Image provided by: Silverton Country Historical Society; Silverton, OR
About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 1899)
THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, SEPTEMBER 21. 1899. Distances are very deceiving in .chool in the United States, and Peak. “Pike speaks awfully funny, Colorado. A story is told of two Abroad. that is the Liberal University, of I remarked, and the sweet voice ¡ Silverton, Oregon. All others should said, “Yes, in this instance he men who started out from Colorado BY P . W . G E E R . be but they are not. - o r e .“ That was the last I knew Springs to climb Pike’s Peak before breakfast. It is 14 miles to the --------7 T • The above named professors of until I reached Denver. Nearly all the time ', a 9 Ma[|hattan entertained me royally Denver is the city which is “east top, but only looks to be two or Ohio the moon was full, but du g j tfaem , am of |he mountains and west of the three. These men walked until the time I spent m K j ' J clined to t|,fnk that they would 6un.” To the east, the level prairie they were tired out and the inoun- moon never got full one . _ n ,f , hftd (che8 a8 a3 ,he eye can see, t in looked farther away than ever. i8 a Prohibition state, while h e a rd o , whi,e toward the west the Rocky One man went back after some not. Prohibition doesn 1 8eem I j)r War(j through the New York Mountains tower high in the air. horses, while the other walked on have that effect on n p iberals and he was surprised to I staid in Denver but a few hours, slowly. When the man with the though, fo ri never saw so man “ heathen” ideas I called on Mr. Wm. Palm, whose horses overtook his companion, he drunken men in a short time as i should have made him such a repu- father and sister I met in Lawrence, found him by the side of a little saw while I was in Kansas. If pro tation, and was at a loss to know Kansas. Mr. Palm is a very suc- creek, taking off his clothes. The hibition does any prohibiting, as what he had done that 1 should cessful attorney in Denver, and a man with the horses asked what he they say it does, the whole of Kan follow him clear to Kansas. I am very bright and pleasant young was doing, and the other replied that he was going to swim that sas must have been drunk before glad I followed him, and I hope he man. river. “ Why, nonsense!” replied the law was passed. Topeka, the isn’t sorry. j The evening train took me south the man on the horse; “You can capital of the state, must have been Dr. Ward and wife and Prof- a few miles to Colorado Springs, one solid saloon at one time, foi I step across that stream.” “Not Metcalf and wife took me out fora where j met the Duncan family, am informed that it has thirty sa much,” said the naked man, “you drive in the evening. \\ e passed These people are as sincerely devot loons now, all doing good business. don’t fool me on distances in Colo through the park and on out to the ed to their religion as I am to mine. I met one wholesale liquour dealer, college grounds, where the wicked They are Methodists, hut the great rado any more. You don’t catch who told me how they work it. He Ward and Will used to teach too er part of their religion seems to be me going into that river to get offered me a drink of beer or whisky much sense to suit the orthodox to do good, and I cannot object to drowned.” but I declined with thanks as usual. Miss Duncan was not at home in both religion and politics. Mrs. that. The Duncans are fine people, 1 am sorry to see so much lawless Metcalf is also on the retired list, and I never expect to receive better during my visit at the Springs, so ness in Kansas. The eastern part and her husband is waiting his treatment than I received at their I decided to call on her at Foun of the state is one of the most beau turn. I hope to see the day when pleasant home. Mr. Duncan took tain, a few miles away, where she tiful localities I have ever seen. the Liberal University will be able me for a drive to Manitou, where was visiting with friends. A local The people seem to be prosperous, to secure the services of all these we drank mineral water and inves train stopped at Fountain in the moral and intelligent. I was in excellent people. Drs. Ward and tigated the cog-road up Pike’s Peak. evening and the western express hopes that I would see no drunken Will are now taking a great inter Manitou is situated at the foot of passed at 1 o’clock in the morning. ness, but I am disappointed. When I arrived on the evening The Kansas people who travel on est in the College of Social Science, the peak, and is the terminus of train, the station agent informed trains seem to all he acquainted and they are desirous of co-operat the cog-road. Along the stream me that he was about to lock up with each other, and a man will ing with the Liberal University to running down from the mountain, the depot, and I would not only occasionally get on the train and our mutual benefit. M e will hear beautiful houses are nestled, some have to look out for my own bag more of this later. After returning of them almost hidden from view go the full length of the car shak gage but have to flag the night from the drive I spent a very plea by the dense growth of trees and ing hands with nearly every pas train. I had never met Miss Dun senger. The first man I saw d° sant evening with my friends at shrubs. can, and I hated to go with my Mr. Duncan and I returned baggage to the place where she was that, I supposed was crazy, and de the home of Dr. Ward, before tak cided to shake hands with him ing the train for Denver. I was through the Garden of the Gods, visiting, but that was the only way. when he got to me, but he knew by very «sorry to leave, but don’t know which contains the most wonderful It also seemed unconventional to formations of stone and lava I ever sit up until the “wee sma’ hours” the way I combed my whiskers, or just how they felt about it. After I got on the train I didn’t saw. These formations resemble with a young lady the first evening, some other way, that I did not live know much until daylight, when in Kansas, and bo he passed me by. different objects and all have but that is what I did and the time we crossed from Kansas into Colo The people all act like they haven’t names. It would take a whole of course passed quickly. Miss rado Occasionally, in the night, a met since the saloons were abolish issue of the Torch to do the subject Duncan is a remarkably bright Kansas man would get on the train, ed. Their meeting places seem to justice. Mr. Duncan is an artist, young lady, with good common and wake a whole carload of people in]mense|y SUch scenery be on the railroad trains now. Wg rtj(urned t0 CoIorado sense on all questions we discussed. Topeka has a number of Free la eagerness to shake bands with & h|gh mesa> 0Ter. She will, undoubtedly, make her thinkers, three of whom I was his friends. They seem to never way in the world nicely. pleased to meet, all of them sub make a mistake, for not one of Jooki the city> and io the evening When it was near train time I I hey ,ove,y indeed. scribing for the Torch of Reason. them grasped my hand. was provided with a lantern, and I didn’t belong to Kansas. They are Prof. H. Samuels, Mr. J. knew I was glad Kansas don’t belong to The next day was Sunday and proceeded to the depot. I waited B. Billard, and Mr. Frank Raynor. me, especially the western part, for Mr. Duncan and I decided to hold while the rain poured, but I had a 1 did not stay in Topeka but a few shingle to stand under so I kept hours, so could not see many people. it is a level, desolate-looking place, our morning worship in ISorth dry. Presently a whistle blew and and reminds one of being at sea. Cheyenne Canyon, one of the wiid- a headlight appeared round a curve. My last visit in Kansas was at Soon after crossing into Colorado, est and most beautiful canyons 1 I waved the lantern and the train Manhattan, where I had a very pleasant time with Dr. Duren J.. which looks just like Kansas for ever saw. Mountains of stone rise stopped. The engineer asked me if I wanted to ship some cattle, and I H. Ward and wife, Dr. Thos. E. many miles, someone caused a abruptly into the air, while in be- told him it was only a lamb of Will, and Prof, and Mrs. Metcalf. stampede of the whole carload of tween them winds a little stream of God. He asked where it was, and people, by shouting “Land Ahoy!” sparkling water, dashing down over Drs. Ward and Will have been con I told him I was the only lamb out. We all seemed to he dreaming that the rocks in numerous little water- He informed me that I had stopped nected with the Agricultural Col we were at sea, for we ran pell-mell falls and rapids. The Rcc y a freight train, and that the pas lege for some time, Dr. \\ ill as pre to the “nigh side” of the train, Mountains are mostly barren, but senger traiu would be along soon. sident, and both have lost their The man was so enthusiastic in positions on accouut of their relig where we stuck our heads out this stream is lined with pine trees, telling me that he swore a little. through the windows into the cin- which afford shade for the hun- ious and political opinions. Both In half an hour more the passenger ........ ............ ders and sand. Away off on the dreds of people who visit here each train came and I waved the lan are capable and intelligent men, were well liked by the s b / western horizon was a big thing Sunday, bringing their dinners tern again. The traiu stopped and and y that the rising sun was painting from the city. People who live that I climbed on to the “narrow con dents, but they do not hold the tracted” thing, after having extin same opinions on some questions red. I asked the head that was kind of a life ought to live forever. guished the lantern, which I left :hat the governor of the state holds, protruding from the car window I don t suppose they w i l b > hanging on the door of the depot. ,o they are out of positions. Still nearest me, what that object was ought to. Cheyenne Mountain is The train was a narrow gauge, and lomc people claim that all state that the sun was taking such par- to me, more attractive than i es my legs were too long for me to lay schools are Liberal, and that there ticular pains to shine on before it Peak. It is more ragged, an e- crosswise in the seats and sleep ¡s no need for a Liberal University! shone anywhere else, and a sweet ing nearer the plain it is more comfortably, but I fared pretty well There is but one truly Liberal, voice replied, that it was Pike’s I plainly visible to Colorado Springs. J until we reached Pueblo at daylight.