676 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Oct. 23, 1902. 



nine of these say equal, eight better and four less than the 

 two previous years ; 11 report a large crop, better than the 

 two previous years ; 50 report their bees in as good or better 

 condition than usual. 



One of the very dilBcult things in the line of statistics 

 is to learn somewhere near the exact size of the honey crop. 

 At best it can only be a guess, at least, until some careful 

 plan of gathering statistics is evolved and carried out. We 

 think that the only way to find out at all definitely is to 

 have the Government take hold of it, and have the honey 

 crop report the same as oats, wheat and corn. 



^ * The Weekly Budget. * I 



Mr. C. p. D.\daxT writes us that he is not a candidate 

 for the office of General Manager, and desires his name 

 taken out of the list proposed by Mr. Moore, on page 644. 

 He says he would have neither the time nor the inclination 

 to do the work that is required of such officer. 



Clkome in the South. — M. Wilkins & Co., of Ma- 

 rengo Co., Ala., wish to know whether cleome, or Rocky 

 Mountain bee-plant, will grow in their locality. Also, 

 whether there is any trouble in exterminating it when one 

 cares to do so. Will some One answer who knows? 



The Chic.\go-Northwestekn expects to hold the big- 

 gest bee-keepers' convention of the year, on Dec. 3 and 4. 

 And Secretary Moore is planning great things, as will be 

 seen by the following : 



SPECIAL NOTICE. 



The management of the Chicago-Northwestern Bee- 

 Keepers' Association are making extra efforts to have a 

 grand, good meeting, Dec. 3 and 4, 1902, at the Briggs 

 House, Chicago. 



All within the territory embraced by the Association 

 are requested to send questions (to be answered at the meet- 

 ing) on postal cards to the Secretary immediately. (See 

 address below.) Six eminent bee-keepers have been in- 

 vited, and five have promised to be present. (Names later. 

 Watch for them.) The questions will be assigned to the 

 eminent people to answer, which will add greatly to the 

 interest of the meeting. .Herman F. Moore, Sec. 



Park Ridge, 111. 



Denver Convention Notes. — We spent Sunday, Sept. 

 7, in Colorado Springs. In the forenoon we attended the 

 preaching service at the First Methodist church, and in the 

 afternoon the Sunday-school at the same place. This 

 church building is the finest we had ever seen, especially 

 the interior arrangement and decorations. It cost about 

 S90,000, and was completed but recently. The organiza- 

 tion has a membership of about 800. 



From Colorado Springs Pike's Peak seems only about 

 one mile away. We asked a resident, who said it was 16 

 miles away! A kind of 16 to 1, wasn't it ? 



Well, Monday morning we set out for Manitcu, and a 

 trip up to the Peak on the Cog Wheel Route. By the way, 

 here, in a sentence, isManitou upon which the Indians be- 

 stowed the reverenced name of " Great Spirit :" 



A gractful vale encompassed by cathedral hills : pure, 

 invigorating atmosphere swept from snowbound heights, 

 perfumed with piney odors and tempered by a genial sun ; 

 clear, crystal waters rollicking in stony beds, and efferves- 

 cent fountains sparkling and delicious, and offering health 

 and life as well ; delightful parks, romantic, winding paths : 

 cool, arcaded nooks ; a very world of scenic beauty crowded 

 all about." 



Cog Wheel Depot at Manitou. 



As we would be utterly unable to do justice to the trip 

 up to Pike's Peak, we will make an extract from a publica- 

 tion which at least attempts to tell something about this 

 " Monument of the Continent :" 



Authentic lore of this wonder dates from Nov. 13, 1806, 

 when Major Zebulon M. Pike, a gallant soldier and a dar- 

 ing adventurer, then heading a small exploring party of 

 United States soldiers, sighted the mountain's whitened 

 crest when many miles distant upon the plains. It cost 

 him ten days' marching to reach its base ; and, after vigor- 

 ous attempts to scale it, Pike abandoned the project with 

 the declaration that " No human being could ascend to its 

 pinnacle." 



The Manitou & Pike's Peak Railway (familiarly known 

 as the Cog Wheel Route) was completed in the autumn of 

 1890. As an engineering achievement it is remarkable, 

 and in many respects it is the most wonderful railway in 

 the world. In general terms it is an Abt system cog road, 

 though that conveys little idea of what it reallj' is. The 

 road is within a fraction of nine miles in length, and in 

 this distance it overcomes 1 'i vertical miles. It is standard 

 gauge, and with a roadbed that is all in point of excellence 

 that it is possible to make it. Where this is not cut in the 

 solid rock, it is most thoroughly ballasted. On the heavy 

 grades the track is secure'y anchored at frequent intervals 

 to guard against any possible displacement from the effects 

 of extreme variations of temperature. The mean grade is 

 16 percent, the maximum 25 percent (a rise of one foot in 

 four), and the sharpest curves are 16 degrees. The outside 

 rails are of the ordinary T pattern, and here the similarity 



HalJ-Way House and Cof;-Track. 



