaw was duly appreciated. We had not gone 1,000 miles before a spark intruded the sacred precincts of one of the brightest eyes that ever looked upon the wonders of the “Garden of the Gods.” The cry for Dr. Shaw was promptly answered by skilful relief. How often that cry was made and responded to the Doctor’s “Diary” will attest. The youngest and oldest alike shared his skill and watchful care.
At Topeka J. R. Mulvane, Esq., President of the Bank of Topeka, gave me the following statement:
The corn crop this year will be about two hundred and fifty million bushels. (The Secretary of Kansas State Board of Agriculture raises this estimate to 276,541,338 bushels.) The wheat crop forty million bushels; oats fifty million bushels; rye and barley ten million bushels; flax-seed five million bushels; pork, in 1873, the State supplied 67,500 hogs; in 1889, one million eight hundred and seventy thousand (1,870,000).