DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN ROUTE. 



47 



of North Cheyenne Canyon far above the rugged scenic part and then 

 tunnels through the dividing ridge and circles around the slopes of 

 South Chej'enne Canyon, all the time climbing so as to cross the 

 divide at its head. 



In this long climb the traveler may obtain many beautiful views 

 of rugged mountain slopes covered with a stately forest of evergreen 

 trees, of foamy cascades that plunge down gulches and ravines, of 

 great bare rock slopes, such as the one shown in Plate XXV, B^ and 

 of far-off Coloradp Springs, spread out on the level prairie like a 

 miniature garden. 



The crest is passed at the station of Summit (altitude 9,913 feet), 

 and the train then begins the descent of the west side. This side is 

 much less steep than the one up which the train has laboriously 

 climbed, and along it the roadbed winds about from one valley to 

 another as it crosses the headwaters of a number of mountain 

 streams. Many of the valleys of these streams contain ranches, but 

 some are mere gorges in the rugged granite, such as is shown in 

 Plate XXVII, B. 



The train finally arrives at Goldfield Junction, in the midst of 

 some of the largest gold mines of the Goldfield district (PL XXVIII, 

 A). If the traveler wishes to see the big mines and mills to the best 

 advantage he should here transfer to the " High Line " trolley, which 

 carries him around mountain tops, among mines, mills, and dump 

 heaps of waste rock, and finally lands him in the once famous town of 

 Cripple Creek, tlie center of one of the best-known mining districts 

 in Colorado. Returning he can see most of the low-lying part of the 

 Cripple Creek district from the steam cars, especially the great mines 

 at Victor and Goldfield. The district was prospected at several 

 periods, but it was not until the autumn of 1890 that Robert Womack 

 discovered gold in place at what is now the Gold King mine, or in 

 the flank of Poverty Gulch, }ust southeast of the town of Cripple 

 Creek. Since then the district has produced more than $300,000,000 

 in gold, and its present yield is about $350,000 a month. A more 

 detailed account of the discovery, development, and present con- 

 dition of the district is given below by F. L. Ransome.^^ Further 

 information concerning the district is given in the Geological Sur- 

 vey's Professional Paper 54. 



" The Cripple Creek district is one 

 of the most interesting, productive, 

 and thoroughly studied gold districts 

 in the Uniteil States. The historic 

 rush of prospectors to Pikes Peak in 

 1859, with its well-known slogan of 

 " Pikes Peak or bust," resulted in no 

 important discoveries and is siguili' 



cant rather because it was the first de- 

 termined attack upon the wilderness 

 than because it had any direct connec- 

 tion with the history of Cripple Creek. 

 It was not until 1874 that the region 

 adjacent to Cripple Creek began to at- 

 tract the attention of prospectors. 

 Tlie report tliat gold Uad hetu found 



