100 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TEKRITOPJES. 



CHAPTER I. 



COLOEADO AND UTAH. 



Wliile tbe expedition was being organized at Ogdon, Utah Territory, 

 Mr. W. n. Jackson was ordered to make a photographic tour through a 

 portion of Colorado. Fortunately, I was able to accompany him, and 

 while assisting him took a few notes in regard to the lirhology aud geol- 

 ogy of the places we visited. Colorado City aud Golden City were our 

 principal points, and it is of them I will speak more particularly. We 

 were limited as to time, and the area over which we passed was so small 

 that I shall have to restrict all I have to say to each immediate locality ; 

 still 1 hope it may not be without some little interest. We left Omaha on 

 the 20th of May, and the following evening reached Denver, in Colorado 

 Territory. In passiug, let me say a word or two about Denver. Thirteen 

 years ago a log-cabin re])resented this city, that now contains a popula- 

 tion of over 14,000 ])eople, and which is in every way a thriving and 

 prosperous place, bidding tair to become the metropolis of the far West. 

 Four yeais ago there was not even a mile of railroad in the Territory, 

 and to-day Denver is the center of five distinct lines of railroad, and 

 still more are being built. The city is beautifully situated on the banks 

 of Cherry Creek, about twelve miles from the mountains. The plain 

 npon which it is built is so covered with the superficial drift of the 

 mountains that the underlying rocks are entirely concealed. There is lit- 

 tle doubt, however, as to what they are, for, as we proceed toward the 

 mountains, we come upon the upturued edges of Tertiary sandstones, 

 containing beds of coal, the tipping up of which is explained by the 

 grand range immediately in front of ns, from which Gray's Peak and 

 Long's Peak raise their snowy heads, seeming almost to pierce the 

 heavens. Leaving Denver we took the Denver and Eio Grande liailroad 

 to Colorado Springs, some seventy-six miles farther south. This rail- 

 road is a narrow-gauge road, and the first of any length that has been 

 built. It threatens to work an important revolution in the railroad- 

 system of the West. The road graduall}' ascends upon leaving Denver 

 nntil we reach the summit of the Colorado divide. This is a spur or 

 high ridge, projecting from the mountains at right angles to their trend. 

 It forms the dividing line between the waters of the Platte Piver and 

 those of the Arkansas. It is very thickly timbered, and lumbering is 

 carried on quite extensively. The ascent from Denver to the summit of 

 the divide is very gradual, and it is a little difficult to believe that one 

 has ascended 2,000 feet. The elevation of the divide at the summit is 

 8,000 feet above the sea. Smoky-quartz crystals are found here quite 

 abundantly, and are called topaz by the people. I was shown several 

 good specimens said to have been picked up near the railroad. The 

 rocks as seen from the cars seem to be mostly red and gray Tertiary 

 sandstones. From the divide the railroad has a gentle descent, aud 

 after a ride of twenty four miles, passing some beautiful scenery, we 

 reach Colorado Springs. This is a new colony, just established on the 

 line of the railroad. It is about eight miles from the mountains. Its 

 site is covered with local drift from the hills. To the east the country 

 spreads out into the i)lains. We s])ent several days at Colorado Springs, 

 making excursions to the various points of interest. Our first day was 

 spent in the "Garden of the Gouis," about four miles northwest from 

 Colorado Springs and two milor; north of Colorado City. This interest- 

 ing and peculiar place is a valley in the foot-hills of the range, aud is 



