A Trip to the Rockies

In Short

In the autumn of 1889, a select party of New York and Brooklyn bankers and business leaders boards the luxurious Pullman car "Dalmatia" for an excursion organized by Ben Blanchard. Traveling westward to attend a Kansas City convention and explore the burgeoning wealth of the American West, the company visits Topeka, Hutchinson's vast salt mines, and climbs the heights of Pike's Peak. Blending leisurely camaraderie with earnest economic debates, the narrative captures a confident era of industrial expansion and transcontinental connection, preserved as a cherished memento of a sunlit journey.

The Story

The journey commences in September 1889 when host Ben Blanchard gathers a distinguished company of New York and Brooklyn bankers, business leaders, and their companions aboard the magnificent vestibuled Pullman car "Dalmatia" departing from Jersey City. Setting off westward toward the annual American Bankers' Association convention in Kansas City, the travelers experience exceptional comforts, fine dining, and seamless mobility while reflecting upon the receding industrial ruins of Johnstown and the rapid unification of the American landscape. Upon reaching the Midwest, the itinerary successfully balances formal professional duties with extensive regional inspection tours. At the convention, members engage in rigorous, substantive debates regarding national financial policy, legal-tender acts, and silver certificate valuation, carefully weighing the complex monetary responsibilities binding Eastern financial hubs to western development. Leaving Kansas City behind, the party embarks on a comprehensive tour through the capital city of Topeka, where local police reports and civic officials demonstrate the positive, orderly benefits of state prohibition. Proceeding deeper into the state, they arrive at Hutchinson, where they marvel at the limitless underground wealth of pure rock-salt fields originally developed through Blanchard's enterprise. Prominent guests like John J. Knox and Darwin R. James offer enthusiastic praise for the city's commercial vitality and moral progress. The adventure reaches its geographical and emotional climax as the "Dalmatia" travels onward to Colorado. Leaving the rail car behind at Cascade City, the company mounts four-horse carriages and sure-footed mules for a breathtaking seventeen-mile ascent up Pike's Peak. Navigating eighty turns of sophisticated engineering roads amidst remaining snow patches and brilliant autumnal foliage, they absorb panoramic vistas of mountain peaks and deep ravines. Descending through the enchanting moonlight of Ute Pass, they admire Rainbow Falls and the Pillars of Hercules before rejoining their mobile home. The return voyage winds smoothly back through Kansas City, St. Louis, and Indianapolis, delivering the travelers safely back to Grand Central Depot on schedule Saturday evening, October 5th. The excursion concludes with warm expressions of profound gratitude, enduring bonds forged among formerly estranged strangers, and the presentation of a sterling silverware token to Mrs. Blanchard, sealing a fortnight of unmatched fellowship, economic enlightenment, and geographical discovery.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins The party boards the luxurious Pullman car "Dalmatia" in Jersey City, marveling at its floral decorations and enjoying a rapid westward departure toward Pennsylvania and the Midwest. Excellent dining, congenial company, and smooth movement make the initial hours pass swiftly as they observe sights like the electric-lit ruins of Johnstown.

Financial deliberations Arriving in Kansas City for the annual convention, the bankers engage in deep, formal discussions concerning legal-tender laws, currency standards, and silver certificate valuations. Conservative economic principles are defended against hasty monetary experiments, emphasizing long-term stability for both debtors and creditors alike.

Midwestern exploration The tour shifts to Kansas, where travelers inspect the capital city of Topeka and find orderly civic progress supported by prohibition policies. They continue onward to Hutchinson, discovering vast, pure underground rock-salt beds that highlight the astonishing material growth of the frontier.

Mountain ascent Transitioning to Colorado, the group leaves their rail car behind at Cascade City for a thrilling carriage and mule climb up Pike's Peak. They navigate eighty turns of sophisticated engineering roads, taking in snow-covered terrain, brilliant autumn foliage, and the stunning evening scenery of Ute Pass.

Homeward return The excursion concludes with a smooth return journey through St. Louis and Indianapolis back to New York City. Grateful participants honor their host and hostess with heartfelt speeches and silver gifts, carrying away lasting personal bonds and broadened perspectives.

The People

Ben Blanchard serves as the gracious host and organizer, wanting to showcase the true prosperity and expansive resources of the American West to Eastern financial leaders. His primary obstacle is logistical limits, but he succeeds brilliantly, leaving everyone deeply indebted to his unmatched hospitality. Edward Merritt, President of the Long Island Loan and Trust Company, accidentally assumes a popular role as a presidential lookalike, wanting to offer wise counsel and steady assistance to fellow travelers throughout the trip. John J. Knox, former Comptroller of the Currency, acts as a grounded voice of financial wisdom, navigating complex economic debates at the convention with steadfast conservatism. D. Ogden Bradley and Darwin R. James contribute decades of business and legislative experience, finding their prior assumptions utterly surpassed by the dynamic moral and commercial growth they witness in Kansas. Dr. Frank W. Shaw serves as the indispensable physician and surgeon, wanting to guarantee health and safety across four thousand miles of travel; his prompt medical care successfully resolves minor mishaps and keeps the party secure. Each individual transitions from being a cautious stranger into an enthusiastic advocate for national unity, transformed by shared adventure and deep camaraderie.

In Its Own Voice

Reflecting on the magnificent sights encountered along the route, the author notes the harmonious blend of nature and human endeavor:

God gave the view--a human heart the feast.

Describing the stunning floral abundance discovered during the difficult mountain climb, the text highlights an unexpected natural wonder:

Flowers deck their inclined sides in great blocks of color, and litter their terraces and woodland edges in variegated confusion.

Summarizing the profound emotional impact of the journey upon its participants, a traveler observes:

Yes, we are the same in outward appearance, but something has entered into our lives, our inner selves, that broadens us out, and will prove a continual feast in coming days.

What It's Really About

At its heart, the book explores the vital economic and cultural synthesis binding the industrial East with the rapidly growing American West. It asks how a diverse nation can bridge vast geographical distances without losing its institutional stability or moral compass. Through the lens of a banker's excursion, the text argues that financial conservatism must harmonize with bold infrastructural development. It examines whether material wealth and high moral standards—such as those observed in Kansas prohibition towns—can successfully coexist. Ultimately, the work investigates how shared travel fosters national unity, transforming sectional rivalry into mutual respect and collaborative progress between distant regions.

Why Read It Today

Readers who love historical travelogues, nineteenth-century Americana, and the literature of westward expansion will find much to cherish in these pages. Reading it feels like stepping directly onto a plush Victorian rail car, offering a remarkably vivid window into how privileged citizens experienced their country's dramatic industrial maturation. Modern readers must navigate certain period attitudes, formal Victorian phrasing, and dense digressions into nineteenth-century monetary policy that can occasionally test patience. Yet beneath these formal economic debates lies a remarkably warm, human account of genuine friendship and natural awe. What stays with you long after closing the book is the shared sense of wonder experienced by companions marveling at underground salt mines, towering mountain peaks, and moonlit cañons together. It captures a fleeting historical moment of pure national optimism when the continent felt newly bridged by steel tracks, industrial enterprise, and renewed sectional harmony.