Inspection of Pike's Peak in its Winter Season. 201 



bed with men surrounding me, actively engaged in cutting off the 

 wrappings about my legs and feet. Pretty soon I was in a burning 

 fever with great pains in the abdomen and chest. I requested the 

 Sergeant, who, in spite of his exhaustion, insisted upon attending me, 

 to place his knees, one upon my chest and the other upon my stomach, 

 resting his entire weight thereon. By catching hold of the sides of 

 the bed he could press down with still greater force, and the more 

 the better, for it seemed to smother the consuming fire within me. 

 The usual remedies for mountain fever were administered and in about 

 eighteen hours I was able to take some food, but it was not in the least 

 a pleasure to me. Although remaining on the summit about two days 

 I did not regain my appetite. As soon as I could leave my bed and 

 walk about easily I placed my barometer in position and made the re- 

 quired comparative readings with the station instruments. On the 

 second day I was able to go outside of the building and make a survey 

 of the surroundings, examine the instruments on the roof and the 

 general condition of all government property at the station. 



The station building is about thirty by fifty feet, one story high, built 

 of solid masonry with walls four feet in thickness. Passing over the 

 roof in several places and imbedded in the solid rock on either side 

 are large wrought-iron rods, to steady the building in case of heavy 

 winds. The building contains four large, comfortable rooms, the 

 interior of each being completely finished in hardwood. There are 

 double windows and doors and every precaution taken to protect the 

 inmates from the extremes of weather. The station building and 

 appurtenances cost about $7,000. Wood alone is used for fuel 

 and costs, delivered at the door, from $30 to $40 a cord. It is 

 secured with great difficulty, as it must be brought from the " timber 

 line/' 2,000 to 3,000 feet below the summit, on the backs of small 

 donkeys who are trained to do the work, but cannot carry more than 

 three four-foot sticks at a time. It requires a caravan of these patient 

 little animals to work steadily from two to three months in the 

 summer, in order to place at the station the necessary fuel for the 

 year. 



The summit of the Peak is an oblong area, 2,000 feet in length and 

 varying i n width from 100 to 500 feet. It lies within the U. S. 

 Military Reservation and largely to the north-west corner of it. The 

 Reservation averages about 5,000 feet in length by 3,500 feet in 

 breadth, and embraces a number of cones and spurs. Pike's Peak 

 "ses very abruptly from the eastward, and the open plain extending 

 m that direction affords unusual advantages for noting cloud and 



