The Albany Wm. Maher Hotel Co., Proprietors Sunday Denver, Colo., May 10, 1908 Dear Bertie: As I advised you, I came to Denver to spend Sunday. Left Cheyenne, Wyo., last night about midnight, and got here this a.m. about 5 o’clock. I got up early (came down to Denver on sleeper) and began to “do” the city. I tramped around until I became tired, and then took a “Seeing Denver” auto ride. See evidence enclosed. Before taking the auto trip, saw around the business shopping district, then went to the State Capitol building, and what a beauty. Cost $500,000 and took 13 years to build, and is built of native Colorado stone. The state has a very valuable museum in the basement of the capitol, and I was informed they had declined an offer of a million dollars for their museum outfit. They have a great collection of relics of the Cliff Dwellers. Their mineral exhibit is also very extensive. Saw one nugget of silver valued at $6,630. I enjoyed the visit at the capitol very much. The museum is not open to the public Sundays, but I was shown through behind locked doors and drawn blinds—and that was at least out of the regular way. From the capitol I was able to distinctly see Pikes Peak, a distance of 70 or 80 miles. There are a number of high mountain peaks visible from Denver, and I was told there was visible a range of mountains covering a distance of 500 miles along the horizon. So you can possibly imagine the grandeur of the unusual view. Denver is dubbed “The City Beautiful,” and from what I saw, it is properly named. My auto trip took in a run of about 18 or 20 miles, within the city. The city has a population of about 200,000 and contains 66 square miles of area. And there are 2,300 auto licenses in the city. So you may easily infer that autos are not scarce. The auto trip was indeed very delightful, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The expense was 75¢ for the trip. The city has 60 grammar schools and 5 or 6 high schools besides numerous private and other educational institutions. It is literally a city of brick and stone houses. I only saw 2 or 3 frame structures during my ride and they were old buildings. The city fire regulations do not permit any frame building in the city limits. The homes are somewhat after the style of Spokane, insofar as being built without crowding—single lots, etc. I only saw three bungalows on the entire trip. I tell Carol I saw some baby wolves and bears at one of the parks. This park has a fine layout of native wild animals—buffalo, elk, deer, antelope, bears, wolves, porcupines, beavers and others. There is also an exhibit of Golden Pheasants and other varieties which are being raised to stock the native woods. After the auto trip was over, I went to my hotel to nurse a headache, and thereby lost several hours. During the period of the ride I had a magnificent view of Pikes Peak and others of less notoriety but of no less elevation. And this sight was one to remember. The streets of the city outside of the immediate business section are made of pulverized native granite and are simply perfection. No dirt or mud, and no noise. After I got through wrestling with the headache, I started out to find the Auditorium, the building being erected by the city for public gatherings at a cost of $500,000 and to have seating capacity of 14,000. In this building, constructed wholly of steel and concrete, will be held the National Democratic Convention July 7 next, to nominate the Presidential candidate. It is an immense affair and a beautiful building, being veneered outside with buff pressed brick. When I finished this it was about supper time, and I had only eaten a little toast and tea since last night. I took a meal and at this writing am feeling about as usual. I have picked up quite a little literature in my day’s rambling, and will mail you under separate cover an assortment which I feel sure you will enjoy. But how much pleasanter my visit here would have been could you have shared it with me. But, probably, there is in prospect for you and me a very pleasant trip next season at Seattle. So we won’t get down because we can’t see the entire “Golden West” together. By the way, Mr. Slenin acknowledged some literature I sent him a few days ago, and said he much enjoyed it, and that “it was like a breath of fresh pure air from God’s own country,” which I think put a good construction on this great section from a descriptive viewpoint. I feel I have spent the day to advantage, and shall long remember my first trip to the “metropolis of the east.” I may spend tomorrow here, as I lost part of today, and be at Laramie, Wyo., on Tuesday, May 12, for a couple of days, as I advised you. With my dearest love to you and lots of hugs and kisses for you and the dear little people, I am, with a sweet recollection of other Sunday nights, in the sweet long ago, Lovingly your husband, Geo. A. D. P.S. How different this date from our May 10th, 1894! We will have to celebrate the date when I see your dear face again. How I should love to be at home tonight to talk over again the old days. But still the hours are long and then— (letter appears to end here, or the final sentence is lost)