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PALACE-CAR LIFK ON THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.

WILLIAMS'

OF TRAVEL,

The Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

CONTAINING FULL DESCRIPTIONS OF

RAILROAD ROUTES ACROSS THE CONTINENT, ALL PLEASURE RESORTS AXD PLACES OF MOST

NOTED SCENERY IN THE FAR WEST, ALSO OF ALL CITIES, TOWNS, VILLAGES,

U. S. FORTS, SPRINGS, LAKES, MOUNTAINS,

ROUTES OF SUMMER TRAVEL, BEST LOCALITIES FOR HUNTING, FISHING, SPORTING, AND ENJOY-
MENT, WITH ALL NEEDFUL INFORMATION FOR THE PLEASURE TRAVELER,
MINER, SETTLER, OR BUSINESS MAN.

A COMPLETE TRAVELER'S GUIDE

AND ALL POINTS OF BUSINESS OR PLEASURE TRAVEL TO

CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, NEBRASKA, WYOMING, UTAH, NEVADA, MONTANA, THE MINES AND MINING
OF THE TERRITORIES, THE LANDS OF THE PACIFIC COAST, THE WONDERS OF THE
ROCKY MOUNTAINS, THE SCENERY OF THE SIERRA NEVADAS, THE COL-
ORADO MOUNTAINS, THK BIG TREES, THE GEYSERS, THE
YOSEMITE, AND THE YELLOWSTONE.

HENRY T. WILLIAMS, EDITOR.

WITH SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY

PROF. F. V. HAYDEN, CLARENCE KING, CAPT. DUTTOX, A. C. PEALE, JOAQUIN
MILLER, J. B. DAVIS, F. E. SHEARER.

ILLUSTRATIONS BT

THOMAS MORAN, A. C. WARREN, W. SNYDER. F. SCHELL, H. W. TROY, A. WILL.
ENGRAVINGS BY MEEDER & CHUBB.

Price, $1.50 Railroad Edition, Flexible Covers, 320 pp.
" $2.00 Full Cloth, Stiff Covers, 352 pp.

NEW YORK:

HENRY T. WILLIAMS, PUBLISHER.

1879.

The Clark W. Bryan Co., Printers,/ Electrotypers and Binders, Springfield, Mass.

PREFACE.

FIELDS OF TRAVEL.

Since the opening of the Pacific Railroad, there has been developed, not only an immense field of
mining industry, but many new and remarkable Places of Wonderful Scenery and Pleasure Travel.
The Attractions of the Rocky Mountains and Sierras have become world famous, and Regions un-
known five or ten years ago, have been discovered which far transcend the liveliest imagination in
their scenic beauty, and glorious enjoyment. Those who have ever crossed the Continent once in
enjoyment of the Scenery of the Far West or in search of Health, can now return to the same line
of travel, and spend their entire time in visiting Resorts, Mountains, Lakes, Springs, Canons, which
were unknown before, but now are so easily accessible that an entire Summer can be spent in new
and delightful fields of travel.

The Yellowstone, — with all its glories of Springs, Geysers, Jets, and the million of its fairy-
like colors, and fountains is now open for Tourists, by a new Route, so easily accessible, that a
journey is no more made with effort, but with ease. The recent extension of the Utah Northern
Railroad from Ogden, Utah, to Montana, almost to the border of the Yellowstone Park, now opens
this wonderful Park and its scenery to the world

The Colorado Mountains. — New Routes of Pleasure Travel in Colorado have also been
opened, with still more wonderful sceneiy. The Veto Pass, the highest railroad point in America,
with its views of the Spanish Peaks, has been brought to notice by the extension of the Denver
and Rio Grande Railroad, also the Grandeur of the Mountains and Lakes of the San Juan Mining
Region. The wonderful richness of the mines at Leanville, exceeding the riches of any hitherto
known, are hardly greater than the beauties of the scenery, by which it is reached either from
Canon City, or Denver, or Georgetown. By the opening of the Colorado Central Railroad, easy
access is given to the wonders of Clear Creek Canon, the Ascent of drays Peak, the Mvldle Park,
the Hot Sulphur Springs, the Beauties of Estes Park and Long's Peak, all of which are of
remarkable interest.

The New Biff Tree*. — By the opening of the new Stage Route via Madera, there is given
a new Route to the Yosemite, including a visit to another group of Big Trees, of as great celebrity
as any yet discovered.

Arizona. — By the extension of the Southern Pacific Railroad into Arizona, is opened a new
world of mineral richness, and Silver Wealth.

Pleasure Resorts of Southern California. — The Health and Pleasure Resorts of
Southern California, and the Sea Coast Sanitariums, are made more accessible than ever, by the
completion of the Southern Pacific Railroad and its branches.

Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Santa Cruz, San Bernardino, all made more easy
of access and doubly attractive as Health Resorts.

Mount Shasta. — The wonderful scenery around Mount Shasta and in Northern California, are
now open for tourists, via the California and Oregon Railroad, — a new Region of unusual beauty.

Oregon. — The Attractions of Oregon, and Washington Territory, are now easily reached, and
the " New Empire of the North West " invites a world of Tourists, and offers Homes for settlers.

The Springs of California, — are becoming widely known. Near Clear Lake are new
regions of travel, and the invalid can rejoice in healing virtues and a new climate.

A full record of the wonders reached by the Pacific Railroads, it is difficult to condense into
small compass. The 350 or 400 pages of this volume, have already required for the Editor and his
Assistants, over ten years travel, and $20 000 in cost. This volume is before the Tourist as the
result of this expenditure of time and money. To its pages special assistance has been given by
the most eminent travelers and Governmental Explorers of the day.

Professor F. V. Hayden, — the celebrated leader of the United States Geological Exploring
Expedition, has contributed special assistance in the work of making this Guide complete, and
written an admirable account for Tourists of the Wonders of the Yellowstone. Clarence King has
also given a description of the Shoshone Falls.

Thnmax Moron, who more than any other artist has drawn sketches of the Wonders of the West,
and Albert Bierstadt the most celebrated of painters of American Scenery, have each added to the
Guide rich embellishments and illustrations.

Wishing every Traveler the utmost joy in his Tour, and a happy " voyage,"

I am sincerely,

HENRY T. WILLIAMS, Editor.

Wonders of Scenery of the Rocky Mountains,

PACIFIC COAST AND THE PACIFIC RAIL ROAD.

THE grandest of American scenery borders
the magnificent route of the Pacific Railroads.
Since their completion, the glorious views of
mountain grandeur in The Yoaemite, The Yellow-
stone, have become known. The sublimities of
Colorado, the Rocky Mountains, canons of Utah,
and the Sierra Nevada*, have become famous.
The attractions of the Far West for mining,
stock raising and agriculture have added mil-
lions of wealth and population.

The glorious mountain climate, famed for its
invigorating effects have attracted tourists and
health seekers from the whole world. The
golden land of California, its seaside pleasure
resorts, its fertile grain fields, fruit gardens
and flowers, have given irresistible charms to
visitors ; until now, a tour across the Continent
opens to the traveler a succession of scenes,
worthy the efforts of a life time to behold.

Industries have arisen by the opening of this
great trans-continental line which were never ex-
pected or dreamed of by the projectors ; the
richest of mineral discoveries and the most en-

couraging of agricultural settlements have alike
resulted, where little was thought of, and stran-
gest of all, the tide of travel from Europe to
Asia, China, Japan and the distant isles of the
Pacific Ocean, now crosses the American Conti-
nent, with far more speed and greater safety.

Palace Car Life on the JPaci/ic It lif-
road. — In no part of the world is travel made
so easy and comfortable as on the Pacific Rail-
road. To travelers from the East it is a con-
stant delight, and to ladies and families it is
accompanied with absolutely no fatigue or discom-
fort. One lives at home in the Palace Car with
as much true enjoyment as in the home drawing-
room, and with the constant change of scenes
afforded from the car window, it is far more en-
joyable than the saloon of a fashionable steamer.
For an entire week or more, as the train leisurely
crosses the Continent, the little section and berth
allotted to you, so neat and clean, so nicely fur-
nished and kept, becomes your home. Here you
sit and read, play your games, indulge in social
conversation and glee, and if fortunate enough to

possess good company of friends to join you, the
overland tour becomes an intense delight.

The sleeping-cars from New York to Chicago,
proceeding at their rushing rate of forty or more
miles per hour, give to travelers no idea of the
true comfort of Pullman car life. Indeed the
first thousand miles of the journey to Chicago or
St. Louis has more tedium and wearisomeness,
and dust and inconvenience than all the rest of
the journey. Do not judge of the whole trip by
these first days out. From Chicago westward
to Omaha the cars are far finer, and traveling
more luxurious, likewise the rate of speed is
slower and the motion of the train more easy than
on roads farther east.

At Omaha, as you view the long Pacific train
just ready to leave the depot for its overland trip,
(often over 600 feet in length), giving an appear-
ance of strength, massiveness and majestic power,
you can but admit it is exceedingly beautiful and
impressive ; this feeling is still more intensified
when a day or so later, alone out upon the upland
plains, with no living object in sight, as you
stand at a little distance and look down upon the
long train, it seems the handsomest work of
science ever made for the comfort of earth's
people.

The slow rate of speed, which averages but
sixteen to twenty miles per hour, day and
night, produces a peculiarly smooth, gentle
and easy motion, most soothing and agreeable.
The straight track, which for hundreds of miles
is without a curve, avoids all swinging motions of
the cars ; sidelong bumps are unknown. The
cars are connected with the Miller buffer and
platform, and make a solid train, without the dis-
comforts of jerks and jolts. And the steady,
easy jog of the train, as it leisurely moves west-
ward, gives a feeling of genuine comfort, such as
no one ever feels or enjoys in any other part of
the world.

A Pullman Pacific car train in motion is a
grand and beautiful sight too, from within as well
as from without. On some lovely, balmy, sum-
mer day, when the fresh breezes across the prai-
ries induce us to open our doors and windows,
there may often be seen curious and pleasant
sights. Standing at the rear of the train, and
with all doors open, there is an unobstructed
view along the aisles throughout the entire length.
On either side of the train, are the prairies, where
the eye sees but wildness, and even desolation,
then looking back upon this long aisle or avenue,
he sees civilization and comfort and luxury.
How sharp the contrast. The first day's ride
over the Pacific Railroad westward, is a short one
to nightfall, but it carries one through the
beautiful undulating prairies of eastern Nebraska,
the best settled portions of the State, where are
its finest homes and richest soil. Opening sud-
denly into the broad and ever grand Valley of
the Platte, the rich luxuriant meadow-grass, in

the warmth of the afternoon sun, make even the
most desponding or prosaic feel there is beauty in
prairie life.

On the second day out, the traveler is fast
ascending the high plains and summits of the
Rocky Mountains. The little villages of prairie
dogs interest and amuse every one. Then come
in sight the distant summits of Long's Peak and
the Colorado Mountains. Without scarcely ask-
ing the cause, the tourist is full of glow and
enthusiasm. He is alive with enjoyment, and
yet can scarcely tell why. The great plains
themselves seem full of interest.

Ah ! It is this keen, beaxitif ul, refreshing,
oxygenated, invigorating, toning, beautiful, en-
livening mountain air which is giving him the
glow of nature, and quickening him into greater
appreciation of this grand impressive country.
The plains themselves are a sight — most forci-
ble ; shall we call them the blunkness of desolation ?
No, for every inch of the little turf beneath your
feet is rich ; the soil contains the finest of food
in the little tufts of buffalo grass, on which
thousands and millions of sheep and cattle may
feed the year through. But it is the vastness of
wide-extending, uninhabited, lifeless, uplifted
solitude. If ever one feels belittled, 'tis on the
plains, when each individual seems but a little
mite, amid this majesty of loneliness. But the
traveler finds with the Pullman car life, amid
his enjoyments of reading, playing, conversation,
making agreeable acquaintances, and with con-
stant glances from the car window, enough to
give him full and happy use of his time.

Night time comes, and then as your little berths
are made up, and you snugly cover yourself up,
under double blanke's (for the night air is always
crisp and cold), perhaps you will often witness
the sight of a prairie fire, or the vivid flashes
of lightning ; some of nature's greatest scenes,
hardly less interesting than the plains, and far
more fearful and awe-inspiring. Then turning
to rest, you will sleep amid the easy roll of the
car, as sweetly and refreshingly as ever upon
the home-bed. How little has ever been writ-
ten of " Night on the Pacific Railroad," the de-
lightful, snug, rejuvenating sleeps on the Pacific
Railroad.

The lulling, quiet life by day, and the sound,
refreshing repose by night, are to the system the
best of health restorers. Were there but one
thing tourists might feel most gratitude for, on
their overland trip, 'tis their enjoyment of the ex-
hilarating mountain air by day, and the splendid
rest by night. But as our train moves on, it in-
troduces us to new scenes. You soon ascend the
Rocky Mountains at Sherman, and view there
the vast mountain range, the " Back Bone of the
Continent," and again descend and thunder amid
the cliffs of Echo and Weber Canons. You
carry with you your Pullman house and all its
comforts, and from your little window, as from

your little boudoir at home, you will see the
mighty wonders of the Far West.

It is impossible to tell of the pleasures and joys
of the palace ride you will have — five days — it
will make you so well accustomed to car life, you
feel when you drop upon the wharf of San Fran-
cisco, that you had left genuine comfort behind,
and even the hotel, with its cosy parlor and
cheerful fire, has not its full recompense.

Palace car life has every day its fresh and
novel sights. No railroad has greater variety
and contrasts of scenery than the Pacific Rail-
road. The great plains of Nebraska and Wy-
oming are not less impressive than the great
Humboldt Desert. The rock majesties of Echo
and Weber are not more wonderful than the
curiosities of Great Salt Lake and the City of
Ueseret. And where more grandly and beauti-
fully could a tourist drop down and finish his
tour, than from the grand, towering summits
of the Sierras, and amid the golden grain fields
of California, its gardens, groves, and cottage
blossoms ?

When the traveler returns home, nothing will
impress him more strongly or beautifully than
the loveliness of the Valley of the Platte. Com-
ing eastward, first, he will leave behind the mil-
lions of acres of little short buffalo grass, so dry
and yellow, and soon comes to a little green.
How refreshing it is after days of dry, sere vege-
tation. Gradually there come other grasses, a
little taller and more green; then nearer and
nearer to the end of the journey, come the wav-
ing of the corn-fields, the vast meadows of tall
green grass, and the happy little farms. So
complete a transition from the solitude of the
uplands to the lovely green verdure of the low-
lands of the Platte, is an inexpressible charm to
all. No traveler ever returns East but with the
most kindly of memories of the grand, and yet
simple beauty of the Platte Valley.

Tlunk then, oh reader ! of the joys that await
thee from the window of thy palace car!

Practical Hints for Comforts &?/ the
Wai/. — To enjoy palace car life properly, one
always needs a good companion. This obtained,
take a section together, wherever the journey
leads you. From Chicago to Omaha, the com-
pany in sleeping-cars is usually quiet and re-
fined, but beyond Omaha, there is often an
indescribable mixture of races in the same car,
and if you are alone, often the chance is that
your " compaq/ion du voyage " may not be agree-
It is impossible to order a section for one

able.

person alone, and the dictum of sleeping-car
arrangements at Omaha requires all who come
to take what berths are assigned. But if you
will wait over one day at Omaha, you can make
a choice of the whole train, and secure the most
desirable berths. When your section is once
located, generally you will find the same section
reserved for you at Ogden, where you change

cars to the Central Pacific Railroad ; all through
passengers having usually the preference of best
berths, and about the same position as on the cars
of the Union Pacific.

Fee your porter on the sleeping-car always —
if he is attentive and obliging, give him a dol-
lar. His attention to your comfort and care of
your baggage and constant watch over the little
articles and hand-satchel, against loafers on the
train, is worth all you give him. Often larger
fees are given. This is just as the traveler feels.
The porters of both Pacific Railroads are es-
teemed specially excellent, obliging and care-
ful.

Meals. — The trains of the Union Pacific
Railroad are arranged so as to stop at excellent
stations at convenient hours, for meals. In
place of the usual dining station at Laramie,
there is now a most comfortable and conven-
ient eating station at Rock Creek, a little far-
ther west. Its pleasant, cheerful room filled with
plants, and the convenience of better hours for
meals, add greatly to the pleasure of the over-
land trip. At Green River you will find the
dining-rooin entrance fairly surrounded with
curiosities, and the office filled with oddities very
amusing. The meals here are excellent, con-
sidering all supplies are obtained at a great dis-
tance away.

Usually all the eating-houses on both the Pacific
Railroads are very excellent indeed. The keepers
have to maintain their culinary excellence under
great disadvantages, especially west of Sidney,
as all food but meats must be brought from a
great distance.

Travelers need to make no preparations for
eating on the cars, as meals at all dining-halls
are excellent, and food of great variety is nicely
served ; buffalo meat, antelope steak, tongue of
all kinds, and always the best of beefsteak.
Laramie possesses the reputation of the best steak
on the Pacific Railroad. Sidney makes a special-
ty, occasionally, of antelope steak. At Evanston
you will see the lively antics of the Chinese
waiters, probably your first sight of them. Also
they usually have nice mountain fish. At Green
River you will always get nice biscuit ; at Grand
Island they give all you can possibly eat ; it has
a good name for its bountiful supplies.

At Ogden you will be pleased with the neat-
ness and cleanness of the tables and service. At
Cheyenne the dinners are always excellent, and
the dining-room is cheerful. To any who either
have desire to economize, or inability to eat three
railroad meals per day, we recommend to carry a
little basket with Albert biscuit and a little cup.
This can be easily filled at all stopping-places
with hot tea or coffee, and a sociable and com-
fortable glass of tea indulged in inside the car.
The porter will fit you up a nice little table in
your section, and spread on a neat white table-
cloth.

When the tourist reaches the Central Pacific
Railroad he passes beyond the domain of the
Pullman Car Company; nevertheless, the new
coaches of the Central Pacific Railroad are just
as elegant and convenient.

As the comforts of the new cars are far supe-
rior to the old ones, which still are used, it
would be better to wait over at Ogden one day
to make sure of them. The dining-stations of the
Central Pacific Railroad are bountiful in their
supplies ; at all of them fruit is given in sum-
in -r-time with great freedom. Fish is almost
always to be had ; no game of value. The food,
cooking and service by Chinese waiters is simply
excellent. The writer has never eaten nicer
ratals than those served at Winnemucca, Elko,
Battle Mountain and Coif ax. The Humboldt
Desert is far from being a desert to the traveling
public, for its eating-stations always furnish a
desxert of good things and creature comforts.

A little lunch-basket nicely stowed with sweet
and substantial bits of food will often save you
the pain of long rides before meals ; when the
empty stomach craves food and failing to receive
it, lays you up with the most dismal of sick head-
aches ; it also serves you splendidly whenever
the train is delayed. To be well on the Pacific
Railroad eat at regular hours, andntver miss a meal.
Most of the sickness which we have witnessed,
has arisen from irregular eating, or injudicious
attempts at economy by skipping a meal to save
a dollar. We have noticed those who were regu-
lar in eating at every meal, passed the journey
with greatest ease, most comfort and best
health. Those who were irregular, skipping here
and there a maal, always suffered inconvenience.

In packing your little lunch-basket, avoid
tongue, by all. wans, for it will not keep over a day
or two, and its fumes in a sleeping-car are any-
thing but like those from " Araby the blest."
Avoid all articles which have odor of any descrip-
tion.

Lunch counters are attached to all eating-sta-
tions, so that you may easily procure hot coffee,
tea, biscuit, sandwiches and fruit if you do not
wish a full meal.

The uniform price of meals at all stations over-
land, is $1.00 greenbacks. On the Central Pacific,
at Colfax pay 75 cents in silver; at Lathrop
pay 50 cents silver — the cheapest and best meal
for the money, of your whole tour. For clothing
on your overland trip, you will need at Omaha the
first day, if it is summer, a light spring suit ; the
next day a winter suit at Sherman. Again, at
Salt Lake City and the Humboldt Desert, the
thinnest of summer suits, and at the summit of
the Sierras, all your underclothing. We can
only advise you as you have to pass through so
many extremes of temperature, to always wear
your underclothing, day and night, through the
overland trip, and add an overcoat if the air grows
chilly.

Beware of the quick transition from the hot ride
over the San Joaquin Valley to the cold sea air
on the ferry from Oakland to San Francisco.
Invalids have been chilled through with this un-
expected sea breeze, and even the most hardy
do not love it. Keep warm and keep inside the
boat. Thus, reader, we have helped you with
kindly hints how to enjoy your trip. Now let us
glance, as we go, at each scene of industry where
our tour will take us.

HINTS.

1. Baggage. — All baggage of reasonable
weight can be checked from any Eastern city
'direct to Omaha, but is there rechecked.

2. At Omaha all baggage is weighed, and on
all excess of over 100 pounds, passengers will
pay 15 cts. per pound. This is imperative.

3. Railroad Tickets — are easily procur-
able for the whole trip across to San Francisco.
It is better to buy one through ticket than to
buy separately. By returning a different route
from Omaha, from the one you went, the tour
will be much more interesting, and give you
fresh scenery constantly.

4. Buy your tickets only at known railroad
offices, and never of agencies. In the West,
railroads have offices at the principal hotels.
These are usually perfectly reliable.

5. To Check Baggage — be at every depot
one-half hour or more before the departure of
trains.

6. Transfer Coaches. — In all Western
cities there is a line of transfer coaches, which,
for the uniform price of fifty cents, will take
you and your baggage direct to any hotel, or
transfer you at once across the city to any depot.
They are trustworthy, cheap, and convenient.
The agent will always pass through the train
before arrival, selling transfer tickets and checks
to hotels.

7. At Salt Lake City, horse-cars run from the
depot direct to the hotels ; also there is an omni-
bus transfer. Price, fifty cents.

8. At San Francisco the Pacific Transfer and
Baggage Company will take your baggage to any
hotel or private residence for 50 cents. Their
agent is on every train ; you will save time by giv-
ing him your check. Hotel coaches charge f 1.00.
Horse-cars run from the wharf direct to all hotels.

9. Greenbacks are used for all railroad tickets
and payment of sleeping-car berths for the en-
tire distance to California ; also for all hotels to
and including Salt Lake City, greenbacks will be
received same as silver or gold. Away from the
Central Pacific Railroad, you will sometimes
need gold for coin expenses. After reaching
San Francisco, you can sell your greenbacks and
buy coin as often as necessary. If much coin is
needed, buy and use the gold notes which are
current everywhere within 300 miles of the city ;
beyond that" the coin only is used. Gold notes

can be bought at any Banking House in San
Francisco.

10. The uniform prices of board in the West
are $3.00 to 81-50 per day at Chicago, $3.00 to
f 4.00 per day at Omaha, Denver, and Salt Lake
City. In San Francisco, §3.00 gold per day at
all hotels. To secure good nice rooms in Cali-
fornia, the tourist must submit to extra charges
of §1.00 to $1.50 per day.

11. If traveling with ladies, it is good policy,
when within 100 miles of each city, where you
expect to stop, to telegraph to your hotel in ad-
vance, requesting nice rooms reserved, always
mentioning that you have ladies.

12. Whenever disposed to take horses and
carriage for a ride, look out with sharp eyes for
the tricks of the trade; if no price or time is
agreed upon, you will have to pay dearly, and
the farther west you go, the hire of horse flesh
grows dearer (though the value per animal rap-
idly grows less.) Engage your livery carefully at
so much per hour, and then choose your time to
suit your wishes. Ten dollar bills melt quicker
in carriage rides than any other " vain show."

13. Without much exception, all railroad
officers, railroad conductors, Pullman car con-
ductors are gentlemen in manners, courteous
and civil. No passenger ever gains a point by
loud orders or strong and forcible demands.
You are treated respectfully by all, and the same
is expected in return. The days of boisterous
times, rough railroad men, and bullies in the
Far West are gone, and there is as much civility
there, often more, than you will find near home.

14. Railroad tickets must always be shown
when baggage is checked.

ROUTES.

Route No. 1 from New York. — Take the
Pennsylvania Central Railroad which leaves foot
of Desbrosses street, by ferry, to Jersey City. To
engage a good berth in your sleeping-car, go to a
proper railroad office, and secure your berth by
telegraph. There are local telegraphs connect-
ing with the principal Pullman office. Do this
the previous night, or morning, as then the best
berths can be secured. Pullman cars rim on the
Pennsylvania Railroad to Chicago and St. Louis,
direct, without change. Three trains leave per
day. To see the richest scenery, take the morn-
ing train and you will have a good view of nearly
the entire State of Pennsylvania by daylight,
the valley of the Susquehanna and Juniata, and
the famous Horse-Shoe Bend by moonlight.
The Pennsylvania Railroad is " always on time,"
the most reliable in its connections.

Route No. 2 from New York. — Leave
via the Erie Railroad from foot of Chambers or
West 23d street. The advantages of this route
are numerous. This is the famous Pullman
line — which ran the first line of dining-cars —
between New York and Chicago. The meals

are very fine and service excellent. The sleep-
ing-cars on the Erie Railroad belong to the Pull-
man Company, and are the finest in the world,
of extra width and extra comfort. The scenery
along the Erie Railroad (by all means take the
morning train) is specially fine, and at points is
remarkably lovely. The sleeping and dining-
cars accompany the train to Chicago. The
route passes via Salamanca, Atlantic and Great
Western and Chicago extension of Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, direct without change, to
Chicago. Passengers also can take other sleep-
ing-cars of the train, if they wish, which will
convey them direct to Buffalo and Niagara Falls,
where there is direct connection ria the Lake
Shore Railroad or Michigan Central to Chicago.

Route No. 3 From New York — is via
the New York Central and Hudson River.

Route No. 4 — is via the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad. Tourists by this route, to and
from California, have many advantages. It
is the shortest line from Chicago or Cincinnati
to the National Capitol at Washington. Its
scenery, on the mountain division, between
Harper's Ferry and Parkersburg, is grand and
full'of historic interest. Its dining stations
are exceedingly well kept, and the comforts
of its parlor and sleeping-cars are equal to
the very best. Pullman cars run through to
and from St. Louis and Chicago.

California travelers choosing this route
east, will include Washington, Baltimore,
Philadelphia and New York on one ticket,
with their numerous scenes and objects of
interest.

From Philadelphia.— Tourists uniformly
prefer the Pennsylvania Central, though many
often wish to visit Baltimore and Washington,
and thence see the scenery along the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, and go westward via Cincin-
nati to St. Louis.

From Baltimore and Washington.—
Tourists have choice of either the Northern
Central with Pennsylvania Central connections,
or the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Pullman
cars run on either road.

From Boston. — Wagner sleeping-cars run
direct over the Boston and Albany Railroad,
to Rochester, N. Y., and usually through to
Chicago. Though this is an exceedingly con-
venient route, yet it gives no scenery of conse-
quence. Tourists who desire the best scenery
will do well to come direct to New York, the ride
by steamer being always pleasant; and from New
York make their start, the pleasantest time for
departure always being on the fast special ex-
press in the morning.

From Cincinnati, — tourists have choice
of two routes; 1st, via Ohio and Mississippi
Railroad, direct to St. Louis, passing over the
famous St. Louis Bridcre, with omnibus transfer
to other railroads ; or, 2d, via Indianapolis, Bloom-

ington and Western Railroad, which run trains
direct to Burlington, la., or to Chicago. Pull-
man sleeping-cars run on either route.

From Chicago, — three roads run across
Iowa direct to Council Bluffs.

The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
Railroad — crosses the Mississippi at Burling-
ton, la., and passes through Southern Iowa. The
Pullman, cars are very elegant, and the road
popular. This line is now running dining cars
attached to its express trains, on both Eastern
and Western divisions. Meals served on them are
splendid, beautifully cooked, great variety, and a
great comfort to the traveler. Price, only 75 cts.

The Chicago and North-western Hail-
road — is the shortest line, and crosses the Mis-
sissippi at Clinton, la. The eating stations on
this route are all very fine. In Iowa, especially,
they are the best of the Iowa railroads. The
Pullman cars are also very superior. There
has recently been added a magnificent Hotel
car to express trains, which increases the popu-
larity of the line very greatly.

The Chicago and Rock Island Hail-
road — crosses the Mississippi at Davenport.
The view from the railroad bridge is very beau-:
tiful, and the scenery of the railroad in the Des
Moines Valley, and westward, is charming. The
sleeping-cars on this line are owned by the rail-
road company, and are very good. The line has
recently added some elegant and expensive res-
taurant and dining cars, whose fine meals are
exceedingly well served.

Note. — Upon railroads west of Chicago, no
sleeping-cars run through, except those connected
with the morning Pacific express train. These
run direct from Chicago to Council Bluffs, where
passengers will change cars for Union Pacific
Railroad.

From, St. Louis — two routes are open to
the tourist. The Missouri Pacific Railroad runs
up on the south side of the Missouri River, with
Pullman cars, direct for Kansas City, and also
The St. Louis, Kansas City and Northern, on
the northern side of the river.

Both of these routes are in direct connection
with the Kansa< City, St. Joseph and Council Bluffs
Railroad, run through sleeping-cars from St. Louis
direct to Omaha. The sleeping-car between St.
Louis and Omaha, runs direct from Omaha de-
pot to Kansas city, and thence alternate nights
over each Missouri railroad.

Council Bluffs, Iowa, Railroad Trans-
fer Grounds.— This, as well as Omaha, is a
transfer point for all passengers, and the starting
point of all trains on the Union Pacific railroad.
A recent decision of U. S. Supreme Court, fixes
the terminus of the Pacific Railroad on the east
side of the Missouri River. The company has
complied with the decision, and the necessity for
bridge transfer is now entirely removed. At
Council Bluffs is also the western terminus of

the Iowa Railroads. A Union Depot for all rail-
roads has been erected and all passengers, bag-
gage, mails, freight, etc., and trains for the West,
start from this point, as well as Omaha. Pas-
sengers, however, usually prefer to go to Omaha
for a visit. The city of Council Bluffs is located
about three miles east from the Missouri river,
and contains a population of 15,000. Its record
dates from as early as 1804, when the celebra-
ted explorers, Lewis and Clark, held a council
with the Indians, which fact, together with the
physical peculiarity of the high bluffs overlook-
ing the town, has given it its name — Council
Bluffs.

The city is one of great enterprise, with a
large number of public buildings, stores, State
institutions, and dwellings, and is the nucleus of
a large trade from surrounding Iowa towns, and
is supported by a rich agricultural community.
It is intimately connected with Omaha — with
frequent trains over the bridge, by a railroad
ferry, attached to the dummy train, an invention
of P. P. Shelby. It will doubtless come more
largely hereafter into prominence as a railroad
town, though the commercial importance of
Omaha, and its trade with the far West, will
doubtless be for a long time to come, far superior.
The general offices of the Union Pacific Railroad
Company will remain at Omaha.

At Council Bluffs the Union Pacific Railroad
Company have reserved ample grounds, over
1,000 acres, to accommodate its own traffic and
that of connecting railroads, and extensive prep-
arations will be made to accommodate the vast
traffic of freights, passengers, baggage and stock,
which daily arrives and departs.

Here are also located the stock-grounds of the
company, which in time will render the locality
a large stock-market. The past year over 4,000
cars of stock were transferred over the bridge,
and there is ample room for extension.

Sleeping-Car Expenses. — The tariff to
travelers is as follows, with all companies, and
all in greenbacks :

One berth, New York to Chicago, one and one-halt

days, hy any route, $5 00

One berth, New York to Cincinnati, one and one-
half days, by Pennsylvania railroad, 4 00

One berth, New York to Cincinnati, one and one-
half days, by other routes, 5 00

One berth, New York to St. Louis, two days, by

any route, 6 00

One berth, Chicago or St. Louis, to Omaha, by any
route,

One berth, Omaha to Ogden. by Pacific Railroad, 8 00

One berth. Ouden to San Francisco, by Central

Pacific Railroad, 6 00

MEALS.

All meals at all railroad dining-stations east of

Omaha, $0 75

Except dinners on Erie and New York Central,
All meals on Union Pacific Railroad, 1 00

All meals on Central Pacific Railroad, first day,

currency, 1 00

All meal* on Central Pacific Railroad, at Colfax,
All meals on Central Pacific Railroad, Lathrop, 60

2/<e UucHf/0, Hock Island and Pacific
Railroad crosses the Mississippi River at Dav-
enport. The view from the Railroad bridge is
very beautiful, and the scenery along the whole
line, especially through Iowa, is very beautiful

; is the Central Line West from Chicago, and
especially noted for excellent Railroad manage-
ment. The Palace sleeping Cars of this line
are owned by the Company and unexcelled in
comfort and beauty, while the charges between
Chicago are less than routes of other Sleeping
& -lL K^d Bed is extremely fine, beinf
laid with Steel Rails

An excellent feature consists in the Dining
Cure, where meals are served of unexcelled merit
and remarkable cheapness, price 75 cents, a great
comfort and satisfaction to the traveler.

Through Sleeping Cars run from Chicago
westward, morning and evening, to Council
Muffis, Leavenworth, Peoria, and connecting
points with other Railroads.

The Chicago, Burlington and Quincu
Railroad—crosses the Mississippi at Burling-
ton, la. and passes through Southern Iowa
Pullman cars are very elegant, and the
road popular.

The Chicago and Norfh-icesfern Rail-
road—crosses the Mississippi at Clinton, la.
I he eating stations on this route are all very
ne. Ine Pullman cars are also very superior

to the collection of books of physical knowledge
of our country. This section was fully 2,300
miles in distance, entirely vacant, no settlement,
entirely occupied by roving bands of Indians,
and the undisturbed home of the buffalo and
antelope. In that year Chicago was but an
obscure village, on a prairie without a single
inhabitant. And not a single line of railroad
was built from the Atlantic westward beyond
the Alleghanies, and on the Pacific only one
American flag covered a feeble colony. The dis-
covery of gold in California had its effect in
directing public attention to the unknown riches
of its Western border ; and at last Congress
%\oki up to the need of thorough explorations
and investigations. In March, 1853, Congress
made its firi-t appropriation to explore the Far
We4, and ascertain if there was really a practi-
cable route to the Pacific. In 1854, Congress ap-
propriated $190,OUO additional ; and, as a result,

•veying parties were organized and pur-
,eir work. Ten routes were surveyed
i the 32d and 49th parallel of latitude ;
ern ends ranging all the way from Fulton,
< St. Paul, Minn., — and the western ter-
•oints from San Diego to Puget Sound,
gths of these routes varied fioui 1,533 to
iles.

continued gold discoveries brought an im-
low of population to the Pacific Coast, and
lia, more alive to the necessities of such
lan the East, after numerous agitations, at
illy made the first initiatory experiment.
1 1861 there was organized at Sacramento,
e Central Pacific Railroad Company, who
appointment of T. D. Judah, as chief en-
began the first and most thoiough railroad
ever made on the Sierras,
jress then woke up, and in July, 1862, the
.tional charter w.is granted. As a curious
the act — the utmost limit of time allowed
completion of the road was fixed at July
. In October, 1863, the preliminary organ-
of the company was completed. A capi-
>ne hundred million dollars authorized, and
it contract for construction begun in 1864,
• practical progress was made till 1865,
>n the 5th of November, the first ceremony
iking ground, at Omaha, was celebrated,
was begun the great work ; the rapid
ss of which afterward was a world-wide
on, astounding engineers, capitalists and
overnments, with the almost reckless dar-
construction.

sity and Benefits to ttie Govern-
ment.

n 1850 to 1860, the population of the far
rn States and Territories increased from a
handful to the large number of 554,301
s, and in the whole area of 2,000 miles

nad been built only 232 miles of telegraph,

and 32 miles of railway. The United States
Government had established forts and trading
stations, and the year 1870 saw the completion
of the Pacific Railroad line, Congress and the
whole country were astonished to see the rapid
rate of development, and the enormous expense
of government military service. In that year the
population had increased to 1,011,971, there had
been built over 13,000 miles of telegraph lines ;
there were completed over 4,000 miles of rail-
road ; all representing *he gigantic capital of
$363,750,000. In the reports of distinguished
statesmen to the United States Senate,- occur
these remarks which show the spirit of the times
then Senator Stewart of California, says :

" The cost of the overland service for the whole
period, from the acquisition of our Pacific Coast
possessions down to the completion of the Pacific
Railroad was $8,000,000 per annum, and con-
stantly increasing."

ington and Western Railroad, which run tra
direct to Burlington, la., or to Chicago. P
man sleeping-cars run on either route.

Ft'otn Chicago, — three roads run aci
Iowa direct to Council Bluffs.

The Chicago, Burlington and Quit
Railroad — crosses the Mississippi at Burli
ton, la., and passes through Southern Iowa. r.
Pullman cars are very elegant, and the r
popular. This line is now running dining c
attached to its express trains, on both East
and Western divisions. Meals served on them
splendid, beautifully cooked, great variety, an
great comfort to the traveler. Price, only 75

The Chicago and North-western Ha
road — is the shortest line, and crosses the ]V
sissippi at Clinton, la. The eating stations
this route are all very fine. In Iowa, especia
they are the best of the Iowa railroads. T
Pullman cars are also very superior. Th
has recently been added a magnificent He
car to express trains, which increases the po
larity of the line very greatly.

The Chicago and Koch Island Ha
road — crosses the Mississippi at Davenpc
The view from the railroad bridge is very be;
tiful, and the scenery of the railroad in the I
Moines Valley, and westward, is charming. T
sleeping-cars on this line are owned by the rs
road company, and are very good. The line r
recently added some elegant and expensive r
taurant and dining cars, whose fine meals £
exceedingly well served.

Note. — Upon railroads west of Chicago,
sleeping-cars run through, except those connect
with the morning Pacific express train. The
run direct from Chicago to Council Bluffs, whe
passengers will change cars for Union Paci:
Railroad.

Frotn St. Louis — two routes are open
the tourist. The Missouri Pacific Railroad ru;
up on the south side of the Missouri River, wr
Pullman cars, direct for Kansas City, and also
The St. Louis, Kansas City and Northern, on
the northern side of the river.

Both of these routes are in direct connection
with the Kansas Ci'y, St. Joseph and Council Bluffs
Railroad, run through sleeping-cars from St. Louis
direct to Omaha. The sleeping-car between St.
Louis and Omaha, runs direct from Omaha de-
pot to Kansas city, and thence alternate nights
over each Missouri railroad.

Council Bluffs, Iowa, Railroad Trans-
fer Grounds — This, as well as Omaha, is a
transfer point for all passengers, and the starting
point of all trains on the Union Pacific railroad.
A recent decision of U. S. Supreme Court, fixes
the terminus of the Pacific Railroad on the east
side of the Missouri River. The company has
complied with the decision, and the necessity for
bridge transfer is now entirely removed. At
Council Bluffs is also the western terminus of

travelers is as follows, with all companies, and
all in greenbacks :

One berth, New York to Chicago, one and one-half

days, by any route, $5 00

One berth, New York to Cincinnati, one and one-
half days, by Pennsylvania railroad, 4 00

One berth, New York to Cincinnati, one and one-
half days, by other routes, 5 00

One berth, New York to St. Louis, two days, by

any route. 6 00

One berth, Chicago or St. Louis, to Omaha, by any

route, 3 00

One berth, Omaha to Ogden. by Pacific Railroad, 8 00

One berth. Oird^n to San Francisco, by Central

Pacific Railroad, 6 00

MEALS.

All meals at all railroad dining-stations east of

Omaha, $0 75

Except dinners on Erie and New York Central, 1 00

All meals on Union Pacific Rnilroad, I 00

All meals on Central Pacific Railroad, first day,

currency, 1 00

All meal* on Central Pacific, Railroad, at Colfax,
All meals on Central Pacific Railroad, Lathrop, 50

Curiosities of History. — To whom the
honor belongs of first proposing the plan of a rail-
road to the Pacific, history can never fully deter-
mine. Whitney offered to build it for a grant of
thirty miles in width along its track, and it was
looked upon as the freaky fancy of a monomaniac.
Benton, too, the famous statesman, was once
aglow with enthusiasm over the subject, and be-
gan to agitate the project, but it was considered
the harmless fancy of an old politician. And in
1856, when General Fremont was nominated,
the Platform of the National Republican Party
contained a clause in its favor — but it was re-
garded as a piece of cheap electioneering " bun-
combe," and decidedly absurd. Perhaps the
earliest record of a devoted admirer of this project
was that of John Plumbe, in 1836. He was a
Welshman by birth, an American by education
and feeling, a civil engineer by profession, and
lived at Dubuque, la. He began to agitate
the project of a railroad from the great lakes
across the Continent to the Territory of Oregon.
From that time to his death, in California, sev-
eral years after the discovery of gold, he never
failed to urge his project ; earnestly and ardently
laboring to bring it before Congress, and attempt-
ing to secure a beginning of the great work. To
far-seeing statesmen, the idea naturally occurred
that in course of time there would arise on the
Pacific Coast another empire of trade and com-
merce and industry, either at San Francisco, or
the Puget Sound, which would in time, become
the rival of New York and the East, and at
once the project was taken up and encouraged
by Carver, Wilkes, Benton, Whitney, Burton and
others ; but all such ideas met with indifference
and ridicule.

In 1814, when Fremont made his famous ex-
plorations across the plains, which has earned
him so world-wide a reputation, so little was
known of the geography of that country, that his
reports were considered an immense acquisition
to the collection of books of physical knowledge
of our country. This section was fully 2,300
miles in distance, entirely vacant, no settlement,
entirely occupied by roving bands of Indians,
and the undisturbed home of the buffalo and
antelope. In that year Chicago was but an
obscure village, on a prairie without a single
inhabitant. And not a single line of railroad
was built from the Atlantic westward beyond
the Alleghanies, and on the Pacific only one
American flag covered a feeble colony. The dis-
covery of gold in California had its effect in
directing public attention to the unknown riches
of its Western border ; and at last Congress
voki up to the need of thorough explorations
and investigations. In March, 1853, Congress
made its fir.-t appropriation to explore the Far
We 4, and ascertain if there was really a practi-
cable route to the Pacific. In 1854, Congress ap-
propriated $190,000 additional ; and, as a result,

nine surveying parties were organized and pur-
sued their work. Ten routes were surveyed
between the 32d and 49th parallel of latitude ;
the eastern ends ranging all the way from Fulton,
Ark., to St. Paul, Minn., — and the western ter-
minal points from San Diego to Puget Sound.
The lengths of these routes varied fiom 1,533 to
2,290 miles.

The continued gold discoveries brought an im-
mense flow of population to the Pacific Coast, and
California, more alive to the necessities of such
roads than the East, after numerous agitations, at
last really made the first initiatory experiment.
Early in 1861 there was organized at Sacramento,
Cal., the Central Pacific Railroad Company, who
by the appointment of T. D. Judah, as chief en-
gineer, began the first and most thoiough railroad
survey ever made on the Sierras.

Congress then woke up, and in July, 1862. the
first national charter w.is granted. As a curious
fact in the act — the utmost limit of time allowed
for the completion of the road was fixed at July
1. 1876. In October, 1863, the preliminary organ-
ization of the company was completed. A capi-
tal of one hundred million dollars authorized, and
the first contract for construction begun in 1864,
but no practical progress was made till 1865,
when on the 5th of November, the first ceremony
of breaking ground, at Omaha, was celebrated.
Then was begun the great work ; the rapid
progress of which afterward was a world-wide
sensation, astounding engineers, capitalists and
even governments, with the almost reckless dar-
ing of construction.

Necessity and Benefits to the Govern-
ment.

From 1850 to I860, the population of the far
Western States and Territories increased from a
mere handful to the large number of 554,301
persons, and in the whole area of 2.000 miles
there had been built only 232 miles of telegraph,
and 32 miles of railway. The United States
Government had established forts and trading
stations, and the year 1870 saw the completion
of the Pacific Railroad line, Congress and the
whole country were astonished to see the rapid
rate of development, and the enormous expense
of government military service. In that year the
population had increased to 1,011,971, there had
been built over 13,000 miles of telegraph lines ;
there were completed over 4,000 miles of rail-
road ; all representing the gigantic capital of
$363.750,000. In the reports of distinguished
statesmen to the United States Senate,- occur
these remarks which show the spirit of the times
then Senator Stewart of California, says :

As a curious fact of national economy, these
figures will show the result of the Pacific Rail-
road in saving to the United States Government :

Since the building of the road, the cost of
transportation to the government has been as
follows :

Amount cash paid to railroad companies for
one-half charge of transportation per
year, about $l,20ti,0!)0 per annum, say for
7 years— 1869 to 1876, $8,400,000

The cost to the government of military trans-
portation in 1870, was $8,000,000 per
annum, and increasing over $1,000,000 per
year. In 1876, would have been over $14,-
000,000. Average for 7 years, at $10,000,000
per year, $70,000,000

Total saving in 7 years to United States Govern-
ment, $62,600,000

The actual amount of interest during this time
paid by the United States Treasury on
bonds issued in behalf of the railroad,
average interest, $3,897, 129 per year.
Total for 7 years, $27,279,906

Net profit over all expenses to United States, $42,320.094

These figures do not include vast amounts of
incidental items which would have been of incal-
culable trouble, or immense expense to the
United States, such as the indemnities con-
stantly being paid by the United States for de-
struction of life and private property by Indians ;
also depredations of Indians on property in gov-
ernment service, increased mail facilities and
decreased mail expenses, prevention of Indian
wars, the rapid sale of public lands, and the
energetic development of the mining interests of
all the Territories.

If these can all be correctly estimated, the net
gain to the United States by the building of the
Pacific Railroad, is over fifty millions of dollars.

Hon. Henry Wilson, in a speech before the
Senate, Thirty-seventh Congress, boldly said :
" I give no grudging vote in giving away either
money or land. I would sink $100,000,000 to
build the road, and do it most cheerfully, and
think 1 had done a great thing for my country.
What are $75,000,000 or $100,000,000 in opening
a railroad across the central regions of this Con-
tinent, that shall connect the people of the
Atlantic and Pacific, and bind us together ?
Nothing. As to the lands, I do not grudge
them."

It is a significant fact, that while the heat and
activity of Congressional discussion was most
earnest in aid and encouragement of the project,
the following sentiments were unanimously enter-
tained by all the members of Congress :

1. That the road was a necessity to the govern-
ment, and if not built by private capital, must be
built in time with public funds alone.

2. To encourage the capitalists of the country
to come forward and aid the project, the govern-
ment were willing to give one half the funds
necessary as a loan, and were then merely doing
the least part of the whole.

3. That no expectations were entertained that

the road would ever, from its own means, be
able to refund the advance made by the United
States, and no other thought was ever entertained,
save of the benefits to accrue to the public from
the opening of this grand highway of national
interest. No expectations were formed of the
ability of the company to pay or repay the
interest on the loan, bnt one thought was con-
sidered, that the building of the road was ample
compensation and service in its vast aid to in-
dustry, and its saving in transportation.

As editor of this Guide, knowing well the re-
sources of the Far West, we positively assert that
the government has already, in seven years, realized
in both savings and sales, enough money to liquidate
one-third the whole principal, and accrued interest
of the government loan, and in less than twenty
years from the opening of the road, the government
gain will be greater than the whole of the financial
aid it has ever given. The Pacific Railroad is the
right-hand aaving power of the United States.

Discouragements. — Notwithstanding all
that the government had done tc encourage it
(by speeches), the work languished. Capitalists
doubted it. The great war of the rebellion
attracted the attention of every one, and the gov-
ernment, after its first impulses, grew indifferent.
A few bold men determined to work incessantly
for its completion. And one of the results of the
great war was the conviction in the minds of
every one — of a closer Union of the States.
" Who knows," said one, " but California and the
who'e Pacific -Coast may secede, and where are we
then? We can do nothing to retain them. The.
Pacific railway must be built. It shall be built to
keep our country together."

The chief engineer of the railroad, Gen. G. M.
Dodge, in complimenting the directors on the day
of the completion of the last mile of track,
says :

" The country is evidently satisfied that you
accomplished wonders, and have achieved a
work which will be a monument to your energy,
your ability, and to your devotion to the enter-
prise, through all its gloomy, as well as bright
periods, for it is notorious that notwithstanding
the aid of the government, there was so little
faith in the enterprise, that its dark days — when
your private fortunes, and your all was staked
on the success of the project — far exceeded those
of sunshine, faith and confidence."

The lack of confidence in the project, even in
the West, was so great that even in localities
which were to be specially benefitted by its con-
struction, the laborers even demanded their pay
before they would perform their day's work, so
little faith had they in the payment of their
wages, or in the ability of the company to suc-
ceed in their efforts.

Probably no enterprise in the world has been
so maligned, misrepresented and criticised as
this, but now it is, by unbiased minds, pro-

nounced, almost without exception, the best
new road in the United States.

Rapid Progress. — Though chartered in
1862, yet the first grading was not done until
1864, and the first rail laid in July, 1865. At
that time there was no railroad communication
from the East ; a gap of 140 miles existed be-
tween Omaha and Des Moines, and over this it
was impossible to get supplies.

For 500 miles westward of the Missouri River,
the country was completely destitute of timber,
fuel, or any material with which to build or
maintain a road, save the bare sand for the road-
bed itself, everything had to be transported by
teams or steamboats, hundreds and thousands
of miles. Labor, and everything made by labor,
was scarce and high.

Railroad ties were cut in Michigan and Penn-
sylvania, and shipped to Omaha at a cost, often,
of §2.50 per tie. Even the splendid engine, of
seventy horse-power, used at Omaha for the
company's works, was transported in wngons
across the prairies from Des Moines, the only way
to get it. Shops had to be built, forges erected,
and machinery put in place, and the supplies,
even, for the subsistence of the laborers had to be
brought by river from the East ; yet it was all
done.

As the Westerners concisely express it, " The
wiwt work had all been dune, and grading now be-
gan"

In 1865, 40 miles of track were laid to Fre-
mont. In 1866, 260 miles were laid. In 1867,
240 miles were laid, which included the ascent
to Sherman. By January 1, 1868, there had
been completed 540 miles. In 1868, to May 10,
1869, 555 miles more were laid, and the road
finished — seven years in advance of the time set
by Congress, and the time actually spent in
construction was just three years, six months, and
ten days.

To show the enormous amount of materials
required in the Union Pacific Railroad alone,
there were used in its construction 300,000 tons
of iron rails, 1,700,000 fish-plates, 6,800,000 bolts,
6,126,375 cross-ties, 23,505,5UO spikes.

Fast Building. — Day after day the average
rate of building rose from one to two, three and
five miles. Many will remember the daily thrill
of excitement as the morning journals in the
East made the announcements of so many more
miles nearer the end, and as the number of com-
pleted miles, printed in the widely circulated
advertisements of the company, reached 1000,
the excitement became intense, as the rival roads
now were fairly aglow with the heat of compe-
tition, and so near each other. In previous
months there had existed a little engineering
rivalry, good natured, but keen, as to the largest
number of miles each could lay in one day. The
Union Pacific men laid one day fix miles ; soon
after the Central followed suit by laying seven,

The Union Pacific retaliated by laying seven and
a half ; to this the Central sent the announce-
ment that they could lay ten miles in one day ;
to this Mr. Durant, the Vice-president, sent back
a wager of $10,000 that it could not be done. The

Eide and spirit of the Central Pacific had now
en challenged, and they prepared for the enor-
mous contest, one of extraordinary magnitude
and rapidity. The 29th day of April, 1869, was
selected for the decision of the contest, as there
then remained but 14 miles of track to bring a
meeting of the roads at Promontory Point.

Work began ; the ground had already been
graded and ties placed in position, and at the
signal the cars loaded with rails moved forward.
Four men, two on each side, seize with their nip-
pers the ends of the rails, lift from the car and
carry them to their place ; the car moves steadily
along over the rails as fast as they are laid. Im-
mediately after follows a band of men who attach
the plate and put the spikes in position ; next a
force of Chinamen who drive down the spikes
solid to their homes, and last another gang of
Chinamen with shovels, picks, etc., who ballast
the track. The rapidity of all these motions,
which required the most active of exercise and
alert movements, was at the rate of 144 feet of
track to every minute. By 1.30 P. M., the layers
had placed ei</ht miles of track in just fix hours.
Resuming work again, after the noon rest, the
track-laying progressed, and at 7 P. M., exactly,
the Central men finished their task of 10 miles,
with 200 feet over. Mr. James Campbell, the
superintendent of the division, then seizing a
locomotive ran it over the ten miles of new track
in forty minutes, and the Union men were satis-
fied. This was the greatest feat of railroad
building ever known in the world, and when it
is known how vast the materials required to sup-
ply this little stretch of ten miles, the reader is
fairly astonished at the endurance of the laborers.
To put this material in place over 4,000 men
had been constantly employed. The laborers on
that day handled 25,800 cross-ties, 3,520 iron rails,
55,000 spikes, 7,040 fish-plates, and 14,080 bolts,
the weight of the whole being 4,362,000 pounds.
Upon both roads, for a year previous, there had
been remarkable activity.

A total force of 20,000 to 25,000 workmen all
along the lines, and 5,000 to 6.000 teams had
been engaged in grading and laying the track or
getting out stone or timber. From 5(10 to 600
tons of materials were forwarded daily from
either end of the lines.

The Sierra Nevadas suddenly became alive with
wood-chopper;!, and at one place on the Truckee
River twenty-five saw-mills went into operation
in a single week. Upon one railroad 70 to 100
locomotives were in use at one time, constantly
bringing materials and supplies. At one time
there were 30 vessels en route from New York
via Cape Horn, with iron, locomotives, rails and

SCENES IN OMAHA.

1.— General View of Omaha and the Missouri Valley. 2.— Post-Office. 3 —High School Building.
4.— Grand Central Hotel. 5.— Missouri River Bridge.

rolling stock, destined for the Central Pacific
Railroad ; and it is a curious fact, that on sev-
eral consecutive days, more miles of track were
ironed by the railroad companies than it was
possible for an ox-team to draw a load over.
And when at last the great road was completed,
the fact suddenly flashed upon the nation that
a road once so distrusted, and considered too
gigantic to be possible, was constructed an actual
distance of 2,221 miles, in less than five years, of
which all but 100 miles was done between Jan-
uary 1, 1866 and May 10, 1869— three years, four
months and ten days.

OMAHA.

Railroads. — The first railroad that reached
this city from the East was the Chicago and
North- Western, — the first train over it arriving
on Sunday, January 17, 1867. Then followed the
Kansas City, Council Bluffs and St. Joseph, the
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific and the Bur.
lington and Missouri River of Iowa (operated
by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy.) After
these came the Sioux City and Pacific, the Omaha
and North- Western and the Omaha and South-
western, and the Omaha and Republican Val-
ley. The Omaha and South-Western is now
operated by the Burlington and Missouri River
Railroad in Nebraska. The latter extends to
Lincoln the capital of the State ; then westward
uniting with the Union Pacific at Kearny Junc-
tion. It has a branch from its main lines from
Crete to Beatrice, a thriving town near the
southern boundary of the State. It also con-
trols another line running from Brownville on
the Missouri River, north to Nebraska City,
thence west through Lincoln (where it connects
with the main line) to York in the central part
of the State. The Omaha and North-Western
is completed about 40 miles, and follows the
Missouri on the west side of that river, north
from Omaha. It is being extended every year,
and its claim that it will soon be one of the
favorite routes to the Black Hills, as its tendency
is towards the beautiful valley of the Elkhorn,
one of the garden-spots of Nebraska. Other
railroads are contemplated, among them the Ne-
braska Trunk Railroad down the west bank of the
Missouri from Omaha to Atchison. When com-
pleted it will form close connection with the
Missouri Pacific, giving a competing route to St.
Louis and the seaboard. At Atchison it will
connect with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa
Fe, forming an almost direct route through
Kansas to the mines of Southern Colorado, New
Mexico and Arizona. As the Atchison road is
being extended to meet the Southern Pacific,
Omaha will have another outlet to the Pacific
Coast. Another line is the St. Lonis, Chillicothe
and Omaha, commonly called " the Chillicothe
route." The indications are that it will be fin-

ished soon, which will shorten up the distance
to St Louis about 65 miles. The Omaha and
Republican Valley operated by the Union Pacific
Company, runs from Omaha to David City about
100 miles west, and it is already doing a large
and increasing business. It will be extended
westward as the country develops, and popula-
tion increases. A branch of this line is contem-
plated from Valparaiso to Lincoln.

Besides these railroads, Omaha has the Mis-
souri River on her front, giving the city cheap
steam communication from the center of Mon-
tana to the Gulf of Mexico, and with the whole
Mississippi valley and its tributaries as far East
as Pennsylvania. The city has become the most
important railroad center west of Chicago and
St. Louis, and as the greatest popular '• travel
center " on the Missouri river, stands unrivaled.
As a matter of interest we mention the fact that
in 1875 there were 55,000 local arrivals and de-
partures. In 1876 there were 70.0 "0, and in 1878,
73,330. The city is the Eastern gateway of the
mineral bearing regions of the West, and the
products of British Columbia, the Pacific Coast,
the Sandwich Islands and Asia find their way
through her limits to the eastern markets.
Within a circle having a radius of five hun-
dred miles of which Omaha is the center, there
are upwards of 12,000,01)0 people and 26.000
miles of railroads radiating in every direction.
Within this circle is the Black Hills region,
whose rapid development is already attracting
attention. Beyond this limit on the west, are
Western Colorado, the greater part of Wyoming,
Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and California.
Omaha already has a controlling influence over
the greater part of the mineral trade of these
States and Territories, of which we shall speak
hereafter.

The general offices of the Union Pacific are
located here. They are in an elegant building
which catches the eye of the traveler as one of
the notable objects as he approaches the city.
It was completed in 1878, at a cost of 858.453.74,
and the citizens are very proud of this fine
structure. The general offices of the Burlington
and Missouri River in Nebraska, the Omaha
and North- Western, the Omaha and South-
western and the Omaha and Republican Valley
Railroads are also located here. In addition to
these the general agencies of the Chicago, .Moux
City, St. Louis and Eastern lines, have handsome
offices, which are located in the Grand Central
Hotel building. The Blue, Red, Empire and
other fast freight lines are represented in the
city, and it is probable that the Baltimore and
Ohio, Wabash and other competing lines will
push their fast freight lines to a connection with
the Union Pacific and secure a proportion of the
immense trans-continental traffic.

The Omaha and Republican Valley Railroad
have taken steps looking to the early completion

of a series of railroad lines that will "gridiron"
the State. One line will run to Atchison, Kan-
sas. Another to Lincoln, another into the Re-
publican Valley another to Grand Island and up
the Loup Fork, and another to the Nebraska
Iliver in the north.

Manufactures. — In manufactures Omaha
is now the most extensive manufacturing point
on the Missouri river, the amount for 1878 being
in the neighborhood of $9,000,001). She has an
oil mill which supplies the extensive demand for
linseed oil and oil cake, and promotes the growth
of flax in Nebraska, necessitating at an early
day the erection of flax mills in the city for the
manufacture of that article ; extensive white
lead works, completed in the spring of 1878, a
safe factory, several breweries, two distilleries,
foundries and machine shops, carriage and wagon
shops ; three packing houses, flour mills and
other manufactories in active operation or con-
templated. Among the latter, are a nail mill,
starch factory, etc., etc. Among the principal
establishments in operation are the machine
shops, car works and foundry of the Union Pacific
Railroad, and the Omaha smelting works. The
shops of the railroad occupy, with the round-
house, about thirty acres of land on the bottom
adjoining the tabla land on which most of the city
proper is built. Their disbursements amount
to $2,603,000 per annum for labor and material,
while for office and manual labor alone the Union
Pacific pays out annually in Omaha over one
million dollars. The value of this business and
the location of these shops to the city can there-
fore readily be seen, and are no small factors in
Omaha's prosperity.

Business of Omaha — Facts Interest-
ing and Curious. — When Omaha was first
entitled to the honor of a post-office, the story
is told that the first postmaster (still living in
the city) used his hat for a post-office which he
naturally carried with him wherever he went de-
livering the mail to anxious individuals who
were waiting eagerly for him, or chased and
overtook him. Twenty years after, Omaha pos-
sesses a handsome stone post-office and custom
house worth $ $50,000, (in which there is a bonded
warehouse,) and the finest building west of the
Mississippi river. The post-office has frequently
handled twenty tons of overland and local mail
matter par day. The total receipts at this
post-office for 1878 were about $1,500,000. and
the total number of letters, newspapers, and pos-
tal cards collected and delivered was 1,695,668.
In 1831, the first telegraph reached Omaha, and
its only office was, for several years, the termi-
nus of the Pacific Telegraph. Now there are
thirty telegraph wires radiating in all directions ;
fifteen offices, employing forty operators. The
number of messages per day averages 4,600, of
which one third relates to Pacific Railroad busi-
ness, and including press dispatches, local and

Pacific coast, 17,800,000 words were repeated.
The total value of school property in Omaha is
$430,975, and the city is growing so rapidly that
several more buildings are needed.

Omaha is the headquarters of the army of the
Platte, and disburses about $l,00ll,00<>, "besides
an annual transportation account with the Union
Pacific Railroad of $650,0, 0. The office of In-
ternal Revenue Collector for Nebraska is also
located here. In 1865, Omaha did not have a
single manufacturing establishment. In 1877,
her manufactures amounted to about $9,000,000,
the annual increase being from twenty to twenty-
five per cent. Here are located the largest smelt-
ing atid refining works on the North American
Continent ; the Omaha smelting works, who
employ 150 men and do an annual business of
$5,500,000. Seven breweries turn out 20.000
barrels of beer. One distillery pays the govern-
ment $532,000 per year, and there are upward of
fifty smaller enterprises, among which is a nota-
ble industry, the manufacture of brick : over
500,000,000 brick being turned out of four brick
yards. The bank capital and surplus exceed
$820,000. In overland times before the building
of the Pacific Railroad, or just at its commence-
ment, the wholesale trade of Omaha was won-
derful. Single houses handling as much as
$3,000,000. Since that time the courses of trade
have been so divided, that the largest sales now
of any wholesale establishment do not exceed
$1.500,000..

Perhaps the best index of the enormous trade
Omaha is gaining is in the increase of the ship-
ments and receipts of live stock, grain, currency,
precious metals, etc., etc.

The receipts of cattle at Omaha were as fol-
lows:

During 1876,

1877,

60,300
95,500

INCREASE.

35,200

The estimates place the receipts at 150.000 for
1879, and large stock yards will be built the pres-
ent year. In 1874, the grain business amounted
to about 300,000 bushels per annum. In six
months ending March, the receipts amounted to
2,250,000 bushels and the corn crop of the last
year had not then begun to move. Omaha
has two grain elevators, but the greatest need of
the trade is an elevator with a storage capacity
of 1,000,000 bushels.

As to the movements of the precious metals
into and through Omaha, we find that the
Black Hills ores are appearing freely in Ihe city,
and since the opening of the Colorado Central
Railroad from Cheyenne to Denver, the Union
Pacific is getting its share of the ore and base
bullion of that state. It is a noticeable fact that
all of the shipments of fine gold and silver from
New Mexico now find their way to the eastern
cities through Omaha. The gold and silver
product of the country west of Omaha is steadily

increasing as will be seen by reference to these
statistics :

GOLD AND SILVER PRODUCT OF THE WEST.

1869,
1870,
1*71,
1872,
1873,

$61, 500,000
66,000,000
66,663,000
63,943,»77
71,642,523

1874,
1875,
1876,

1877,

$72,428,206
75,789,057
85,835,173
93,336,504

Showing an increase in the gold and silver
production in 1877 over 1869 of $ 3 1,836,504. In
1877, the estimated lead yield was $5,085,250, of
which the Omaha smelting works manufactured
$1,500,000 into lead bars for shipment east. This
amount being equal to the lead yield of Illinois
and Missouri combined.

In tracing the routes over which the precious
metals of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada
and the West come, they must not be considered
possible and temporary, but as the actual and per-
manent routes over which these metals have been
passing into and through Omaha, viz. :

MOVEMENT OF BULLION AND ORES.

During 1873,
" 1S74,
" 1875,
" 1876,
" 1877,

$21,500,000
41,907,090
49,848,542
56,733,100
50,060,368

Showing an increase in 1877 over 1873 of
$28,560,368.

The increase in the eastward flow of gold in
1877 over 1876 was $5,227,102. The decrease in
silver for the same time owing to the Asiatic de-
mand and the coinage of trade dollars at San
Francisco, was $11,890,834. Had not these in-
fluences been at work, it is safe to assume that
the passage of gold and silver into and through
Omaha for 1877 would have amounted to
$64,000,000 or two-thirds of the entire product
of the country. This does not include the
amount contained in the ore, base bullion and
lead passing over the Union Pacific roads :

During 1875,

" 1876,
" 1877,

64,429,400 pounds.
71,758,352 "
111,006,050 "

Showing an increase in 1877 over 1875 of
46,576,650 pounds. Of the amount in 1875,
the Omaha smelting works received 29,638,826
pounds. The gain being proportionate for the
two succeeding years. lu 1875, not a car load
of ore or bullion was handled at Kansas City
from the Kansas Pacific Railroad. In 1877 the
receipts of ore in that city were 23,964,250
pounds, mostly for shipment east.

The Omaha smelting works are the largest on
the Continent, as previously stated. They are
being constantly enlarged to meet the increasing
demands of business. In 1875 the works in Col-
orado reduced $1,650,000 of ore and bullion. In

1874, the Omaha works reduced $$2,135,000. In

1875, $1028,314. In 1876, $4,832,000. In 1877,
$5,500,000. For 1875-76-77 their lead manu-
facture amounted to 35,262 tons or 70,524,000

pounds, so that Omaha now produces about one
sixth of all the lead used in the United States.
Heretofore this lead has been shipped east, but
the new white lead works will use a large por-
tion of it and in the near future there is no
reason why Omaha may not be one of the prin-
cipal lead manufacturing markets in the coun-
try. The statement of currency received at and
shipped from Omaha is as follows, viz. :

In 1873,
" 1874,

" 1875,
" 1876,
" 1877,

$21,944,807.20
27,431,009.00
34,466,700.20
33,655,215.00
39,993,260.00

Showing an increase in 1877 over 1873 of
$18,048,452.80.

There was deposited in the Omaha banks, viz. :

During 1874,
" 1875,
" 1876,
" 1877,

§55,308,960.48
63,333,492.08
7l',SI)8,500.00
80,548,485.50

Showing an increase in 1877 over 1874 of
$25,239,524.52.

Exchange sold by the same :

During 1874, $25,768,426.92

" 1877, 38,181,671.38

Showing an increase in 1877 over 1874 of
$12,413,244.46.

The public improvements show this record :

During 1875, $360,000

" 1876, 238,000

" 1877, 785,000

An increase in 1877 over 1875 of $425,000;
over 1876, $547,000. Careful estimates place the
improvement record of this year at no less than
$1,000,000. Judging by the tide of immigra-
tion now rushing into Nebraska through the
efforts of eastern colonization societies and
others, the realization will go beyond that figure,
as the trade of the city is rapidly extending in
every direction and the indications are that the
present will be the most prosperous year in the
history of the West.

In 1860, the transportation trade of Omaha
amounted to 732,000 pounds. In 1877, the re-
ceipts and shipments from and to the West pass-
ing into and through Omaha were 2,172,720,000
pounds. In 1875, the Omaha merchants im-
ported 17,450 carloads of merchandise.

The mercantile and manufacturing trade of
the city in round numbers is as follows :

$17,000,000
25,000,000

In 1875,
" 1876,

" 1877,

30,000,000

This increase of $13,000.000 in two years was
during a period of universal depression. But
notwithstanding the hard times, Omaha has be-
come the chief commercial city of the Missouri
valley.

The " Omaha Union Stock Yards " were in-
corporated May 4, 1878, and began at once the
erection of large and well arranged yards, on
their grounds located on the Union Pacific track

near the city limits. A dummy car line extend-
ing from the Union depot to Hanscom Park,
connects the yards with the hotels and banks of
the city. The packing, slaughtering and can-
ning of beef is destined to grow into immense
proportions at this point, as also undoubtedly
will tanning and glue manufacture. The officers
of the Union Stock Yards are Wm. A. Paxton,
President ; Herman Kountze, Vice-President ;
Jas. L. Lovett, General Manager ; W. J. Broatch,
Treasurer, and W. C. B. Allen, Secretary.

Tlie U. P. R. R. Bridge Across the
Missouri River* — The huge bridge, which
spans the Missouri, is a fitting entrance to the
wonders beyond — a mechanical wonder of itself,
it fills every traveler with a sense of awe and
majesty, as the first great scene of the overland
journey.

The last piece of iron of the last span which
completed the bridge was fastened in its place
on the 20th of February, 1872. Previous to that
time, all passengers and traffic were transferred
across the treacherous and shifting shores of the
Missouri River in steam-boats with flat keel, and
with the ever-shifting currents and sand-bars,
safe landings were always uncertain. The bridge
comprises 11 spans, each span 250 feet in length,
and elevated 50 feet above high water-mark.
These spans are supported by one stone masonry
abutment, and 11 piers with 22 cast-iron col-
umns ; each pier is 8 1-2 feet in diameter, and
made of cast-iron in tubes one and three-fourths
inches in thickness, 10 feet in length, with a
weight of eight tons. As fast as the tubes of
the columns are sunk, they are fitted together,
seams made air-tight, and process continued till
the complete depth and height is attained. Dur-
ing the building of the bridge from February,
1869, when work first commenced, until com-
pletion in 1872 (excepting a period of eight
months suspension), about 500 men were con-
stantly employed. Ten steam-engines were in
use for the purpose of operating the pneumatic
works to hoist the cylinders, help put the super-
structure into position, to drive piles for tempo-
rary platforms and bridges, and to excavate sand
within the columns. The columns were sunk
into the bed of the river after being placed in
correct position by the following method : The
top of the column being made perfectly air-tight,
all water beneath is forced out by pneumatic
pressure. Then descending into the interior, a
force of workmen excavate the sand and earth,
filling buckets which are quickly hoisted up-
wards by the engines. When the excavation
has reached one or more feet, the column sinks
gradually inch by inch, more or less rapidly, un-
til a solid bottom is reached.

The least time in which any column was sunk
to bed rock from the commencement of the pneu-
matic process was seven days, and the greatest
single depth of sinking at one time was 17 feet. •

The greatest depth below low water which was
reached by any column, at bed rock, was 82 feet.
The greatest pressure to which the men working
in the columns were subjected, was 54 pounds per
square inch in excess of the atmosphere. When
solid foundation is once obtained, the interior of
the columns are filled with solid stone concrete
for about 25 feet, and thence upward with ce-
ment masonry, till the bridge is reached.

The total length of the iron structure of the
bridge is 2,750 feet. The eastern approach is by
an embankment of gradual ascent one and a
half miles in length, commencing east of the
Transfer grounds, and almost at Council Bluffs,
and thence ascending at the rate of 35 feet to
the mile to the bridge.

Metnmwa. — The old depot grounds of the
Union Pacific Railroad were on the bank of the
river immediately beneath the bridge. When
this was constructed, in order to connect the bridge
and main line of the railroad, it was necessary to
construct, directly through the city, a branch line
of road 7,000 feet in length, and construct a
new depot on higher ground, of which as
a result, witness the handsome, new structure,
and spacious roof, and convenient waiting-
rooms. From the first abutment to the bank,
a trestle-work of 700 feet more, 60 feet in
height was constructed; thus the entire length
of the bridge, with necessary approaches, is
9,950 feet. Total cost is supposed to be
about $2,650,000, and the annual revenue
about $400,000. The bridge has figured nota-
bly in the discussions of Congress, whether
or not it should be considered a part of
the Union Pacific Railroad. The recent de-
cision of the United States Supreme Court
has at last declared it so to be, and with this is
done away entirely the " Omaha Bridge Trans-
fer " of the past.

Preparing for the Westward Trip.—
Having rested and visited the principal points
of interest in Omaha, you will be ready to take
a fresh start. Repairing to the new depot,
finished, at the crossing of Ninth street, you
will find one of the most magnificent trains of
cars made up by any railroad in the United
States. Everything connected with them is
first-class. Pullman sleeping-coaches are at-
tached to all express trains, and all travelers
know how finely they are furnished, and how
they tend to relieve the wearisome monotony of
tedious days in the journey from ocean to ocean.
At this depot you will find the waiting-rooms,
ticket-offices, baggage-rooms, lunch-stands, news
and bookstand, together with one of the best
kept eating-houses in the country. You will find
gentlemanly attendants at all these places, ready
to give you any information, and cheerfully
answer your questions. If you have a little time,
step into the Union Pacific Land office adjoining
the depot, on the east, and see some of the pro-

ductions of this prolific western soil. If you
have come from the far East, it has been a slightly
uphill journey all the way, and you are now at
an elevation of 966 feet above the sea. If the
weather is pleasant, you may already begin to
feel the exhilarating effect of western breezes,
and comparatively dry atmosphere. With books
and papers to while away your leisure hours, you
are finally ready for the start. The bell rings,
the whistle shrieks, and off you go. The road
first winds up a
little valley, passing
the Bridge Junction
1.5 (one and five-
tenths) miles to

Summit Sid-
ing, — 3.2 miles
from Omaha ; eleva-
tion 1,142 feet. This
place, you will ob-
serve by these fig-
ures, is reached by
a heavy up grade.
You are 176 feet
higher than when
you first started, and
but little over three
miles away. Here is
a deep cut through
the hill, and beyond
it you strike Mud
Creek Valley with
a down grade for a
few miles. This
creek and the road
run south on a line
nearly parallel with,
and about two and
a half miles from,
the Missouri River
until the next sta-
tion is reached.

Gilmoi-e. — Tt is
9.5 miles from Oma-
ha, with only 10 feet
difference in eleva-
tion—Q7G feet. The
valley is quite thick-
ly settled, and as you
look out on the left

side of the cars, about four miles from Omaha,
you will see a saloon called Half-Way House.
At about this point you leave Douglas County
and enter Sarpy County. Gilmore was named
after an old resident of that locality, now dead.
Here you are some nine miles south of Omaha,
but only about three west of the Missouri
River. Here you will first see what are called
the bottom lands of Nebraska. They are as
rich as any lands on this Continent, as the re-
markable crops raised thereon fully attest.
From this station you turn nearly due west, and

pass over the lower circle of what is called the
ox-bow.

Papilion, — 14.5 miles from Omaha; eleva-
tion 972 feet, is the next station, and is a thriv-
ing little town (pronounced Pa-pil-yo). It derives
its name from the creek on whose banks it is situ-
ated. This creek was named by Lewis and Clark
in their expedition to Oregon, in 1804, and is
derived from a Latin word which means butter-
fly. The main branch was crossed a little west
of Gilmore. It emp-
ties into the Mis-
souri River about
one mile north of
the Platte River. It
is reported that the
early explorers
named, saw an im-
mense number of
butterflies in the
muddy and wet
places near its
mouth, and hence
the name. These
gentlemen explored
this stream to its
source, near the Elk-
horn River. The
town was laid out
in the fall of 1869
by Dr. Beadle, and
is the permanent
county-seat of Sar-
py County. It has
a fine brick court-
house, and a brick
school-house, hotels,
flouring mills and a
grain ware-house ; is
located as are all
the towns on the
first two hundred
miles of this road,
in the midst of a
rich agricultural
country. Sarpy
County has two
newspapers — one
the Papilion Times,

GOOD-BYE." published weekly at

this place, and the other, the Sarpy County Senti-
nel, published at Sarpy Center, some five miles in
the country from this station. Sarpy is one
of the best settled counties in Nebraska, and
has a property valuation of over $3,000,000.

Mill(ir<l—is named for Hon. Ezra Millard,
president of the Omaha National Bank, who has
considerable landed property here. The station-
house is comparatively new, and there are a few
other buildings recently erected. It is pleas-
antly located, and, like all western towns, lias
plenty of room to grow. It is 20.9 miles from

Omaha ; elevation, 1,047 feet. Evidences of
thrift are everywhere visible as you cast your
eyes over the rolling prairies, and yet there is
ample room for all who desire to locate in this
vicinity. You have again crossed the boundary
line of Sarpy County, which is a mile or two
south-east of Millard, and are again in the
County of Douglas.

Elkhorn. — 28.9 miles from Omaha, eleva-
tion 1,150 feet. This is a growing town, and
does a large business in grain ; it has an ele-
vator, grain warehouses, two stores, a Catholic
church, good school-house, and a hotel. You
are now near the famous Elkhorn Valley and
River. By a deep cut, the railroad makes its
way through the bluff or hill on the east side
of this stream, about a mile from the station,

The elevation of Waterloo is laid down at 1,140
feet. The town has a fine water-power which
has been improved by the erection of a large
flouring-mill. It also has two steam flouring-
mills, and a new depot. At this point you
enter the Platte Valley, of which so much
has been written and which occupies such a
prominent place in the history of the country.
The Elkhorn and Platte Rivers form a junc-
tion a few miles south of this point, and the
banks of these streams are more or less studded
with timber, mostly cottonwood. In fact, the
Elkhorn has cousiderable timber along its
banks.

Valley — is 35.2 miles from Omaha, and is
1,120 feet above the sea. It has a store and
hotel, and is the center of a rich farming dis-

NIGHT SCENE. PRAIRIE ON FIRE.

and then on a down grade you glide into
the valley. The rolling prairies are now be-
hind you and south, beyond the Platte River,
which for the first time comes into view. Cross-
ing the Elkhoru River you arrive at

Waterloo,— 30.9 miles from Omaha, and
only two miles from the last station. A few
years since, a train was thrown from the bridge
spoken of by reason of the high water of a
freshet. This train had one car of either young
fish or fish-eggs in transit ; the contents of this
car were of course lost in the river, and since
that time the Elkhorn abounds in pike, pickerel,
bass, sunfish and perch. What the California
streams lost by this disaster the Elkhorn gained,
as these fish have increased rapidly in this
stream, where they were previously unknown.

trict. The land seems low, and one would easily
gain the impression that the soil here was very
wet, but after digging through the black surface
soil two or three feet you come to just such sand
as is found in the channel of the Platte. In
fact, tlie whole Platte Valley is underdrained by£
this river, and this is one reason why surface
water from hard and extensive rains so quickly
disappear, and why the land is able to produce
such good crops in a dry season. Water is ob-
tained anywhere in this valley by sinking
what are called drive-wells, from six to twenty
feet. Wind-mills are also extensively used
by large farmers, who have stock which
they confine upon their premises, and which
otherwise they would have to drive some
distance for water. The Omaha and Republi-

can Valley Railroad runs to Wahoo and David
City, soon to be extended to Lincoln.

Iliverside, — which is 41.4 miles from
Omaha, with an elevation of about 1,140 feet.
It will eventually become a station, as many
trains already meet and pass here.

Prairie Fires. — During the first night's
ride westward from Omaha, the traveler, as
he gazes out of his car window (which he
can easily do while reclining in his berth) will
often find his curious attention rewarded by a
sight of one of the most awful, yet grandest
scenes of prairie life. The prairies, which in
the day-time to some, seemed dry, dull, uninter-
esting, occasionally give place at night, to the
lurid play of the fire-fiend, and the heavens
and horizon seem like a furnace. A prairie on
fire is a fearfully exciting and fear-stirring sight.
Cheeks blanch as the wind sweeps its volume
toward the observer, or across his track. Full in
the distance is seen the long line of bright flame
stretching for miles, with its broad band of dark
smoke-clouds above. As the train comes near,
the flames leap higher, and the smoke ascends
higher, and on their dark bosom is reflected the
fires' brilliantly-tinged light. Sweeping away for
miles towards the bluffs, the fire jumps with the
wind, and the flames leap 20 to 30, or more
feet into the air, and for miles brighten the
prairies with the awful sight. We have never
seen anything of prairie life or scenery possessing
such majestic brilliance as the night glows, and
rapid advances of a prairie fire. Far out on
the prairies, beyond the settlements, the prairie
fires, (usually set on fire by the sparks from
the locomotives) rage unchecked for
miles and miles, but nearer to the little
settlements, where the cabins have
just been set up, the fire is their deadli-
est and most dreaded enemy. No words
can describe, no pencil paint the look of
terror when the settler beholds advanc-
ing toward him the fire-fiend, for which
he is unprepared and unprotected.
When the first sign of the advancing
fire is given, all hands turn out ; either
a counter fire is started, which, eating
from the settler's ranch, in the face of
the wind, toward the grander coming
volume, takes away its force, and leaves
it nothing to feed upon, or furrows
are broken with the plow around the
settler's home. The cool earth thrown
up, and all the grass beyond this is
fired, while the little home enclosed
within, is safe. A curious feature of
prairie fires is, that the buffalo grass,
the next season, is darker and richer
than ever before ; and lower down, in
sections where the prairie fires are
carefully kept off, trees, shrubs, bushes, etc., I
of many varieties, grow up spontaneously, I

which never were seen before. So long as
prairie fires rage, nothing will grow but the little
tufts of prairie grass. Wherever the prairie fire
ceases or is kept restrained, vegetation of all de-
scription as far west as the Platte, is completely
changed. In the fall of the year these fires are
most frequent ; and creating a strong current or
breeze by their own heat, they advance with the
rapidity often of a locomotive, 20 or more miles
an hour, and their terrible lurid light by night,
and blackened path left behind, as seen next day
by the traveler, are sights never to be forgotten.
In the lower river counties a prairie fire often
originates from the careless dropping of a match,
or the ashes shaken from a pipe. The little
spark touches the dry grass like tinder — the con-
stant breeze fans the little flame, and five minutes
after it has covered yards. The loss to tillers of
the soil is often appalling. One of General
Sherman's veterans, in describing a prairie fire to
a visitor, raising himself to his full six feet
height, and with eye flashing as in battle excite-
ment, said : " Mr. C., if I should catch a man firing
the prairie at this time, as God helps me, I would
shoot him down in his deed." A traveler riding
on the prairie said, " only a few miles from me
an emigrant, traveling in his close-covered wagon
" with the wind, " was overtaken by the flames
coming down on him unseen. Horses, family,
wagon, were all destroyed in a moment, and him-
self barely lived long enough to tell the tale.
Nearly every night in autumn the prairies of the
boundless West, show either the near or distant
glow of a fire, which in extent has the appear-
ance of another burning Chicago.

" BUSTED."

Pike's Peak or Iinsf. — This expression has
become widely known, and received its origin as

REPRESENTATIVE MEN OF THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD.

follows : — At the time of the opening of the
Pike's Peak excitement in gold diggings, two
pioneers made themselves conspicuous by paint-
ing in large letters on the side of their wagon
cover : — " Pike's Peak or Bust." In their haste to
reach this, the newly discovered Eldorado, they
scorned all safety and protection offered by the
" train " and traveled alone, and on their " own
hook."

For days and weeks they escaped the dangers
attending their folly, and passed unharmed until
they reached the roving ground of the bloody
Sioux. Here they were surrounded and cruelly
and wantonly murdered ; their bodies were driven
through with arrows, and pinned to the earth,
and left to the sunshine and storms of the
skies.

Fremont — is 46.5 miles from Omaha, and
has an elevation of 1,176 feet. It is the county-
seat of Dodge County, and has a population of
full 3,000. In the year 1875, over $100,000 were
expended in buildings in this growing young
city. It has never, so far as population is con-
cerned, experienced what may be called a great
rush — its growth having been slow and steady.
It is located near the south-east corner of the
county. Originally the town comprised a whole
section of land, but was afterwards reduced to
about half a section. The town company was or-
ganized on the 26th day of August, 1856, and in
that and the following year, thirteen log houses
were built. John C. Hormel built the first frame
house in 1857. The Union Pacific reached the
town on the 24th day of January, 1866, nearly
ten years after it was first laid out, and trains
ran to it regularly, though the track was laid
some 11 miles beyond, when work ceased for that
winter. The Sioux City and Pacific road was
completed to Fremont late in the fall of 1868.
In the expectations of the residents, it was then
to become a railroad center, and lots were sold at
large prices. This last-named road runs from
Blair on the Missouri River, where it crosses
said stream and forms a junction with the Chi-
cago and North-western. It then runs north on
the east side of said river, to Sioux City. The
Elkhorn Valley Railroad completed the first ten
miles of its track in 1869, and the balance, some
50 miles, was finished to Wisner in the following
year. This road is one of the natural routes to
the Black Hills, and it is now stated that it will
soon be extended in that direction. It will con-
tinue up the Elkhorn Valley to near its source,
and then crossing the divide, will strike into the
Niobrara Valley, thence westward until the Black
Hills are reached. This road is a feeder to Fre-
mont, and very valuable to its trade. The Atch-
ison and Nebraska Railroad, is to be extended
from Lincoln to this place, during the present
year (1876). The city will then have a direct
line to St. Louis and the South, with two direct
lines to Chicago and the East. Other railroad

projects are contemplated, which will make this
place in reality a railroad center.

Fremont has a large, new hotel, the Occi-
dental, and several smaller ones ; has the
finest opera house in the West, and the largest
and finest dry-goods house in the State. It
has five or six church edifices, and an ele-
gant public school building, two banks,
three or four elevators, a steam flouring
mill, extensive broom factories, and two or
three manufacturing establishments where
headers are made. It also has a foundry
and machine-shop. It is now a regular eat-
ing station on the railroad, all passenger
trains east or west stopping here for din-
ner, which is really most abundant and ex-
cellent.

Fremont is virtually located at the junction of
the Elkhorn and Platte Valleys, and from its
position naturally controls a large scope of coun-
try. Its people are industrious, wide-awake and
energetic. It is in the midst of a thickly-settled
region, and its future prospects are very flatter-
ing-
Fremont has two newspapers — the Fremont
Herald (daily and weekly), and the Fremont
'Iribune (weekly). The latter was first estab-
lished, and probably has the largest circulation.
The enterprise of newspapers in these western
towns, contribute very largely to their growth
and prosperity. The town is the fourth in size
and population in the State.

The Elkhorn Valley is between two and three
hundred miles in length, is well timbered and
remarkably fertile, and the railroad which is to
do the carrying business of this valley, has its
terminus at Fremont.

The Great Platte Valley. — You have
now passed over a few miles of the great
Platte Valley. At Fremont it spreads out won-
derfully, and for the first two hundred miles
varies in width from five to fifteen miles.
Through nearly all its eastern course, this river
hugs the bluffs on its southern side. These bluffs
as well as those more distant on the northern side
of the valley, are plainly visible from the cars.
Before the road was built, this valley was the
great highway of overland travel to Colorado,
Utah, California, and Oregon. Immense trains
of wagons, heavily freighted, have passed over it,
in their slow and tedious journeyings towards
the setting sun. Leaving the Missouri at differ-
ent points, the routes nearly all converged in the
Platte Valley, and thence westward to their des-
tination. The luxuriant grasses, and the prox-
imity to water, made this the favorite route. It
has also been the scene of deadly conflicts with
the savages, and the bones of many a wanderer
lie bleaching in the air, or are buried beneath
some rough and hastily-made mound near the
beaten road. But a wonderful change took place
with the advent of the road. The " bull- whacker,"

with his white-covered wagon and raw-boned
oxen — his slang phrases, and prof ane expressions,
his rough life, and in many instances violent
death — the crack of his long lash that would ring
out in the clear morning air like that of a rifle, and
his wicked goad or prod — an instrument of tor-
ture to his beasts — with all that these things
imply, have nearly passed away. Their glory
has departed, and in their place is the snorting
engine and the thundering train.

The remarkable agricultural advantages of
this valley are everywhere visible, and it is
rapidly filling up with an industrious and thrifty
class of farmers. The land grant of the Union
Pacific Company extends for twenty miles on
either side of the road, and includes every alter-
nate section of land that was not taken at the
time it was withdrawn from the market, for the
benefit of the company. If you pass a long dis-
tance in the first two hundred miles of this
valley without observing many improvements, it
is pretty good evidence that the land is held by
non-resident speculators, and this fact has a
great influence in retarding the growth of the
country. Around many of the residences are
large groves of cotton-wood trees that have been
planted by industrious hands and which give
evidence of unusual thrift. In fact, the cotton-
wood in most every part of this region is indig-
enous to the soil, and will thriftily grow where
other kinds of timber fail. Trees sixty feet high
and from eight to ten inches in diameter, are no
uncommon result of six to eight years' growth.
The banks of the Platte and the many islands in
its channel, were formerly very heavily timbered
with cotton-wood, but that on its banks has
almost entirely disappeared, together with much
that was upon the islands. The favorable State
and national legislation in regard to tree planting
will cause an increase in the timber land of
Nebraska in a very short time, and must of
necessity, have an influence upon its climate.
Many scientists who are familiar with the cir-
cumstances attending the rapid development of
the trans-Missouri plains and the elevated plateau
joining the base of the Rocky Mountains, assert
that this vast region of country is gradually
undergoing important climatic changes — and that
one of the results of these changes is the an-
nually increasing rainfall. The rolling lands
adjoining this valley are all very fertile, and with
proper tillage produce large crops of small grain.
The bottom lands are better adapted for corn,
because it matures later in the season, and these
bottom lands are better able to stand drouth than
the uplands. The roots of the corn penetrate to a
great depth, till they reach the moisture from
the under-drainage. One of the finest sights
that meets the eye of the traveler, is the Platte
Valley in the spring or early summer ; to our
eastern farmer, it is fairly captivating, and all
who are familiar with farms and farming in the

Eastern States, will be surprised ; no stumps or
stones or other obstacles appear to interfere with
the progress of the plow, and the black surface-soil
is, without doubt, the accumulation of vegetable
matter for ages. The Platte Valley must be seen
to be appreciated. Only a few years ago it was
scarcely tenanted by man, and while the develop-
ment has been marked, it will not compare with
that which is sure to take place in the near
future. There is ample room for the millions
yet to come, and the lands of the Union Pacific
Company are exceedingly cheap, varying in
price from $3 to <$ 10 per acre. The alternate
sections of government land for the first two
hundred miles of this valley are nearly all
taken by homesteaders, or under the preemp-
tion laws of congress. Much of it, however,
can be purchased at a low price from the occu-
pants, who, as a general thing, desire to sell out
and go West still. They belong to the uneasy,
restless class of frontiers-men, who have decided
objections to neighbors and settlements, and who
want plenty of room, with no one to molest, in
order to grow up with the country. A sod house
near a living spring of water is to them a small
paradise. They might possibly suffer from thirst,
if they had to dig for water, and the labor re-
quired to build even a sod house, is obnoxious.
But this will not hold good of all of them.
There are many occupants of these sod houses in
the State of Nebraska, and other parts of the
West, who, with scanty means are striving for a
home for their wives and children, and they cling
to the soil upon which they have obtained a claim
with great tenacity, and with sure prospects of
success. They are worthy of all praise in their
self-sacrificing efforts. A few years only will
pass by before they will be surrounded with all
the comforts and many of the luxuries of life.
These are the experiences of many who " bless
their stars " to-day that they have sod houses —
homes — in and adjoining the great Platte Valley.
Shooting Prairie Hen*. — This is a favor-
ite scene, often witnessed September mornings in
the far West. The prairie is covered with its
grass, and wild flowers, which last all the season
through. Here and there is a stubble field of oats,
wheat, or acres on acres of the golden corn,
swaying gracefully in the breeze, and perhaps
there is a little music from the meadow larks or
bird songsters of the fields. The dogs with keen-
est of scent, hunt out and stir up the game, and
as they rise on wing, the ready gun with its aim,
and deadly shot, brings them back lifeless. This
is probably the most attractive way to look at a
prairie hen, for we must confess that after a slice
or two of the meat, as usually served at the eat-
ing stations of the railroads, from which we
escape with danger to our front teeth, and unsat-
isfied stomachs, we can only exclaim "distance
lends enchantment." However tough the meat,
if served on the table when first killed, yet if

kept till it grows gradually more tender, there is
a wild, spicy flavor, which make them very agree-
able eating. Buffalo meat and prairie hens are
not altogether reliable as viands of the railroad
dining stations, still every one must try for him-
self, with here and there a chance of finding
sweet and tender morsels.

good an illustration as any, of the rapid growth
of some of the western towns and counties. The
county was organized in the spring of 1869, two
years after the railroad had passed through it, —
with Schuyler as the county-seat. In the spring
of the present year, 1879, it has an assessed valu-
ation of nearly f 1,600.000, and a population of

HUNTING PRAIRIE HENS.

Ames — At present simply a side track, 53.5
miles from Omaha, and 1.270 feet above the sea.
This was formerly called Ketchum ; but bears its
present name from Oliver Ames, Esq., one of the
builders of this railroad. Observe the size of
the trees in the cotton-wood groves and hedges
near this place — all planted within the memory
of the oldest inhabitant.

North Bend — 61.5 miles from the eastern
terminus of the road, and 1.259 feet in elevation,
a little less than the preceding station. This is
a thriving little town, with several stores, hotel,
lumber-yard, grain elevator, etc. It has a pon-
toon bridge across the Platte River, which
will materially increase its trade with Saunders
County on the south. The opening of many farms
in its vicinity have made it quite a grain market.
The town is so named from a northward bend in
the river, and it is the northernmost point on the
Union Pacific in the State of Nebraska. The
population is about 300.

JKogers — is a side-track, will eventually be-
come a station ; is in the midst of a rich farm-
ing countrv ; is 68.5 miles from Omaha, and has
an elevation of 1.359 feet.

Schui/ler. — Thecounty-seatof Coif ax County,
It is 75.9 miles from Omaha, with an elevation of
1,335 feet. This town and county, perhaps, is as

1,000 or more. Evidences of substantial growth
are everywhere visible. The town has about
twenty stores, of all kinds, two hotels, a substan-
tial brick court-house, five churches, a beautiful
school-house, grain elevators, etc. New buildings
to accommodate its increasing trade, or its new
residents, are constantly going up. There are
three flouring-mills in the county, on Shell Creek,
a beautiful stream fed by living springs, which
runs nearly through the county from west to east,
and from one to five miles north of the railroad
track. The land in this county is most excellent,
especially the rolling up-land north of Shell Creek.
Some of the finest crops of spring wheat raised
in the West are grown in this vicinity. The peo-
ple are turning their attention to stock-raising
more than formerly, and several flocks of sheep
and herds of cattle are now kept in the county, by
some of its enterprising stock-men. All of this
accomplished in about six years. Schuyler is the
third town west of Omaha that has a bridge across
the Platte, Fremont being the first. These bridges
are very advantageous to the trade of the towns
in this valley.

HicMatifl. — A small station 83.7 miles from
Omaha, with an elevation of 1,440 feet. Up to
a late period the land surrounding this station
has been mostly held by speculators, but a change

having been effected, the town has brighter pros-
pects. Lots are freely given away to parties who
will build on them. The location is a very fine
one for a town, and it is surrounded by an ex-
cellent country. It is the last town west in
Col fax County.

Coliunbtit* — is 91.7 miles from Omaha. It is
1,432 feet above the sea. A beautiful growing
town, with a rich agricultural country to back
it. It has seven churches, school buildings,
brick court-house, grain elevator doing a large
business. Good hotels and other building enter-
prises contemplated. It is located at the junc-
tion of the Loup Fork, with the Platte Rivers,
and near where the old overland emigrant road
crossed the first-named stream. It now has a
population of about 2,000 people, and supports
two newspapers which have large patronage and
circulation ; the Journal, which was first estab-
lished, and the Era. Columbus has had two
lives thus far. The first town-site was jumped
by a party of Germans from Columbus, O.,
from which it takes its name. Afterwards the
two interests were consolidated. It was the
principal town west of Omaha until the rail-
road came. The old town, near the ferry cross-
ing, was then moved to its present site near
the station. The old town had two or three
small stores, a blacksmith's shop, and saloons
ad libitum. It was mostly kept alive by the
westward emigration. At that time the Platte
Valley was well supplied with ranches and
ranchmen, only other names for whisky-shops
and bar-tenders. During the week those con-
cerns would pick up what they could from wagon-
trains, and Sundays the ranchmen would crowd
into Columbus to spend it — the sharpers improv-
ing the opportunity to fleece the victims of their
seductive wiles. At this time no attention what-
ever was paid to agricultural pursuits. On the
advent of the railroad in 1866, the wood-chop-
pers, the freighters, the ranchmen and others,
lured by the charms of a frontier life, jumped
the town and country. They could not endure
the proximity to, and restraints of civilization.
Then the second or new life of the town be-
gan. Farmers began to come in, and it was
found by actual experiment that the soil was
immensely prolific ; that it had only to be tickled
with the plow in order to laugh with the golden
harvests. In the lapse of the few brief years
of its second or permanent growth, it has be-
come a great grain market, aud probably ships
more car-loads each year (1,785 car-loads last year)
than any other town on the line of the road.
Men draw grain from seventy to eighty miles to
this place for a market. It has access to the
country south of the Loup and Platte Rivers, by
means of good, substantial bridges ; while the
country north of it is as fine rolling prairie as
can be found in any part of the West — well
watered and adapted to either grazing or the

growing of crops. The men who first came to
Columbus were nearly all poor, and it has been
built up and improved by the capital they have
acquired through their own industrious toil.
The town has a good bank, without a dollar of
foreign capital. It will soon have other rail-
roads ; one from Sioux City, and another to
Crete and St. Joe, is projected ; while in its
immediate vicinity are large quantities of good
lands which are held at low prices. These are
only a few of the many advantages which Colum-
bus offers to those in search of future homes.

How Buffalo Robes are Made. — George
Clother is one of the proprietors of the Clother
House at Columbus, Neb. It is one of the best
home-like hostelries in the West. Mr. Clother
is an old resident, having been in Columbus six-
teen years. When he first came, the country was
more or less overrun with wandering tribes of
Indians, among whom were the Pawnees, the
Omahas, the Sioux, and occasionally a stray band
from some other tribe. In those days he was
accustomed to traffic in furs and robes, and the
business has grown with his increasing acquaint-
ance, until it is now both large and profitable,
though with the disappearance of both Indians
and buffaloes, it is liable to decrease in the future.
General Sheridan, we think it was, said that the
vexed Indian question would be settled with the
fate of the buffaloes — that both would disappear
together; During the past few years, the slaugh-
ter of these proud monarchs of the plains, has
been immense, and will continue, unless Congress
interposes a friendly and saving hand. It is safe
to say, that millions of them have been killed
for their hides alone, or " just for fun," which in
this case amounts to the same thing, as their
hides have been repeatedly sold for less than a
dollar, and regularly not more than $1.50. This
slaughtering has taken place principally in the
Platte, Republican, Solomon, and Arkansas Val-
leys, and where a few years since, travelers could
see countless thousands of them from the car
windows and platforms, on either the Union
Pacific, Kansas Pacific or Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe Railroads, they now, probably will see
but few, if any. Their hides have been shipped
East, where they make a poor quality of leather.
Those only which are taken late in the fall and
during the winter months of January and Febru-
ary, are fit for robes. The hair at this season of
the year, is thick and firmly set.

About the time this killing process began in
1870, Mr. Clother entered upon the work of tan-
ning robes, employing for this purpose the squaws
of the Pawnee and Omaha tribes. The Pawnee
reservation was only a short distance from Co-
lumbus, and the " Bucks " were glad of the
opportunity of employment for their squaws.
Labor is beneath their dignity, and they despise it.
Besides this, tanning robes is hard and slow work,
and in their opinion, just fit for squaws. For a

few years the squaws of both of the tribes named,
have been engaged by Mr. Clother, but the de-
parture of the Pawnees to their reservation in
the Indian Territory, precluded the possibility of
their employment, and hence in the winter of
1876, the Omahas seem to have a monopoly of the
work, though there is not as much to do as for-
merly. AVe visited their camp to inspect the proc-
ess of making robes. It was located in a body
of heavy timber, with a thick growth of under-
brush, on the narrow point of land where the
Loup Fork and Platte Rivers form their junction.
The low bushes made a perfect wind-break, and
in the midst of the tall trees their Sibley tents
were pitched. The barking' of numerous dogs
greeted our approach, and after making a few
inquiries of one or two who could talk broken

English, we crawled into the tent occupied by
the " Bucks," whom we found intensely interested
in gambling — playing a game with cards called
" 21." In this tent were nine " Bucks " and one
squaw; three sat stolidly by — disinterested \\ it-
nesses of the game ; the squaw was engaged at
some very plain needle-work, and occasionally
poked the partly burned brands into the fire,
which was in the center of the tent, and over
which hung a kettle of boiling meat; the re-
maining six, sitting upon a blanket a la Turk,
were shuffling and dealing the cards. Of course
they play for money, and before them were sev-
eral quarters in currency, and several silver quar-
ters, with some small sticks, which were used as
money, and which enabled them to keep an ac-
count with each other, of the gains and losses.
During this game they passed around, several
times, a hollow-handled tomahawk, which was
used as a pipe. One would take three or four
whiffs, then pass it to the next, and so on, until
it had been passed around several times. One of
these " Bucks " was called " Spaft'ord." He
could talk English quite well. After a while we
asked " Spafford " to show us some robes, but he

pointed in the direction of his tent, and indicated
where they could be found. He said he could
not leave the game just then. We went to his
tent w:here we found his mother, who showed us
two robes, one of which was hers — a smaller one
which she held at six dollars. Spafford had pre-
viously told us that §12.00 was the price of his
robe. We then began to look for other robes,
and saw them in various stages of completion.
The process of tanning is simple, and yet, Indian
tanned robes far excel those tanned by white
men, in finish and value. When the hides are
first taken from the animals, they must be
stretched and dried, flesh side up ; if they are
not in this condition when the squaws receive
them, they must do it. After they are thor-
oughly dried, the squaws then take all the flesh
off, and reduce them to an even thickness, with
an instrument, which, for want of a better name,
may be termed an adze ; it is a little thin piece
of iron, about two inches long on the edge, and
two and a half inches deep. This is firmly tied
to a piece of the thigh bone of an elk, and is
used the same as a small garden hoe, by eastern
farmers in cutting up weeds. When the requi-
site thickness is obtained, the flesh side is cov-
ered with a preparation of lard, soap and salt, and
the robe is then rolled up and laid by for two
or three days. It is then unrolled and again
stretched on a frame, like a quilt, with flesh side
to the sun ; in this shape it is scraped with a
thin, oval-shaped piece of iron or steel, resem-
bling a kitchen chopping-knife without the han-
dle; this process usually lasts about two days.
The robe is then taken from the frame, and
drawn across a rope stretched between two trees,
with the flesh side to the rope, until it becomes
thoroughly dry and soft. This last process
makes it very pliable, requires a good deal of
time and strength, and renders the robe ready
for market. Before the Indians came in con-
tact with civilization, they used sharpened pieces
of bone, instead of the pieces of iron we have
named, and in place of the preparation of lard,
soap and salt, they used buffalo brains, which are
considered altogether preferable to this mixture ;
the brains of cattle are also used when they can
be obtained ; but the robes are taken out on the
plains, or in the Platte and Republican Valleys,
and brought here by wagon or rail, and of course
the brains cannot very well be brought with
them. The squaws laughed when we pulled out
our note-book and began to write, being evidently
as much astonished and interested as we; they
looked with wonder at the book, pencil, and the
words we wrote. While the lazy " Bucks," sit in
their tents and gamble, the squaws are laboring
hard to secure means for their support. An
Indian is constitutionally opposed to labor. He
is evidently tired all the*time.

Jackson — So called from a former road*
master of the Union Pacific — is 99.3 miles from

Omaha, with an elevation of 1,470 feet. The
Loup Valley is just over the hills to your right,
and the magnificent Platte bottom lands are still
stretching out before you. It has one or two
stores and bears a thrifty appearance; at one
time it was supposed that this place or Columbus
would be made the end of a division, but nothing
has been developed on this subject within the
past few years.

Silver Creek — 109.4 miles from Omaha, and
1,534 feet above the sea. It is the first station
in Merrick County, as Jackson was the last in
Platte County. North of this station is the
Pawnee reservation, one of the finest bodies of
land yet unoccupied in the State. This once
powerful tribe, between whom and the Sioux a
deadly hostility exists, has dwindled down to
small numbers, and during 1875, they abandoned
their reservation entirely and went to the Indian
Territory. An attempt was made a short time
since to sell a part of this reservation at an ap-
praised valuation, but it was not successful, and
efforts are now being made to bring it into
market under the preemption laws of the govern-
ment at a fixed price, ($2.50 per acre) the pro-
ceeds of which are to go to the tribe on their
new reservation. WThen this takes place Silver
Creek will have a great impetus to its growth
and trade, as it is the nearest railroad station to
this reservation.

Clark. — Named after S. H. H. Clark, gene-
ral superintendent of the Union Pacific; it is
sometimes called Clark's, Clarksville and Clark's
Station. It is 120.7 miles from the eastern
terminus of the road, with an elevation of 1,610
feet. It has three stores, school-house, church,
shops and dwellings, and is doing a fine trade ;
with a rich country around it, and the Pawnee
reservation soon to be opened on the north, it is
destined to become a thrifty town.

Central City. — The county-seat of Merrick
County ; has two or three churches, several stores,
a brick court-house, school-house, hotels and nu-
merous other buildings. Here is a bridge across
the Platte. Population 600. The Nebraska
Central Railroad is expected to form a junc-
tion with the Union Pacific, here. Local dis-
sensions have injured the town in the past, and
must operate to retard its growth in the future.
About three miles west of this place a new side
track has been put in. It is yet unnamed, though
it will probably be called Lone Tree, and it is ex-
pected that a post-office with the same name will
be established Merrick County has two flouring-
mills, both of which are run by water, taken
from the Platte River. The identical "lone tree,"
from which the place was named, has long since
disappeared, but numerous groves of cotton-wood
are everywhere visible. For 40 miles here the
railroad track is perfectly straight.

Chapman. — 142.3 miles from Omaha, and
1,760 feet above the sea. It is named after a

former road-master of the Union Pacific. The
town has two stores, school-house, and other
buildings, and is in the midst of a fine, thickly
settled country.

Lockwood — is 147.8 miles from Omaha, with
an elevation of 1,800 feet. It is a side track
where trains meet and pass. A store has re-
cently been opened where a lively trade is done.

Grand Island. — The end of the first divi-
sion of the Union Pacific Railroad, 153.8 miles
from Omaha, and 1,850 feet above the sea. The
town is named after an island in the Platte River,
which is some forty miles long, and from one to
three miles in width. It was first settled by a
colony of Germans from Davenport, la., in 1857.
The island is thickly settled, nearly every quar-
ter section being occupied by a thrifty farmer.
The soil is wonderfully prolific, being composed
of a black vegetable mold, and is especially
adapted to corn raising. The old town site of
Grand Island was south of the present site, on
the old emigrant road. The first three years of
this town were very severe on the settlers. They
had to haul all their supplies from Omaha, and
part of this time they were obliged to live on
short rations. They immediately began the cul-
tivation of the soil, but at first had no market
for their crops. This was soon remedied, how-
ever, by the opening of a market at Fort Kearny,
some forty miles west, where they obtained good
prices for everything they could raise. In a
short time, the rush to Pike's Peak began, and
as this was the last place on the route where emi-
grants could obtain grain and other supplies, the
town grew, and many who are now in good cir-
cumstances, then laid the foundations of their
prosperity. In this vicinity stray buffaloes first
appeared to the early settlers of the valley. They
never came in large herds, but when hunted by
the Indians further west and south in the Repub-
lican Valley they would be seen wandering near
this place. While the war was in progress, the
settlers frequently saw war parties of the Sioux
pass to and from the Pawnee camp on the high
bluffs south of the Platte River, and opposite
Fremont. When they returned from their at-
tacks, they would exhibit the scalps they had
taken, and manifest great glee as they swung
them through the air, dangling from their
spears. In the early spring of 1859. the stages
from Omaha began to run. At first they came
once a week, then twice, and later, daily. Then
the telegraph line was put up. Meanwhile the
trans-continental railroad was agitated, and as it
became more and more talked about, the settlers
here fondly hoped that they were on the exact
spot where the three converging lines, as first
proposed, would meet. But they were doomed
to disappointment. The Union Pacific, Eastern
Division, now the Kansas Pacific, grew into an
independent line, while the Sioux City & Pacific
had its course changed, finally uniting with the

Union Pacific at Fremont. But the railroad
came at last in 1866. The heavy bodies of tim-
ber on the islands in the river and between the
Platte and Wood Rivers were nearly all taken for
cross-ties. It was only cotton-wood, but it would
hold the spikes and rails for a few years until
others could be obtained. Then the buildings
on the old town site were moved up to the rail-
road and the town began to grow. The round-
house for the steam-horses was built, and the
town was made the end of a division of the road.
An eating-house was erected, and stores, shops,
and dwellings followed in quick succession. Jt
is the county-seat of Hall County, and the first
station in the county from the east. It has a
fine large brick court-house, three church edi-
fices, school-house, hotels, bank, and one of the
largest steam flouring-mills in the State. This
is one of the regular dining-stations on the road.
Last year, 1875, the company put up an elegant
hotel for the accommodation of the traveling
public, at which all passenger trains stop for
meals. It is exceedingly well kept, and under
its present management will command the pat-
ronage of the public. Like all other towns of
any importance in this valley, Grand Island
hopes and expects more railroads. A road to
connect with the St. Joe & Denver, and the
Burlington & Missouri at Hastings, twenty-four
miles south, is nearly all graded, and will proba-
bly soon be finished. A line is also projected to
the north-west, and one to the north-east to reach
Sioux City. Its present population is about 1,200,
and its prospects for the future are flattering.

The country in this immediate vicinity is well
settled by a thrifty class of German farmers, who
have dug wealth from the soil, and when rations
were scarce and border scares frequent, still hung
on to their claims. The road came in 1866, and
gave them communication with the outer world.
The location of the roundhouse and necessary
repair shops, for the division, is a great help to
the town, as they give employment to quite a
number of skilled mechanics. It is also the lo-
cation of the government land office for the
Grand Island land district. It has two weekly
newspapers, the Times and Independent, both of
which are well conducted. The new eating-
house, elsewhere spoken of, is the finest on the
road, though less expensive than many. It cost
about $15,000. This is a breakfast and supper
station, and the company has furnished ample
accommodations for the patrons of this house.

After leaving Grand Island, a magnificent
stretch of prairie country opens to view. The
same may be said of the entire valley, but the
view in other places is more limited by bluffs
and hills than here. After passing Silver Creek,
there is a section of the road, more than forty
miles, in a straight line, but the extent of prairie
brought into vision there is not as large as here.
Up to this point, you have doubtless witnessed

EMINENT AMERICAN EXPLORERS AND ARTISTS.

1.— Gen. Ouster. 2.— Gen. Fremont. 3.— Lieut. Wheeler. 4.— Prof. F. V. Hayden. 5.— Albert Bierstadt.
6.— Maj. J. W. Powell. 7.— Thomas Moran.

many groves of cotton-wood around the numer-
ous dwellings you have passed, but they begin to
diminish now — nearly the last of them being
seen at

Alda, — the next station, some eight miles
west of Grand Island, 161.5 miles from Omaha,
at an elevation of 1,907 feet. There are one or
two stores, a school-house, and several dwellings.
It is two miles east of Wood River, which is
spanned by the first iron bridge on the line. All
regular passenger trains stop at this station and
receive and deliver mails. In other parts of the
country, Wood River would be called a rivulet or
small brook, but such streams are frequently dig-
nified with the name of rivers in the West. It
forms a junction with the North Channel of the
Platte River, just south of Grand Island. Its rise
is in the bluffs across the divide, north of Plum
Creek, and its general course is due east. The
road runs along its southern bank for several
miles, and in several places it is fringed with
timber. When the road was first built through
here, it was well timbered, but it was nearly all
taken for construction purposes and fuel. In
early days, say in 1859-60, this valley was the
frontier settlement of the West, and a few of
the old pioneer log houses are still standing,
though very much dilapidated. The settlers had
a few " Indian scares," and lost some stock, but
beyond this, no great depredation was done. Fort
Kearny was their first market-place to which
they hauled their surplus grain and provisions.
Though Wood River is so small, it nevertheless
supplies three flouring-mills with power for
grinding, and there are several mill sites unoc-
cupied. The first mill is near the iron bridge
already spoken of, and the others will be noticed
further on.

Wood River — is the name of the next sta-
tion. It has two or three stores, several dwellings,
and a new depot building. It is 169.6 miles from
Omaha, and 1,974 feet above the sea. The old
station was two miles further west, and the Cath-
olic church still remains to mark the place where
it stood. The country around here was first
settled by some Irish families; they are indus-
trious and worthy citizens, and have developed
some fine farms. Prairie, or blue joint-grass has
been principally seen thus far, but now you will
observe patches of buffalo grass which increase
as you* go west, and of which we shall speak
hereafter. This is the last station in Hall
County.

S/tcfton — comes next — a side track, depot, a
few dwellings, and another of those flouring-
mills spoken of. In January, 1876, the water in
Wood River was sufficient to keep three run of
burrs going in this mill for about twenty out of
every twenty-four hours. The flour made at
nearly all the mills on the Union Pacific finds a
ready market in the mountain towns west, to
which it is usually shipped. Shelton was named

after the present cashier of the Union Pacific
road at Omaha. It has an elevation of 2,010
feet, and is 177.4 miles from the eastern terminus
of the road.

Successful Fanning. — The little farms
which now fill up the Platte Valley as far as
Xorth Platte are occupied by people who came
from the older States, with very little cash capi-
tal, and by homesteading or warrant or purchase
from the railroad on time, they have made many
a snug home. To show what has been done by
real industry, we quote from actual records the
figures of the success of a farmer in Platte County.
Beginning with the year 1867, and up to the year
1874, seven years, he cultivated in wheat and
corn, an average of sixty to eighty acres wheat,
and fifty acres corn; total 130 acres. His re-
ceipts from these two crops only, in seven years,
was $13,314.05; expenses, §4,959.92; profits,
$8,354.13, besides increase of value of land, wrhich
is fully $2,000 more. This is what was done
with a capital of less than $2,000.

Tree Planting in Nebraska. — The Ne-
braskans celebrate a special day in the spring
months as a holiday, in which the entire popula-
tion join hands in a hearty exercise at tree plant-
ing; this is called Arbor Day. Travelers will
notice from the car windows on their first day's
ride westward from Omaha, quite a number of
pretty groves of trees, planted both as wind-
breaks for their farms, and also for timber plant-
ations. The tree most popular is the cotton-
wood, which grows very easily, sure to start, and is
quite luxuriant in foliage ; however it is valuable
for shelter and stove-wood only, not for manu-
factures. As an instance of rapidity of growth,
there are trees in the Platte Valley, which planted
as cuttings, have in thirteen years measured 22
inches in diameter. Little boys are tempted by
large premiums from their parents to test their
capacity at tree planting on Arbor Day, and as-
tonishing rapidity has occasionally been known,
one farmer in one day having planted from sun-
rise to sundown, 14,000 trees, and in the course
of one spring season, over 200,000. Settlers, as
fast as they arrive, aim to accomplish two things.
First, to break the sod for a corn field ; next, to

Elant timber shelter. The winds which blow
™om the west are very constant, often fierce, and
a shelter is of immense value to stock and fruit
trees. Hedges of white willow, several miles in
length, have been laid, which at five years from
cuttings, have made a peifect fence 15 feet high ;
one farm alone has four miles of such continu-
ous fence, which at four years of age was a com-
plete protection. The rapidity of growth in the
rich alluvial soil of the Platte Valley reminds
one of tropical luxuriance. A grove of white
ash, in twelve years, has grown to an average of
26 inches in circumference, and 30 feet high.
Walnut trees, in eight years, have measured 22
inches in circumference, and 25 feet high. Ma-

pletrees,of twelve years, measure 4 3 inches around
four feet from the ground. Elms of fourteen
years, show 36 inches in girt, and a foot in diam-
eter. Honey Locusts, eleven years of age, are 30
feet high, and 30 inches around. Cotton-wood
trees, of thirteen years, have reached 66 inches in
circumference, and 22 inches in diameter. White
willow, same age, 45 inches in circumference.
Nebraska planted 10,000,000 trees in 1878.

Gibbon, — the last station on Wood River, is
182.9 miles from the Missouri by rail, and has an
elevation of 2,046 feet. It was formerly the
county-seat of Buffalo County, and had a fine
brick court-house erected. But the county-seat
was voted to Kearny Junction in 1874, and the
building is now used for school purposes. It has
a hotel, several stores, and another of those flour-
ing-mills, in plain sight from the track. The
Platte River is some three miles distant, to the
south, and glistens in the sunlight like a streak
of silver; the level prairie between is studded
with farm-houses, and in the late summer or
early autumn numerous stacks of grain and hay
are everywhere visible around ' the farmers'
homes. The bluffs, south of the Platte, rear
their low heads in the distance, and your vision
is lost on prairie, prairie, prairie, as you look
to the north. Beautiful as these prairies are in
the spring and early summer, their blackened
surface in the fall, if burned, or their dull drab
color, if unburned, is monotonous and wearying.

Shelby— has an elevation of 2,106 feet, is
191.3 miles from Omaha. The town is named
Kearny, and takes its name from General
Kearny, who was an officer in the regular
army during the Mexican war. Old Fort
Kearny was located near this station, south
of the Platte River, and the military reser-
vation of government land still remains,
though it will probably soon be brought
into market. The rights, if they have any, of
" squatter sovereigns " will here be tested, as
nearly every quarter section in the whole reserve
is occupied by them, some of whom have made
valuable improvements in the shape of buildings,
etc. It was formerly a great shipping point for
cattle, but the advancing tide of settlements has
driven stock-men, like the Indians, still further
west. Occasionally, however, Texas herds are
grazed near here, and the herders sometimes visit
Kearny Junction, a few miles west, and attempt
to run the town; they murdered a man there
in 1875, in cold blood— shot him dead on the
threshold of his own door — and this so incensed
the inhabitants in the vicinity that they will not,
probably, allow them to visit the town in future.
The murderer was arrested, has been convicted,
and time will tell whether he will be hung or not.
Texas herders, as a class, are rough fellows, with
long hair and beard, wide-rimmed hats, best
fitting boots they can get, large spurs jingling:
at their heels, a small arsenal, in the shape of

Colt's revolvers, strapped to their waists with
a careless negligee appearance. Their chief pleas-
ure is in a row; their chief drink is "whisky
straight," and they usually seem to feel better
when they have killed somebody. Houses of
prostitution and tippling saloons follow close in
their wake. They are generous to their friends,
dividing even the last dollar with a comrade who
is " broke ; " cowardly, treacherous and revenge-
ful to their enemies. Human life is of but little
account with them. Their life is one of constant
exposure, and very laborious. They are perfect
horsemen — usually in the saddle sixteen out of
every twenty-four hours — and their great ambi-
tion seems to be to become " a devil of a fellow,"
generally. Nor does it require much care or effort
on their part, to fill the bill. Thousands of them
on the plains in their native State, in Kansas,
Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska "have died
with their boots on," and we suppose thousands
more will perish the same way. Living violent
lives, of course they meet with violent deaths.
They are a peculiar race, answering, perhaps, a
peculiar purpose. The community in which
they live, and the country generally, will be bet-
ter off when they have passed away, for almost
ninety-nine out of every hundred goes

" Down to the vile dust from whence he sprung,
Unwept, unhonored and unsung."

Kearny has now nothing but a side track,
depot and water-tank, with a section-house and
the remains of an old corral from which cattle
used to be shipped. The reservation included
not only land on both sides of the river, but a
large island which extends east and west quite a
number of miles. The fort was south of the
river, and scarcely a vestige now remains to
mark the spot where the buildings formerly
stood. This fort was built in 1858, by Colonel
Charles May, of Mexican war fame. Three
miles west of the old fort was Kearny City,
which was a considerable town in the old over-
land times, but it disappeared with the advent of
the railroad. The southern part of the reserva-
tion is covered with sand-hills, and useless, ex-
cept for grazing. Notice how the buffalo grass
appears and how its extent is increased as you go
further west. The new houses around the sta-
tion, especially those of the squatters on the reser-
vation, are increasing, which indicates that the
country is fast settling up.

Kearny Junction.— A lively, enterprising
town, 195.3 miles from Omaha, with an elevation
of 2,150 feet. It is the junction of the Burling-
ton and Missouri Railroad only, and owes its
rapid development to this fact more than to any-
thing else. Formerly the St. Joe and Denver
Railroad ran trains to this place, using the track
of the Burlington and Missouri from Hastings,
a smart little town twenty-four miles south of
Grand Island. But this has been abandoned and
it is supposed the road will build an independent

line to some point on the Union Pacific. Grand
Island and Kearny Junction both hope to get
it. Kearny Junction was laid out by the town
company in September, 1872, about the same
time the Burlington and Missouri Railroad ar-
rived ; the first house was built in August,
1872, and the town has grown very rapidly
ever since ; it now has a population of 1,000
souls, six church edifices, one daily newspaper,
the Press, one weekly, The Time*, two brick
bank buildings and other brick blocks, with
hotels, numerous stores, school-house, court-house,
etc. It has a daily stage line to Bloomington, a
thriving town some sixty miles south in the Re-
publican Valley, and quite an extensive trade
from it and the South Loup Valley on the north ;
some of the stores here do quite a wholesale
trade. The town is finely located on a gradual
slope, and from the hills or bluffs on its north
side the land in seven counties can be distinctly
seen ; it has the vim and energy which usually
characterizes Western towns ; it is an aspirant
for the capital if it is ever moved from Lincoln,
and has ground on the hill reserved for the loca-
tion of the State buildings; it also expects a
railroad from Sioux City, and one from the Re-
publican Valley ; altogether its future prospects
are bright. Splendid crops of wheat, corn, oats,
barley, broom-corn, potatoes, cabbages, and
onions are raised in this vicinity dui'ing favorable
seasons, but wre regard the stock business as the
best paying and surest investment for settlers;
the buffalo grass, to our mind, is a sure indica-
tion of it. Kearny Junction is very healthy,
and invalids would here find an agreeable resting-
place.

Stevenson — has an elevation of 2,170 feet,
and is 201.2 miles from the Missouri River. It
i.s simply a side track with a section-house near
by. The way settlers have pushed up this valley
during the last five years, is marvelous.

Eltii, Creek — is 211.5 miles from Omaha,
with an elevation of 2.241 feet. In the first 200
miles of your journey, you have attained an alti-
tude more than a thousand feet above Omaha,
where you started, and yet the ascent has been so
gradual that you have scarcely noticed it. Elm
Creek was so named after the creek which you
Cross just after leaving the station going west.
It was formerly heavily timbered with elm, ash,
hackberry and a few walnuts and cotton-woods ;
but the necessities of the road when it was built
required it all and more too. The town has one
or two saloons, stores, school-house and a few
dwellings. The creek rises in the bluffs north-
west, and sluggishly worries through them and
the sand, till it is finally swallowed up by the
Platte. But little timber remains in this vicinity.
The next station, some nine miles west of Elm
Creek, called

OrerfoH — has the usual side track, school-
house, a store and some few dwellings. This
3

valley, to this point and beyond, would have been
thickly settled long before this but for climatic
reasons which we need not name. The Platte
Valley extends on either side here nearly as far
as the eye can reach. The town is 220.5 miles
from Omaha, at an elevation of 2,305 feet.

Josseli/n, — Aside track; will eventually be-
come a station ; named after the pay-master of
the Union Pacific Road. It is 225.1 miles from
Omaha, with an elevation of about 2,330 feet
above the sea.

Plum Creek. — So named from a creek on
the south side of the river, which flows into the
Platte nearly opposite the town. The stage-
station, on the old overland road was located
on this creek and in those days it was considered
quite an important point it was the scene of a
number of conflicts with the savages — in fact one
of their favorite points of attack ; eleven white
persons were killed and several wounded during
one of these attacks. Four miles west of the
present town-site they captured and burned a
train of cars in 1867; one of the train men was
scalped and recently was still living in or near
Omaha; one was killed, and the others, we be-
lieve, made their escape. The nature of the
bluffs here is such that they had a good oppor-
tunity to attack and escape before the settlers
and emigrants could rally and give them battle.
The creek rises in a very bluffy region, and runs
north-east into the Platte. Plum Creek is
the county-seat of Dawson County ; has about
500 inhabitants ; a fine brick courthouse with
jail underneath, one church edifice, school-house,
two or three hotels, stores, warehouses, etc. It is
a point where considerable broom-corn is pur-
chased and shipped ; has a semi-weekly stage line
across the Republican Valley to Norton, in the
State of Kansas, and a weekly newspaper. There
is a substantial wagon bridge across the Platte
River, nearly three-quarters of a mile in length.
It is located in the midst of a very fine grazing
country, though in favorable seasons crops have
done well. With irrigation, perhaps they might
be made a certainty. This town also enjoys
quite a trade with the upper Republican Valley.
It was formerly a favorite range for buffaloes,
and large quantities of their bleaching bones
have been gathered and shipped by rail to St.
Louis and places east. It is 231.4 miles from
Omaha, with an elevation of 2,370 feet.

Battle irith the Indians at Plum
Creek. — While the railroad was being built,
the engineers, graders and track-layers were fre-
quently driven from their work by the Indians.
Not only then, but after the track was laid and
trains funning, it was some times torn up and
trains ditched, causing loss of lives and destruc-
tion of property. One of these attacks took
place near Plum Creek, as we will now relate.
In July, 1807, a train was ditched about four
miles west of the above-named station. It

was by a band of southern Cheyennes, under a
chief called Turkey Leg, who now draws his
rations regularly from Uncle Sam, at the Red
Cloud agency. He is a vicious looking fellow,
hi.s appearance naturally suggesting him as a fit
subject for a hanging bee. At a small bridge,
or culvert, over a dry ravine, they had lifted the
iron rails from their chairs on the ties — raising
only one end of each rail — about three feet, pil-
ing up ties under them for support, and firmly
lashing the rails and ties together by wire cut
from the adjoining telegraph line. They were
pretty cunning in this arrangement of the rails,
and evidently placed them where they thought
they would penetrate the cylinder on each side
of the engine. But not having a mechanical
turn of mind exactly, and disregarding the slight
curve in the road at this point, they missed their
calculations, as the sequel shows, as one of the
rails did no execution whatever, and the other
went straight into and through the boiler. After
they had fixed the rails in the manner described,
they retired to where the bench or second bottom
slopes down to the first, and there concealed
themselves in the tall grass, waiting for the train.
Before it left Plum Creek, a hand-car with three
section men was sent ahead as a pilot. This car
encountered the obstacle, and ran into the ravine,
bruising and stunning the men and frightening
them so that they were unable to signal to the
approaching train. As soon as the car landed at
the bottom of the ravine, the Indians rushed up,
when two of the men, least hurt, ran away in the
darkness of the night — it was little past mid-
night— and hid in the tall grass near by. The
other, more stunned by the fall of the car, was
scalped by the savages, and as the knife of the
savage passed under his scalp, he seemed to
realize his condition partly, and in his delirium
wildly threw his arms out and snatched the scalp
from the Indian, who had just lifted it from his
skull. With this he, too, got away in the dark-
ness, and is now an employe of the company at
Omaha.

But the fated train came on without any
knowledge of what had transpired in front. As
ths engine approached the ravine, the head-light
gleaming out in the darkness in the dim dis-
tance, fast growing less and less, the engineer,
Brooks Bowers by naine, but familiarly called
"Bully Brooks" by the railroad men, saw that
the rails were displaced, whistled "down
brakes," and reversed his engine, but all too late
to stop the train. The door of the fire-box was
open, and the fireman was in the act of adding
fuel to the flames within, when the crash came.
That fireman was named Hendershot, and the
boys used to speak of him as " the drummer boy
of the Rappahannock," as he bore the same
name, and might have been the same person
whose heroic deeds, in connection with Burn-
side's attack on Fredericksburg, are now matters

of history. He was thrown against the fire-box
when the ravine was reached, and literally
roasted alive, nothing but a few of his bones be-
ing afterwards found. The engineer was thrown
over the lever he was holding in his hands,
through the window of his cab, some twenty feet
or more. In his flight the lever caught and rip-
ped open his abdomen, and when found he was
sitting on the ground holding his protruding
bowels in his hands. Next to the engine were
two flat cars loaded with brick. These were
landed, brick and all, some thirty or forty feet
in front of the engine, while the box cars, loaded
with freight, were thrown upon the engine and
around the wreck in great disorder After a
time these took fire, and added horror to the
scene. The savages now swarmed around the
train and whooped and yelled in great glee.
When the shock first came, however, the con-
ductor ran ahead on the north side of the track
to the engine, and there saw Bowers and Hender-
shot in the position we have described them.
He told them he must leave them and flag the
second section of the train following after, or it,
too, would be wrecked. He then ran back, sig-
naled this train, and with it returned to Plum
Creek. Arriving there in the middle of the
night, in vain did he try to get a force of men to
proceed at once to the scene of the disaster. No
one would go. In the morning, however, they
rallied, armed themselves and went out to the
wreck. By this time it was near ten o'clock. The
burning box cars had fallen around the brave
engineer, and while the fiery brands had un-
doubtedly added to his agony, they had also
ended his earthly existence. His blackened and
charred remains only told of his suffering. The
rescuing party found the train still burning — the
Indians had obtained all the plunder they could
carry, and left in the early morning. In the first
gray dawn of the morning they manifested their
delight over the burning train in every possible
way, and their savage glee knew no bounds.
From the cars not then burned they rolled out
boxes and bales of merchandise, from which they
took bright-colored flannels, calicos, and other
fancy goods. Bolts of these goods they would
loosen, and with one end tied to their ponies' tails
or the horn of their saddles, they would mount
and start at full gallop up and down the prairie
just to see the bright colors streaming in the
wind behind them. But the end of this affair
was not yet. The avenging hand ot justice was
on the track of these blood-thirsty villains, who,
for some inscrutable reason, are permitted to
wear the human form. In the spring of that
year, by order of General Augur, then in com-
mand of the military department of the Platte,
Major Frank North, of Columbus, Neb., who
had had no little experience in the business, was
authorized to raise a battalion of two hundred
Pawnee Indians, who were peaceable and friendly

towards the whites, and whose reservation is
near Columbus, for scouting duty. It was the
old experiment of fighting the devil with fire to
be tried over again. These scouts were to fight
the various hostile bands of the Sioux, Arrapa-
hoes, and Cheyennes, and assist in guarding the
railroad, and the railroad builders. At the time
this train was attacked, these scouts were scat-
tered in small detachments along the line of the
road between Sidney and the Laramie Plains.
General Augur was immediately notified of it,
and he telegraphed Major North to take the
nearest company of his scouts and repair as soon
as possible to the scene of the disaster. At that
time, Major North was about fourteen miles west
of Sidney, at the end of the track, and his nearest
company was some twelve miles further on.
Mounting his horse, he rode to their camp in
about fifty minutes, got his men together, and
leaving orders for the wagons to follow, returned,
arriving at the end of the track at about four
o'clock in the afternoon. By the time these men
and horses were loaded on the cars, the wagons
had arrived, and by five o'clock the train pulled
out. Arriving at Julesburg, they were attached
to a passenger train, and by midnight, or within
twenty-four hours after the disaster took place,
he arrived at the scene. Meanwhile other white
troops, stationed near by, had arrived. In the
morning he was ordered by General Augur to
follow the trail and ascertain whether the at-
tack had been made by northern or southern In-
dians. With ten men he started on the scout.
The sharp-sighted Pawnees soon struck the trail.
They found where the hostile band had crossed
the river, and where they had abandoned some
of their plunder. They followed the trail all
that day, and found that it bore south to the
Republican Valley. From this fact, and other
indications that only Indians would notice, he
ascertained that the attacking band were south-
ern Cheyennes. Returning from this scout, after
about thirty-five miles' travel, he reported to the
commanding officer at Omaha, and received
orders to remain in the vicinity, and thoroughly
scout the country, the belief being generally en-
tertained among the officers that, if not followed,
the Indians would soon return on another raid.
Subsequent events proved this belief to be true,
and they had not long to wait. In about ten
days, their camp being at Plum Creek, one of
the scouts came running into camp from the
bluffs south of Plum Creek, and reported that
the Indians were coming. He had discovered
them in the distance, making their way in the
direction of the old overland stage station, which
they soon after reached. Arriving here, they
unsaddled their horses and turned them loose in
an old sod corral to feed and rest. They then
began preparations to remain all night. The
scouts, however, proposed to find out who and
what they were before the evening approached.

Major North first determined to go with the
company himself, but at the urgent solicitation
of Capt. James Murie, finally gave him charge
of the expedition. There were in the command,
two white commissioned officers — Lieut. Isaac
Davis, besides the Captain — two white ser-
geants, and forty-eight Pawnees. The company
marched from their camp straight south to the
Platte River, which they crossed ; then turning
to the left followed down its bank under the
bushes to within about a mile and a half of the
creek. Here they were discovered by the Chey-
ennes. Then there was mounting in hot haste —
the Cheyennes at once preparing for the fray.
There were one hundred and fifty warriors to be
pitted against this small baud of fifty-two, all
told. But the Cheyennes, up to this time, sup-
posed they were to fight white soldiers, and were
very confident of victory. Forming in regular
line, on they rushed to the conflict. Captain
Murie's command, as scon as they found they
were discovered, left the bushes on the river
bank and went up into the road, where they
formed in line of battle and were ordered to
charge. As the order was given, the Pawnees
set up their war-whoop, slapped their breasts
with their hands and shouted " Pawnees." The
opposing lines met on the banks of the creek,
through which the scouts charged with all their
speed. The Cheyennes immediately broke and
fled in great confusion, every man for himself.
Then followed the chase, the killing and the
scalping. The Indians took their old trail for
the Republican Valley, and put their horses to
their utmost speed to escape the deadly fire of
the Pawnees. Night finally ended the chase, and
when the spoils were gathered, it was found that
fifteen Cheyenne warriors had been made to bite
the dust, and their scalps had been taken as tro-
phies of victory. Two prisoners were also taken,
one a boy of about sixteen years and the other a
squaw. The boy was a nephew of Turkey Leg,
the chief. Thirty-five horses and mules were
also taken, while not a man of the scouts was
hurt. After the chase had ceased, a rain-storm
set in, and tired with their day's work, with the
trophies of their victory, they returned to camp.
It was about midnight when they arrived. Ma-
jor North and a company of infantry, under
command of Capt. John A. Miller, had re-
mained in camp guarding government and com-
Eny property, and knowing that a battle had
en fought, were intensely anxious to learn the
result. When the Pawnees came near, it was
with shouts and whoops and songs of victory.
They exhibited their scalps and paraded their
prisoners with great joy, and spent the whole
night in scalp-dances and wild revelry. This
victory put an end to attacks on railroad trains
by the Cheyennes. The boy and squaw were
kept in the camp of the Pawnees until late in
the season, when a big council was held with the

Brule Sioux, Spotted Tail's band, at North
Platte, to make a new treaty. Hearing of this
council, Turkey Leg, chief of the Cheyennes,
sent in a runner, and oifered to deliver up six
white captives held in his band for the return
of the boy and the squaw. After th« necessary
preliminaries had been effected, the runner was
told to bring the white captives, that the ex-
change might be made. The boy held by the
scouts was understood to be of royal lineage, and
was expected to succeed Turkey Leg in the chief-
taincy of the tribe. After the exchange had
taken place, the old chief would scarcely allow
the boy to leave his sight — such was his attach-
ment to him, and manifested his delight in every
possible way over his recovery. The white cap-
tives were two sisters by the name of Thompson,
who lived south of the Platte River, nearly oppo-
site Grand Island, and their twin brothers ; a
Norwegian girl taken on the Little Blue River,
and a white child born to one of these women
while in captivity. They were restored to their
friends as soon as possible.

T/te Next Attack. — The Indians -were not
willing to have the iron rails that should bind
the shores of the continent together laid in
peace, and made strenuous and persistent efforts
to prevent it. On the 16th of April, 1868, a " cut
off" band of Sioux, under a scalawag chief,
named Two Strikes, attacked and killed five
section-men near Elm Creek Station, taking their
scalps, and ran off a few head of stock. They
were never pursued. On the same day, and evi-
dently according to a pre-arranged plan, a part of
the same band attacked the post at Sidney. They
came up on the bluffs north of the town and
fired into it. But no one was injured from their
shooting at that time. Two conductors, however,
named Tom Cahoon and William Edmunson,
had gone down the Lodge Pole Creek, a little way
to fish. They were unobserved by the Indians
when the firing took place. Hearing the re-
ports they climbed up the bank to see what
was going on, and being seen by the Indians,
they at once made an effort to cut them
off, though they were only a mile or so from
the post. The savages charged down upon
them, and shot Cahoon, who fell forward on
the ground. The Indians immediately scalped
him and left him for dead. Mr. Edmunson
ran towards the post as fast as he could,
and drawing a small Derringer pistol, fired
at his pursuers. Thinking he had a revolver
and would be likely to shoot again if they came
too close, they did not venture up as they had
done, but allowed him to escape. He got away
with some eight or nine arrow and bullet wounds
together and carrying four arrows sticking in his
body. He was taken to the hospital, and rapidly
recovered from his wounds. After the Indians
had gone, the citizens went after the body of Mr.
Cahoon, whom they supposed dead, but to their

surprise he was still alive. They brought him
into the post, where he recovered, and is now
running on the road.

Attack at Ogalatta. — In September of the
same year, the same band of Sioux attempted to
destroy a train between Alkali and Ogalalla.
They fixed the rails the same as at Plum Creek.
As the train came up the rails penetrated the
cylinders on each side of the engine, as it was a
straight track there ; the engine going over into
the ditch, with the cars piling up on top of it.
The engineer and one of the brakemen who was
on the engine at the time, were thrown through
the window of the cab, and were but little hurt.
The fireman was fastened by the tender against
the end of the boiler, and after the train had
stopped, there being no draft, the flames of the
fire came out of the door to the fire-box upon
him, and the poor fellow was literally roasted
alive. He was released after six hours in this
terrible position, during which he begged the
attendants to kill him, but lived only a few
moments after his release. All the trains at this
time carried arms, and the conductor, with two
or three passengers, among whom was Father
Ryan, a Catholic priest of Columbus, Nebraska,
seized the arms and defended the train — the
Indians meanwhile skulking among the bluffs
near the track, and occasionally firing a shot.
Word was sent to North Platte, and an engine
and men came up, who cleared the wreck. Mean-
while word was sent to Major North, then at
Willow Island, to take one company of his scouts
and follow the Indians. He came to Alkali and
reported to Colonel Mizner, who was marching
from North Platte with two companies of cavalry,
all of whom started in pursuit. They went over
to the North Platte River, crossed that stream
and entered the sand-hills, where the scouts over-
took and killed two of the Indians ; the whole
party going about thirty-five miles to a little
lake, where the main body of Indians had just
left and camped, finding the smouldering em-
bers of the Indian fires still alive. That night
some of the white soldiers let their camp fires
get away into the prairie, and an immense prairie
fire was the result. This, of course, alarmed the
Indians, and further pursuit was abandoned,
much to the disgust of the scouts. Colonel
Mizner also claimed that his rations were run-
ning short, but from all the facts we can learn,
he lacked the disposition to pursue and capture
those Indians. At least, this is a charitable con-
struction to put upon his acts.

In October of the same year (1868), the same
band of Indians attacked the section-men near
Potter Station, drove them in and run off about
twenty head of horses and mules. Major North
and his scouts were immediately sent in pursuit.
Leaving camp at Willow Island, the command
was soon on the ground. It was evidently a
small raiding party, and Major North sent a

Lieutenant and fifteen of his- men after them.
They struck their trail, followed them to the North
Platte River, which they crossed, followed and
overhauled them in the sand-hills, killing two,
recapturing a part of the stolen horses, and re-
turned without loss. The Indians have made
some efforts to ditch a few trains since that year,
but have effected no serious damage. Their
efforts of late have mostly been confined to stock
stealing, and they never seem so happy as when
they have succeeded in running off a large num-
ber of horses and mules. When the road was
first built it was their habit to cross it, going
south and north, several times in each year. They
roamed with the buffaloes over the plains of
Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming and Kansas. The
effort of the government of late has been to
confine them on their reservations, and the rapid
disappearance of the buffaloes from the regions
named have given them no excuse for hunting in
the country now crossed by railroads and filling
up with settlers.

Coyote — is the next station, simply a side
track with a section-house near by. But little
timber is visible at this place, though the bottom
lands begin to widen, giving an extended view.
This is not a timber country, and wherever it is
found, the traveler will please bear in mind that
it is the exception and not the rule. The islands
in the river doubtless had some timber, but the
most of it has long since disappeared. Occasion-
ally you may see a few scattering trees which
have been left by the prairie fires, and which
stand in inaccessible places. This side track is
239.1 miles from Omaha, and 2,410 feet above
the sea. The next station is

Cozad — so named after a gentleman from
Cincinnati, Ohio, who purchased about 40,000
acres of land here from the railroad company ;
laid out the town; built quite a number of
houses ; induced people to settle here ; has resold
a good deal of his land, but still has about 20,000
acres in the immediate vicinity. Along the rail-
road track, west of Plum Creek, the traveler will
notice that the buffalo grass has been rooted out
by what is called prairie or blue-joint grass. This
last is an annual grass and is killed by frost,
after which it resembles dark colored brick — a
reddish brown appearance. It has but little nutri-
m?nt after the frost comes, but if cut and cured
in July or August, makes an excellent quality of
hay- The buffalo grass is just over the divide a
little way, but is giving way to that just named.
Soms men of capital near Cozad, are interest-
ing themselves in sheep raising, and frequently
from this place west you will see large herds of
cattle. Cozad is 245.1 miles from Omaha, with
an elevation of 2,480 feet. It has two or three
stores, school-house, hotel, several large dwellings,
and with favorable seasons for growing crops in
the future, will become quite a town. The Platte
Valley at this point is about twenty miles wide.

Wittotv Island — is the next station; so
named from the large number of willow bushes
on the island in the river near by. It is 250.1 miles
from the Missouri, and has an elevation of 2,ol 1
feet. The prairie or blue-joint grass still con-
tinues along the side of the track, and the bluffs on
the south side of the river seem more abrupt. They
are full of ravines or " draws," and these some-
times have timber in them. At this station a large
quantity of cedar piles and telegraph poles are
delivered. They are hauled some forty miles
from the canons in the South Loup Valley.
There is a store at this station and a corral near
by where stock is kept ; with a few old log and
mud buildings, rapidly foing to decay in the
vicinity. The glory of this place, if it ever had
any, has long since departed, but it may, never-
theless, yet become the pride of stock-men, who
shall count their lowing herds by the thousand.

Grand DuJce Alexis' First Buffalo Hunt.

During the visit of the Grand Duke Alexis of
Russia, to the United States, the imperial party
were escorted to the plains, and enjoyed the excite-
ment of a buffalo hunt, over the western prairies.
Connected with the chase were some incidents of
rare curiosity and pleasure. As the only repre-
sentative of the great Russian nation, he has seen
the novelty of military life on the frontier ; shak-
en hands with partially tamed Indian warriors,
and smoked the pipe of peace in ancient style.
Among the company were Buffalo Bill, a noble
son of the wild West, and Generals Sheridan
and Custer. The red men appeared in a grand
pow-wow and war-dance, and indulged in arrow
practice for his particular benefit.

The party started from camp Alexis, Willow
Creek, Nebraska, in January, 1872. For the hunt
the Duke's dress consisted of jacket and trowsers
of heavy gray cloth, trimmed with green, the
buttons bearing the Imperial Russian coat-of-
arms; he wore his boots outside his trowsers, hi.s
cap was an Australian turban, with cloth top;
he carried a Russian hunting knife, and an
American revolver recently presented to him,
and bearing the coat-of-arms of the United States
and of Russia on the handle.

General Custer appeared in his well-known
frontier buckskin hunting costume, and if, in-
stead of the comical sealskin cap he wore, he had
only had feathers fastened in his flowing hair, he
would have passed at a distance for a great In-
dian chief.

Buffalo Bill, the famous scout, was dressed in
a buckskin suit trimmed with fur, and wore a
black slouch hat, his long hair hanging in ring-
lets down his shoulders.

Game was sighted in a long canon with broken
sides and high hills on either side, forming a
magnificent arena.

The Grand Duke and Custer started off, and
as they went Custer pulled out his revolver, and

said, " Are you ready, Duke ? " Alexis drew off
his glove, grasped his pistol, and with a wave of
his hand replied, " All ready now, General." Buf-
falo Bill had been selected to show the Grand
Duke how the buffaloes would stand at bay when
suddenly attacked. A cow was singled out to
show him how fleet of foot the females are, and
the speed and skill essential to overtake and kill
them. As soon as she espied them she started
off at full speed, the Duke and Custer after her.
Finding herself hard pressed, she ran up a steep
declivity on the right side of the canon, and gain-
ing a footing on the slope, kept along the narrow
ledge, while the Duke and Custer followed in a
line along the bottom of the canon. The chase
was most exciting, and the Grand Duke, exhib-
iting an enthusiasm and daring which the most

elevation of 2,037 feet, and 268.'! miles from the
eastern terminus of the road. The island in the
river, from which the station is named, is quite
large, and formerly had considerable timber for
this country. An occasional tree may yet be seen.
McFherson — is 277.5 miles from Omaha,
and 2,695 feet above the sea. It is the station
named after the fort which is located south of the
Platte River, on a military reservation, and
nearly opposite the station. " There is a wagon
bridge across the liver connecting the two places.
The fort is about seven miles from the station,
and is located near some springs formerly called
"Cotton-wood Springs." It bears the name of
the gallant general who fell before Atlanta, in
1864, in the war for the preservation of the
Union. But few soldiers are now kept at this

GRAND DUKE ALEXIS KILLIKG HIS FIRST BUFFALO.

experienced western hunter could not have sur-
passed, pressed his game until she turned upon
him. Describing a semi-circle with his horse,
he dashed to the other side of her, and taking
deliberate aim, discharged the contents of his
revolver into her fore shoulder, as quick as a
flash of lightning. The buffalo fell dead upon
the instant. Thus, as he telegraphed to his fa-
ther, the Czar of Russia, he killed the first wild
horned monster that had met his eye in America.
The sport continued for two days, and ended
with a series of Indian festivities.

Warren— is a side track 260.4 miles from
Omaha, and 2.570 feet above the sea. A section-
house stands near by. The valley here narrows,
and the bluffs on both sides come near the river.

Brady Island — is the next station, with an

fort, though at the time the war was in progress,
and afterwards during the building of the road,
and in the years of Indian conflict that raged on
the frontier, it was a post of considerable import-
ance. Immense quantities of hay are annually
cut near this place, with which government and
private contracts are filled. A part of the Sev-
enth Iowa Cavalry, under Major O'Brien, camped
on the site of the fort in 1866, and afterwards
troops from the regular army were stationed
here.

Gannett — named after J. W. Gannett, Esq.,
of Boston, and present auditor of the Union Pacific
Railroad — is a side track with adjacent section-
house ; is 285.2 miles from Omaha, and 2.752
feet above the sea. All the stations for from fifty
to a hundred miles east of this, are located in an

excellent grazing country, and cattle and sheep
are coming in to occupy it.

Five miles from Gannett, the railroad crosses
the North Platte River on a pile bridge. There
is a side track and two section-houses just east
of the river, the side track for hay cars, and one
of the section-houses near the bridge for the
watchman, who walks its entire length after the
passage of every train. The bridge is planked
by the railroad company, and rented by Lincoln
County, so that wagons, teams and stock have
free passage. After leaving Cozad, the number
of settlers' cabins and houses diminishes till you
coma to the Xorth Platte Valley. South of the
river between Fort McPherson and Xorth Platte,
there are quite a number of homesteaders, who
have farmed it for a few years, with indif-
ferent success, having to contend with drought
and grasshoppers. The soil has been proven to
be prolific, but some plan of irrigation will have
to be adopted, before agriculture can be made a
paying investment. In choice locations, how-
ever, such as pieces of low bottom land near the
river, crops of potatoes and " garden truck " have
been successfully raised for several years.

AVe have now entered upon the great stock-
growing region of the continent, where cattle and
horses can be grown and kept the year round
without hay, and where the buffalo grass, except-
ing along the streams, affords the rich nutriment
that produces fat, and renders cattle ready for
market without grain.

The Xorth Platte River will be crossed again
at Fort Steele. It has its source in northern
Colorado, west of the Medicine Bow Mountains.
The Laramie River, which you cross just beyond
Laramie City, and the Sweetwater, which rises
in the Wind River Mountains north of Point of
Rocks, and runs through the great South Pass,
are two of its principal tributaries. It drains an
immense region of country, and is fed by innu-
merable streams and springs from the Black Hills
of Wyoming, the Wind River Mountains, the
Medicine Bow Mountains, the Sweetwater Moun-
tains, the Big Horn Mountains, Rattlesnake Hills
and other elevations. The traveler must not be
confused by the term " Black Hills." The Black
Hills of Wyoming are those which you cross be-
tween Cheyenne and Laramie City, the summit
of which you reach at Sherman. These are not
the Black Hills of which so much has been said
of late, in connection with the discovery of gold
and the Sioux Indians. They are called the
Black Hills of Dakota, and the nearest point to
them on the railroad is Sidney. From the im-
mense amount of water which runs into the
Xorth Platte River, it is a mystery what becomes
of it all, as the river is shallow and sluggish
where it is crossed near its mouth. Its treach-
erous bottom of ever varying and shifting
quicksands, like that of the "South Platte, does
not make it a good fording stream for wagons,

though the water, except in certain seasons of
of the year, is the smallest obstacle. Up to the
spring of 1875, this river was the southern bound-
ary of what the Sioux Indians claimed as their
reservation, and it was only by the payment of a
special appropriation of $25,000, that they re-
linquished the right to hunt as far south as
this river. The principal military posts on the
stream, are Forts Fetterman, usually occupied by
but fewr troops, and Laramie. The latter is at
present the principal military depot for both
troops and supplies off the line of the railroad,
in this part of the West. It is 90 miles from
Cheyenne, its nearest railroad station, and the
point from whence nearly all the frontier expe-
ditions into northei'n Wyoming, western Dakota,
and the Big Horn and Powder River countries,
start. The Laramie River and the Xorth Platte
form a junction near the fort.

The South Platte, which the railroad still fol-
lows for about eighty-five miles, is similar to the
Xorth Platte, so far as external observations
go. It rises in the mountains south and west of
Denver, receives a large number of tributaries ;
the chief of which is the Cache La Poudre, which
forms a junction with it at Greeley, and then
pursues a due east course to the Missouri River.
The junction with the Xorth Platte is formed a
few miles below the bridge just spoken of. On
neither of these streams, nor on any of their
tributaries can agricultural pursuits be carried
on without irrigation, and not always with success
with irrigation. The hand of the Almighty has
placed its ineffaceable mark upon all this vast
region of country — that it is His pasture ground
and adapted, so far as is known, to no other pur-
pose. Millions of buffaloes have ranged over
these bleak and desolate-looking plains for ages
past, and from the short grass which grows in
abundance thereon, have derived a rich suste-
nance. They have gone or are fast going, and the
necessities o£ the civilization which follows, calls
for beef and mutton. These plains must become
the great beef-producing region of the continent.
They are the Almighty's pasture grounds, and if
there are not a thousand cattle upon a hill, there
will surely be " cattle upon a thousand hills."
The numerous tributaries to these two rivers
are from ten to fifteen miles apart, with high roll-
ing prairies between — affording abundance of
water with adjacent pasture, and this pasture is
the home of the richest natural grasses.

Before you reach the Xorth Platte River, you
will see conclusive evidence of the adaptability
of these plains to stock-raising, and from this
time on to where the river is again crossed, you
will see numerous herds of cattle and flocks of
sheep. The snows of winter in these elevated
regions are dry, and not frequent. Driven by
fierce winds, they will fill the hollows and small
ravines, while the hills are always left bare, so
that cattle and sheep can always obtain access to

the ground, arid the buffalo and bunch grasses
with which it is covered. While hay must be
cut for the sustenance of sheep during the few
days storms may last, and for the horses and
cattle that may be kept up ; the vast herds,
whether of cattle or horses, will go through the
most severe winter that has ever been known in
this region without hay or shelter, except that
afforded by the ravines. The experiment has
been repeatedly tried, and the vast herds that
are now kept in this region, attest the success of
that experiment. In Lincoln County, of which
the town of North Platte is the county-seat,
there are probably 60,000 head of cattle alone.
Eastern fanners and stock-raisers will see that
the attempt to provide hay for this vast number
would be useless, and if required would render
the keeping of so many in a single county un-
profitable. The expense of providing hay would
in the first place be great, and the expense of
confining the cattle and feeding it out would be
still greater. And if the buffaloes have lived in
this country year after year, during the flight of
the centuries without hay, why may not cattle and
horses do likewise ? The stock-grazing region
to which allusion is here made, comprises in fact
all the country west of the 100th meridian of
longitude, to the base of the Rocky Mountains,
and the elevated plateaus or great parks lying
between the eastern and western ranges of the
same mountains; while the extent north and
south reaches from the Gulf of Mexico to the
northern boundary line of the United States.
Three great railroad lines already penetrate this
vast stock range, and a decade will hardly pass
away before other lines will follow. A ready
outlet to the best stock markets in the country
is therefore always accessible and always open.
But with all the natural advantages of this
region, not every one who may be captivated with
the idea of a stock ranche and lowing herds, can
make it a success. The business requires capital
and care — just the same attention that is given
to any other successful business. Nor can it be
safely entered upon under the impression that a
fortune can be made in a day or in a year. It is
a business liable to losses, to severe winters, un-
favorable seasons and a glutted market. It does
not run itself. By reason of a single hard win-
ter, one man in the stock business has been
known to lose a hundred thousand dollars, and
the losses that same winter were proportionally
severe upon those who were not as able to suffer
them. It is a business which, if closely attended
to, promises large returns upon the capital in-
vested, and which, at the same time, is liable to
heavy losses. It is more sure than mining and
more profitable than agricultural or dairy-farm-
ing. But we shall have more to say of this
hereafter, with specific illustrations as to what
can be done in both sheep husbandi'y and cattle
raising. Returning to the two rivers, one of

which we crossed near their junction — the vast
area of bottom lands continue to widen, and for
a long distance each has its broad valley. Leav-
ing the North Platte here we shall ascend the
South Platte to Julesburg. About one mile west
of the bridge, we arrive at

North Platte — the end of another division
of the Union Pacific Railroad. It is 291 miles
from Omaha, and 2,789 feet above the sea. It
is a thriving city, and outside of Omaha has
the most extensive machine and repair shops
on the line of the road. The roundhouse has
twenty stalls, and it, together with the machine
and repair shops, are substantially built of brick.
In these shops engines and cars are either repaired
or entirely built over, — a process which cannot
hardly be called repairing, but which neverthe-
less renders them as good as new. The engine-
room for the machine-shops, is a model of
neatness; everything in and around it being
kept in perfect order.

The town has about 2,000 inhabitants, two
wide-awake newspapers ; the Republican being
a weekly, and the Western Ncbraskiun being a
semi-weekly, together with several wholesale and
retail stores and shops of various kinds. The
Railroad House is the largest and leading hotel.
About 150 men are given constant employment
in the shops. There are also one or two com-
panies of troops stationed here, not to protect
the railroad from the savages, for that necessity
has passed, but for economy in keeping and
convenience for frontier duty. The town also
has two or three church edifices, a brick court-
house and brick school-house, both new, and both
presenting a fine appearance. There are also
several elegant private residences. It is beauti-
fully located, and has excellent drainage. The
bluffs or hills are in near view, both north and
south, and give quite a picturesque appearance
to the country in the immediate vicinity. The
Black Hills excitement, in regard to the discovery
of gold, has had some effect upon the town, and
a railroad off to the north-west is talked. It
is the home of some of the leading stock-men of
this section of country. Near this city, in 1875,
Col. E. D. Webster and Mrs. A. W. Randall,
wife of the late ex-postmaster-general Randall,
formed a copartnership to engage in the dairying
business, and erected a cheese factory. During
the year they manufactured about 30 tons of
cheese, which brought them a fair return. Col-
onel Webster claims that the experiment has
demonstrated that the business can be carried
on with profit, and he believes it will eventually
become the leading feature of this part of the
country. He further says that the only draw-
back at present is the scarcity and unreliability
of help, it being difficult to obtain a sufficient
number of "milkers" at a reasonable price to
milk a large number of cows. In 1876 the firm
proposes to make cheese from the milk of from

one to two hundred cows, and the balance of
their herd — some five hundred — will be devoted
to stock-raising. This dairy establishment is
one of the new enterprises of North Platte, and,
if successful in the future, will make it the
prominent cheese-market of the West.

The town has abundant attractions for invalids
needing rest — there being antelope and deer in
the hills, fish in the streams, and an abundance
of pure air to invigorate the body. It has a
bright future and is destined to become one of
the leading towns on the line of the railroad.
Formerly it was an eating-station, but as now
run, trains pass it in the night. The road was
finished to this town in the fall of 1866, from
which time until the following June it was the
point where all overland freight was shipped.
It was a rough town then, but this state of
affairs did not last long, and the character of
the place rapidly improved with the arrival of
permanent set-
tlers. There
were a few In-
dian scares, but
no sarious at-
tack was made
by the savages
upon the town.
Two or three
trains were
ditched and
wrecked, both
east and west,
but this was the
extent of the
damage done
by them. Of
this, however,
we shall have
more to say in
another place.

Chimney IlocJt — Near North Platte is the
far-famed Chimney Rock, two and a half miles
from the south bank of the Platte River. It is
composed of a friable yellowish marl, which can
be cut readily with the knife. It rises in the
form of a thin, perpendicular shaft above a coni-
cal mound, whose base slopes gradually out
toward the plains. It appears to be the re-
newal of the old chain of hills and rocks which
bounded the valley, but which, from their soft-
ness of material, have been disintegrated by
wind and weather. This possessing harder ma-
terial has withstood these effects, although it is
steadily yielding. In the days of Fremont's ex-
pedition, it was estimated that it was over 200
feet in height, but other travelers and explorers
who had seen it years before, stated that its
height had been as great as 500 feet. In those
days it was a landmark visible for forty or fifty
miles; now it is hardly 35 feet in height.
Around the waist of the base runs a white band

CHIMNEY ROCK, NEAR NORTH PLATTE.

which sets off its height, and relieves the uni-
form yellow tint. It has often been struck by
lightning.

Ttie Overland Pony Express.

The Pony Express (of which few now remem-
ber those days of excitement and interest) was
started in I860, and the 3d of April, that year, is
the memorable date of the starting of that first
trip. In those days, the achievements of the
Pony Express were attended with an eager excite-
ment hardly less interesting than the building of
the Pacific Railroad itself. " Overland to Califor-
nia in thirteen day*," was repeated everywhere as
a remarkable achievement. The first company
organized was formed in California in 1858 or
1859, under the name of the Central Overland
California and Pike's Peak Express. At that
time, with no telegraph or even stage line across
the continent, this attempt was considered extra-
ordinarily au-
dacious. The
services plan-
ned and exe-
cuted by the
company were
a pony express,
with stations
sixty miles
apart, the en-
tire distance
from St.Joseph,
Mo., to Sacra-
mento. The
time occupied
between ocean
and ocean was
fourteen days,
and from St.
Joseph to San
Francisco, ten
days. And the schedule of the company re-
quired the pony express to make trips in the
following time :

From St. Joseph to Marysville, 12 hours.

From St. Joseph to Fort Kearny, 34 hours.

From Nt. Jos-eph to Laramie. 80 hours.

From St. Joseph to Fort Bridger, 108 hours.

From St. Joseph to Salt Liike, 12» houra.

From St. Joseph to Camp Floyd, 128 hours.

From St. Joseph to Carson City, 118 hours.

From St. Joseph to Placerville, 226 hours.

From St. .Joseph to Sacramento, 232 hours.

From St. Joseph to San Francisco, 240 hours.

An express msssenger left once a week from each
side with not more than ten pounds of matter.
The best of riders were chosen from among trap-
pers, scouts and plains men, familiar with all the
life of the route, fearless, and capable of great
physical power, endurance and bravery. The
ponies were very swift and strong, a cross be-
tween the American horse and Indian pony, and
after each run of sixty miles, waited till the ar-
'rival of the messenger from the opposite direc-

OVERLAND POXY EXPRESS PURSUED BY HIGHWAYMEN.

tion, when each returned. The riders were con-
stantly exposed to dangers from Indian attacks
and pursued by highwaymen ; and to compen-
sate them for this risk they received the large
salary of $ 1,200 a month each ; and the modest
price charged for the conveyance of business
letters was 85.00, gold, per quarter ounce. At
the time of the departure of the first messenger
from St. Joseph, a special train was run over the
Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad to bring the
through messenger from New York, and a " Pony
Express Extra " was issued of two pages, by the
St. Joseph Daily Gazette, containing telegraphic
news from all
parts of the
world, with a
heavily leaded
account of the
new enterprise,
and sending
greetings to the
press of Califor-
nia.

The route
from St. Joseph,
after reaching
the Platte Val-
ley, followed
just north of the
present track of
the Pacific Bail-
road to Lara-
mie, then up the «"> FO*Y EXPRESS STATION

Sweet Water to Salt Lake, and down the Hum-
boldt to Sacramento. Xight and day the messen-

gers spurred their ponies with the greatest speed
each could endure. Often on arriving at an
express station the messenger, without waiting
to dismount, tossed his bag to another already
waiting, and each were off at once, back again,
and thus for eight days the little express bag
traveled, arriving at the rail terminus, rarely a
minute behind the prescribed time, a total dis-
tance of 2,000 miles.

For two years this system was kept up, initil
the telegraph line was finished in 1862, when the
company dissolved with a loss of f 200,000. As an
instance of rapid speed, once, very important dis-
patches— e lec-
tion news— were
carried from St.
Joseph, Mo., to
Denver City,
Col., 625 miles,
in sixty- nine
hours, the last
ten miles being
made in thirty-
one minutes.
On this and next
page, we give
two illustrations
characteristic of
these times.
One engraving
is taken from a
painting of G.
G. M. Ottinger,
of Salt Lake City, which represents the express
rider dashing along and cheering the telegraph

AT CHEESE CREEK, NEBRASKA.

men who were erecting the poles. This is an
actual scene, as, in the summer of 1862, while the
telegraph was under construction, the flitting by
of the Pony Express was an almost daily occur-
rence. An illustration is also given of one of
these express stations at Cheese Creek, Neb.,
which was soon afterwards abandoned as a thing
of the past. The government mails were carried
by special contract of the Overland Mail Com-
pany with the United States government, which
was started in 1858, who contracted with them to
run a monthly mail from San Francisco to the
Missouri River for a conside'ration of $650,000
annual compensation. Of this company, John
Butterfield who drove the first coach, was presi-
dent. The route chosen was the Ox Bow, via.
Santa Fe, but in 1860 the Indians became so

the driver may be heard shouting loudly, or with
terrific whoop — a mile or so before his station is
reached the keepers have heard it — and as his
stage rattles up, the new relay of horses is ready,
and in two or three minutes the stage is on its way
again. After a few days' journey, the travelers
become used to the swinging motion of the stage,
and sleep as naturally as if made for such a life.

A. Word with Invalids.

Thousands of invalids, especially consumptives,
visit the mountains and California coast, every
year, in search of health, and to try the effect of a
change of climate in restoring them to activity and
vigor. There can be no question but that many
have been benefited by the change, and it is a fact
equally patent that many have left good homes,

PONY EXPRESS SALUTING THE TELEGRAPH.

troublesome that the route was changed to that
of the Pony Express, and soon afterwards a daily
mail was established at an expense of $1,000,000
annually. The incidents of overland stage life
have been repeated over and over again in books
of Western adventure. Here and there were
lonely post-offices away out on the distant prairies
or plains. No passengers to set down or take up,
the driver throws out his mail-bag, catches the
one thrown to him, and whirls on without stop-
ping, or scarcely checking the speed of his team.
Morning, noon or night comes the inevitable
" refreshment station" such as it is, where the
weary passengers, well shaken up, were glad to
resale themselves on pork and beans, corn bread,
and "slumgullion" — the Far Western name for
tea. Toward the middle of the night, perhaps,

kind friends, and plenty of care — to die alone
and among strangers. With this last class the
main trouble is, they wait too long in the East
before starting. The disease, more or less rapid
in its strides, gets too firm a hold upon the sys-
tem— becomes too deeply rooted to be easily
thrown off ; then they start for health and rest
that cannot be found, and most always go too far
in search of it. There are a few words of ad-
vice to these people, which are the result of years
of observation and experience on the plains and
among the mountains.

First, the discovery of a tendency to lung and
throat diseases should be a sufficient incentive
to prompt one to an immediate change of cli-
mate. Do not wait until a change becomes hope-
less because of the advanced stages of the disease.

Second, do not at _fir.<t go too far. This is
another mistake frequently committed by those
who finally get started.

Third, do not (/o too fast. Remember the
railroad from Omaha, in less than two days, will
take you to an altitude of more than 8,000 feet,
and this is a severe test on a pair of healthy
lungs, to say nothing of its effect upon weak
ones. First go as far as Grand Island, and stop.
This place is 1,850 feet above the sea, and you
are in the midst of a fine prairie country,
with a generally clear atmosphere and balmy
breezes. Here are good hotel accommodations,
in a thickly settled region, where you can obtain
plenty of fresh milk, cream and eggs, and such

either along the stream or on the adjoining high-
lands, still camping out, until you reach North
Platte. Then take another rest, look around the
country, mount your horse and ride out to the
cattle ranches and live with the herders for a
time. Do not be in a hurry to get away, and
after you have been here a month or six weeks,
if you still improve, or even hold your own with
the character of the life herein prescribed, it will
be safe for you to go still farther, and in the same
manner. But if you are not benefited by the
trip thus far, it will be better for you to return to
your homes and friends, where loving hands can
smooth your pillow and administer comfort dur-
ing your declining days.

BUFFALO HUNTING.

other articles of diet as are necessary and condu-
cive to your welfare. Ride or walk out from
town ; go around among the farmers, and if,
after a month or so, you improve and wish to go
farther, buy a team and wagon, and from this
place go along leisurely overland, camping out if
the weather is favorable. There are opportuni-
ties for hunting and fishing, along the road,
which will afford amusement and recreation.
"When you get to Kearny Junction, stop a few
weeks. Notice the effect of your new mode of
life and the climate upon your health, and if
you simply hold your own. it is safe for you to
take anothpr step up the Platte Valley in your
westward journey. Leisurely pursue your way,

If the journey has benefited you, pursue it
overland and camping out, to Sidney or Chey-
enne, up the Lodge Pole Valley and along side
of the railroad, or at Julesburg go up the South
Platte Valley to Greeley. You are now, if at
Cheyenne, over 6,000 feet above the sea, and be-
tween 5,000 and 6,000 feet at either Greeley or
Denver, in the midst of a rarified and dry atmos-
phere. If your health is regained, do not think
of returning, for this is almost sure to bring on a
relapse, which is usually sudden, and from w Inch
there is no escape ; your safety depends upon
your remaining in these high altitudes, and on
the high and dry plains of the West. A trip
down in New Mexico, and across the plains to

Arizona, will also prove beneficial. In the old
overland times, thousands of consumptives re-
gained their health in driving teams, and by
slowly crossing the plains, who would have died
if the same journey had been taken on the cars.
By the latter mode, the change from a damp and
heavy atmosphere in the East, to the rarined and
dry air of the plains and mountains, is too sud-
den ; and after all, if the disease has become
thoroughly seated, it is doubtful if any change
will be effectual. It is an experiment which
should only be tried with all possible safeguards
thrown around it.

Bufffilo Gt'iiss. — After you have passed the
stations of North Platte and Sidney, you will ob-
serve the entire country carpeted with a short,
dried up grass growing in little bunches. This is
the famous buffalo grass which covers thousands of
miles of the plains northward and southward and
westward. Though it gives to the country a
dried look, as if the very appearance of desola-
tion and sterility, yet it is the richest grass ever
known in the world. The entire State of Ne-
braska is famous for its remarkable variety of
grasses. The Platte Valley is the home of no
less than 149 varieties, all native to the soil,
and were it not for the extraordinary beauty
and luxuriance of the green carpet the grasses
make, the Valley of the Platte would be almost
wholly devoid of inteiest. The buffalo grass is
rarely over two to three inches in height, and its
seed is produced on flowers almost covered by
leaves close to the ground. It grows in little
t ut'ts, broad and dense, and is exceedingly rich
and sweet, having no less than 3 6-10 per cent,
of saccharine matter. When making its first
growth in the spring, it is green, then dries on
its stem and remains the rest of the year like
cured hay on the open ground, retaining all its
sweetness. Without a single exception, horses,
mules and stock of all descriptions, will forsake
all other kinds of grass until all the buffalo grass
within reach has been consumed. While the
buffaloes roamed over this country it was their
natural food, but with their disappearance and
the coming of the white man, it is disappearing
to give place to others. Leaving Xorth Platte,
the next station is

Nichols,— 29d A miles from Omaha, and 2,882
feet above the sea. It is simply a side track with
section-house near, in the midst of the level
bottom lands between the two rivers, both of
which are in sight. Before reaching North Platte
it will be observed that the bottom narrows, and
that the bluffs or sand-hills in some instances
approach the river's bank. But after leaving
the town, for nearly twenty miles west, the level
prairie between the rivers spreads out in view,
with bluffs on either side beyond. Between
North Platte and this station there are a few set-
tlers, but the territory is mostly occupied as the
winter range of Keith & Barton's herd of cattle,

as they are easily confined between the livers
with little help.

IP-Fallon'M — is the next station. It is 307.9
miles from Omaha, with an elevation of 2,976
feet. It is a telegraph si ation. O'Fallon's Biuli's
are plainly visible south of the South Platte
River, which they closely approach ; at this
point we lose sight of the Valley of the North
Platte — a ridge of low hills jutting down from
the west, while the railroad follows the south
river. The railroad reached this place late in the
fall of 1866, but North Platte was the terminal
station until Julesburg was reached in 1867. If
there was any timber on the streams in this
vicinity, it has long since disappeared. On an
island in the South Platte the Indians used to
camp, and from their hiding places in the sand-
hills and bluffs, frequently attacked emigrants
and trains, but as before remarked, with the buf-
faloes, the Indians disappear.

Dexter — is simply a side track where trains
occasionally meet and pass. It is 315.2 miles from
Omaha, and has an elevation of 3,000 feet. The
bluffs here come very near the river, and they
are utilized in the building of a corral — the rocky
ledge answering all the purposes of a fence.
The monotony of the scenery up to this point
now passes away, and the traveler will always
find something in the ever-varying views of rocks,
bluffs, streams and plains that will interest him
in the journey.

Alkali. — A telegraph station, 322.4 miles from
the Missouri River, and 3,038 feet above the sea.
The alkali spots which have been witnessed in
the soil since we left Omaha, are now more fre-
quent, and the station naturally takes its name
from these characteristics. This station has a
small depot, side track and section-house; is in
the midst of a fine grazing country, and opposite
an old stage station south of the river.

Roscoe. — Simply a side track, 332.0 miles
from Omaha, with an elevation of 3.105 feet.
Just before reaching this place, and in this vicin-
ity, the railroad passes through more sandy
bluffs that approach the river.

Of/fdftlla — is the next station, 341.6 miles
from Omaha. Elevation 3,190 feet. It is the
county-^eat of Keith County, Nebraska, and is
destined to be the Texas town on the line of the
Union Pacific. The regular trail for driving
cattle from Texas may be said to terminate here.
It has a depot, water tank, side tracks, cattle
chutes, store, one or two boarding-houses, saloon,
etc. It is the head-quarters and outfitting place
of a large number of ranchmen, who have herds
of cattle in this vicinity. It is some twelve
miles from the North Platte River, where a num-
ber of herds find ample range. In 1875, it is
claimed that nearly 60,000 head of Texas cattle
were driven to this point, and afterwards dis-
tributed to various parties to whom they were
sold. A large number of them were taken to the

Indian agencies at Red Cloud and Spotted Tail.
There will be numerous buildings erected soon to
accommodate the growing necessities of the town.
Leaving Ogalalla we next come to

Bride, — so called from the Brule Sioux, a
band of which Spotted Tail is the chief. Red
Cloud is chief of the Ogalalla Sioux. This is
probably the most powerful tribe of Indians now
existing in the country, and when all united they
are said to be able to raise at least 10,000 war-
riors. Those of them who have been taken east
to Washington and other eastern cities, seem to
have lost their belligerent feelings toward the
whites, and will not probably go to war with
them unless misled by tricksters or influenced by
some other powerful motive. The young " bucks"
who have remained on their reservations, how-
ever, think they can whip the whole country in
a very short time if they should once get at it.
This station was a favorite crossing place with
this band of Sioux during the years when they
used to hunt ou the rivers south, or go on their
scalping and horse-stealing expeditions. Brule
is 351.2 miles from Omaha, and has an eleva-
tion of 3,286 feet. North of this place, on
the North Platte, is Ash Hollow, a celebrated
camping ground for Indians and the scene of a
great victory over them by General Harney, in
1859. The whole tribe of Sioux probably have
a greater admiration for General Harney, to-day,
than for any other living American. Physical
force is the only power which they can be made
to respect and fear. Next comes

Big Spring, — which is 360.9 miles from the
eastern end of the road, with an elevation of
3,325 feet. It is so named from large springs
which break to the surface of the ground at the
foot of the bluffs, on the right-hand side of the
road going west, and in plain sight of the cars.
The water tank, at this station, is supplied from
these springs. The water is excellent, and the
station is quite a camping place for those who
continue to journey overland. This is a tele-
graph station.

Barton, — called after Hon. Guy C. Barton of
North Platte. It is 3t>8.7 miles from Omaha, and
3,421 feet above the sea — simply a side track
where trains meet and pass. Beyond this sta-
tion, a short distance, the old town of Julesburg
can be seen across the river. Late in 1875, a
stray herd of about six hundred buffaloes quietly
passed over the old town site to and from the
river, where they went for water. It will proba-
bly be their last visitation to this part of the
country.

Julesburg, — 377.4 miles from Omaha, and
3,500 feet above the sea. It was named after
Jules Burg — a frontier character who was killed
by one Jack Slade, another rough, in the old
overland stage times. The old town was across
the river, some four miles below the present sta-
tion, and was a pretty rough place. The station

is opposite old Fort Sedgwick, now abandoned,
and was the proposed junction of a branch rail-
road up the isouth Platte River by way of Gree-
ley to Longmont, from which a railroad is com-
pleted to Denver. This branch is graded nearly
the entire distance, and bridged part of the wav.
By an agreement made in 1875, the Union Pa-
cific, or men in the company, relinquished the
proposed and completed roads in Colorado to
the Kansas Pacific, and the latter road relin-
quished its through business to the Pacific coast,
and its efforts to compel the Union Pacific to
pro rate with it from Cheyenne west. This ar-
rangement effected the entire suspension of all
efforts to complete this branch, and Julesburg is
now, as formerly, a way-station on the Union
Pacific. It is, however, quite a place for ship-
ping stock, has one or two stores, some adobe
houses and stables, with cattle-yards and chutes.
The completion of this branch read would have
been of great benefit to the Union Pacific, and to
the entire State of Nebraska, by reason of the
coal which is found in large quantities near
Boulder, and which, if obtained there, would
save some three or four hundred miles in haul-
ing over very heavy grades, as is now done. It
is doubtful "if it is ever completed. At this
point the Union Pacific passes through the
north-eastern corner of Colorado, and here it
leaves the South Platte River and ascends Lodge
Pole Creek to within a few miles of Cheyenne.

The early pioneers who went to Utah, Califor-
nia and Oregon overland, usually crossed the
South Platte River at this place, and followed up
the Lodge Pole to Cheyenne Pass. In fact, there
were many routes. One up the North Platte, one
up the South Platte, one up the Lodge Pole, and
others. The northern route passed through what
is known as the Great South Pass, about 65
miles north of the Point of Rocks. The Lodge
Pole route crossed the Black Hills at Cheyenne
Pass, and the South Platte route followed up the
Cache La Poudre and Dale Creek, until it struck
the great Laramie Plains south-west of Sherman.

Fort Sedgwick, of which we have spoken, was
established in May, 1864, and was named aft«r
the gallant commander of the Sixth Corps, army
of the Potomac, who was killed at the battle of
Spottsylvania Court-House while sighting a gun,
and whose loss was greatly lamented by the en-
tire army, and especially the corps he commanded.
Among " the boys " he" was familiarly spoken of
as " Fanner John."

Incidents in the History of Julesburg.

The overland stage company had quite an im-
portant station at Julesburg, south side of the
river, and about a mile east of the location of
Fort Sedgwick. It was in 1865, before any rails
had been laid on the Union Pacific. The stage
company had accumulated a large quantity of
supplies" at this station, and the Indians knowing

this, and ever hostile to the travel of the whites
through this region, had their cupidity aroused.
Troops were scattered all along the route, and
frequently had to escort the stages from one sta-
tion to another. At Julesburg, the road crossed
the South Platte, followed the Lodge Pole up to
Sidney, and then crossed over to the North
Platte, which it ascended to Fort Laramie and
beyond. Capt. N. J. O'Brien was in command
at the fort, with one company of the Seventh
Iowa Cavalry, and two pieces of artillery. On
the 7th of Januaiy, 1875, the Sioux and Chey-
ennes, one thousand strong, discovering the
small force to defend it, attacked the fort with
great bravery. They had previously run the
stage into the station, killing one man and one
horse. When their presence was discovered,

but leaving their dead comrades to fall into the
hands of the blood-thirsty foe. The Indians per-
ceiving their disposition to fall back, redoubled
their efforts, and endeavored to cut them off from
the fort. They attacked with greater fury and
boldness than ever, and came very near effecting
their purpose. The men, however, fell back in
good order, and were successful in gaining the
fort. The Indians now surrounded tliis, but the
artillery was brought out and served with good
effect, so that they were kept at bay, and event-
ually night put an end to the conflict. In the
night the Indians withdrew, and when the morn-
ing broke, not one was in sight. But now comes
the most horrible part of this incident. The
men went out to find, if possible, the bodies of
their dead comrades. They found them, but

INDIAN ATTACK ON AN OVERLAND STAGE.

Captain O'Brien made the best disposition possi-
ble with his small force. He left a sergeant with
some twelve men in the fort, to handle the artil-
lery, and mounting the rest, thirty-seven men
and one officer, besides himself, went out to meet
the savages. The charge was sounded, and in
they went. About a mile from the fort there is
a projecting hill in the bluffs, back of and around
which the main body of the Indians were con-
cealed. As the men neared the top of this hill,
they saw the large force opposed to them, but
never flinched. The Indians charged upon them
with great fury, and for quite a time the unequal
contest was continued. But his ranks having
become depleted by the loss of fourteen of the
thirty-seven enlisted men, the captain ordered
them to fall back, which they did in good order,

nearly all were beyond recognition; stripped of
every vestige of clothing, mutilated beyond ac-
count, cold and stark they lay, in the places they
had fallen ; their fingers, toes and ears cut off,
their months filled with powder and ignited, and
every conceivable indignity committed upon their
persons. Sorrowfully they gathered up these re-
mains, and conveyed them to the fort, where
they were decently buried ; but the recollections
of that awful night, did not fade from the mem-
ories of the survivors of that company. In sub-
sequent battles with the savages, their courage
was quickened and their arms nerved to deeds of
daring, which cost many a warrior his life, and
gave him a sudden exit to his happy hunting
grounds. The loss of the savages in this battle,
could not, at the time, be accurately ascertained,

but from the best information since obtained,
admitted by the Indians themselves, they had
sixty-three warriors killed in this engagement.
None were found on the field, as they always carry
their dead away with them.

On the second day of February, less than a
month from the above attack, they appeared in
the vicinity of the fort again, and attacked and
burned the station house of the stage company,
other out-buildings and stores, and one or two
houses adjoining. Five miles below the station
was a ravine called the Devil's Dive, through
which the stages passed. Captain O'Brien and
four or five man were escorting the coach with
three or four passengers, one of whom was a lady.
As he ascended the bank of the ravine going to-
ward the fort, he saw a smoke, and riding up to the
top of a hill, he saw Indians. Returning to the
coach, he had every man, passengers and all, care-
fully examine his arms, and caused the coach to
proceed slowly along. Soon the road neared the
bank of the river, and here he met some team-
sters with wagons, who, beyond a pistol or two,
were unarmed, and who had left the station for
some object, less than a half hour before. They
now bacams aware of the situation, and were
greatly alarmed. These men the captain ordered
to return and keep near the stage, which they did,
all moving slowly toward the station and fort.
Meanwhile the heads of Indians were popping
up quite frequently, over the bluffs in the dis-
tance. Arriving near one of these, the captain
boldly rode to the top, and taking his blanket
swung it three times over his head. The Indians
saw mis, and supposed he had a large force in
the rear, which he was signaling to come up, and
they began to fly. The river was frozen, and
sand had been scattered over two roadways on
the ice. They took everything they could from
the burning station and houses, and beat a re-
treat across the river. At the first sign of their
leaving, the stage-driver and teamsters put their
animals to their utmost speed, and ran into the
fort, the captain arriving there in time to give
the Indians a few parting shots from his artillery
as the last of them ran across the river. The
shots ricocheted along the ice, and caused the
Indians to drop some of their plunder, though
doing no further damage, as we could learn.

These are only two of the many incidents in
our frontier history, that will soon be beyond
the reach and knowledge of either the present or
future generations.

Tlie Great Indian Battle at Summit

On the divide south of the South Platte "River,
and about midway between old Fort Morgan
and old Fort Sedgwick, opposite to which Jules-
burg now stands, there are some fine springs —
the only good water in quite a region of territory.
They are now called Summit Springs; and are
4 _

near the summit of a divide from which the
water, when there is any, runs north and south.
In the winter of 18t>9, Major Frank North, be-
fore alluded to, received orders to recruit his
scouts for the summer campaign. He organized
one company in February, and two the following
April, the total number in the three companies
being one hundred and fifty men, exclusive of
their white officers. In April of that year, Gen-
eral Carr, taking two of these companies and
eight of the Fifth Cavalry, then stationed at
Fort McPherson, was ordered to scout the coun-
try in the Republican, Solomon and Saline Val-
leys and their tributaries, and strike any ma-
rauding bands of Indians he might find. At
that time, the Indians were raiding the advanced
settlements in the lower Republican and Solomon
Valleys, burning houses, killing and scalping
men, women and children, and stealing all the
horses they could find. The third company of
the scouts had not then been organized. As
soon as this was done, Major North was ordered
to take them across the country from Fort
Kearny, and join General Carr's command, at
the mouth of Prairie Dog Creek, in the Repub-
lican Valley. This he did, effecting a junction
about the 5th of May. After scouting the coun-
try between the Republican and Solomon for
about a month, the command returned to the
Republican, where it met a supply train, which
had been sent out from Fort McPherson, and
then proceeded up the valley. On arriving at
the mouth of Medicine Creek, they struck the
trail of a large village. This was on the first
day of July, and they continued to follow it up
the river for about one hundred and twenty-five
miles. The trail then left the valley, and bore
off to the North, until it struck Frenchman
Creek, then up that creek to its source, and then
over a divide to Summit Springs, about thirty-
five miles from the headwaters of the Frenchman.
The Indians of this village kept pickets out as a
sort of a rear-guard, but did not think of an at-
tack from another quarter. The Pawnee scouts
were constantly in the advance, and kept the
command well informed of the condition and dis-
position of the Indians. They had discovered
the rear-guard of the Indians, without being
themselves seen, reporting their situation, and
telling just how the attack should be conducted,
in order to be successful. A wide detour would
have to be made, and the Indian village, en-
camped in a ravine near the springs, would have
to be approached and attacked from the west.
Every precaution was taken to conceal the move-
ments of the troops. The attack was made on the
1 1 th day of J uly. The heavy wagon trai n was left
in the rear, anil the best horses with their riders,
were selected for the march, which was supposed
to be, with the detour mentioned, at least fifty
miles. The command arrived within about a
mile and a half of the Indians undiscovered, at

about three o'clock, p. M., but before the disposi-
tions and arrangements for making the final
charge had been i'ully completed, one company of
cavalry unnecessarily exposed itself, and this pre-
cipitated the attack. The Indians were Sioux,
forty lodges, Cheyennes, forty-five lodges— eighty-
five in all. They had been in the raids together,
and were to separate the next day. They had
evidently concluded to take one day at these
splendid Springs, for the enjoyment of their fare-
well pow-wow, but it proved to be a " bad medi-
cine day " for them. When they saw the com-
pany of cavalry that had unfortunately been
exposed to their view, they ran out to gather in
their horses, which were quietly feeding in the

the chief. He was seen, as the troops approached,
mounted upon his horse, with his wife and child
behind him, trying to escape, but when he found
his retreat cut off, he ran into a "pocket "or
" draw," in the side of a ravine, with almost per-
pendicular sides, where some fifteen other war-
riors had taken refuge. lie had a very fine horse,
which he led to the mouth of this " pocket " and
shot dead. He then took his wife and child and
pushed them up on the bank of the " pocket,"
telling her, as he did this, to go and give them-
selves up, perhaps their lives would be spared.
The squaw and her child, a beautiful girl, went
straight to Major Xorth, and raising her hands
in token of submission, drew them gently over

INDIAN COSTUMES.

vicinity of their camp, a mile or more away.
There was no time for delay. The troops and
scouts charged down upon them with all their
speed. The scouts, as usual, set up their infernal
war-whoop, and went in with a rush. The In-
dians were wholly unprepared for the attack, and
soms of them were quietly lounging in their
tents. In fact it was nearly a complete surprise.
They were all under the lead of Tall Bull, a noted
Cheyenne chief and warrior, and numbered about
five hundred men, women and children — nearly
or quite two hundred being warriors. Seventeen
squaws and children were taken prisoners, and
as near as could be estimated, one hundred and
sixty warriors were slain, among them Tall Bull,

his face and down his form to the ground, where
she sank upon her knees, her child standing be-
side her. While Major North can talk Pawnee
like a native, he could not understand what she
said, but as all Indians use sign language to a
great extent, he readily interpreted her motions
to mean that she surrendered, and wanted him to
spare their lives. He motioned her to rise, which
she did, and told her by signs to go a little way,
sit down and stay there, and she would not be
harmed. She then, by signs, indicated that
there were seven living braves still in the
" pocket," and asked him to go in after them,
doubtless thinking that her husband might be
saved with herself. He declined this request,

especially as the Indians were shooting every one
they could see from their concealed position, it
being simply a question of life for life, and fur-
ther told her that the braves in the ravine would
all be killed. The troops and scouts staid
around this " pocket," until satisfied that there
were no living Indians there, and, on entering,
found sixteen dead warriors and one dead squaw,
lying close together, among whom was Tall Bull.
In their raids in the Solomon Valley, they had
captured two white women, whose lives they had
spared for purposes worse than death, and at the
time this attack was made, they were still alive.
One of them had been taken by the principal
Sioux chief, and the other was appropriated by
Tall Bull, whose wife, doubtless from motives of
ignorant jealousy, was accustomed to give her
severe whippings, at least six days out of every
seven, and her body showed the marks where she
had been repeatedly bruised and lacerated by
Tall Bull's squaw. The white woman who was
appropriated by the Sioux chief, when he found
she was likely to be rescued, was shot dead by
him, and only gasped for breath a few times af-
ter being found by some of the officers, unable to

PAWNEE CHIEF IN FULL DRESS.

utter a word. As near as could be learned, her
name was Susanna. It was afterwards ascer-
tained that she was a Norwegian woman, and
General Carr, in his report of the battle, calls the
Springs, Susanna Springs, after this woman, and
near which she was decently buried, and which
name they ought to bear now.

When the charge was first begun, Captain
Gushing of the scouts, passing by the lodge of
Tall Bull, entered it. The chief, as before
stated, had fled with his wife and child at the
first approach of danger, but in his lodge there
remained the other captive woman, whom he
had shot and evidently left for dead. She was
a German woman, unable to speak English, and
up to this time, had supposed, from the presence
of the scouts, that the fight was between Indians,
and that whatever the result, there would be no
change for the better so far as she was concerned.
As the captain entered the lodge, he saw this
woman in a sitting posture, nearly denuded, with
the blood running down her waist. When the
chief left the tent, he had shot her in the side,
aiming at her heart, but the bullet struck a lib,
glanced, passed part way around her body, and
came out near the spine. As the fight had just
commenced, Captain Gushing told her by motions
and as best he could, to stay there and she would
be taken care of, but not comprehending his
meaning, and now, for the first time, realizing
that white men were engaged in the battle, she
thought, as he started to go, that she was to be
left, and with the most pitiful moan ever uttered
by human lips, she lifted her arms, clasped him
around his limbs, and in every possible way,
begged him not to leave her with the savages.
Others passing by, he called them in, and the
woman was partially made to understand that
she would be cared for. lie disengaged himself
from her embrace, and after the fight had ended,
returned and took her to the surgeon, who saw
that her wounds were not fatal, that they were
properly dressed, and provided for her as best he
could on the return march to Fort Sedgwick, op-
posite where Julesburg now stands, where she
was placed in the hospital and soon recovered.
A few months later, having no home or friends
where she was taken captive, she was married to
a soldier, who was discharged by reason of expi-
ration of service. The troops and scouts cap-
tured in this fight, nearly six hundred head of
horses and mules, all the tents of the two tribes,
an immense quantity of buffalo meat and robes,
fifty guns of various kinds, with pistols, fancy
Indian head-dresses, trinkets, etc., and $1,900 in
twenty-dollar gold pieces, which the Indians had
taken from this German woman's father at the
time she was captured. About 8900 of this gold
was restored to the woman, and if the white sol-
diers had been as honest and generous as the
brave Pawnee scouts, when the appeal for its
restoration was made, every lost dollar would

have been returned. Of the $900, the scouts
gave up over $601). The seventeen prisoners
taken, included Tall Bull's wife and child.
They were first carried to Fort Sedgwick, then
sent to Omaha, where they were kept under
guard for about six weeks, and then sent to the
Whetstone Agency, on the Missouri River above
Yankton. The widowed squaw married a Sioux
Indian at the Red Cloud Agency, where she is
now living.

Prairie Dogs. — The little villages of prairie
dogs which are seen frequently by passengers
from the car windows, soon after leaving Sidney,
and line the track for many miles, are full of
curious features of animal life. Ladies clap
their hands, and children shout with glee at
sight of these cunning little creatures. It is a
pretty little animal, curious in shape, always
fat, grayish red color, about sixteen inches in
length, and always lives with a multitude of its
companions in villages. It has a short, yelp-
ing sound, which it is very fond of uttering, and
has some resemblance to the bark of a young
puppy. The curious mounds or burrows are of
considerable dimensions, dug in a sloping direc-
tion at an angle of forty-five degrees with the
surface of the ground. After descending two or
three yards they make a sudden turn upward,
and terminate in a spacious chamber.

In the same hole with the prairie dog is found
frequently the burrowing owl, and often upon the
summits of their little burrows may be seen the
solemn owl on one side of the hole in stately
silence; while on the other side is the lively
little prairie dog, squatted on the fattest part
with head bobbed up, and fore paws hanging
down, ready at the slightest noise to dart head-
first into his hole. In some of these holes rattle-
snakes have been found. What harmony or
congruity there can be in the lives of these three
diverse species of creatures to help form a happy
family, no one can give the reason, but all ac-
counts seem to agree that the stately owl and the
treacherous snake make their home with the
little dogs, to abuse the hospitality of their four-
footed friends by devouring their young.

The scene presented by one of these dog vil-
lages is very curious. The prairie dog is no less
inquisitive than timid. On the approach of an
intruder, the little creature gives a sharp yelp of
alarm, and dives into its burrow, its example
being at once followed by all its neighbors. For
an instant the village appears to be deserted;
but soon their curiosity gets the better of their
prudence, and their inquisitive little noses are
seen protruding from their burrows, to ascertain
the cause of the alarm, a ctiriosity which often
costs them dear. The prairie dog is remarkably
tenacious of life, and unless shot in the head is
sure to escape into its hole. The writer has.
often seen attempts to shoot them from the train
as it passes. Away scampers the little dog,

stomach so full that it touches the ground, while
little feet pulled for dear life for its own hole,
and by its side or under it traveled the livelier
bullet, each tearing up a stream of dust quicker
than the eye can follow. Attempts have been
made to tame them as pets, but they rarely ever
live long, and have too apt a way of biting off
fingers. They live only on the roots of grasses,
not being flesh eaters.

Burton, an early traveler across the continent
in 1861, was immensely interested in hi.s exami-
nation of a prairie dog village. The Indians call
them " Wish-ton-wish," from some slight resem-
blance to this cry.

" Wish-ton-wish " was at home, sitting posted
like a sentinel upon the roof, and sunning him-
self in the mid-day glow. It is not easy to shoot
him ; he is out of doors all day, but timid and
alert; at the least suspicion of danger he plunges
with a jerking of the tail, and a somersault
quicker than a shy young rabbit, into the nearest
hole, peeping from the ground, and keeping up a
feeble little cry, (wish-ton-wish !) more like the
notes of a bird than a bark. If not killed out-
right, he will manage to wiggle into his home.
The villages are generally on the brow of a hill,
near a creek or pond, thus securing water with-
out danger of drowning. The holes, which de-
scend in a spiral form, must be deep, and are
connected by long galleries, with sharp angles,
ascents and descents, to puzzle the pursuer. Lieu-
tenant Pike had 140 kettles of water poured
into one without dislodging the occupant. The
precincts of each village are always cleared of
grass, upon which the animals live, as they rarely
venture half a mile from home. In the winter
time they stop the mouth of their burrows, and
construct a deeper cell, where they live till spring
appears.

The Indians and trappers eat the flesh, declar-
ing it to be fatter and better than that of the
squirrel. If the meat is exposed for a night or
two to the frost, all rankness will be corrected.
In the same hole are found rattlesnakes, the
white burrowing owl, tortoises and horned frogs,
the owl often gratifying his appetite by break-
ing open the skull of a young dog, with a smart
stroke of his beak."

Hiff, the Late Cattle King of the Plains,

Had a range 150 miles long, a herd of 26,000
head, and was called the Great Cattle King of the
plains, and had the "boss ranche" of this western
country. This ranche is in northern Colorado. It
begins at Julesburg, on the Union Pacific Rail-
road, and extends to Greeley, 156 miles west. Its
southern boundary is the South Platte River ; its
northern, the divide, rocky and bluffy, just south
of the Lodge Pole Creek. It has nearly the shape
of a right-angled triangle, the right angle being
at Greeley. the base line being the South Platte
River. The streams flowing through it are, first,

the river just named, Crow Creek, and other
small creeks and streams which take their rise
in living springs, in and near the bluffs of the
divide mentioned, and flow in a southerly direc-
tion into the South Platte River. It includes
bottom and upland ranges, and has several
camps or ranches. The chief ranche is nearly
soutli of Sidney, and about forty miles from
Julesburg. At this ranche there are houses,
sheds, stables, and corrals, and more than two
sections of land fenced in. All the cattle
bought by the late Mr. Iliff were rebranded
and turned over to him at this place. Here
are the private stock yards, with corrals, chutes,
pens and all necessary conveniences for handling
cattle. It is near the river, and of course has
fine watering facilities, while from the adjoin-
ing bottom lands plenty of hay may be cut
for the use of the horses employed in herd-
ing. He cut no hay for his cattle ; . they live
the entire year on the rich native grasses on
the range, and with the exception of a severe
•winter, now and then, the percentage of loss is
not very great.

Mr. Iliff was a thorough cattle man, and from
his long experience had a perfect knowledge of
the business. He began in 1860, and during the
war had government contracts to fill, in New
Mexico and other frontier territories. He sup-
plied most of the beef to the contractors who
built the Union Pacific Railroad, and brought
immense herds of cattle from Texas and the
Indian Territory which were driven along the
line of the road to supply the army of laborers
with beef. He had be^n engaged in the stock
business in Kansas, New Mexico, and in Col-
orado, and thought that this location was admir-
ably adapted to it, if the sheep men would only
keep out. Cattle and sheep will not do well
on the same range together. Success in either
requires separation. Mr. Iliff purchased and
owned more than twenty thousand acres of
the range occupied which, of course, included
the choice springs and watering places within its
limits.

He had more than 40,000 head of cattle, of
all ages, sizes and conditions. The number
of calves branded on his ranche one year,
reached nearly 5,090 head, and his sales of
three and four-year-old steers and fat cows,
reached nearly the same number. He realized
about $32 per head, net, on these sales. At
this rate, 4,000 head would bring the snug little
sum of $128,000. To take care of this im-
mense herd, he employed from twelve to thirty-
five men — very few, usually in the winter
months, and the largest number during the
" round ups " in the spring. During the ship-
ping season of 1875, he had twenty-four men
who were employed in cutting out of his herd
the four-year-old steers that were ready for
market, some fat three-year-olds, and such fat

cows as were no longer fit for breeding pur-
poses. While engaged in this work, the same
men gather the cows with unbranded calves,
which they put into the corrals near by, and
after the calves are branded they are turned
loose with the herd again. By the introduc-
tion of thorough-bred Durham bulls, his herd
was rapidly graded up. In addition to the
cattle raised on his ranche, he dealt largely in
Texas and Indian cattle, and advertised for
20,000 head of Texas cattle to be delivered on
his ranche during the driving months of 1876.
These cattle must be yearlings, two and three-
year-old steers, and for them he had to pay
$7, $11 and $15 per head, respectively. This is,
at least, 10 per cent, advance on the prices paid
for the same kind of cattle in 1875, and indi-
cates their growing scarcity in Texas. Oregon
and Montana cattle, are now beginning to come
East, and 50.000 head were driven down for the
season of 1878 to various points.

Mr. Iliff estimated the increase of cattle from
his home herd — outside of purchases and sales —
to be about 70 per cent, per year, and about
equally divided as to gender. He did not sepa-
rate his bulls from the herd, but allowed them to
remain with it the entire year. In this part of
his management, we believe he made a mistake,
as the percentage of increase would be much
larger if no calves were born during the severe
winter and spring months of each year. The
loss m calves at these times must be very great.
The shipping points for his ranche were at Pine
Bluffs and Julesburg, on the Union Pacific, and
at Deers' Trail on the Kansas Pacific. The
most of his cattle, however, were shipped over the
first-mentioned road.

Lest any one should come to the conclusion
that this business is all profit, and that the ex-
penses and losses do not amount to much, let us
further state that Mr. Iliff' s policy was to keep
his expenses as low as possible, having the keeping
and safety of his cattle constantly in view. In
1875, the expenses of herding, cutting hay for
horses, etc., amounted to less than $15,000. But
the losses from thefts and death, some years, are
frightful. The winter of 1871-2 was very
severe. There were deep snows over his range
that remained on the ground a long time, and
the storms were incessant. In the midst of these
storms, Mr. Iliff visited the ranche, and found his
cattle literally dying by thousands. On the
islands in South Platte River, he found and
drove off into the sand-hills and bluffs on the
south side, after great exertion, some 2,700 head,
and of this number less than half were recovered.
Their bleaching bones now whiten the plains in
the vicinity where they were frozen and starved
to death, and those finally recovered were found
in two different States and four different Terri-
tories in the Union. More than $20,000 were
expended in efforts to find them ; nor was this

all. It was impossible to tell, for a number of
years, how great the loss had been. His books
showed more than 5,000 head unaccounted for.
No trace of them, beyond skeletons, could be
found. At last, in the spring of 1874, this num-
ber was charged to profit and loss account, and
the books balanced for a new start. Could they
have been sold the fall previous, they would
have averaged at least §18 per head, and at this
rate would have amounted to $90,000.

It will thus be seen that the cattle business is
not all profit ; that it is liable to losses the same
as any other busi
ness. Taking
the years togeth-
er, with ordinary
care and j udg-
ment, the busi-
ness will pay
large profits and
prove a desirable
investment. We
would not, how-
ever, advise
every man to
undertake it. It
is a business
that must be
learned, and to
succeed in it
men must have
experience, cap-
ital, and a good
range. Mr. Iliff
had all of these,
and hence met
with correspond-
ing success.
The 26,000
head he had,
he t hou ght
on an aver-
age, were worth
$18 per head.
This rate would
place the capital
he has invested
in cattle at the
sum of 1168,000.
In addition to
this he has 160
head of horses THE BULLWHACKER OF THE PLAINS

and mules, worth at least 810,000, which are used,
principally, in herding, together with wagons,
horses, fences, corrals, sheds, stables, mowing-
machines, tools and implements, and the large
track of land before mentioned. Half a mil-
lion dollars is a low estimate to name as the sum
he had invested in this business, and yet from its
very nature he was liable to lose half of it in the
next year. Like other business ventures, if a
man goes into it, of course he takes the chances,

but with care and good management we see no
reason why he should not, in nine cases out of
ten, win every time. Let the facts speak for
themselves. Ordinary men can't raise a half
million dollars, every day, for such an invest-
ment, and if they could command that amount,
very few would desire a stock ranche and the
cattle business.

Jinttir/Kickers. — A curious character of over-
land life, when the plains were covered with
teams, and long trains of freight-wagons, was the
bullwhacker. He is in size and shape usually of

very large pro-
portions ; very
strong, long, un-
kempt hair, and
face covered
with the stiffest
of beards. Eight
or ten yoke of
oxen were usu-
ally attached to
each wagon, and
often two wag-
onswere doubled
up; i. e., the
tongue of the
second wagon
passed under the
body of the wag-
on just before it,
and then secure-
ly fastened. By
the side of his
wagon hang his
trusty axe and
ready rifle, and
on the tops of the
wagons were
spread the red
blankets used
for their cover at
night. Of the
bulhvhacker, it
is said that his
oath and his whip
are both the
longest ever
known. The
h a n d le of the
ordinary whip is
not more than

three feet in length, but the la«h, which is of
braided rawhide, is seldom less than twenty feet
long. From the wooden handle, the lash swells
gradually out for about six feet, where it is nearly
ten inches in circumference (the point called the
"belly "); from here it tapers to within a foot of
the end, which terminates in the form of a rib-
bon-shaped thong. This is called by some face-
tiously a "persuader," and under its influence it
will make the ox-team progress at the magic

rate of twenty miles per day. The effect on a
refractory ox is quite forcible. The lazy ox occa-
sionally receives a reminder in the shape of a
whack in the flank, that causes him to double up
as if seared with a red-hot iron.

The bullwhacker is universally regarded as the
champion swearer of America. He is more pro-
fane than the mate of a Mississippi River packet,
and his own word is good to the effect that he
" kin drink more whisky." The writer who heard
this, says that " accompanying this statement
were some of the most astounding oaths that ever fell
on the ear"

General Sherman humorously tells a story in
defence of the extremely profane mule-driver
who kept his trains so well closed up during the
long marches of the army under his command. It
is to this effect : " One of the members of a
freighting firm in St. Louis desired to discourage
the continual blasphemy of the bullwhackers in
their employ. Orders were accordingly issued
to their train-masters to discharge any man that
should curse the cattle. The wagon-masters were
selected more for their piety than for any exten-
sive knowledge of their duties in the handling of
trains. The outfit had not proceeded more than
a hundred and fifty miles, before it was stuck
fast. A messenger was dispatched to the firm
with the information that the cattle would not
pull a pound unless they were cursed as usual.
Permission to do this was requested and granted,
after which the train proceeded to Salt Lake, to
which place good time was made."

The bullwhacker is astonishingly accurate with
his lash. One of his favorite pastimes is to cut a
coin from the top of a stick stuck loosely into the
earth. If the coin is knocked off without dis-
turbing the stake, it is his; if the stake is dis-
turbed, the thrower loses the value of the coin.
A curious incident is told of a bullwhacker, not-
ed for the accuracy with which he throws his
lash. He bet a comrade a pint of whisky that
he could cut the cloth on the back of his panta-
loons without touching the skin beneath. The
bet was accepted. The individual put himself
in position, stooping over to give fair chance.
The blow was delivered carefully but in earnest,
and thereon ensued the tallest jump ever put on
record. The owner being minus a portion of his
skin, as well as a large fragment of his breeches,
and the bullwhacker's sorrowful cry, " Thunder,
I've lost the lohidey."

ChapfteU, — 387.4 miles from Omaha. Eleva-
tion 3,702 feet. It is a side track with section-
housa near by. Trains meet and pass here, but
passenger trains do not stop unless signaled.

Lodge Pole — has an elevation of 3.800 feet,
and is 396.5 miles west of Omaha. The creek
from which this station is named, rises in the
Black Hills of Wyoming, west of Cheyenne, and
is fed by springs and numerous small streams
near its source. It generally has water in its

channel the entire year. In occasional places it
sinks into the sand, runs a distance under-ground,
and then reappears on the surface again. The
valley of the Lodge Pole is quite narrow — the
bluffs on either side at times approaching near
the track. The whole region of country upon
which we have now entered, is covered with
buffalo grass, and affords both winter and sum-
mer grazing for immense herds of cattle and
flocks of sheep. Stockmen claim that both cattle
and sheep will do better in this region than far-
ther east, for the reason that the native grasses
are more nutritious, and that there is less snow
in the winter.

Coltoit, — 406.5 miles from Omaha, and 4,022
feet above the sea. It is simply a side track,
named in honor of Francis Colton of Galesburg,
111., and formerly general ticket agent of the
road.

Sidney — is 414.2 miles from the Missouri
River, and 4,073 feet above the sea. It is the
end of a sub-division of the road, and has a
roundhouse and machinery adequate for making
minor repairs. The railroad reached and passed
here in August 1867. The rocky bluffs which
jut up close to the town, were quarried by the
railroad men, and stone obtained for various con-
struction purposes. It is now a regular eating-
station, where all passenger trains stop for break-
fast and supper. The railroad hotel is kept by
J. B. Rumsey, and passengers may be assured of
good meals, with plenty of time to eat, as the
train stops thirty minutes. Sidney is the county-
seat of Cheyenne County, Neb. The military
post here known as Sidney Barracks, was laid
out in 1867, and built in January, 1868, by
Colonel Porter. The town has several stores,
hotels, saloons and general outfitting establish-
ments. It is the nearest railroad point to the
Black Hills, it being only 185 miles by actual
measurement to Harney's Peak, and the adjacent
gold fields, over an excellent wagon road, with
wood and water convenient of access. It has
become a great outfitting depot for the Black
Hills. A daily stage line and freight train now
run regularly, reaching Custer City in thirty
hours, and Dead wood in forty-eight hours. It
is the point where large quantities of military
and Indian supplies are shipped to the agen-
cies and military posts adjoining. It also has
a weekly newspaper, The Sidney Telegraph, which
is quite an enterprising sheet. The town still
has the characteristics of a frontier place, and
not a small number of roughs have died here
"with their boots on." In December, 1875, a
man was found hanging to a telegraph pole one
morning, who had shot another in cold blood,
and without provocation. He was taken from
the jail and jailer by masked men and strung up
as aforesaid. The town was begun about the
time the railroad passed through. D. Carrigan,
now probate judge of the county, and James and

Charles Moore being the first settlers. James
Moore was the post trader here for a long time.
He is now dead. In the time of the Pony Ex-
press he made the remarkable trip of 280* miles
in fourteen hours and three-quarters. The town
has had trouble with Indians, and was once
attacked by them, as related in another place.
Even after the trains were running regularly, the
Indians would seek for revenge in ditching them
and in killing all the employes they could.
Section-men always went armed, ready to defend
themselves in case of attack. In April of 1869,
the Indians attacked two section-men who had
gone to the creek for water, and one of them,
Daniel Davidson, was killed — his body being liter-
ally filled with arrows. Right north of the town,
where the traveler can see a small column of
stones, was an old fort or breastwork, the re-
mains of which are still visible, which was
used as a place of defense in case of Indian
raids. A bridge across the North Platte River,
on the road to Spotted Tail's Agency, would
largely increase the trade and importance of
the town. In 1875, the assessed valuation of
Cheyenne County was about $1,250,000. There
are a large number of stockmen in the county.

Beautiful Cloud Effects. — Artists and all
travelers, as they get nearer and nearer to the
summit of the Rocky Mountains, will often have
fine opportunities to see some magnificent cloud
effects. The most glorious sunset ever witnessed
by the writer, was one beautiful evening in pass-
ing down the line of the Denver Pacific Railroad
from Cheyenne. Long's Peak, grand in its sub-
limity of snow, was surrounded with a collection
of clouds, so poised that the rays of the setting
sun showed us each side of them. On the hither
side the fleecy clouds were lighted up with the
grandest of crimson and golden colors ; in their
midst opened little circular or oval windows,
which, letting light upon their upper portions,
seemed to be of molten silver ; while in their depth
of deep azure blue— more beautiful than we can de-
scribe— there seemed to glow the intense colors
and reflections from the bosom of a mountain lake.
Every few minutes the clouds, at our distance from
them, changed their position, and new colors,
forms, and rays came and went, and when at last
the sun itself dropped slowly behind the very point
of the peak, and it shone out in startling clear-
ness with the grand display of rainbow-colored
clouds above ; the sight seemed like a heavenly
vision. The editors of the New York and East-
ern Editorial Excursion Party of 1875, who wit-
nessed the scene, expressed but one sentiment of
admiration, that it was far the most superb
cloud and sunset scene ever witnessed. Such
scenes are very frequent, and exceedingly capti-
vating to those who have a true artist's eye and
appreciation of colors and effects.

An English traveler (to whom beautiful sun-
sets are unknown) when once traveling from

Ogalalla toward Laramie, over the plains, says,
" As we journeyed, the sun approached the hori-
zon, and the sky and numerous clouds assumed
columns of strange and wonderful beauty. The
'azure vault' itself was of all possible shades of
light green, and also of clear light blue ; some of
the clouds were of solid masses of the deepest
indigo, while a few were black, some were pur-
ple, and others faintly tinged with crimson and
gold. Two days before, 1 had witnessed cloud
effects almost equally fine. There is no monot-
ony in the glorious dawns or beautiful sunsets,
which are the rule on these elevated plains, and
which go far to relieve the tameness of the land-
scape.

" As evening approached, on my journey to
Laramie, and I neared my destination on the
great mountain plains, I saw hovering over one
of the snow-capped peaks, a richly colored cloud,
so curious in form, and withal so perfect that it
might well have been considered a miraculous
omen, in the superstitious days of old. It was a
most accurate representation of a long waving
ostrich plume, in varying tints of crimson and
purple and gold ; I gazed on it with pleasure and
wonder till it faded away."

Stinset in a, Storm. — The Earl of Dunraven,
in an account of his travels, mentions with won-
der these extraordinary sunset scenes : "Just be-
fore sundown, the gorgeous flaunting streamers
of bright yellow and red that were suddenly shot
out across a lurid sky were most wonderful to
behold. If the vivid colors were transferred to
canvas with a quarter of their real brilliancy,
the eye would be distressed by the representa-
tion, and the artist accused of gross exaggera-
tion and of straining after outrageous effects.

" These stormy American sunsets are startling,
barbaric, even savage in their brilliancy of tone,
in their profusion of color, in their great streaks
of red and broad flashes of yellow fire ; startling,
but never repulsive to the senses, or painful
to the eye. For a time the light shone most
brilliantly all over the western hemisphere,
breaking through a confused mass of dazzling
purple-edged clouds, massed against a glowing,
burnished copper sky, darting out bright arrows
through the rifts and rents, and striking full
upon the mountain top.

" But not long did this glorious effulgence last.
The soul of the evening soon passed away ; as
the sun sank, the colors fled. The mountains
became of a ghastly, livid greenish color, and as
the faint rose light paled, faded slowly upward
and vanished, it really looked as though, the life
were ebbing away, and the dull gray death-hue
spreading over the face of a dying man."

Sunset Scene on Mount ff'fishlmrne. —
The Earl of Dunraven ascending, in the summer
of 1874, the summit of Mt. Washburne was re-
warded at sunset with a scene of extraordinary
magnificence, which he relates as follows : " The

sun was getting very low, and the valleys were
already steeped in shade. To the east all was
dark, but in the western heavens long flaming
streaks of yellow were flashing across a lowering
sky. The masses of black clouds were glowing
red with an angry flush. The clear white light
of a watery sun had changed into broad streaks
of flaunting saffron. Across all the hemisphere,
opposed to it, the setting orb was shaking out
the red and yellow folds of its banners, challeng-
ing the forces of the storm, which was marshal-
ing on the horizon its cloud warriors resplend-
ent in burnished gold.

" The sun sank behind a cloud, and I turned
away to descend ; but as we went, the sun,
though invisible to us, broke through some hid-
den rift in the clouds, and shone out bright and
strong, splashing its horizontal rays full against
tha opposite slopa, and deluging the lower por-
tions of tha valley with a flood of intense cherry-
colored lurid light. The hills reddened as if
beat upon by tha full glare of a great furnace.
It was a sight most glorious to see. The beauty
of it held us and forced us to stop. The glow
did not gradually ripan into fullness, but sud-
danly, and in all its intensity, struck upon a
prominent ridge, lighting up the crags and cliffs,
and even the rocks and stones, in all their de-
tails, and than by degrees it extended and spread
on either side over the foot-hills, bringing out
the projecting slopas and shoulders from deep
gloom into clear light, and throwing back the
valley into blankest shade. Every rock and
precipice seamad close at hand, and shone and
glowed with such radiance that you could trace
the very rents and crevices in the cliff faces, and
mark the pine trees clinging to the sides, while
in comparison the deep recesses of the chasms
and canons seemad to extend for miles back into
dark shadow. As tha sun sank, so rose the
light, rushing upward, surging over the hills in
a wave of crimson mist, really beautiful to be-
hold, and illuminating the great bulk of the
range, while tha peaks were still darkly rearing
thair sullen heads above the tide, and the valleys
ware all filled with gray vapors. At last the
glare caught the mist, and in an instant trans-
formed it from gray cloud into a gauzy, half-
transparent veil, light, airy, delicate exceed-
ingly, in color like the inner petals of the rose.
Then, as the sun dropped suddenly, the light
flashed upon the summit, the peaks leaped into
startling life, and the darkness fell."

Broivnson. — Simply a side track. Elevation
4,200 feet above the sea. Distance from Omaha,
423.2 miles. The station was named after a for-
mer general freight agent of the Union Pacific.
From Sidney, and in this vicinity, the bluffs are
rugged, and look like fortifications or the old
castles that we read about. They are simply
indications of the grand scenery which is to
follow.

Potter. — 433.1 miles from Ornaha. Elevation
4,370 feet. It is a telegraph station. West of
Potter you cross the bed of a dry creek, which
leads into the Lodge Pole.

Hennett. — Another side track, at which pas-
senger trains do not stop. There is a fine stock
ranche near by, and the grazing in this vicinity
is excellent. The station is named after Colonel
Bennett, the efficient superintendent of the Pull-
man Palace Car Company at Omaha. It is 442.3
miles from the eastern tei minus of the road, with
an elevation of 4,580 feet.

Antelope. — 451.3 miles from Omaha. Eleva-
tion, 4,712 feet. A telegraph and coal station,
with side tracks and section house. In Novem-
ber, 1875, the Indians, who have a liking for
good and fast horses, equal to that of Bonner,
the New York Ledger man, went to the ranche of
Mr. Jones, a Kentuckiari, about twenty miles
south of this station, and stole some forty head
of bloodod horses and mares which he had
there for breeding purposes. They are supposed
— believed — to have gone north, and if Uncle
Sam's Indian agents would withhold rations f re m
the tribe until they were brought back, or make
a thorough search for them, they could undoubted-
ly be found. Many of the animals were thorough-
breds, and very valuable. Here is another viola-
tion of the Sioux treaty. Mr. Jones will have to
pocket his loss, while Uncle Sam will, of course,
pocket the insult. Antelope is the home of pome
old hunters, and if the traveler desires to hear
their experiences, let him stop a clay and inter-
view Jack Evans, who has a ranche here, and Mr.
Goff, who lias been engaged in the business some
fourteen years.

Landscape of 17ie Colorado Plains. —
There is a charm in life on the great plains. To
one who visits it for the first time, it seems
lonely indeed, and yet it is never wearisome.

Now come great rolling uplands of enoimous
sweep, then boundless grassy plains, and all
the grandeur of vast monotony and desolation.
Sometimes the grand distances are broken by
rugged buttes and bluffs. As they rise in sight,
the traveler is as eager in his curiosity as the
sea voyager just catching his first view of the dis-
tant shore. Over all these plains there is a
sparkling, enthusiasm-giving atmosphere, crisp,
strong, magnetic, and a never-failing breeze;
even in the hottest days, or portions of the day,
the air is bracing, and rarely ever is the sky long
cloudless.

That vastness of solitude, boundless plains,
and boundless sky, that stretch of Jblue, that
waste of brown, never a tree, river, bird, or ani-
mal, home or life of any nature, who can de-
scribe the sensations, which are so overpowering.

As you approach the mountains, the Colorado
plains assume more verdure, as they are better
watered by the little streams from the foot-hills,
or bedewed by the mountain showers. In sum-

mer time the landscape is green, and the plains
covered with flowers, while in autumn, with the
yellow of the prairie grass, the flowers ever stay,
new ones coming as old ones disappear. The
sunflower is the most profuse of all the species of
vegetation that spring up wherever the soil is
opened. For thousands of miles, w:herever the
railroad or a wagon route has made its way
across the country, there spring up parallel rows
of the ever-living sunflower. In the eastern por-
tions of the plains of Nebraska and Kansas, near
the Missouri River, may be seen square miles of
sunflowers, 7 to 9 feet high ; as we travel farther
west, they gradually dwindle until they are, in
Colorado, only 3 to 9 inches in height, the oddest
little plant in nature, yet perfect in shape and
growth.

years yet to come, to be only the grazing-field of
thousands of buffalo or herds of cattle. Water
is scarce, irrigation is impossible, rains uncer-
tain, and in many parts the soil is full of soda
and alkali. The western inarch of settlement
practically ends at the one hundredth meridian
of longitude — North Platte.

Coyotes. — Pioneers, Indians and drivers,
unite in the most thrilling exclamations of their
detestations of this, the meanest of the animal
tribe that infest the plains. Just after twilight,
if you happen to be encamped on the plains, you
will hear not far off the quick bark of a single
coyote. This is the first call, the bugle cry. Then
come answers, and the pack of wolves assemble
rapidly; and just as darkness closes down, you
have but one enjoyment left, to listen to the most

Into this vast area of plains, which reaches
from east to west 500 miles, and north to south
1,000 miles, there can be poured nearly all the
population of Europe and Asia. Swallowing up
by the thousands, the plains, with open mouth,
wait with insatiate appetite for more. Into this
area can be put the whole of India. It is twice
as large as Hindostan, and as large as the whole
of the United States east of Chicago.

Agriculture is certain as far west as the three
hundredth mile from the Missouri River; from
thence westward, to the immediate vicinity of
the mountains, no crops can at present be raised.
This reach of 200 miles or more is, for many

dismal of howling matches. As each new comer
arrives he is welcomed with a howl. Each howl
is short, and by the band there seems to be a
chosen few who execute them in proper manner,
with all the variations. After these few have
performed some of their most " striking airs," a
silence of a few moments' duration follows, and
then the whole band breaks out with the most un-
earthly noises, which are second to no other noises
of plains and mountains. Kit Carson once said of
these howls, "that it was .only a little dispute as
to which coyote had, as the winner of the match,
the right to take the stakes (steaks)." A trav-
eler says of them : " It is quite impossible to do

full justice to this wolf music. There is no
racket known to the inhabitants of the more
civilized sections of our country which will com-
pare with it. All the felines in the neighbor-
hood would not make a noise which would begin
to equal wolf music." Strange as it may seem,
the rough pioneer esteems this music his sweetest
lullaby, for as one of the old " rough and readies"
says : " If any redskin should take it under his
scalp to look about camp, every cuss of them
coyotes would shut up his trap and wake the fel-
lows up with the quiet." So long as the coyote
cries there is no danger from Indians — the
moment he ceases, danger is near — so the pioneer
esteems their music his best lullaby, and their
bark his safety. Occasionally the pack, toward
early morning, will make a raid into the
traveler's camp, and grab any edibles or pieces
left within reach; even sometimes seizing the
very haversack upon which the sleeper's head
is pillowed, but seldom ever touching the per-
sons of the campers. As morning approaches,
they retire to a safe distance from camp, and
squatted on their haunches like dogs, wait till
the party leaves.

The plains men have an old saying, " That the
coyotes can smell a States feller, and then you
will not see a coyote anywhere within sight of
camp." The explanation for which is supposed
to be as follows, given also by the old plains men :
" States fellers shoots at any live thing as
jumps in their sight, whether it is any 'count to
them or no."

Adams. — A side track 457.3 miles from
Omaha; elevation 4,781 feet. The country here
is considerably broken, and between the bluffs
on either side huge boulders crop out.

Bushnell, — 463.2 miles from Omaha, and
4,860 feet above the sea. It is simply a side
track with water tank. In coming up this val-
ley the railroad crosses the Lodge Pole Creek, or
its little branches, several times. Near Bushnell
is a trestle bridge across the creek.

Hailstorms. — This region of country is fre-
quently, in summer, visited with hailstorms and
cloud-bursts. In the summer of 1875, a train was
overtaken by one of these hailstorms, and not a
whole pane of glass was left in the side of the
cars toward the storm. The glass in skylights
on the top of the cars was broken, and many of
the hailstones, as large as a man's fist, bounded
through the cars on the opposite side. The
wooden sides of the cars were dented, and the
sheet-iron casing of the engine-boiler looked as
though it had passed through a violent case of
the small-pox. When these cloud-bursts occur,
the drops of rain seem as large as walnuts, and
come so fast that the entire surface of the ground
is covered — the surplus water not having time to
run off. In such storms the road is liable to
washouts, and great care is necessary in the run-
ning of trains to avoid accidents.

Bushnell is the last station in Nebraska. Just
across the line, between it and Wyoming, conies

Pine Bluffs, — 473.2 miles from Omaha ; ele-
vation 5,026 feet. The little station takes its
name from the stunted pines along the bluffs.
Pine timber once was plenty here, but it disap-
peared when the road was built. It is the great
trail and crossing point for Indians passing from
the buffalo grounds on the Republican to Horse
Creek and North Platte River. Was several
times attacked by Indians during construction of
road, several were killed and large amounts of
stock stolen. It is now the head-quarters of
Judge Tracy's cattle ranche, and several carloads
cf cattle are shipped each year. Muddy Creek
is just west of station, has water most of the time,
yet Lodge Pole Creek, beyond Egbert, sinks in
the sand. Water can be found in the bed of the
stream by digging 3 to 9 feet. This is a telegraph
station, with side track, cattle-yards and chutes.

Tracy, — 478.8 miles from Omaha ; elevation
5,149 feet. It is a side track named in honor
of Judge Tracy of Cheyenne.

Et/bert, — 484.4 miles from Omaha ; elevation
5,272 feet. It is a side track with water tank.
Three miles south of this side track runs the
Muddy, which has quite a settlement of ranche-
men. The Lodge Pole at this point is still dry,
and the company dug thirty-two feet for the
water which supplies their tank. The road here
leaves the main valley of the Lodge Pole, to the
right, and runs up a branch, in which the bed of
a creek is visible, but which never has water in
it except after the cloud-bursts spoken of.

Burns, — 490.7 miles from the Missouri River,
with an elevation of 5,428 feet. The grade is
now quite heavy as we are going up on to the
divide between the Lodge Pole and Crow Creek.
Burns is simply a side track where trains occa-
sionally meet and pass.

Hillsdale, — a telegraph station with side
track and section-house. The place takes its name
from a Mr. Hill, who was killed here by the In-
dians at the time the road was located. He
belonged to the engineer corps of the road. The
company's well here, which supplies the water
tank, is 72 feet deep. North and south of this sta-
tion numerous sheep ranches have been opened.
By looking straight west, up the track, you can
here obtain the first glimpse of the Black Hills
of Wyoming — and they will come into plain view
as you ascend the heavy grade toward the divide.
Hillsdale is 5,591 feet above the sea, and 496.4
miles from Omaha. Notice the grade indicated
by the elevations as you pass these stations.

At/fins,— 502.6 miles from Omaha, and 5,800
feet above the sea. It is a side track, simply,
with water tank and section-house near by. The
well which supplies this station with water is
over 200 feet deep. Here the traveler obtains a
good view of the Black Hills stretching off to the
right. Still up the grade you go, reaching the

summit of the divide in the first snow shed on
the line of the road just beyond

Archer, — which is 508 miles from the starting
place, with an elevation of 6,000 feet above tide-
water. This station is a side track with section-
house near by. A short distance farther, you

makes its way through the bluffs off to the left.
Soon we come to a deep cut through the spur of
a bluff, passing which, we cross a bridge over a
dry ravine, and then continue up the hill to the
" Magic City " of the plains, called Cheyenne.
Long's Peak. — Travelers will notice, a few

LONG'S PEAK FROM E8TES PARK.

enter the shed ; it seems like passing through a
tunnel. In the distance there are mountains
"to the right of you," and mountains "to the
left of you," but we shall see more of them here-
after. Leaving the snow shed we are now on a
down grade into Crow Creek Valley, which

hours before reaching Cheyenne, the snow-clad
summit of this bold peak, rising above the dis-
tant horizon. It is about sixty miles south-west
of the Union Pacific Railroad, and the highest
mountain in northern Colorado. The view we
here give is taken from Estes Park ; a beautiful

little park on its north-western slope, and about
twelve miles distant from the summit. This
park i.s about four miles wide, and six miles long,
is well sheltered, easy of access, and beautifully
covered with pine and spruce trees, scattered
easily about over the grassy surface, which gives
to it a true park-like loveliness. It is partially
occupied by a few families who have taken up
permanent homesteads, and has been for a long
time an excellent pasture for large herds of cattle
which live here the entire year. Jt is also becom-
ing quite a pleasure resort, and has many at-
tractive features to interest the health seeker and
tourist. Excellent fishing, in lovely little trout
streams, can be found all over the vicinity. From
this valley is the only practicable route for
ascending the peak. Long's Peak is 14,271 feet
in elevation, and about 0,300 feet above the park.
Its construction is of the boldest and most de-
cided character, with great walls, deep canons;
and on its sides there are gorges and caverns
among the grandest on the continent. Its sum-
mit is divided into two sharp crests, the western
one being the highest and most difficult of ascent.
It is a famous landmark for a stretch of country
of more than a hundred miles from north to
south.

Buffaloes. — Buffalo hunting is a pastime
tourists can now have little hope to indulge in.
Few or no buffaloes ever appear within sight of
the car windows of the overland trains, and the
vast herds which once roamed for thousands of
mil 33 and continually up and down the great
plain, are passing away, or disappearing from their
old haunts to find some nook or corner more
quiet and secure. Thousands of them have been
killed during the past two or three winters for
commercial purposes. The hides are stripped
off and sold for as low prices as $1.50, while the
bones are gathered in heaps near the railroad
station and freighted eastward to be used for
commercial fertilizers. In one winter it is esti-
mated that on the lines of the Union and Kansas
Pacific Railroad there were killed over 100,000
head.

A Smart, Indian Trade. — The Indians
which in olden times used to visit the military
posts, were noticeable for their great anxieties to
trade, and for their great shrewdness, which had
often the spice of humor.

At one of the posts a Kiowa chief endeavored
to consummate a bargain for an officer's wife, by
offering as an equivalent a large number of fnt
dogs ; the number was so large that the Indians
present thinking it was impossible for the officer
to withstand so tempting an offer, made haste to
express their willingness to Mp eat the </"#•«, if
there were more than the white man could man-
age for himself.

But it is among the Indians themselves that
the sharpest species of trading is seen. In the
great passion of ths Indian for " fire-water" —

whisky — there comes out, in their trade for it,
all the possible shrewdness and cunning of the
races.

At one time, as a military officer relates the
story, there was a Kiowa village, beautifully
located for the winter near a grove of old cotton-
wood trees. The fact that the village was rich
in buffalo robes and other skins became known
to a band of the Cheyenne tribe. Stealing would
not answer, as there were too many Kiowas and
too few Cheyennes. But the shrewdness of the
Cheyennes appeared soon in the shape of a bottle
of whisky ; how they obtained it was a mystery
not explained.

With their whisky, the Cheyennes proceeded
to the Kiowa village, exhibited their bottles, and
distributed around a few judicious smells of the
refreshing corn juice ; every now and then giving
the bottle a shake, so that the aroma should be
thoroughly appreciated by their Jriemls the Kiowas.
The smells were freely accepted, and there
was an uncommon desire manifested to know more
(i. e., get better acquainted) of the Cheyennes.
Pipes were produced and duly smoked; after
which the visitors announced their willingness to
trade, as they said.

" They had not brought much whisky, as they
did not know that their brothers, the Kiowas
would like to see it. The little that they had
with them was good and very strong," (with
water) "when the Kiowas had tasted of it they
would see." The Cheyenne was liberal, "he
would give so much," (holding up the bottle and
marking \\ith the thumb something like half an
inch of the whisky). " But seeing that the
Kiowas were not in haste to trade, the Cheyennes
would smoke with them." Meanwhile a kindly
disposed bottle-holder was dispensing smells of
the whisky to a few Kiowas, who were loud in
their announcements of the number of fine robes
which they possessed. This second smoke was
quickly finished, and the Cheyenne again ex-
hibited the fire.irater, marking it as before by the
location of thelhumb on the bottle.

A general exclamation followed, for to the
Kiowa's eye the position of the thumb on the
bottle was so very much higher (i. e., so much
less whisky than before). To this Cheyenne had
no consideration ; the trouble he said, was with
the eyes of the Kiowas, which could not be ex-
pected to see big like those of a Cheyenne. Another
smelling time ensued, which was followed by an
instantaneous exhibition by the Kiowas of tin
cups and robe.«, and the Cheyennes began to pour
out the whisky.

AVhile pouring out the promised grog, the posi-
tion of the th umb on the bottle was regarded by
each Kiowa with the most exact scrutiny, which
effectually prevented all attempts to shove up the
gauge. And it was noticeable by the care of
the bottle-holders, that when the bottle was held
up after each pass, no Indian could detect the

slightest variation between the whisky mark and
the position of the finger on the bottle.

The Kiowas did not get drunk, and the Chey-
ennes left the village with all their ponies loaded
with robes, having as they freely remarked, made
a " heap smart trade."

Astonishment of Indians at the Loco-
motive and Telegraphs. — When the first
locomotive was seen passing over the plains, an
Indian guide in the employ of the United States,
exclaimed with inexpressible surprise, "Good
Medicine, good medicine. Look look," at the tu-te
(toot). As he passed under the telegraph wires
which then were stretching along the Platte,
through which the wind as it swept, made the
whirr and singing sound of a prairie harp, this
guide heard the sound, and directly declared that
they were talking "medicines." This was sup-
posed to be the creations of the great spirit, and
everything of supernatural nature was "medi-
cine."

The Indians have rarely ever molested the tele-
graph wires which spanned the continent. Per-
haps the following incident may have much to do
with their respectful and distant attitude : —
Shortly after the wires were erected, the attaches
of the Telegraph Company invited a number of
Indian chiefs to meet them at a given point, and
from thence to travel, one party East and the
other West.

When they had reached a distance of 100 miles
apart, each party was invited to dictate a message
to the other, which was sent over the wires.
Then turning backward, they rode rapidly toward
each other, and two days later met and compared
notes. They were greatly astonished, and ex-
pressed themselves convinced that the " Great
Spirit " had talked to them with the wires. They
decided from that time it would be well to avoid
meddling with the wires.

Soon after a little incident happened, which,
in the minds of the Indians, seemed to settle
forever the opinion that the telegraph belonged
to the Great Spirit. A young Sioux Indian was
determined to show that he had no faith in the
Great Spirit's connection with the wires, so he
set to work with his hatchet to cut down one of
the telegraph poles. A severe thundei-storm was
going on at a distance ; a charge of electricity
being taken up by the wires, was passed to the
pole which the Indian was cutting, and resulted
in his instant death. After that the tribe never
molested the telegraph again.

An Indian Prayer. — The following actual
translation of an Indian prayer will give an idea
of their feelings and longings, and the extent of
their moral sentiments. It is a prayer to the
Great Spirit by a Crow Indian :

" I am poor ; that is bad."

" Make me a Chief ; give me plenty of horses ;
give me fine clothing. I ask for good spotted
horses."

" Give me a large tent ; give me a great many
horses ; let me steal fine horses ; grant it to me."

" Give me guns by cheating ; give me a beauti-
ful woman ; bring the buffalo close by."

" No deep snow ; a little snow is good."

" Give me Black Feet to kill or to die ; close
by, all together."

" Stop the people from dying, it is good."

" Give instruments for amusements, blankets
too, and fine meats to eat."

" Give the people altogether plenty of fine buf-
falo, and plenty to eat."

CHEYENNE.

"Magic City of the Plains,"— 516 miles
from Omaha ; elevation, 6,041 feet. Thus truly
is it named, for it is at present the most active
and stirring city on the entire line. Travelers
will here take a dinner in comfortable style
at one of the best kept hotels between the
two oceans. It is a good place to rest after a
tiresome journey, and it will pay to stop a few
days and enjoy the pure air and genial sun in
this high altitude. The hotel is owned by the
railroad company, and is 150 feet long by 36
wide, with a wing 25 feet square. It has an
elegant dining-hall, around which hang the heads
of antelope, deer, elk, mountain-sheep, black-tailed
deer, buffalo, etc., all nicely preserved and looking
very natural. It is two stories high, the upper
floor being well furnished with sleeping-rooms for
guests. Cheyenne is the capital of Wyoming and
the county-seat of Laramie County. Cheyenne
has had its ups and downs. Once very lively
when the road was building, then it fell dead and
motionless. Now it has arisen again, and is the
largest town on the railroad between Omaha and
Salt Lake City, having a population of fully
4,000, and rapidly growing. There are two causes
for this growth. First, the stock interests which
center here, and second, the recent gold dis-
coveries in the Black Hills. It is the termi-
nus of the Denver Pacific Railroad, and of
the Colorado Central completed, 1877, giv-
ing two routes to Colorado and New Mex-
ico. During the last two years there has
been a large increase in the permanent build-
ings of the city. In 1875, the Inter-Ocean
hotel was completed — a fine brick struc-
ture three stories high, and other large and
elegant brick blocks with iron and glass
fronts. In proportion to its population, Chey-
enne has more elegant and substantial busi-
ness houses than most any other western
city. Its inflation period has long since
passed away, and its future growth, like its
present, will be substantial and permanent.
The town has a fine court-house and jail,
which cost $40,000, a large public school build-
ing, a good city hall, and a brick opera-house.
This is a wonderful change for a place known the

world over by its fearful sobriquet of " Hell on
Wheels." Churches have come where gamblers
once reigned ; and in five years as many edifices
for religious purposes have been erected. The
Episcopalians, Methodists, Presbyterians, Congre-
gationalists and Catholics have all comfortable
church buildings. The school accommodations,
owing to the rapid growth of the city, will soon
have to be enlarged. At first sight the traveler
would naturally inquire, what there was to build
and sustain a town here ? The soil is not prolific,
nor is the country around it. Crow Creek bottom
is quite narrow, and in the most favorable seasons,
by irrigation, " garden truck " may be raised, but
beyond this every thing looks barren and desolate.
The soil has a reddish appearance, and appears
to consist of decomposed granite underlaid in the
valleys with sand and on the uplands with rock.
In fact, a man who attempts to farm it for a
living in this region of country is simply fooling
away his time.

Stock Interests. — The rich nutritious gras-
ses with which the great plains are covered are
here found in all their excellence, and the large
territory east of the base of the Black Hills, north
as far as the North Platte River and south to the
Gulf of Mexico, is now sustaining millions of
sheep and cattle. Cheyenne is located in the
midst of one of the best sections of this territory,
and all around it are the ranches of stockmen —
men engaged in growing cattle, sheep, horses and
mules for market. With the exception of sheep,
no hay is cut for these animals except for those
kept up for use. Winter and summer they thrive
and fatten upon nothing but the native grasses.
Cheyenne is the central and natural trading-
point for these ranchmen and stock growers^
Another large and valuable element of its pros-
perity is the railroad trade — the company having
here quite extensive machine and repair shops,
with a commodious roundhouse. Hunting and
exploring parties also supply themselves with out-
fits at this place, and immense quantities of mili-
tary and Indian supplies also pass through here
for the posts and Indian agencies north.

To give an idea of the stock business which
centers here, and its rapid increase, let us state that
375 cars of cattle were shipped in 1874. which
represent 7,500 head. In 1875, the shipments in-
creased to 525 cars, or 10,500 head, with prospects
for a large increase in 1876 and future years. It
may be well to state here, the shipments from other
points in this grazing belt of the country :

North Platte in 1875 shipped 96 cars, or 1,920 head.
Ogalalla, " " 207 " 4,140 "

Julesburg, " " 216 " 4,320 "

Sidney, " " 93 " 1,860 "

Pine Bluffs, " " 208 " 4,160 "

This statement does not include the cattle mar-
keted at home or supplied to the Indian agencies
in the north. Sixty thousand head of cattle,
seventy thousand sheep and four thousand horses
and mules ai 3 the estimated number owned and

held in Laramie County alone. The development
of the cattle and stock interests of this vast up-
land region is something never thought of nor
entered the heads of the projectors of the railroad.
In 1867, when the railroad first arrived, there was
not probably a hundred head of all kinds owned in
the whole territory, outside of those belonging to
contractors and stage lines. Now it is a leading
interest, and represents millions of dollars. Like
all other frontier towns, Cheyenne has a history,
and it is similar to that of others. It was once a
very fast town, and it is not very slow now. On
the 1st day of July, 1867, it had one house built and
owned by Judge J. R. Whitehead, on Eddy street,
between Sixteenth and Seventeenth. That house
stands to-day, and is known as the Whitehead
block. It was built of logs and smoothly plastered,
outside and in.

Rough Times. — When it was known that this
was to be the winter terminus of the road, there
was a grand hegira of roughs, gamblers and pros-
titutes from Julesburg and other places down the
road to this point, and in the fall of that year and
winter of '68, Cheyenne contained 6,000 inhab-
itants. Habitations sprang up like mushrooms.
They were of every conceivable character, and
some were simply holes in the ground, otherwise
termed " dug-outs." Town-lots were sold at fabu-
lous prices. Every nation on the globe, nearly, was
represented here. The principal pastimes were
gambling, drinking villainous rot-gut whisky,
and shooting. Shooting scrapes were an every-
day occurrence. Stealing anything from any-
body was the natural habit of the thieving roughs.
Knock downs and robberies were daily and
nightly amusements. But these things had to
come to an end, and their perpetrators, some
of them, to a rope's end. The more respectable
portion of the citizens became weary of the dep-
redations on property and life. Vigilance com-
mittees were organized, and "Judge Lynch"
held court, from which there were neither appeals
nor stay of executions. Juries never disagreed,
nor were there vexatious delays and motions for
a new trial. AVitnesses were unnecessary and de-
murrers of no account. Nor would " the insanity
dodge " avail. The victims were known and
"spotted" beforehand, the judgments cf the
courts were unerring and generally righteous. No
gallows were erected, because telegraph poles and
the railroad bridge across Crow Creek were con-
venient of access. When Cheyenne was only six
months old, so frequent were the murders and
robberies, and the city authorities so _ powerless,
that a vigilance committee was organized. The
first knowledge of its existence happened thus :
Three men were arrested on the 10th day of
January, 1868, charged with having stolen $900.
They were put under bonds to appear before
the court on the 14th of the same month. On
the morning of the day after they were arrested,
they were found on Eddy street, tied together,

walking abreast with a large piece of canvas
attached to them, on which the following words
were conspicuous: " $900 s/o/e ; $5iiO returned',
thieves — F. St. Clair, W. Grier, E. D. Bruwnviile.
City authorities please not interfere until 10 o'clock
o. in. Next case goes up a tree. Beware of Vigi-
lance Committee." Within one year after its organ-
ization, the " vigilantes " had hung and shot
twelve desperadoes and sent five to the peniten-
tiary. Since that time Cheyenne has been ruled
by the law-and-order party, though even these may
seem rather lax to eastern people not accustomed
to ths manners and customs of the frontier. Yet
the people enjoy " peace."

On the 13th day of November, 1867, the track
layers reached the city limits, and on the 14th
the first passenger train arrived. The arrival of
the track layers was greeted with music, a dis-
play of bunting, while the inhabitants turned out
en mas*e to meet them. On the 14th an en-
thusiastic meeting of citizens was held to extend
a public greeting to the railroad officials who had
arrived on the first train, among whom were
Sidney Dillon, Esq., now president of the com-
pany, and General Casement of Ohio, the cham-
pion track layer of the continent.

The first city government was organized, by the
election of officers, on the 10th of August, 1867.
The first newspaper was issued on the 19th of
September, called the Cheyenne Leader, and has
maintained its existence ever since — publishing
daily and weekly editions. Other papers have
since been started, but they were short-lived, until
the publication of the Cheyenne Daily News,
which is a spicy little daily. As the town is now
able to support two papers, the News (just merged
into the Daily 6'u/i,) will continue to flourish.

Cheyenne is well laid out, with broad streets
at right angles to the railroad, and has an abund-
ant supply of pure water. Irrigating ditches
run through the streets. A ditch was dug from
Crow Creek to some natural " hollows " or reser-
voirs north of tha town, which form beautiful little
lakes. From these the water for the streets is
taken by ditches. As a result, trees and shrubbery
will soon ornament the streets and yards of the
city, which will greatly add to its attractiveness
and beauty. There are a few local manufactories
already in existence and more will follow, and
on a larger scale. With the wool which is soon to
be annually shipped from this place, wo should
think a woolen factory would be a great desid-
eratum.

Precious Stones. — Tn the adjacent mount-
ains, on the hills and bluffs near by, and in the
valleys of the streams in this vicinity, a large num-
ber of curious and precious stones, gems rich and
rare, have been found. They are very plenty in
their natural state, their chief value being in the
cost of cutting by a lapidary and mounting by a
jeweler. In the immediate neighborhood of Chey-
enne the following are found: Moss-agates, in

great profusion ; topaz, in colors ; garnet or mount-
ain ruby ; they are usually found in the little
heaps of sand thrown up by ants ; opals variegated,
rare as yet, and valuable ; petrifactions of wood
and shells, which when cut, polished and mounted,
are splendid ; amethysts, onyx, black and white,
for cameos and jasper. All of these have been
found in this vicinity, though some are rare. The
most beautiful moss-agates are found about half-
way to Fort Laramie, on Chugwater Creek.
Messrs. Joslyn & Park, an old and reliable firm of
manufacturing jewelers, in both Cheyenne and
Salt Lake City, have made this business a special-
ty, and possess the largest and finest collection of
stones in the country. Some of them are exceed-
ingly beautiful. Fine specimens of petrified
palm-wood may be seen at their store. They are
both beautiful and rare. The fact that petrified
palm-wood and petrified bones of the rhinoceros
have been found in this territory, shows that
some six million years ago — comparatively recent
— there was a tropical climate in this region of
country, when the palm flourished in luxuriance,
and the rhinoceros sported in the warm streams
or cavorted around on their sunny banks. Trav-
elers who are willing to omit their dinner can
improve the half hour allowed by the railroad, by
a hurried run over to this store, which is but a
block away.

Prospects. — At present, the greatest cause of
the growth and prosperity of Cheyenne is the dis-
covery of gold in the Black Hills of Dakota. This
cause will last until, if that country will warrant
it, a railroad is built there. The discoveries
of gold seem to be extensive and inexhaustive,
and the building of a railroad from some point
here or on the Union Pacific or Missouri River,
will rapidly follow. The Colorado Central
Railroad newly opened gives to Cheyenne
very flattering prospects, and its business men
are reaping a rich harvest from their invest-
ments. The opening of northern Wyoming
to settlement, the development of the vast mineral
resources of the territory, and the continued pros-
perity of her stock interests, will give to the
" Magic City -of the Plains " the trade, growth
and influence which her location demands.

Health. — As a resort for health-seekers, Chey-
enne has superior advantages. It is about a thou-
sand feet higher than Denver, with an atmosphere
not only rarefied but dry. It has good hotels and
livery accommodations. Ponies are cheap, and in-
valids can purchase them and ride aver the hills
and dales at pleasure. There is also an abundance
of game in the vicinity — antelope, rabbits, deer,
etc. A bear weighing over 1,500 pounds, was
killed near here in 1875. It is the largest one
we ever saw. Its skin has been preserved, and
the bear has been mounted in good shape. Fre-
quent excursions can also be taken in the warm
summer weather to Fort Laramie, Cheyenne Pass,
and other places which will expand the lungs

SCENES IN THE BLACK HILLS.
1.— Golden Park. 2.— Genevieve Park. 3.— Custer Park. 4.-Limestone Peak. 5.— Harney's Park.

and invigorate the body. The results of several
years' observations at the United States Signal
Station here, show that the temperature is more
even, taking the years together, than in many
places East or on the Pacific coast. The hottest
days do not equal those which frequently occur
in the East, and in the summer months the
nights are deliciously cool, assuring the invalid
good sleep under plenty of blankets. We predict
a great rush of invalids and health-seekers to
this place and vicinity, in the near future. Al-
though Cheyenne is a good place to sleep, yet
the people are wide-awake and " owly " nights.

Rapidity of Business at Cheyenne. —
On the 22d of July, 1867, the first lots were
offered for sale by the Union Pacific Railroad
Company at Cheyenne — 66 by 132 feet for $150.
Thirty days after, tli3se lots sold for $1,000 each,
and in two to three months thereafter, the same
lots were again resold at $2,000 to $2,500. On
the 15th of July, 1837, there was but one house
at Cheyenne. Six months thereafter, there were
no less than three thousand. The government
freight which was transported over the plains to
Cheyenne, from November, 1867, to February,
1838, four months, amounted to 6,000 tons,
and filled twelve large warehouses, and for a
long time subsequently averaged 15,000,000 to
20,003,033 pounds annually.

During the fall and winter, there were three
forwarding companies whose business in trans-
porting goods, exclusive of government supplies,
averaged 5,030,033 pounds per month. Stores
were erected with marvelous rapidity. One firm
constructed an entire store, 25 by 55 feet, quite
substantial, in just forty-eight hours ; three hun-
dred firms were in operation that winter, doing
mostly a wholesale business ; of this number,
over seventy made sales of over $10,000 per
month each, and with some firms sales reached
over $30,000 p3r month.

The first post-office was established October
30, 1867 ; salary $1.00 per month. In two months
the United States mails had increased so enor-
mously as to average 2,600 letters per day, and
in two months more this was doubled, and salary
increased to $2,000 per year. Though business
declined as soon as the terminus of the road was
moved, yet it now has a solid business. The
population in 1879 is about 6,000, and there
was invested in new buildings, in the single year
of 1875, no less than $430,000

The Black Hills Gold Discoveries.

For several years the impression has obtained
that there was gold in the Black Hills of Dakota,
and every exploration under the auspices of
the government has tended to encourage and
strengthen this impression. In 1860, Colonel
Bullock, now a resident of Cheyenne, was an
Indian agent and trader where Fort Laramie now
stands. He saw a squaw in his store, one day,

with something in her mouth. He said, " Let me
see that." She gave it to him, and it proved to
be a nugget of gold, worth about three dollars.
He said, " Give that to me." She told him she
would, for some raisins and candy. These he gave
her, and afterwards gave her coffee and sugar to
its full value. He showed the gold to his inter-
preter, and requested him, if possible, to find
out where it came from. The interpreter did
his best, but the squaw would only say that it
was picked up in the bed of a creek, and that
the Indians would kill her if she told where it
was. During his long experience as a trader
with the Indians, Colonel Bullock frequently saw
small nuggets of gold, but could never find out
where the Indians obtained them, and the infer-
ences he drew from all the information he could
obtain were to the effect that the Bear Lodge
country, nearly north of the Inyan Kara mount-
ain, was the region where this gold came from.
According to the most recent information on the
subject, the eastern boundary line of Wyoming
strikes the Black Hills nearly in the center, — that
about one-half are in Dakota and the other half
in Wyoming. Harney's Peak and Dodge's Peak
are in the former, while the Inyan Kara and
Bear Lodge Mountains are in the latter territory.
The question of the existence of gold there and
other precious metals, can no longer be doubted.
The official report of Professor Jenny sufficiently
establishes this fact. It also establishes the fact
that in a small portion of the country which he
examined, it is found in paying quantities. It
remains, therefore, for the hardy miners and
sturdy pioneers to demonstrate still further
whether it is there in large quantities. Thus far
every thing has been against them, and they even
now are upon forbidden ground, liable at any
moment to be driven out of the Hills by United
States troops. But there is an implied under-
standing and belief now becoming quite preva-
lent that they will be allowed to remain, — thpt
the government will not molest them again. If
only this result can be obtained, it will be satis-
factory to the miners. They do not fear the
Indians ; they only ask, if the government will
not protect them, that it will not interfere with
their mining operations nor destroy their prop-
erty. Nor will they attack the Indians, — they
are safe if they keep away and do not disturb
them. If, however, they are attacked, self-de-
fence will require vigorous measures for protec-
tion. The law of the case, as we understand it,
is simply this : that the reservations agreed upon
by the treaty of 1868 are in Dakota territory;
that a part of the Black Hills only are in that
territory, nor is there any evidence or indications
that they ever occupied this part beyond the cut-
ting of a few lodge-poles. The facts are that the
Indians are in Nebraska instead of Dakota, and
that they are really afraid of the Black Hills
because of the terrific storms that visit them, when,

" from peak to peak, the rattling crags among,
leaps the live thunder," and the pranks of livid
lightning are fearful to behold. They have a
superstitious reverence for these Hills, and be-
lieve them to be the home of the Great Spirit.
The treaty only gives them the right to hunt in
"Wyoming, as far west as the crests of the Big
Horn Mountains, whenever there is sufficient
game to warrant the chase. With the exception
of this proviso, therefore, the whole territory of
Wyoming is open to exploration, settlement and
development. The next question is, — Will the
government protect the pioneers in their explora-
tions ? or must
they protect
themselves in go-
ing where they
have an undoubt-
ed right to go ?

The Black
Hills are mainly
confined to a re-
gion of territory
lying between
the forks of the
Cheyenne river.
In addition to
the gulch and
placer diggings,
already discov-
ered, there have
been a few dis-
coveries of what
appears to be
rich quartz lodes
of gold and veins
of silver. This
region is about
one hundred
miles long and
eighty miles
wide. French
Creek, Spring
Creek, Rapid
Creek, Box-elder
Creek,Elk Creek
and others head
in these Hills,
and flow mainly
in an eastern direction, emptying into the south
fork of the Cheyenne. The north fork seems to
hug the hills pretty closely with small creeks
and streams, yet unexplored, heading in the
mountains and flowing into it. The north fork
heads in Pumpkin Butte, a mountain a little
north-west of Fort Fetterman, on the North
Platte river. West of the northern portion of
the Black Hills, there are several ranges of moun-
tains and several streams which flow north into
the Yellowstone River. All accounts of this re-
gion of country, as far west as the Big Horn
Mountains, unite in the report of its rich min-

AGNES PARK.— BLACK HILLS.

eral character, and we believe the richest min-
eral discoveries ever known on this continent
will be made here in the next few years.

How to get to the Black Hills. — Within
the past years of 1876 to 1879, there have been
opened three distinct routes to the Black Hills, and
it is now easy of access. The principal routes
are via the Union Pacific Railroad, and stage
line from either Sidney or Cheyenne. A longer
route is occasionally used by steamers up the
Missouri River to Sioux City, Yankton and Port
Pierre, and thence by wagon across the plains and
" bad lands " of Dakota. This route is long and

circuitous, with
not as good
wood, water or
grazing, as the
Southern route.
From Cheyenne
there is a good
natural road,
which runs to
Fort Laramie, a
distance of 90
miles.over which
the U. S. mails
have been car-
ried for many
years. It passes
through a coun-
try with good
ranches, at con-
venient dis-
tances apart.
From Fort Lar-
amie to Custer
and Deadwood
City, there is a
good wagon
road, which has
recently been
shortened 60
miles, so that the
entire distances
are as follows :
Cheyenne to
Fort Laramie 93
miles; to Custer
City, 260 miles ;
Hill City, 275 miles; Golden City, 295 miles;
Rapid City, 315 miles; Elizabeth City, 347 miles;
Deadwood, 348 miles ; Crook City, 360 miles.

The Cheyenne and Bh.ck Hills Stage line now
runs regularly, daily trips over the road with a
superior outfit for transportation of all classes of
passengers. Hitherto the Cheyenne route has
been the principal one since it has been the de-
pot of supplies. It is the only route used by the
Government Supply trains, is in the proximity
of four government military forts and stations,
and along the entire route there is an ample
supply of wood, water and grain. It is also the

line of the telegraph to the Black Hills, which
connects Deadwood and Cheyenne. The time
occupied in stage travel to the principal places
of the Black Hills is from 48 to 60 hours.

Sidney has also become a large outfitting
point, and there is now invested nearly $100,000
capital in transportation, equipments for passen-
gers and freight to the Black Hills mines.

Stages leave Sidney every morning at 8 o'clock,
and make the distance in following time :

Red Cloud Agency in 20 hours ; Buffalo Gap
(the point of intersection with stage for Custer,
30 miles West) in 30 hours, and reaches the en-
tire distance to Deadwood in 48 to 60 hours.

By the Sidney route distances are as follows :

To Red Cloud Agency, 109 miles; Buffalo
Gap, 171 miles ; French Creek, 184 miles ; Bat-
tle Creek, 196 miles ; Rapid River, 214 miles ;
Spring Valley, 228 miles ; Crook City, 246 miles ;
Deadwood, 285 miles. The advantage of dis-
tance in favor of the Sidney route is nearly one-
fourth less than by any other route.

Result of the Opening of the Blade
Hills. — During the past season of 1878, the
yield of the gold mines was over $3,000,000.
Cheyenne bankers are said to have bought above
$900,000 worth of gold dust, and various amounts
have been forwarded in other ways, besides what
has been kept in the Hills. This result has been
entirely from placer mining. One mining party
known as the Wheeler party, has realized nearly
$500,0i>0 in one season. Extraordinary success
attended their work ; $2,600 were cleared in only
42 hours' work, and in general, on Deadwood
Creek, the average to the miners on each claim
to $700 per day. Nearly all the yield

of the Black Hills in 1876 was gleaned in the
vicinity of Deadwood and Whitewood gulches.

Quartz mining has been attempted. First
assays were but $38 per ton, and the average of
the ores thus far experimented upon, vary from
$30 to $50 per ton. During the past year 1,000
stamping mills have been erected.

Miners with mortar and pestle have taken ore
from some of these quartz lodes, and realized as
high as $15 per day. Since the settlement of
Deadwood, prices of living have gradually de-
clined, until good day board now averages only
from $7 to $10. Freight from Cheyenne and
Sidney now costs but $3 to $4 per 100 Ibs. The
width of the mineral belt is now definitely ascer-
tained to be but 10 to 15 miles, but it stretches
100 miles long. The agricultural value of the
Hills is beyond all words of expression. The
valleys have been found to be surpassingly fer-
tile, the rain-fall regular and constant, and were
any one dissatisfied with mining, still there is
room for thousands of farms and peaceful homes.
^ A statement is made, apparently of unques-
tioned accuracy, of an explorer on Spring Creek,
who, with three others, and one day's sluicing,
took out $38 coarse gold, the pieces varying from

three cents to three dollars in value. One man
prospecting on Iron Creek, sixty miles farther
off, took out $23.67 from one pan of dirt. Mr.
Allen, the recorder of mining claims, took from
his claim four pounds of coarse gold in one
month, and all reports agree in an average of
seven to twenty-five cents per pan, which will
turn out per day $7 to $50 to each man.

As a proof of the existence of gold, it is but
necessary to quote from the authority of Profes-
sor Jenny's report of a visit in July, 1875,
whereof writing to the Department of the Inte-
rior at Washington, he announces the discovery
of gold in paying quantities near Harney's Peak ;
deposits very rich, with plenty of water in the
streams : " The gold is found in quartz ledges of
enormous dimensions. Whether the mines be
valuable or not, there is a vastness of future
wealth in the grass lands, farms and timber.
The soil is deep and fertile ; the rain-fall more
abundant than any other point west of the Alle-
ghanies." In the summer of 1875, an expedition
headed by General Custer visited this region,
wherein he describes finding an abundance of
wild fruits, strawberries, raspberries, gooseber-
ries in wonderful profusion ; and frequently the
wild berry was larger and more delicious flavor
than the domestic species in the Eastern states.

A miner writing from personal view thus
speaks of the richness of the section thus far dis-
covered : " I found several miners working their
claims, as yet in a crude and primitive manner.
Some of them working with a Chinese rocker
cleaned up from five to seven pennyweights of
gold, the result of but three hours' work. Twen-
ty-five miles north-west of Spring Creek, I found
the largest vein of gold quartz I have ever seen,
being from 300 to 600 feet in width, and tracea-
ble for over 40 miles in length. I also found a
vein of white crystallized quartz about four feet
in width, in which gold was plainly visible. I
obtained some specimens, fabulously rich ; one
piece was sent to the Omaha smelting works
which averaged $42,000 to the ton. At Rapid
Creek the prospects are still better than in Spring
Gulch. Castle Creek is the richest found in the
Black Hills. One claim has been worked to the
bed-rock, in the channel, which paid $6.00 of
gold to one cubic foot of gravel."

The best mines have proved by the latest dis-
coveries to be on the west side of the Hills, and
aside from the value of the precious metal, the
superb salubrity of the climate, and the natural
richness of the soil, make it extraordinarily at-
tractive. An explorer describes the country as
" the richest ever seen or heard of between the
Missouri River and Central Oregon. Excellent
timber in the greatest abundance; as fine pas-
turage as I ever saw ; rich black loam soil ;
splendid water ; showers every few days ; no
disagreeable winds ; a delicious, bracing atmos-
phere to either work or rest in ; a splendid diver-

sity of hill and valley ; prairie and timber forest ;
a landscape of which the eye never tires."

During one week, 800 miners passed through
Hill City, en route for the mines of Whitewood
and Deadwood. In most of the creeks the bed-
rock lies 15 to 20 and 40 feet below the surface.
On the 1st of March, last year, there were esti-
mated to be over 20,000 people in the Black Hills,
and rapidly accumulating at the rate of 1,000
per week, but since the rich Colorado discoveries
at Leadville, the excitement has decreased.

A Terriole TJiunder- Storm. — The Black
Hills of Dakota are the fear of Indians, because
of the frequent thunder-storms. Col. R. I.
Dodge, United States Commander of Black Hills
Expedition, 1874, states that in this region
"thunder-storms are quite frequent, terrific in
force and power, and fearful in the vividness,
the nearness of the lightning. Scarcely a day in
summer that there is not a thunder-storm in
some part of the hills.

"One afternoon, from the top of one of the
high mountains, near Harney's Peak, I saw five
.separate and distinct storms, occurring at the
S same instant in different parts of the hills. One
3 of these struck our party with fatal results.
3 "A heavy rain-storm coming on, two soldiers

* and the boy took refuge under a tall pine. All
| three were seated on a rock about six feet from
B the trunk of the tree, and each held in his hand
othe reins of his horse's bridle. At the flash,
a the three persons and horses were thrown to the
a ground, one of the soldiers being pitched quite a

* distance, alighting on his head. The surgeon
§ was promptly on hand. Each person had been
2 struck on the cheek bone, just under the eye.
a The fluid passed down the person of each, going
g out at the ball of the foot, boring a hole in the

shoe sole as clean and round as if made by a
bullet, and raising a large blood blister on the
bottom of the foot. Neither had any other mark
whatever. Skipping from the men to the horses,
the flash prostrated all, striking each just over the
eye. Two soon recovered their feet, and the
third was killed.

" During this storm, which lasted scarce half an
hour, more than twenty trees were struck by
lightning within a radius of a few hundred yards.

" At another time, I witnessed another curious
and unaccountable phenomenon. I was on a
high mountain of the Harney Group. Within
four miles of me, in different directions, were
three thunder-storms, their clouds being probably
500 or 1,000 feet below me. Though I could see
the vivid and incessant flashes of lightning, not
a sound of the thunder could be heard. Through-
out the Hills the number of the trees which bear
the mark of the thunder-bolt is very remark-
able, and the strongest proof of the violence and
frequent recurrence of these storms. The elec-
tric current acts in the most eccentric way. In
some cases it will have struck the very top of a

lofty pine, and passed down, cutting a straight
and narrow groove in the bark, without any ap-
parent ill effect on the tree, which remains green
and flourishing ; at other times the tree will be
riven into a thousand pieces, as if with the blows
of a giant axe, and the fragments scattered a
hundred feet around."

Rainbows. — " The rainbow of the Black
Hills is a marvel of perfection and beauty. Two
or three times wider than the rainbow of the
States, it forms a complete and perfect arch, both
ends being, sometimes, visible to the beholder,
and one so near and distinct that there would be
little difficulty in locating the traditional ' pot of
gold.' Very frequently the rainbow is doubled,
and several times I saw three distinct arches, the
third and higher being, however, a comparatively
faint reflex of the brilliant colors of the lower."

867 feet at base, 297 feet at top. It rises 1,127
feet above its base, and 5,100 feet above tide-
water. Its summit is inaccessible to anything
without wings. The sides are fluted and scored
by the action of the elements, and immense
blocks of granite, split off from the column by
frost, are piled in huge, irregular mounds about
its base. The Indians call this shaft " The Bad
Gotl's Tower."

Game. — The Hills are full of deer, elk, bears,
wolves, cougars, grouse, and ducks. The streams
have an abundance of fish, although of but few
sorts.

After careful investigation General Dodge
closes with this expression of careful judgment :

Opinion of General Dodge. — " 1 but ex-
press my fair and candid opinion when I pro-
nounce the Black Hills, in many respects, the

DEVIL'S TOWER — BLACK HILLS.

Mountain*. — Harney's Peak is 7,440 feet
above tide-water, the other peaks are

Crook's Monument,
Dodge's Peak,
Terry's Peak,
Warren's Peak,
Caster's Peak,
Crow Peak,
Bare Peak,
Devil's Tower,

7,600 feet elevation.
7,300 feet elevation.
7.200 feet elevation.
6,900 feet elevation.
6.750 feet elevation.
6,200 feet elevation.
5,200 feet elevation.
5,100 feet elevation.

The Devil's Tower is one of the most remark-
able peaks of the world. General Dodge de-
scribes it thus : " An immense obelisk of granite,

finest country I have ever seen. The beauty and
variety of the scenery, the excellence of the soil,
the magnificence of the climate, the abundance
of timber and building stone make it a most de-
sirable residence for men who want good homes.

" As a grazing country it can not be surpassed,
and small stock farms of fine cattle and sheep
can not fail of success.

" Gold there is every-where in the granite — gold
enough to make many fortunes, and tempt to
the loss of many more.

TMJff

" Here is a country destined, in a few years, to
be an important and wealthy portion of the
great American Republic."

There is little doubt that in a few years this
section, from the Black Hills of Dakota to and
across the Big Horn region, and all northern
Wyoming, will be a rich field of industry, as
have been Colorado and Utah. The illustrations
we give are from photographs taken by General
Custer in his famous Black Hills Exploring
Expedition of 1875, and represent this country
to be of great scenic beauty.

COLORADO.

Pleasure Resorts. — Colorado is an empire
of itself in enterprise, scenic beauty and abund-
ance of pleasure resorts. In 1870, few or none
of these were known, and towns were small in
number and population. Since that time, it has
become a center of great railroad activity, has
grown in wonderful favor as an attractive region
for summer travel ; and as a country for health-
giving and life-giving strength, it has drawn
thither thousands who have made it their perma-
nent home.

THE COLORADO CENTRAL RAIL-
ROAD.

Tourists to Colorado will find a journey over
this new Railroad Line just opened, of special
interest and attractiveness. Through Sleeping
Cars from Omaha run direct over this line to
Denver, simply changing trains at Cheyenne,
and all trains make connections from Denver
for Union Pacific Trains East. The route for
the first 50 or more miles South passes at the
base of the Rocky Mountains, in grand view of
their sublime snow-capped summits. The equal
of this ride is not found in any Railroad in the
Far West. At Fort Collins the railroad crosses
the famous Cache la Poudre Valley, one of the
finest and most lovely regions of agricultural
wealth in the State. Wheat and all kinds of
grain are here cultivated in large farms, and
yield luxuriant crops.

E.tfes Park is a place of superb scenic at-
traction, which will afford a most pleasurable
resort for the overland Tourist to visit. It is
reached by stage from Longmont, distance 36
miles, contains a very superior mountain hotel,
and a wide expanse of park scenery, with mag-
nificent views of Long's Peak, and the snowy
caps of the neighboring peaks; also there is
abundance of trout fishing. For a health resort
to any one seeking rest and recuperation, a
sojourn here will be found particularly enjoyable.

Longmont is in the midst of a thriving agri-
cultural country, with large and rich farms— the
country is nearly level— yet the supply of water
is abundant for irrigating purposes, and the
farming advantages of the country are good.

Some of the little farms are gems in their neat-
ness. The railroad here is at its greatest dis-
tance from the range ; hence they seem smaller,
and lower in elevation, with less snow, though
here and there is an opening in the range which
reveals the glorious form of some tall snow cov-
ered Monarch.

The population is about 400.

Boulder is most prettily located at the en-
trance to the famous Boulder Canon, and im-
mediately in a little cove at the base of the
mountains. The valley is the most fertile in the
State, the water supply is unsurpassed, the cli-
mate is the warmest of any country, and the
crops are much earlier than any place for 100
miles from Denver. Tourists will find numer-
ous mines near here worth visiting, also most
interesting rides up Boulder Canon, Bear Creek
Canon, and a trip to Caribon Silver mines. The
railroad, as it passes Southward and rises out of
the valley to the upland, reveals, as you cast a
glance back, a wondrously beautiful view of
landscape charms. The mountain view is sub-
lime ; the near peaks being dark, while the dis-
tant ones, well covered with snow, afford start-
ling contrast and are beautiful in the extreme.

From Boulder to Golden J unction, and thence
to Denver, the railroad crosses alternately high
upland, then descends into and crosses the valley
of many streams flowing from the mountain,
which irrigate a region of wonderful agricultural
fertility. Upon these uplands, there is a mag-
nificent and exhilarating breeze, constantly blow-
ing from the mountains. Dark Canons appear
and disappear as the Tourist travels on. The
afternoon sun often reveals glorious displays of
sunset colors on the clouds, thunder storms with
lightning often give wild and thrilling effects.
And at each descent from the upland into each
little valley, the view is one of beauty and pleas-
ure.

The railroad as it turns East from Colorado
Junction, reveals at the right, the busy town of
Golden ; a mile distant, over it, towers a peak of
1,000 feet high and down the little valley of
Clear Creek, the route passes till your terminus
at Denver.

This route of reaching Denver from the Last
must be specially advantageous to Tourists.

The Denver Pacific Railroad also runs
direct from Cheyenne, southward, to Denver,
and trains connect with the mid-day trains of
the Union Pacific Railrcad. The distance, 106
miles, is mainly over a vast level plain, covered
only with the short gray buffalo grass, but
parallel with the main range of the Rocky
Mountains, and 20 to 30 miles from their east-
ern base.

Greelei/,— Named in honor of Horace Greeley,

and settled in May, 1870. The colony passess

, about 100.000 acres of fine alluvial soil in the

I Valley of the Cache La Poudre River. Irrigat-

WILLIAMS' CANON, COLORADO SPRINGS.

BY THOMAS MORAN.

ing ditches have been constructed, and there is
an abundance of water for all agricultural pur-
poses. The town for several years has increased
with steady rapidity, and the population is slight-
ly over 2,000. At this place are located some
of the finest grist-mills of the entire West. The
place has achieved considerable reputation as a
temperance town.

Denver — is the capital of the State. This
has become a large railroad point. From it di-
verge the Kansas Pacific, 636 miles eastward to
Kansas City, the Denver and Rio Grande Rail-
road, Narrow Gauge, southward, to Canon City,
Pueblo and Trinidad, and Port Garland ; also
the various branches of the Colorado Central to
Georgetown, Idaho Springs, Central City, and
the mines of the mountains.

Its population exceeds 20,000, and its location
is most advantageous for easy trade and com-
munication with all the principal points of the
Territory. Located on an open plain, about
thirteen miles from the Rocky Mountains ; there
is a grand view of the entire range from Long's
Peak on the north to Pike's Peak on the south.
While eastward, northward and southward
stretches the vast upland plains which is so im-
pressive with its boundless extent. The city is full
of thrift, of life ; and trade is always splendid.
The buildings which grace the principal streets
are made principally of brick, and in general ap-
pearance, are superior to those of any city west of
the Missouri River. Daily, weekly and monthly
newspapers thrive. Here is a branch of the
United States Mint, gas-works, water-works,
horse-railroads, and a multitude of hotels. The
best of which are the Grand Central, Inter-Ocean,
American, Sargent. Broadwell and Villa Park.
From this point the traveler can radiate in all
directions in search of pleasure resorts.

Notes to Tourists. — The uniform railroad
fare in the Territory averages ten cents per mile.
Stage routes run all through the mountains, fare
from ten to twenty cents per mile. The uniform
rate of board is four dollars per day, and almost
every-where can be found excellent living; the
nicest of beef steak, bread and biscuit. In many
of the mountain resorts plenty of good fishing can
be found, and delicate trout are common viands
of the hotel tables. The best season of the year
for a visit to Colorado is in July and August.
As then the snow has nearly disappeared from
the mountains, and all the beautiful parks and
valleys are easily approachable. Those who wish
to include both Colorado and California in a
pleasure trip will do well to visit California first,
during April May and June, and then on return
spend July and August leisurely in the cozy little
home resorts of Colorado. Although it must be
confessed that the scenery of the Colorado mount-
ains is far the most impressive and most beauti-
ful when first seen, before reaching the greater
magnificence of the Yosemite and Sierras.

Living in Colorado is more nearly like Xew Eng-
land customs than in California, and to those
who seek Western travel, for health, the climate
of Colorado is much more favorable than that of
California.

The Denver and Rio Grande Hail-
road — will carry the traveler southward from
Denver, along the base of the Rocky Mountains,
to some of the most noted pleasure resorts of the
territory. This little narrow gauge is a wonder
of itself, representing nearly §1,000,000 of capi-
tal, and operating over 200 miles of road, it has
developed a traffic exceeding $500,000 per year,
where six years ago the stage route did not real-
ize $1,000 per month, and the prospects for the
future for its trade with the miners of the San
Juan Country, Trinidad, Sante Fe, are most en-
couraging, as the new gold discoveries become
better developed. Seventy-six miles south of
Denver, on this line, are clustered three little
places of resort, practically one in interest, Colo-
rado Springs, Colorado City, and

Manitou Sjrrings. — The former is the rail-
road station, a lively town, which in five years
has risen from the prairie to a population of
3,000. Six miles distant from the Springs at
Manitou, are collected several elegant hotels, and
in the vicinity are numerous soda springs — iron
springs and medicinal baths — of great virtue.
The location of this resort, with its wonderful col-
lection of objects of natural interest and scenery,
have earned for it the title of " Saratoga of the
Far West." Travelers find here beautiful scenery
in the Ute Pass — Garden of the Gods — Glen
Eyrie, numerous beautiful canons, Queen Canon
— Cheyenne Canon, grand and impressive, and
towering over all is the lofty summit of Pike's
Peak, 14,300 feet high, up which ascends a trail
to the government signal station, the highest in
the United States. Travelers, who frequently
ascend this peak are rewarded, when on a clear
day, with a glimpse of grand and glorious views
of the peaks and mountains, southward and
westward.

In this vicinity is located a pretty little canon
about 15 miles in length, with walls of rock ris-
ing to uniform height of 600 and 800 feet above
a very narrow foot pass below. This canon was
discovered and named, in 1870, by a party of
editors, Williams' Canon, in honor of H. T. Wil-
liams, their commander. This was the first visit
of an Eastern party, of any notoriety, at the
Springs. No railroa"d was then built, and not a
house was to be seen, nor even a rancheman's
cabin. The scenery of this canon, (see illustration),
is at various points wild in the extreme, and the
colossal walls of rocks are of such shape and for-
mation that they give to the observer an excellent
general idea of the characteristic canon scenery of
the mountains. The canon has never been fully
explored, and at present is the scene of fifty or
more claims of gold discoveries.

Pleasure travelers are uniformly glad that
they have made a visit to these points, as they
excel in interest any other points in the Western
trip. Southward from Colorado Springs, the
next most noted resort is Canon City and the

Grand Canon of the Arkansas. — This is
a scene of remarkable beauty and magnificence ;
at one point can be seen the river winding its
way for ten miles, at the base of huge perpendic-
ular rocks which rise fully 1000 and 2000 feet
above the current. This is the grandest canon
view in Colorado. Westward from Colorado
Springs is the South Park, a noted route for
travelers who enjoy camping out, and a fine drive
through the mountains.

Garden of the Gods. — The Beautiful
Gate. — This is also a famous pleasure resort at
Manitou, near Colorado Springs. Midway be-
tween the Station and Springs is located one of
the most beautiful and curious little parks, and
upheaval of rocks that Western scenery can dis-
play. Descending from parallel ridges into a
little park, the traveler sees in front of him a
beautiful gate of two enormous rocks, rising in
massive proportion to the height of 350 feet, with
a natural gateway between of 200 feet in width,
with a small rock in the center. Standing a little
eastward, the observer gets the view illustrated in
our engraving. At the right is another parallel
ridge of rocks, pure white, which contrasts finely
with the dark red of the rocks of the gate.
Through the gate, in the long distance is seen
the summit of Pike's Peak, eighteen miles away.
Around these rocks is a little grassy park of fifty
or more acres, in which according to the mytholog-
ical stories of the people, the " gods " found such
lovely times in play that they christened it a gar-
den. These two parallel ridges of white and red
rocks extend for many miles at the foot of the
mountains, and form other curious formations at
Glen Eyrie, Monument Park and Pleasant Park,
although much less in size and impressiveness.
The locality is the most famous in all Trans-
continental travel.

The Dome of the Continent — Gray's
Peak. — Westward from Denver, 65 miles, and
14 from Georgetown, Colorado, rises the grandest
and most beautiful of the mountains of Colorado.
The way thither is one of easy approach, through
valley and mountain roads of gradual ascent,
past Idaho Springs, one of the most charming of
summer resorts, and past all the mines of Golden,
Empire, Georgetown, and the silver mines of the
Palisades. Xear to the summit are two very suc-
cessful mines, Baker and Stevens, which are dug
out of the perpendicular face of a rock fully 200
feet in height. Rising above all the ranges of the
Colorado Mountains of north Colorado, Gray's
Peaks are the grand Lookout Points, from which
to view to advantage all the vast mountain range.
In a clear day the observer can embrace in his
range of vision a distance of 100 miles, in each

direction, northward, southward and westward,
and even eastward to over the plains east of
Denver. From this point are plainly discernible
Pike's Peak, 80 miles away, Mount Lincoln, 50
miles ; Mount of the Holy Cross, 60 miles ; Long's
Peak, 50 miles ; the City of Denver, 65 miles, and
even the summit of the Spanish Peaks, 150 miles
southward, and the higher ranges of the Uintah
Mountains, 150 miles westward. The total range
of the vision being not less than 200 to 250 miles.
Beneath them at the foot, lie the beautiful rivers
and lakes of Middle Park ; southward the vast
extended plains of South Park, and everywhere
near at hand multitudes of little grassy parks,
like valleys dotted with the groves of spruce and
pine, as if planted for a grand pleasure ground.
The height of the Peak is 14,351 feet, and is
the easiest of access of all the mountains of Colo-
rado. Travelers and pleasure tourists who desire
one grand sight, never to be regretted, must not
fail to include this in their Western visit for the
sublimity and grand exaltation as from so lofty a
height one views a sea of huge mountains, is a
thing always to live in one's memory. There is a
fine road to within three miles of the summit,
through charming verdure-clad canons and val-
leys and the rest of the way can be made over a
fine trail by horseback, even to the summit.

Westward from Denver are Idaho Springs,
Georgetown, Gray's Peak, Middle Park, Clear
Creek, and Boulder Canons, with the mining at-
tractions of Central City, Georgetown, Empire,
Caribou, and Black Hawk, where the observer
can witness sights of extraordinary beauty. We
can not possibly describe the attractions of these
resorts. They are at once terrible, overpower-
ing, lonely, and full of indescribable majesty.
Amid them all the tourist travels daily, imbib-
ing the life-giving, beautiful, fresh air full of its
oxygen to quicken and stimulate the system ;
the eye drinks in the wealth of scenery, and
loves to note the beauties of the wonderful glow-
ing sunlight, and the occasional cloud-storms,
and wild display of power and glory.

We know of no country better worth the title
of the " Switzerland of America " than Colorado,
with its beautiful mountain parks, valleys, and
springs. Go and see them all. The tour will be
worthy of remembrance for a life-time.

The editor of this Guide expects scon to issue
The Colorado Tourist, devoted more especially to
the attractions of Colorado, as the limits of this
Guide can not begin to possibly describe a hun-
dredth part of the objects of interest within that
little region — a world of pleasure travel by itself.

Of Life in Colorado, — a prominent writer
has said : " At Denver I found, as I thought, the
grade of civilization actually higher than in most
Western cities. In elegance of building, in fin-
ish, in furniture, in dress and equipages, that
city is not behind any this side of the Atlantic
border. The total absence of squalidity and vis-

MOUNTAIN OF THE HOLY CROSS, COLORADO.

ible poverty, and I may also say of coarseness
and rowdyism, impressed me on my visit very
strongly, as did the earnestness, activity and in-
tensity of life which is everywhere so apparent."

P. T. Barnutn once said of Colorado, in a lec-
ture : " Why, Coloradoans are the most disap-
pointed people I ever saw. Two-thirds of them
came here to die, and tney can't do it. This
wonderful air brings them back from the verge
of the tomb, and they are naturally exceedingly
disappointed."

The average temperature is about 60° the year
round — the air is bracing, winter mild, and days
almost always full of clear skies and bright warm
sunshine. The parity and dryness of the atmos-
phere are proverbial.

Mountain of the H oil/ Cross. — The name
of this remarkable mountain is renowned to the
ends of the earth, and is the only one with this
name in the world. It is the principal mountain
of the Sawatch Range, just west of the Middle
Park of Colorado, and exceedingly difficult of
access. The Hayden party were several days in
merely finding an accessible way of travel to
reach its base. The characteristic features which
give it its name is the vertical face, nearly 3,000
feet in depth, with a cross at the upper portion,
the entire fissures being filled with snow. The
cross is of such remarkable size and distinct con-
trast with the dark granite rock, that it can be
seen nearly eighty miles away, and easily dis-
tinguished from all other mountain peaks. The
snow seems to have been caught in the fissure,
which is formed of a succession of steps, and here,
becoming well lodged, it remains all the year.
Late in the summer the cross is very much dimin-
ished in size by the melting of the snow. A beau-
tiful green lake lies at the base of the peak, almost
up to the timber line, which forms a reservoir for
the waters from the melting snows of the high
peaks. From this flows a stream with many
charmi ng cascades. The height of the mountain
is 14,176 feet above tide-water. The perpendicu-
lar arm of the cross is 1,500 feet in length, and
fully 50 feet in breadth, the snow lying in the
crevice from 50 to 100 feet in depth. The hori-
zontal arm varies in length with the seasons, but
averages 700 feet. The mountain was ascended
by the Hayden party only with the greatest diffi-
culty, after 5,000 feet of climbing — fifty pounds
of instruments on each back, and obliged to pass
thirty hours on the summit, with no shelter, pro-
tection, fuel or provisions, except one pocket
lunch.

New Pleasure Resorts in Colo-
rado.

Overland tourists, desiring to behold the grand-
est scenery in America should stop at Cheyenne,
and visit "some of the following newly opened
resorts. In every respect the title of THE

AMERICAN SWITZERLAND is well deserved, for
the wild, weird, majestic and colossal, are so min-
gled with scenes of valley loveliness or Alpine
sublimity, as to be beyond description. You
should not fail to visit

JEtftes Park, — a little gem of parks, the pret-
tiest in Colorado, — easily reached by stage on
every side. The view as you reach the rim of
the park, and look down is glorious in the extreme.
We have seen none of Bierstadt's paintings to
equal it. A cozy hotel is found in the park, nice
living, cheap prices, saddle horses and abundance
of ti'out fishing. A few days can be spent in
the midst of most enchanting park and mountain
scenery. A rim of snow-capped mountains sur-
rounds the valley, which in appearance very much
resembles an English park.

Clear Creek Canon. — Do not fail to visit
this, one of the wonders of Colorado. A little
narrow gauge railroad from Denver to Golden,
thence pushes its way right up the course of the
canon, where it makes its way between the tor-
rent of the rapid creek, and the walls of stupen-
dous rocks. These rocks rise 1,000 to 2,01 '0 feet
in elevation of almost perpendicular direction,
and succeed one another in the most inconceiva-
ble wildness, tortuosity and extreme sublimity,
alternating with extreme wildness, — a scene of
splendor and wonder. The grade of the rail-
road averages over 100 feet to the mile. Upon
this road are three places worth special visits,
Central City where are rich gold mines, and
where horses can be obtained for the ascent of
James Peak, — or Boulder Pass one of the most
magnificent views in all the West, — Idaho
Springs is celebrated for its Soda and Sulphur
Springs which are great help to invalids.

Georgetown, — is the scene of rich mines,
and from this place are many routes to famous
points of scenery. Here horses can be engaged
for the ascent of Grays Peak, a tour of a life-
time, the grandest of all mountains in Colorado.
Its ascent is very easy, and costs but trifling.
No tourist should omit it, as you can behold in
a clear day a sea of mountains, and a vision of
500 miles before your astonished gaze.

The Middle Park. — From Georgetown
also is a splendid wagon road to the Hot Sulphur
Springs, Middle Park. These are excellent for
all who feel the need of health, — a grand place
for camping parties. West of here is rich fish-
ing and hunting, and the scenery of the Canon
of the Grand, on the west, or Grand Lake on the
east, is very attractive. From this place one can
travel on horseback the entire distance across
the mountains to Utah, with little inconvenience,
trails already existing in the valleys of rivers.

Scenery of Sout/iern Co/orado, — re-
quires more staging, but is still more grand
than that of Northern Colorado. Here are the
richest mines recently discovered, which pro-
duce half a million dollars per week. This sec-

tion of country is divided into two parts. The
first being via the Denver, South Park, and Pa-
cific Railroad which is the principal route to
Leadville the new mining Eldorado. The scen-
ery near here is most inspiring. The canons
traversed by the R. W. are full of rugged
beauty, while ascending the Platte Canon, the
grade is often 140 feet to the mile, and the
gorges between the mountains are often 2,000 feet
high. The stage ride to Leadville is very easy,
acioss the South Park, in view of the glorious
mountains. At Fairplay you can take horses for
an ascent up Mount Lincoln, 14,299 feet high.
The view here is finer than from Pike's Peak.
Around is seen a sea of snow capped peaks and
at its base a little gem of a lake.

The second route to the scenery of Southern
Colorado is via the Denver and Rio Grande Rail-
way. From Canon City, no finer ride is pos-
sible than an excursion to Rosita, and return,
thence a trip to the Grand Canon of the Ar-
kansas, and a .stage ride up the Arkansas val-
to Twin Lakes would be most glorious. A
person visiting Leadville may enter this route
and return by the other and vice versa.

Another tour over this railroad is via Pueblo
to Trinidad and Garland.

Scenery of Veto, Pass. — This is the highest
railway point in America, 9,339 feet elevation.
The scenery is extremely peculiar. The little
railroad ascending a pretty canon, beautifully
timbered, for several miles, suddenly turns,
crosses, and returns on the opposite side ascend-
ing in a steep grade of 211 feet average to the
mile, until as it reaches the extreme crest of the
summit of the Dump Mountain, there bursts
before the astonished visitor a glorious vision.
To the south the Spanish Peaks, to the north,
Veta Mountain, and to the north-west, the im-
mense form of Mount Blanco, the highest of the
range. The railroad from this crest immediately
turns and follows back on the ridge only a few
feet from its track on the other side, and then
ascending, amid timber passes over the summit
of the divide into the San Luis Pai-k, whence it
terminates at Almosa on the Rio Grande River.
Stages here leave for the San Juan Mountain
Country, about 100 miles distant, where is not
only the grandest of mountain scenery, but also
infinite riches of mineral wealth.

Powder River Country. — The Powder
River, so named from the dark powder-colored
sand in its bed, rises in the Big Horn Mountains,
north and north-west of Old Fort Casper, and
runs in a general north-easterly direction till it
empties into the Yellowstone River. It drains an
immense area of country, flows through a large
region of fine grazing lands, and has in the mount-
ains and hills on either side, untold treasures of
rich metals and precious gems. It has hitherto
been forbidden ground to white men, but those
who have passed through it give glowing descrip-

tions of its luxuriant fertility, its grand scenery
and its mineral wealth. It will be one of the
finest grazing-regions in the country, producing
vast herds of cattle, sheep and horses. There
are also heavy bodies of timber on the hills and
mountains which border this river. Its wonders
are just beginning to be told.

The Tongue River Country. — This is sim-
ilar to that borderin the Powder River, but the
soil is more fertile and better adapted to agri-
cultural pursuits. The Tongue River rises in
the Big Horn Mountains, in the central portion
of northern Wyoming, and runs north into the
Yellowstone River. It abounds in the usual
varieties of fish, and game is abundant along its
banks. It is a very crooked stream.

Hazard — is 522.4 miles from Omaha, with
an elevation of 6.325 feet. It is the junction
with the Colorado Central Railroad. As you
leave Cheyenne, looking off to the right, you
will see the Black Hills of Wyoming stretching
to the north, and you will wonder how you are
to get by them. To the left Long's Peak rears
its snow-capped summit high into the air. It is
one of the famous mountains of Colorado, and
you have a better view of it on the Colorado
Central than from the Union Pacific. It is
always crowned with snow and frequently ob-
scured by clouds. How grand it looks, and how
huge it appears in the distance.

Otto, — 530.6 miles from Omaha, and 6,724
feet above the sea. Every opportunity for ob-
taining the mountain views, both to the right and
left, should be observed and taken advantage of.
This is the usual passing place where the ex-
press trains meet from East and West.

Granite Canon — is the next station, 535.6
miles from Omaha, and 7,298 feet in altitude.
You approach this station high upon the side of
a ravine, and through deep cuts in granite spurs.
Stunted pines, like lone sentinels, are seen on
the bleak hills. Here are large quarries of
stone from which the railroad company's build-
ings at Cheyenne were constructed. The cuts,
through a reddish granite, are short but very
heavy. Snow sheds are now quite frequent.

Htiford, — 542.5 miles from Omaha ; eleva-
tion, 7,780 feet. It is a telegraph station. As
you leave it on your left, the " Twin Mountains,"
two peaks in the Black Hills, lift their rocky
heads above the barren waste around them.
Near these mountains the noted desperado, Jack
Slade, once had his retreat. The country here is
covered with short buffalo grass, cut with ravines
and draws, abounding in fine springs, and in
places, covered with pine, trees. The dark hues
of the pine give the hills their name, "black,"
and in places the timber is quite heavy. A short
distance to your right, Crow Creek rises and
winds its way among the hills to the plains be-
low. Four and a half miles north from Buford,
near the valley of Crow Creek, mines of copper

and silver have been discovered. The ore assays
over $50 per ton, but is very refractory. Notice
on north side of road the signboard, "Summit
of the Mountains."

Sherman — is 549.2 miles from Omaha, at an
elevation of 8,242 feet. At the time the road
was completed here, it was the highest railroad
point in the world, but there are higher places
now reached by rail in South America. It has
been reached by an ascent so gradual that you
have hardly noticed it. In the past few years
there have been many changes in grade of the
Union Pacific, and wherever possible, the track
has been raised above the cuts, so the snow,
unless in immense quantities, now causes but
little impediment to travel. At Sherman, the
snow never falls very deep, but there is a con-

mile, and the maximum grade of any one mile
is 90 feet. From Sherman to Laramie, the dis-
tance is 23.4 miles ; the average grade is 50 feet
to the mile, while the maximum grade of any
one mile is the same as on the eastern slope — 90
feet to the mile. These grades indicate why
this route across the Black Hills was selected in
preference to others where the altitude was not
as great — the approach on either side being more
gradual, though the elevation is greater. Nearly
all trains between Cheyenne and Laramie have
two engines attached so that they may be easily
controlled. It is a steady pull to the summit,
from each side, and the heavy down grades from
it require a great deal of power to properly con-
trol trains. About £ mile west of Sherman on
the left side of the road, is "Reed's Rock," so

SKULL ROCKS,

stant breeze, that most Eastern people would
pronounce a gale, and the snow is constantly
drifting and packs so hard wherever it finds
lodgment, that it is exceedingly difficult to dis-
place, requiring an immense power of snow-
plows, engines and shovelers. As you approach
Sherman, you will see the balanced rocks, and to
the right of the station, about one-quarter of a
mile, is a rugged peak, near which are graves of
some who are quietly sleeping so near heaven,
and a solitary pine tree, like a sentinel keeping
guard over them. Sherman is a telegraph sta-
tion, has a hotel, one or two saloons, several
houses, and a roundhouse where an engine is
kept for use in cases of emergency. The differ-
ence in elevation between this place and Chey-
enne is 2,201 feet, and distance nearly 33 miles.
The average grade from Cheyenne is 67 feet per

NEAR SHERMAN.

called from one of the civil engineers who laid
out the road. Something like two hundred
feet to the eastward of the station, and on
the north side of the track, there may be
seen a post, bearing the important announce-
ment that this is the ''Summit of the Rocky Mount-
ains." Station is named after General Sherman.
Dale Creek ^Bridge — is about two miles
west of Sherman. This bridge is built of iron,
and seems to be a light airy structure, but is
really very substantial. The creek, like a thread
of silver, winds its devious way in the depths be-
low, and is soon lost to sight as you pass rapidly
down the grade and through the granite cuts and
snow sheds beyond. This bridge is 650 feet long,
and nearly 130 feet high, and is one of the won-
ders on the great trans-continental route. A
water tank, just beyond it, is supplied with water

DALE CBEEK BRIDGE.

from the creek by means of a steam pump. The
buildings in the valley below seem small in the
distance, though they are not a great way off.
The old wagon road crossed the creek down a
ravine, on the right side of the track, and the
remains of the bridge may still be seen. This
stream rises about six miles north of the bridge,
and is fed by numerous springs and tributaries,
running in a general southerly direction, until it
empties into the Cache La Poudre River. The
old overland road from Denver to California
ascended this river and creek until it struck
the head-waters of the Laramie. Leaving Dale
Creek bridge, the road soon turns to the right,
and before you, on the left, is spread out, like a
magnificent panorama,

T/ie Great Earamie Plains. — These
plains have an average width of 40 miles, and
are 100 miles in length. They begin at the
western base of the Black Hills and extend to
the slope of the Medicine Bow Mountains, and
north beyond where the Laramie River cuts
its way through these hills to join its waters
with the Xorth Platte. They comprise an area
of over two and a half millions of acres, and
are regarded as one of the richest grazing por-
tions of country. Across these plains, and a
little to the left, as you begin to glide over them,
rises in full view the Diamond Peaks of the
Medicine Bow Range. They are trim and clear-
cut cones, with sharp pointed summits — a fact
which has given them their name, while their
sides, and the rugged hills around them, are cov-
ered with timber. Still farther in the shadowy
distance, in a south-westerly direction, if the
atmosphere is clear, you will see the white sum-
mits of the Snowy Range — white with their
robes of perpetual snow. Even in the hottest
weather experienced on these plains, it makes

one feel chilly to look at them, they are so cold,
cheerless and forbidding.

In the hills we have just passed, there is an
abundance of game, such as mountain sheep,
bear, antelope, and an occasional mountain lion,
while Dale Creek and all the little brooks which
flow into the South Platte River are filled with
trout. The speckled beauties are not found
however, in the streams which flow into the
North Platte. This is a well-established fact,
and we have yet failed to discover any satisfac-
tory reason for it, though some of these brooks,
flowing in opposite directions, head not more
than fifty yards apart.

SkitU Socks. — These rocks, found near Dale
Creek, are excellent samples of the granite rocks
which are so abundant in this section, and show
how they bear the effects of the -severe weather.
All the massive rocks, which, like the ruins of
old castles, are scattered all over the Black Hills,
were once angular in form, and square masses,
which in time have been worn to their present
forms by the disintegrating effects of the atmos-
phere.

Tie-Siding, — 555.2 miles from Omaha; ele-
vation, 7,985 feet. This is a telegraph station,
A well-worn and much traveled road leads
hence across the prairies southward to the
mountains of Diamond Peaks, in the neigh-
borhood of which are obtained ties, fence-
poles and wood. There are a few houses,
and the inevitable saloon — houses occupied most-
ly by woodchoppers and teamsters — while the
saloons generally take the most of their money.
A short distance from this station two soldiers
of an Iowa cavalry regiment were killed by In-
dians at the overland stage station, in 1865. The
pine board and mound which marks their resting-
place will soon disappear, and there will be noth-

ing left to mark the spot where they fell. Near
Tie-Siding are extensive ranches occupied by
sheep during the summer. The general direction
of the traveler is now north. In fact, after leav-
ing Dale Creek bridge, you turn towards the
north, and continue in that direction, sometimes
even making a little east, until you pass Rock
Creek Station, a distance of about seventy miles
by rail. We have now fairly entered upon the
great Laramie Plains. The next station is

Harney, — simply a side track, 559.3 miles
from the eastern terminus, with an elevation of
7,857 feet. We are going down grade now pretty
fast. The old stage road can be seen to the left,
and the higher mountains of the Medicine Bow
Range shut in the western view.

lied Buttes, — near the base of the western
slope of the Black Hills — is 563.8 miles from
Omaha ; elevation, 7,336 feet. So-called from
the reddish color of the Buttes between Harney
and this place, on the right side of the track.
This red appearance of the soil on both hill and
plain, indicates the presence of iron. It would
seem that at some remote period the whole valley
was on a level with the top of these Buttes, and
they, composed of harder and more cohesive sub-
stance than the soil around, have withstood the
drain and wash of ages, while it has settled
away. They are of all sorts of shapes. The
nearest about half a mile from the track, and ex-
cite no little interest from their peculiar forms,
in the mind of the traveler who is at all curions
on such subjects ; some of them are isolated,
and then again you will see them in groups.
There are quite a number in sight from the car
windows, and their close inspection would war-
rant the tourist in stopping at Laramie and
making them and other objects in the vicinity a
visit. Red Buttes is a telegraph station, with a
few settlers in the neighborhood. These plains
have been called the paradise for sheep ; but of
this subject we will speak in another place.

Fort Sanders, — 570.3 miles from Omaha;
elevation 7,163 feet. This is a station for the
military post which was established here in June,
1866, by Col. H. M. Mizner of the 18th United
States Infantry. Its buildings for both officers
and men are mainly of logs, and many of them
are both substantial and comfortable. The post
can be seen from a long distance in every
direction ; is close to the track and on the old
military road leading across the Black Hills by
way of Cheyenne Pass to Fort Walbach at the
eastern base of the hills, now abandoned, and to
the military posts near Cheyenne. It will prob-
ably be abandoned in a short time.

Laramie — is 572.8 miles from Omaha, and
7,123 feet above the sea. It is the end of a divi-
sion of the Union Pacific Railroad, one of the
largest towns on the road, has large machine and
repair shops, and is destined to become from its
mining and manufacturing capacities yet unde-

veloped, the largest city on the road in Wyoming.
It is located on the Laramie River, in the midst
of the Laramie Plains, has fully 4,000 people, is
the county-seat of Albany County, has numerous
churches and schools, several public buildings,
brick and stone blocks, with streets regularly laid
out at right angles to the railroad; is well wa-
tered from one of the mountain streams in the
vicinity, and altogether is one of the most promis-
ing towns on the line of the road. It is cailed
the "Gem city of the Mountains," and its alti-
tude and close proximity to the hills behind it
give it a fair show for the name. The rolling
mills of the company, giving employment to fix mi
150 to 300 men, are located and in operation
here, iii the northern limits of the city. It is ex-
pected and understood that a foundry and smelt-
ing works for reducing iron ore will soon be
established in connection with the rolling mills.
At present these mills have all they can do in re-
rolling the worn out rails of the track, which are
brought here for that purpose. The water-power
in the Laramie River will also soon be utilized in
the erection of woolen mills and factories for re-
fining soda and other minerals with which this
country abounds. The mineral resources of Wy-
oming have not been developed. The slight ex-
plorations which have thus far been made only
demonstrate the fact of their existence in untold
quantities. Laramie, for instance, has within a
radius of thirty miles the following named mine-
rals : Antimony, cinnabar, gold, silver, copper,
lead, plumbago, iron, red hematite iron, brown
hematite, specular iron, sulphate of soda, gypsum,
kaolin or porcelain clay, fire clay, brick clay,
coal, sand, limestone, fine quality, sandstone for
building purposes within two miles of the city,
and good wagon roads to all the places where
these materials are found. Laramie, from its
location and surroundings, must become a manu-
facturing city, and upon this fact we base the
prophecy of its future greatness and prosperity.
There are lakes of soda within the distance named
that must soon be utilized. A simple chemical
process only is required to render this article into
the soda of commerce — immense quantities of
which are used in this country annually, and most
of it comes from foreign countries. It is expect-
ed that a soda factory will be started at Laramie
within the next year.

Sheep-Raising. — We have before remarked
that the Laramie Plains were a paradise for
sheep. The success which has attended sheep
husbandry on these plains sufficiently attests this
fact. It is true, first efforts were not as success-
ful as they should have been, but this is reason-
ably accounted for in the lack of experience of
those who engaged in it, and a want of knowledge
of the peculiarities of the climate. It has gene-
rally been claimed that sheep will live and do
well where antelope thrive. While this theory-
holds good in the main, it has nevertheless been

ascertained that sheep on these plains require
hay and shelter in order to be successfully carried
through the storms of winter. It is also true
that this hay may not be needed, or but a little of
it used, but every preparation for safety requires
that it should be on hand to be used if necessary.
The winter is rare indeed, in this locality, that
makes twenty successive days' feeding a necessity.
Usually the storms last two or three days, per-
haps not as long, when hay and shelter are re-
quired. Another fact about this business is that
the climate is healthy, and seems especially adapt-
ed to sheep. If brought here in a sound and
healthy condition, they will remain so with ordi-
nary care, and the climate alone has been effec-
tual in curing some of the diseases to which they
are subject. Within the last few years a great
number of men have invested capital in sheep
husbandry in the vicinity of Laramie, and with-
out an exception they have done well where their
flocks have received the requisite attention and
care. Among the shepherd kings of the plains
may be mentioned the firms of Willard & Ken-
ned"y, King & Lane, Rumsey & Co., T. J. Fisher
& Co., and others. The firm first named have
about 6,000 in their flock, and have accommoda-
tions at their different ranches for 10,ODO sheep.
They place this number as the limit of their
flock. Their home ranche is on the Laramie
River, about twenty miles due west from the
city, and is worthy of a visit from any traveler
who desires information on the subject. They
are Boston men, and are meeting with success be-
cause they give their personal care and attention
to the business. Their sheep are divided into
flocks of about 2,500 each ; this number is all
that can be well cared for in a flock. One man,
a pony and one or two good shepherd dogs are all
that are necessary to care for a flock, though
some flocks are cared for without the pony or
dogs. Mexican herders or shepherds are con-
sidered the best, and usually cost about «$25 per
month and board. They have long been accus-
tomed to the business in New Mexico, and the
most of them don't know enough to do anything
else. The wool of graded sheep will usually more
than pay all the expenses of the flock, leaving
the increase as clear profit, and the increase de-
pends to a large extent on how well the flock is
managed; it is ordinarily 80 per cent. Some
have had an increase of their flocks as large as
90 per cent., others as low as 60 per cent. Some
of the successful sheep men have begun their
flocks with Spanish Merinos, others with French
Merinos, others with Cotswolds, and others still
with Mexican sheep. These last are very hardy ;
have small bodies and coarse wool. The ewes
are usually good mothers, and all of them will
hunt and dig through the snow for grass, while
other breeds would not. Mexican sheep will live
and thrive where tenderly raised eastern sheep
will die. They are cheap and easily graded up.

On the other hand, when once acclimated, graded
sheep cost no more care than others, and their
wool will bring double the price in the market.
Each class of sheep has its advocates on these
plains, and each class has been successful. As an
illustration of what care and attention will do
in the sheep business, we call attention to the
facts and figures in the case of T. J. Fisher &
Co., quoting from memory. In August, 1873,
Mr. Fisher bought some 690 ewes. At the end of
the first year he had a few over 1,300 sheep and
lambs, together with the wool clip from the origi-
nal number purchased, in the spring of 1874. At
the end of the second year, in August, 1875, he
had over 1,900 sheep and lambs, together with
the wool clip in the spring of that year. His
sheep being graded, the wool more than paid all
expenses of herding, cutting hay, corrals, etc.
His ranche is on the Little Laramie River, some
fourteen miles from the city. While nearly all
who have entered upon this business have been re-
markably successful, so far as we are able to learn,
Mr. Fisher has been the most successful, in pro-
portion to the capital invested. Tourists desir-
ing further information on this subject will do
well to visit his ranche and inspect his method
of conducting the business. Messrs. King &
Lane, and Rumsey & Co., have some very fine
Cotswold and Merino sheep, and a visit to their
flocks will abundantly reward any one who de-
sires further information on the subject.

Stock Statistics.- — The total number of
stock grazing on the plains of Laramie County,
at last estimate, was as follows :

Sheep, 78,322 head, worth $3, value, 82.S4.966

Horned cattle. 87.000 " •• 20, " 1,74(I,<HK)
Horses aiid mules, 2,600 " " 60, 130,000

Total, $2,104,966

The average weight of fleece of sheep sheared
last spring, was 9 Ibs. per sheep. The average
increase in flocks is 60 to 90 per cent, per annum,
and the average increase of capital, is 50 to 60
per cent, per year.

Sheep husbandry is destined to become the
feature of the Laramie Plains, and the wool
which will soon be raised in this vicinity will keep
thousands of spindles in motion near the very
place where it is produced, thus saving to both
producer and consumer vast sums which are now
lost in transportation.

Enrl?/ Times. — In April, 1868, the first town
lots in Laramie were sold by the railroad com-
pany. There was a great rush for town lots —
excitement ran very high, and the history of
Cheyenne in this respect, where men made for-
tunes in a day, was repeated here. In fact, a
month or two prior to the beginning of the sale,
the town site was covered with tents, wagons,
dugouts, etc., of parties waiting for the day of
sale. With that sale, the settlement of the town
began. The first week, over 400 lots sold and
building began rapidly. In less than two weeks

something over 500 buildings and1 structures of
some kind had been erected. This was an ex-
ample of western growth that would astonish the
slow-going denizens of the Atlantic States. It is
true these structures were of a peculiar character,
and such as were usually found in the towns for
the time being made the business terminus of the
road. Some were of logs, some of cross-ties, others
were simply four posts set in the ground with can-
vas sides and roofs. Others still were made of
boards, in sections, and easy to be moved when
the next terminus should be made known.

The iron rails that were soon to bear the iron
horse were laid past the town on the 9th day of
May, 1868, and on the day following, the first
train arrived and discharged its freight. Lara-
mi e maintained the character of all these west-

who were respectable, and who desired to do a
legitimate business could not endure for a long
time, the presence ,and rascalities of these border
characters. There being no law in force, the
next best thing was a resort to "lynch law."
This was the experience of Laramie.

Laramie is now an orderly, well-governed city,
where the rights of person and property are re-
spected, and forcibly reminds one of the quiet
towns in the East. All saloons and other places
of like character, are closed on the Sabbath, the
churches are well attended, and the schools are lib-
erally patronized. It is one of the most attrac-
tive towns on the line of the Union Pacific
road, and offers many advantages to those who
desire, for any reason, a change of location.

In addition to other public institutions else-

EARLY MORNING SCENE ON THE LARAMIE PLAINS.

ern towns in the early days of their settlement.
The same class of human beings that had popu-
lated and depopulated North Platte, Julesburg,
Cheyenne, and other places, lived and flourished
here until the next move was made. They were
gamblers, thieves, prostitutes, murderers — bad
men and women of every calling and description
under the heavens, and from almost every nation-
ality on the globe — and when they could prey
upon no one «Ise, would, as a matter of course,
prey \ipori each other. The worst that has ever
been written of these characters does not depict
the whole truth ; they were, in many cases, out-
laws from the East — fled to escape the conse-
quences of crimes committed there, and each
man was a law unto himself. Armed to the very
teeth, it was simply a word and a shot, and
many times the shot came first. Of course those

where mentioned, Laramie has the location of
the territorial penitentiary, a small wing of
which is already constructed, and which is
plainly visible only a short distance west of the
railroad track. A good hotel is kept at the
old depot. For years it was a regular dining
station, and is still one of the most important
and interesting places on the Omaha route,
but the dining station has recently been trans-
ferred to Rock Creek, fifty-two miles farther
west, the better to accommodate the hour of din-
ing to the wants of travelers. A manufactory
for soda is talked of, and if the mines of this ar-
ticle are properly developed, Laramie will soon
supply the world with soda enough to raise, not
only biscuits and bread, but no small sum of
money as a return for the investment. The
rolling mills and machine and repair shops of

the company are sources of perpetual trade and
income, and must of necessity increase with the
annually increasing business of the company. A
visit to^the soda lakes, gold mines, Iron Mount-
ain, Red Buttes and other places of interest in
the vicinity, together with good hotel accommo-
dations, will sure-
ly lure the trav-
eler to spend a
few days in this
" Gem city of the
Mountains."

Lara in i e
Peak. — This is
the highest peak
of the Black Hills
Range in Wyom-
ing and Colorado,
north of Long's
Peak, and is about
10,000 feet high.
The Hayden ex-
ploring party,
who were en-
camped at its
base, describe wit-
nessing a sunset
scene of rare
beauty. The sun
passed down di-
rectly behind the
summit of Lara-
mie Peak. The
whole range of
mou ntains was
gilded with a
golden light, and
the haziness of the
atmosphere gave
to the whole scene
a deeper beauty.
The valleys at the
base of the Cotton-
wood and Laramie
Rivers are full of
pleasant little
streams and
grassy plains.
Sometimes these
valleys expand
out into beautiful
oval park-like
areas, which are
favorite resorts of
wild game, and

HDNTIXG IS THE BOCKY MOCSTAIKS.

R'aifroafl. — The traveler notices with interest
the ever frequent windmills which appear at
every station, and are such prominent objects
over the broad prairies. They are used for sup-
plying the locomotives and station houses with
water. Probably no finer specimens exist in the

United States than
are found on the
lines of this road.
In these tanks
is a large hollow
globe floating in
the water. These
globes are so con-
nected with lev-
ers that when the
water has reached
a certain height,
the slats or fans
are thrown in line
with the wind, and
the machine stops.
As the water is
drawn off for sup-
plying the locomo-
tives, the ball falls,
and the machine
is again put in mo-
tion. They are
thus self-regula-
ting and self-act-
ing. The water is
thrown up by a
forcing pump. A
curious fact may
be here mention-
ed. These tanks,
when closely cov-
ered, have thus far
proved that there
is enough caloric
in the water to
prevent it from
freezing.

Mi ml River
3fon ntti ins. —
These mountains,
seen on the map
and just north of
the railroad, are
destined soon to
celebrity, for their
mining value, al-
though as yet but
partially explored.

would be exceedingly desirable for settlements.
Emigrants would find here beautiful scenery,
pure" air and water, and a mild and extremely
healthy climate. Cereals and roots could be easily
raised, and stock-raising could be made a source
of wealth to them and the whole community.
The Windmills of tlie Union Pacific

Two well-known peaks rise among them. Fre-
mont's Peak and Snow's Peak, the latter being the
highest; its elevation is given by Fremont as 13.570
feet. The mountains are filled with a dense
growth of a species of the nut pine, which fur-
nishes food for innumerable birds and squirrel,
and supplies the Indians with their favorite food.

Indian Burial Tree. — Among the Indian
tribes there are quite a number whose custom is
to honor their dead with burial places in the tops
of favored trees. The Comanches, Apaches,
Cheyennes, Arrapahoes and Kiowas all do this.
After an Indian is dead, his corpse is securely
wrapped like a mummy ; with it are put food,
arms, tobacco, etc., — which its spirit is supposed to
want in his trip to the happy hunting-ground, —
and the whole covered with an outer covering
made of willows. All the Indians of the tribe
celebrate mourning both before and after this is
done ; then the body is placed upon a platform,
constructed in some old tree, usually a large cot-
ton-wood. The feet of the departed Indian are
turned with care to the southward, for thither
resides the Great Spirit, — so the Indians say —
and thither he is going. In some of their favor-

Wyoming. They are really the first range of
the Rockies. They begin at the valley of the
North Platte River, directly south ot Fort Fet-
terman, and unite with the Medicine Bow Range
in northern Colorado, south-west from Sherman.
Laramie Peak and Reed's Peak, north of the
Laramie Canon, are the highest peaks in this
range. The waters which flow from them east of
the Black Hills, and those which flow west from
the Medicine Bow Range, all unite in the North
Platte River, which describes a half circle around
their northern extremity, and then flows east-
ward to the Missouri River. This range of
mountains, as before stated, is crossed at Sher-
man. They have not been prospected to any
great extent for the precious metals, but gold,
silver, copper, iron and other minerals are known
to exist. Iron is found in large quantities.

INDIAN BURIAL TBEE, NEAR FOBT LARAMIE.

ite groves, as many as eight or ten bodies have
been found in a single tree. Another mode of
burial is to erect a scaffold on some prominent
knoll or bluff. These customs are prevalent
among those Indian tribes which are most rov-
ing, and live in the saddle. " Foot Indians,"
those which inhabit the plains, and are peaceable,
most invariably bury their dead in the ground —
always, however, accompanied with such good
things as he will need in his trips thereafter in
the new hunting-grounds.

The Black Hills of Wyoming, and the
Medicine Bow Range. — In going west, the
first range of real mountains the traveler meets
with are what are called the Black Hills of

About 18 miles north-east from Laramie is Iron
Mountain, on the head of Chugwater Creek. It
is said to be nearly pure, and will some day be
developed. There has been talk of a railroad
fi-om Cheyenne with a branch to this mountain,
but nothing has been done yet. In searching
for a route for the Union Pacific Railroad, a
survey of the Laramie Canon was made, but
it was found to be impracticable for a railroad.
It, however, has grand scenery, and will become
a place of resort, by tourists, as soon as the In-
dian question is settled. The Black Hills virtu-
ally connect with the Medicine Bow Range at
both extremities, bearing to the left around the
circle of the North Platte, and to the right south

MEDICINE BOW MOUNTAINS, FROM MEDICINE BOW RIVEE.

of Sherman. The canons of both the Laramie
and Platte Rivers are rugged and grand. Lara-
mie Peak has an elevation of 10,000 feet, and
lies in plain view off to the right from Lookout
to Medicine Bow Stations.

Crossing the Black Hills, the road strikes the
Laramie Plains, and then the Medicine Bow
Range rises grandly before you. At Laramie
City — the road running north — you look west
and behold Sheep Mountain in front, whose sum-
mit is 10,000 feet above the sea; to the left of
this is Mt. Agassiz, so named in honor of the
distinguished scientist who gave his life to the
cause he loved so well. To the right of Sheep

Mountain, which is in the Medicine Bow Range,
you discover what seems to be a large depression
in the mountains. This is where the Little Lara-
mie River heads, and across it, to the right, still
other peaks of this range lift their snowy heads.
The range is now on your left until you pass
around its northern bend and into the North
Platte Valley again at Fort Steele. On the
northern extremity, Elk Mountain looms up, the
best view of which can be obtained as you pass
from Medicine Bow Station to Fort Steele, pro-
vided, of course, you look when the foot hills do
not obscure your vision. The Medicine Bow
Range is also full of the precious metals, mostly

gold, but has not been developed. The Centen-
nial Mine, located by a party of gentlemen from
Laramie, on the first day of January, 1875, is on
the mountain just north of one of the branches
of the Little Laramie River, and in a clear day,
with a good glass, can plainly be seen from Lara-
mie City. Nearly all the streams which head in
the Medicine Bow Mountains will show " color "
to the prospector, but the lodes are mostly
" blind,'"' and can only be found by persistent
search. This range is also heavily timbered, and
abounds in game, and except the highest peaks,
is free from snow in the summer. The timber is
mostly pine, and immense quantities are annu-
ally cut for railroad ties, telegraph and fence
poles and wood. Nearly every ranche on the
Laramie Plains is supplied with poles for corrals,
sheds and fences rrom the Black Hills or Medi-
cine Bow Range. The Laramie Plains is the
great basin between these two ranges, and the
road has to pass northward a long distance in
order to find its way out. Leaving ihe grand
views of these mountains, the traveler enters
upon a vast, dreary and unproductive waste —
fitly called r. desert. Still its rough and broken
appearance with rocks, hills, and mountains on
either side afford a strange and pleasant relief
from the dull monotony of the eastern plains.

Leaving Laramie City, the track passes close
to the company's rolling mills, from the tall
chimneys of which there are huge volumes of
black smoke and occasional flames, constantly
belching forth. We soon cross the Laramie
River on a wooden truss bridge, and run along
near its banks to

Ho well, — which is a side track, eight miles
from Laramie, and 580.8 miles from Omaha;
elevation, 7,090 feet. Passing over the plains,
walled in by mountains on either side, we reach
the next station,

Wyoming, — over fifteen miles from Laramie,
and 588.4 miles from Omaha; elevation, 7,068
feet. Having reached the highest altitude on
the line of the road between the two oceans, at
Sherman, you see we are now going down hill
a little, and from this time until we cross the
Sierras, there will be a constant succession of
" ups and downs " in our journey. Wyoming is
on the Little Laramie River, which empties into
the Laramie River near the station. It is a tele-
graph station with a few houses in the vicinity
— in the midst of a fine grazing country, with
sheep and cattle ranches in sight. Leaving
Wyoming, the aspect of the country soon
changes. A bluff on the right lies near the
track, the country becomes more undulating as
we pass on, and the grass seems to grow thinner
except on the bottom near the stream. Sage
brush and greasewood, well known to all frontier
men, begin to appear. We have seen a little ot
sage brush before in the vicinity of Julesburg,
and Sidney, and now strike it again.

Cooper's Luke, — 598.9 miles from Omaha,
with an elevation of 7,044 feet It is a telegraph
station with the usual side track and section-
houses. The station is named from the little
lake near by, which can best be seen from the
cars at the water tank, beyond the station. It
isn't much of a *ake, nor can much of it be seen
from the car windows. The water is said to
look very green in the summer, and to differ but
little in appearance from the green grass which
surrounds it. The lake itself is about half a
mile wide, and a mile and a half long, and about
two miles from the track, though it does not
seem half that distance. It is fed by Cooper and
Dutton Creeks, but has no visible outlet.

Lookout, — 607.6 miles from Omaha, and
about thirty-five miies Irom Laramie ; elevation,
7,169 feet. The road left what may be called the
Laramie bottom at the last station, and now
winds through a rolling country, which soon be-
comes rough and broken, with the sage brush
constantly increasing. Notice the changes in
the elevation as you pass along1.

Miser, — 615.9 miles from Omaha ; elevation,
6,810 feet. Near here coal has been found.
It is in the vicinity of Rock Creek, which is
said to be the eastern rim of the coal fields
discovered on this elevated plateau, in the mid-
dle of the Continent. From the last station
to this, and beyond, you have fine and con-
stantly changing views from the moving train,
of Laramie Peak, away off to the right, and
of Elk Mountain to the left. Sage brush is
the only natural production of the soil in this
region, and is said to be eaten by antelope and
elk in the absence of grass or anything better.
It is also said that sheep will feed upon it,
and that wherever antelope live and flourish,
sheep will do likewise.

Rock Creek, — so called from a creek of the
same name, which the road here crosses ; 624.6
miles from Omaha ; elevation, 6.690 feet. This
is a regular eating station, instead of Laramie.
The dining-room is beautifully decorated with
flowers, vines and horns of game, a pretty
Bay window with blooming flowers and walls
covered with vines, and the display of hanging
baskets, making the meal one of the most agree-
able on the road. Hotel is kept by Thayer and
Hughes.

The government is surveying a new road to
Fort Fetterman, to start from Rock Creek, in-
stead of Medicine Bow.

Rock Creek rises in the north-eastern peaks of
the Medicine Bow Range, and runs in that
direction to this station, near which it turns to-
ward the west and unites with Medicine Bow
River, near Medicine Bow Station.

Wilcox. — A side track for the passing of
trains, 632.3 miles from Omaha, and 7,033 feet
above the sea. The next station is

Como, — named after Lake Como, which the

road here passes. One peculiarity of this lake
is that it is near Rock Creek — separated from it
by a ridge of hills estimated at 200 feet high, —
with no visible outlet. The station is 640.2
miles from Omaha, and 6,680 feet above the
sea. The lake has been estimated to be 200
feet above the surface of Rock Creek, from
which it is separated as above stated. It is
fed by warm springs, which also supply the
water tank of the company at the station. In a
cold day the steam from these springs can be
seen at some distance. It is also a great resort
for ducks, and sportsmen can obtain fine shooting
here in the proper season. If lizards are fish
with legs, then we have fish with legs abounding
in this lake and vicinity. These animals are from
6 to 18 inches in length, with a head a good deal
like that of a frog, and tufts or tassels where the
gills would be on a fish. They have four legs and
crawl around to a certain extent on the land.
There are two kinds of these lizards, one differ-
ing from the other in size and color more than
in shape,, and either kind are devoured by the
ducks when they can be caught. The lake is
about one mile wide in the widest place, and two
and a half miles long.

Valley of the Chugwater. — The Chug-
water Valley is about 100 miles long. It has
been for many years a favorite locality for winter-
ing stock, not only on account of the excellence of
the grass and water, but also from the fact that
the climate is mild throughout the winter. Cat-
tle and horses thrive well all winter without hay
or shelter. The broad valley is protected from
strong cold winds by high walls or bluffs. The
soil everywhere is fertile, and wherever the sur-
face can be irrigated, good crops of all kinds of
cereals and hardy vegetables can be raised with-
out difficulty.

In this valley and near the source of the
Chugwater, are thousands of tons of iron ore,
indicating deposits of vast extent and rich-
ness, which can be made easily accessible when-
ever desirable to construct a railroad to Mon-
tana.

Medicine Bow — is 647.3 miles from Omaha;
elevation, 6.550 feet. The river, from which the
station is named, was crossed a short distance
before we reached the station. It rises directly
south, in the Medicine Bow Mountains, and runs
nearly north to the place where it is crossed by
the railroad, after which it turns toward the
west and unites with the North Platte, below
Fort Steele.

There is a roundhouse of five stalls, in which
one or more engines are kept, to assist trains
up and down the ste^p grades between here
and Carbon. It is also a point from which
a large quantity of military supplies for Fort
Fetterman and other posts are distributed.
The government has a freight depot here.
There are one or two stores, with the inevitable

saloon and several dwellings, in the vicinity.
There is a good wagon road from this place to
Fort Fetterman, distance ninety miles, and it is
by far the nearest route to the gold fields in the
Black Hills of Dakota, for passengers and miners
from the West. The Indians were disinclined to
leave this region and even now hardly know how
to give it up. In the summer of 1875, they came
here and stole a herd of between three and four
hundred horses that were grazing on Rock Creek.
Some of these horses have been seen and recog-
nized at the agencies of Red Cloud and Spotted
Tail ; and when demand was made for them, the
owners were quietly told by the Indian agents to
make out their claims and present them to the
proper authorities to be paid. But the cases of
their payment are like angels' visits, few and far
between. Some of the horses stolen belonged to
Judge Kelly, member of Congress, from Pennsyl-
vania. Medicine Bow is in the midst of a rough,
broken country, over which millions of antelope
and jack rabbits roam at pleasure. When the
road was built here immense quantities of ties
and wood were cut in the mountains south, and
delivered at this place.

Curiosities of Indian Life and Char-
acter.— The entire country, from North Platte
over as far as the western border of Laramie
Plains, has been for years the roving ground of
the Indians, of whom we could tell many inter-
esting facts respecting their life and the curious
interviews the overland scouts, trappers, etc.,
have had with them. To a man, every scout will
unite in denunciation of their treachery. Jim
Baker, — an old Rocky Mountain trapper, — once
told, in his characteristic manner the following,
to General Marcy :

" They are the most onsartainest varmints in
all creation, and I reckon thar not mor'n half
human ; for you never seed a human, arter you'd
fed and treated him to the best fixins in your
lodge, just turn round and steal all your horses,
or anything he could lay his hand on.

" No, not adzackly ! he would feel kinder grate-
ful, and ask you to spread a blanket in his lodge
if ever you passed that way. But the Indian,
he don't care shucks for you, and is ready to do
you a heap of mischief as soon as he quits your
feed. No, Cap'," he- continued, "it's not the
right way to give 'um presents to buy peace ; but
ef I was governor of these yeer United States,
I'll tell you what I'd do. I'd invite 'um all to a
big feast, and make believe I wanted to have a
big talk, and as soon as I got 'um all together, I'd
pitch in and scalp half of 'um, and then t'other
half would be mighty glad to make a peace that
would stick. That's the way I'd make a treaty
with the dog-ond, red-bellied varmints ; and, as
sure as you're born. Cap., that's the only way.

" It am' no use to talk about honor with them,
Cap. ; they hain't got no such thing in 'um ; and
they won't show fair fight, any way you can fix

it. Don't they kill and scalp a white man,
when'ar they get the better on him ? The mean
varmints, they'll never behave themselves until
you give 'um a clean out and out licking. They
can't onderstand white folks' ways, and they
won't learn 'um, and ef you treat 'um decently,
they think you're ateard. You may depend on't,
Cap., the only way to treat Indians, is to thrash
them well at first, then the balance will sorter
take to you and behave themselves."

Indian observations on the character of the
American and English people, are often pretty
good. An Indian once describing to an English-
man the characteristics of the different people
he knew, said as follows, most naively :

" King George man, ( English ) very good ;
Boston man, (American) good ; John Chinaman,
not good ; but the black man, he no better than a
dog."

They are particularly curious about negroes,
as they do not feel certain whether the black
goes all through. Some years ago, a party of
negroes escaping from Texas, were captured by
some of the Comanches, who scraped their skin to
settle this question.

At the time of the presidency of Lincoln, an
Indian, while conversing with an English mis-
sionary, asked him who was the chief of the
English. He was told. " Ah ! Queen Victoly,"
for they can't pronounce it. " Is she a woman ?"
" Yes." " Who is the chief of the Boston men,
(American)?" "Mr. Lincoln." "Ah! I thought
so ; but another Indian once told me that it was
Mr. Washington. Are Mr. Lincoln and the
English woman-chief good friends ? " " Yes,
excellent friends." He thought for a moment,
and, finally, said eagerly : « Than if they are so
good friends, why <loes not Mr. Lincoln take Queen
Vic/oly for hi* squaw? "

The Indians are very fond of card-playing,
and, perhaps in no other way can their natural
treachery be so well illustrated, and desire to
take advantage of others by cheating.

An Indian once, while at a wayside village,
near the mines, and withal a natural born swin-
dler, explained to his white hearers how he
could manage to cheat while dealing the cards.

While playing in the open air, in some valley,
near some rocks, with a- young Indian, while
dealing the cards, he would shout out as if he
saw some lovely forest maid passing near or
ascending the rock or sides of the hill : " Aah,
nanich skok tenans klatchmann (Hallo! look at
that young woman !) " While the Indian looked
around, "old Buffalo" immediately took the
opportunity of dealing double to himself, or of
selecting an ace or two before his opponent
turned around.

A semi-civilized Indian, named Black Beaver,
once visited General Marcy at St. Louis, and on
his return back to his native camp, he prided
himself not a little on his knowledge of cities and

men, white and civilized. Camping one night
with a Comanche guide, the General overheard
the two in an apparently earnest and amicable
talk. The General inquired of him afterward
what he had been saying.

" I've been telling the Comanche what I've
seen among the white folks. 1 tell him 'bout the
steamboats, and the railroads, and the het'p o'

houses I see in St. Louis, but he say Ize

fool. I tell him the world is round, but he keep
all o' time say, ' Hush, you fool, do you spose I'ze
child ? Haven't I got eyes ? Can't I see the
prairie? You call him round ? Maybe so; I tell
you something you not know before. One time
my grandfather he made long journey that, way
(West), when he got on big mountain, he see
heep water on t'other side, just so flat as he can
be, and he see the sun go straight down on
t'other side. S'pose the world flat he stand
still?'"

General Marcy attempted to explain to him
the telegraph, but there he was nonplussed.
"What you call the magnetic telegraph?" He
was told, "You have heard of New York and
New Orleans?" " Oh, yes." "Very well; we
have a wire connecting these two cities, which
are 1,000 miles apart, and it would take a man
thirty days, on a good horse, to ride it. Now, a
man stands at one end of this wire in New York,
and by touching it a few times, he inquires of
his friend in New Orleans, what he had for
breakfast. His friend in New Orleans touches
the other end of the wire, and in ten minutes the
answer comes back, ham and eygs."

Beaver was requested to tell this to the Co-
manche, but he remained silent, his countenance
all the time covered with a most comical, puz-
zled expression. Again he was asked to tell him,
when he observed, " No, Captain, I not tell him
that, for I don't b'lieve that myself."

He was assured that it was a fact, but no
amount of assurances could induce him to pin
his faith on such a seemingly incredible state-
ment. All he would reply was simply,

"Injun not very smart; sometimes he's big
fool, but he holler pretty loud ; you hear him,
maybe, half a mile; you say 'Merican man he
talk thousand miles ;' I 'spect you try to fool me
now, Cap'n. Man be you lie"

Polygamy is quite frequent among many of
the Indians of the plains, and some amusing
stories are told of the way they get their wives.
One such is told of an Indian boy of only eight-
een, whose father, considering that he had ar-
rived at the years of discretion, presented him
with a lodge, several horses, and goods enough
to establish him in life. The first thing the pre-
cocious youth did was to go and secretly bargain
with a chief for his daughter, enjoining secrecy,
and then to a second, third and fourth, the re-
sult of which was, that on a fixed day, he claimed
all four ladies, to the astonishment of the tribe

F0&8/ST.

and the indignation of the fathers. But he ob-
tained his wives and marched them off to his
wigwam. Not only this, but the chiefs deter-
mined that a youth who could do so bold an act,
must be a person of discretion, and deserved and
gave him a seat in the council among the war-
riors and the medicine men.

Of the want of books and writing among the
Indians, they give the following explanations :

" It is impossible. The Great Spirit at first
made a red and a white boy ; to the red boy he
gave a book, and to the white boy a bow and
arrow, but the white boy came round the red
boy, stole his book, and went off, leaving him
the bow and arrow, and, therefore, au Indian
could not make a book."

Carbon, — 656.5 miles from Omaha, with an
elevation of 6,750 feet. A station of great
prominence for coal mining. Population 700.
This is the first station on the line of the
road, where the company obtains a supply
of coal. A shaft about 120 feet deep has
been sunk, and veins of coal opened about
six feet thick. The coal is hoisted to the
surface by means of a stationary engine, and
dumped into cars by means of chutes, or into
large bins from which it is taken to supply
passing engines. From 50 to 150 men are
employed in these mines, and a good many
of them live in board shanties, adobe houses, and
dug-outs along the side of the track. The coal
is mostly used by the company — but little being
sold as it is not as good for domestic purposes as
the coal found at Rock Springs. Leaving Car-
bon we pass through a rugged country, with
scenery sufficiently attractive to keep the traveler
on the constant lookout, to

Simpson, — a side track, with section-house,
663.5 miles from Omaha, and an elevation of 6,898
feet. Passenger trains do not stop and on we
goto

Percy, — 668.1 miles from Omaha, and 6,950
feet above the sea. From Simpson to this sta-
tion, you can obtain the finest view of Elk
Mountain on the left. We have not been able
to ascertain its elevation, but its comparative
short distance from the road causes it to look
high and grand. It can be seen from a long dis-
tance, either east or west, and is the noted peak
of the Medicine Bow Range. It seems to
jut out from the main ridge, and looking
from the west, stands in bold relief against
the sky. The station is named in honor
of Colonel Percy, who was killed here by the
Sioux Indians, when the road was being sur-
veyed. At this station passengers who desire
to visit Elk Mountain, and the region in its im-
mediate vicinity will leave the cars. During
the construction of the road large quantities of
wood and ties with timber for bridges, were cut
in the mountains and foot hills, and hauled to
this station. At the foot of Elk Mountain stood

Fort Halleck now abandoned, and a station of
the Overland Stage Company. There were many
skirmishes with the Indians in this vicinity in
those days, and now and then you will be able to
find an old settler who will entertain you for
hours, in the recital of wild adventures and hair-
breadth escapes. A visit to the site of the old
fort and the region of country around, together
with a close view of the grand scenery of the
mountains, will amply repay the traveler for his
time and money. About four miles south of
Percy, fine veins of coal were discovered in 1875,
but they have not been opened or tested. One
is nine and the other over twenty feet in thick-
ness. Notice a suggestive sign as you pass the
station. It is "Bowles's Hotel," and of course,
indicates that everything is perfectly " straight "
within.

South of this station there is some very fine
grazing land, mostly in the valleys of the little
streams that head in the Medicine Bow Range,
and flow westward into the North Platte River,
and a considerable quantity of hay is cut during
favorable seasons.

A Curious and Exciting Knee. — En-
gineers have told of a curious scene on the Pacific
Railroad not far from the Laramie Plains, of a
race between the locomotive and a herd of deer.
At daybreak, the locomotive, with its long train
of carriages and freight cars, entered a narrow
valley or gorge, where runs quite a rivulet of
clear and cold mountain water. On the banks
of this stream a large herd of red deer were
standing, occasionally lapping the refresh-
ing element. The timid creatures, startled by
the presence in their midst of the " iron horse,"
knew not what course to pursue in order to get
away from it. The engineer, to add to their
evident perplexity, caused the whistle to send
forth its loudest "and most discordant shriek.
This was enough for the deer. To get beyond
reach of this new enemy, they started up the
road, taking the course the locomotive was
pursuing. The race became exciting. It was a
superb trial of steam and iron against muscle
and lung. The engineer " put on steam," and
sent his locomotive with its burdensome train,
whirling along the track ; but for many miles —
six or seven it was estimated — the frightened
animals kept ahead, fairly beating their antago-
nist. At last the pursued and pursuer got into a
more open country. This the deer perceiving,
they sprang on dne side, and, with unabated
speed, ran to a safe distance, where beyond reach
of locomotive or rifle, they stood and gazed with
dilated eyes — their limbs trembling from un-
usual exertion, and gasping for breath — at their
fast receding enemy.

Dana — is the next station — simply a side
track. It is 674.2 miles from Omaha; elevation,
6,875 feet. The rugged, broken character of the
country with cuts for the track, and fills in the

DEER BACE WITH TRAIN ON THE U. P. R. R.

valleys, will interest the observing tourist if he
passes by in daylight.

St, Marys, — 681.7 miles from Omaha, with
an elevation of 6,751 feet. It is a telegraph sta-
tion with accompanying side tack, section-house,
etc. From this station to the next, the bluffs
are rugged and wild, the road passing through a
short tunnel and several deep cuts. There is
nothing but the changing scenery as you move
along with the train, to relieve this country from
its desolate appearance. Sage brush and grease-
wood continue to be the only products of the soil.

Walcott, — a side track 689.5 miles from the
Missouri River, and 6,800 feet above the sea.
After leaving this station, the road winds around
the bluffs, passing through some very deep cuts,
near one of which there is a stone quarry from
which stone is taken by the company for road
purposes at Green River. A side track to the
quarry has been laid and stone easily loaded on
the flat cars used for their transportation. Sud-
denly bursting through one of these cuts we
enter the valley of the Platte, through what is
called Rattle Snake Pass, by the railroad men,
and arrive at

Fort Sfeele, — which is 695.3 miles from
Omaha, 122.5 miles from Laramie, and has an
elevation of 6,840 feet. It is a telegraph station,
and the site of the government post of the same
name. We cross North Platte River just before
arriving at the station, and are 4,051 feet higher
than when we crossed the same stream at North
Platte City, near the junction of the two Plattes
in the State of Nebraska. Fort Steele was .
established on the last day of June, 1868, by

Col. R. I. Dodge, then of the Thirtieth United
States Infantry. It is considered a good strate-
gic point, as well as a convenient base of supplies,
in case of a campaign against the Indians. The
buildings are mostly .of logs, and none of them
very comfortable. In 1875, the government fin-
ished a fine stone hospital building here. The
station also does considerable government busi-
ness, and there is a government depot for receiv-
ing and storing supplies near the track. The
valley of the North Platte at this upper cross-
ing is quite narrow, without the broad and
fertile bottom-lands we were accustomed to see
below as we whirled along its banks. From the
head of this river in the North Park of Colorado,
to a point as far down as Fort Laramie, its route
describes the form of a horseshoe. Its tributa-
ries from the east mostly rise in the Medicine
Bow Range, and flow westward. They are
principally Douglas Creek, Fresh Creek, Brush
Creek, Cedar Creek, Spring Creek, and Pass
Creek. They are beautiful streams with fine
grass valleys and partially wooded banks. Its
tributaries from the west are Beaver Creek,
Grand Encampment Creek, Cow Creek, Hot
Spring Creek, Jack Creek, and Sage Creek.
Hot Spring Creek is so named from the hot sul-
phur springs which are found near its mouth.
All the streams which rise in the Medicine Bow
Range, and flow into the North Platte, show the
" color '' of gold where they have been prospected,
and some rich diggings are said to have been
discovered at the head of Douglas Creek. We
believe it will not be long before the Medicine
Bow Mountains will develop into a rich mining

country. The waters of the Hot Springs re-
ferred to are claimed to possess remarkable me-
dicinal virtues, and are from 40 to 45 miles from
Fort Steele, up the right bank of the river.
The wonders of even these desolate plains do
not begin to be known, and when they are fully
realized, the world will be astonished at the
results. About three miles west of Fort Steele
is the site of Benton — the town that was — now
wholly abandoned. For a short time it was the
business terminus of the road, while its construc-
tion was going on, and possessed all the charac-
teristics of the railroad towns in those days. At
one time it had a population estimated as high
as five thousand souls. Old iron barrel hoops,
rusty tin cans, a few holes in the ground, a few
posts and stumps, and nearly or quite a hundred
nameless graves in close proximity, are all that

perior satisfaction it would give. The railroad
reached and passed Benton in July, 1868. The
valley of the N. Platte River begins to be occu-
pied by cattle men, as stock can be carried
through the severest winters, thus far experienced,
without hay. It has superior advantages, not
only for grazing, but its numerous "draws"
or ravines afford friendly shelter in case of storms.

View on the North flfitte, near Fort
Fred Steele. — The Platte River here is over
700 miles from its mouth near Omaha, and has an
elevation of 6,845 feet. Upon the plains it was
a wide, shallow stream, with sand-bars and shift-
ing currents. Here it is a deep, clear, cold stream,
and but little distant from its source among the
perpetual snow banks of the Rocky Mountains.

Grennvitte — is the next station, 703.7 miles
from Omaha with an elevation of 6,560 feet

•

VIEW ON THK PLATTE,

now remain to mark the place where Benton
was. It grew in a day, and faded out of sight as
quickly. But it was a red-hot town while it
lasted. A death, sometimes two or three of
them, with corresponding burials, was the morn-
ing custom. Whisky was preferred to water be-
cause it was much easier to obtain, and unre-
strained by civilized society or wholesome laws,
the devil in men and women had full sway, and
made free exhibitions of his nature. The town
was three miles from the North Platte River,
where all the water was obtained and hauled
in, price ten cents per bucket, or one dollar
per barrel. In that town, a drink of regular old
"tangle-foot" whisky, at "two bits" (twenty-
five cents) would last a good deal longer than
a bucket of water, to say nothing of the su-

NEAR FORT FRED STEELE.

above the sea. It is simply a side track for the
meeting and passing of trains. Passenger trains
seldom stop. The next station and the end of
a subdivision of the road is

Rawlins, — named in honor of Gen. John A.
Rawlins, General Grant's chief of staff and his
first secretary of war. The springs near here
bear the same name, but it has been incorrectly
spelled, heretofore. This station is 137.9 miles
from Laramie, and 710.7 miles from Omaha. It
has an elevation of 6,732 feet. We are going up
hill again. The town has a population of over
700 souls, a large majority of whom are railroad
employes. The company has erected a hotel for
the use of its employes and the traveling public,
and has a roundhouse and machine-shops which
are kept pretty busy in the repair of engines.

The water used by engines on this division is
strongly impregnated with alkali and other sub-
stances, which form scales on the inside of the
boiler and adhere to the flues. The engines are,
therefore, carefully watched and every precaution
taken to guard against accidents. North of the
town, is what might be called in some countries,
a mountain. Near the east end of this mount-
ain valuable beds of red hematite — iron ore —
have been found. This ore is very pure, and,
when ground, makes a very hard and durable
paint. It is said to be water and fire-proof when
used in sufficient quantities. The dark red
freight and flat cars which you see on the line of
the road belonging to the company, have been
painted with this material, and it is rapidly
growing into public favor as its merits become
known. There are two mills here for the manu-
facture of this paint, and a large quantity is
always on hand. Forty miles due north from
Rawlins are the Ferris and Seminole mining dis-
tricts. These mines were visited, in 1875, by
Professor Hayden and Professor Thompson.
The lodes operated by the Vulcan Mining Com-
pany, indicated gold, silver and copper, mixed
with iron. This company is composed mostly of
mechanics and employes of the Union Pacific.
They first sunk a shaft on the vein and
obtained ore at about 60 feet from the surface
that assayed well and gave indications of a rich
mine. They then commenced a tunnel, and from
their monthly wages, during nearly two years or
more, contributed and expended about $24,000.
At a distance of about 365 feet, they struck the
vein, and have a large body of rich ore in sight
and on the dump. A mill will soon be put in,
when the company will begin to realize some-
thing for their outlay. The Elgin Mining Com-
pany have also put in a tunnel, and are reported
to have struck a rich vein. The developments,
thus far made, indicate that the copper and silver
will soon run out, and that the mines will be
essentially gold-bearing. South of Rawlins about
60 miles, in the Snake River Region, are fine
grazing fields, already occupied, to a certain ex-
tent, by cattle men, and mining country yet
undeveloped. Placer diggings have been found
and worked to some extent, and indications of
rich quartz lodes are prevalent, some having
already been discovered. A colony of farmers
and miners from the vicinity of Denver, Col.,
have settled in that region, and more are con-
stantly going in. About a mile and a half from
Rawlins, east, is a large sulphur spring. It is
untaken. as yet. We could not ascertain
whether the waters had been analyzed or not,
though they are claimed to possess the usual
medicinal qualities of water from similar springs.
The springs frequently alluded to as Rawlins
Springs, are on the left of the track, and a little
west of the town. The small creek which passes,
through the place, is known as Separation Creek,

and empties into the North Platte River north
of Fort Steele. There are, also, immense beds
or lakes of soda, tributary to this station, some
of which is nearly pure. When they are utilized,
as they doubtless soon will be, and the industry
is developed, employment will be given to many
laborers now idle, together with fortunes to those
who have the nerve and capacity to successfully
carry it on. We are informed that from twelve
to fourteen millions of dollars are annually paid
in customs duties on the article of imported soda,
alone. Rawlins is in the midst of a broken, des-
olate country, and depends upon railroad impor-
tations for nearly everything upon which its
people live, though there is a fine country re-
ported both north and south. In addition to the
other buildings named, it has the usual quantity
of saloons, together with several stores, at which
a thriving trade is done. The future of the
town will depend largely upon the developments
in the mining districts spoken of.

Summit. — A side track, nearly seven miles
from Rawlins, and 717.4 miles from Omaha ;
elevation, 6,821 feet. Heavy grades now for
quite a distance.

Separation. — One would naturally suppose
from the name, that the waters flowing east and
west, divided or separated here, but such is not
the fact. It is reported that a party of engineers
who were surveying and locating the road,
separated here to run different lines — hence the
name. It is a telegraph station, 724.1 miles from
Omaha, arid 6,900 feet above the level of the
sea. The artesian well at this station, which
supplies the water tank is 860 feet deep. The
water from these wells is not always pure — fre-
quently having a brackish or alkali taste.

Fill-more, — named in honor of a former di-
vision superintendent of the road, now in the
stock business, with ranche at Wyoming. It is
731.6 miles from Omaha; elevation, 6,885 feet.
Simply a side track in the midst of a barren,
broken country.

Cresfon, — 738.6 miles from the eastern ter-
minus of the road, and 7,030 feet above the sea.
It is a telegraph station, with the usual side
tracks and section-house. Three miles farther
west, and we reach the summit of the divide
which separates the waters of the two oceans.
This is the crowning ridge in the backbone of the
Continent, and a desolate place it is. It is the
summit of the Rocky Mountains. " What was
this country made for?" — We asked a fellow-
traveler. " To hold the rest of it together "-
was the ready reply. That is good; the best
reason for its existence we've had. It is of some
use after all. Allowing 60 feet grade for the
three miles west of Creston, to the actual summit
of the divide, and we are then 1,122 feet lower
than at Sherman. It is true there are no lofty
peaks here, with snowy crests the .year round,
but an immense roll, over which we glide and

never think that we are crossing the summit of
the rock-ribbed Rockies. At this divide a short
distance north of the track, a pole was once
erected with a flag to mark the spot, but it has
fallen before the fierce gales which sweep over
this elevated ridge, and which seem to have with-
ered everything they touched. Standing on the
rear platform of the train, looking east you notice
the undulations of the road as it passes beneath
you ; Elk Mountain of the Medicine Bow Range,
and the far distant Black Hills rise grandly in
view as you approach the crest, but suddenly you
have passed to the other side, and a stretch of
country two hundred miles long drops from your
view in an instant. On this part of the road the
most difficulty with snow is usually experienced
in the winter. There is a constant breeze here,
and frequent storms, though a few miles farther
it may be clear and pleasant. In the great snow
blockade of the winter of 1871-2, the telegraph
poles were frequently buried in the drifts. The
Western Union Company had their wires ele-
vated on poles planted in the snow in several
places, to keep them above the drifts. In that
blockade, the worst ever known since the road
was built, there were seventeen days without
trains. Since then the track has been raised,
snow fences planted, sheds erected and every pos-
sible appliance used to insure the safe and
speedy passage of trains. Looking again to the
north you can see the snowy heads of the Wind
River Mountains, with the peak named after
Fremont, the gallant Path-finder of the West,
towering against the sky. Notice the dark
shades of the timber lines as they press against
the eternal snows with which they are covered.
Looking forward to the west, if you have a
chance, Pilot Butte, north of Rock Springs, one
of the great landmarks of the plains, is clearly
visible. To the south you behold the mountains
where the tributaries of the Snake River rise,
and whence they flow into the Pacific Ocean. No-
tice on north sign-board, "CONTINENTAL DIVIDE."

Latham, — 746.1 miles from Omaha, and
6,900 feet above the sea. Passenger trains do
not stop as it is only a side track. On we go to

Watthakie, — so called after a Shoshone chief,
reputed to be friendly to the whites, whose tribe
fights the Sioux when there is opportunity.
Here is an artesian well, 638 feet deep, flowing
800 gallons per hour.

Red Desert. — The country near is reddish
in appearance, but the place is named after the
Red Desert, near which is an immense basin of
its own, similar to the Salt Lake basin. It lies
500 feet below the level of the country; has no
outlet, and extends from the South Pass on the
north, to Bridger's Pass on the south, and east
from summit of the divide to Tipton on the west,
a very singular depression right on the divide of
the Continent. The little stream just seen before
reaching this place, flows south and is lost in this
7

basin. The country near is alkali, and subject
to high water and heavy rains, giving great diffi-
culty to preserve the security of road-bed and
track. Station is 763 miles from Omaha; ele-
vation 6,710 feet.

Tipton, — a side track for meeting and pass-
ing trains. It is 769.6 miles from the " Big
Muddy," with an elevation of 6,800 feet, We
have been going up hill again — leaving the val-
ley of the Snake River. The snows of winter
leave heavy drifts along here, but the railroad
men have learned by experience how to manage
them quite successfully. When the drifts have
reached the top of the fences in height, they go
along and raise the fences to the top of the drifts,
fastening them as best they can in the snow.
This they repeat as often as necessary, and thus,
the snow, in many instances, is kept away from
the track, but the drifts become pretty high.

Table Hock, — named from a rock resembling
a table south of, and about six miles from the
station. It is 776.3 miles from Omaha, and
6.890 feet above the sea — is a telegraph station.
There is a long, evenly cut bluff south of the
track, estimated to be 600 feet in height. On
what appears to be the north-west corner of this
bluff a square, table-like, projection rises — the
table — and presents a very odd appearance. It
can be seen for quite a distance, as you look to
the left from the cars. The table projects about
60 feet above the bluffs adjoining, though it does
not seem half that distance. Next we come to

Af/ate, — 781.3 miles from Omaha, and 6,785
feet above the sea. South of this station and to
a certain extent, in its immediate vicinity, moss
agates are found. The stones, however, are not
clear and well-defined. They are smoky and
dark, rendering them nearly valueless. Agate is
only a side track where trains seldom stop.
Down the grade we pass to

Bitter Creek, — a telegraph station, 786.3
miles from Omaha, with an elevation of 6,685
feet. At this station, we first strike the well-
known Bitter Creek Valley, through which we
shall pass to Green River. About four miles
below this station, on the south side of the track,
the old overland stage and emigrant road struck
the valley, as it came in from Bridger's Pass, and
across the Snake River Valley. The railroad
reaches Bitter Creek through a " draw " or dry
ravine which unites with the valley proper, at the
station. The old stage-road struck the creek
farther south, and before it reaches the railroad.
This was formerly quite a station, and the end
of a passenger division. It has a small round-
house, with ten stalls and turn-table, upon which
the engines and snow-plows are turned. Between
this station and Rawlins, as has been observed,
are very heavy grades, requiring two engines to
pull a train. These extra engines come with
trains as far as this station, and then assist east-
ward bound trains back again. A large quan-

1. — Flaming Gorge.

SCENES ON GREEN RIVER.
2.— Brown's Hole. 3.— Looking up the Valley of Green River.

tity of bridge timber is also kept here, ready
for any emergency. In the great washout at
the foot of this valley, in the spring of 1875,
large quantities were used. Bitter Creek is
rightly named. Its waters are so strongly
impregnated with alkali that they are almost
useless. Nevertheless, at the head of this
creek, where it is fed by cold, clear springs,
for more than ten miles from the station,
trout have been caught, though they are
small. The rugged scenery along this valley
will interest the traveler, as the views are
constantly changing. There are no machine-
shops for repairs here, only the five-stall
roundhouse. The creek has been dammed
for the purpose of supplying the water tank,
though the water is not the best for boil-
ers. The whole region of country, from a
point east, as far as Rock Creek to Green
River, is underlaid with coal. It frequently
crops out in this valley. The coal is lignite
and will not " coke " like the bituminous
coal. There are also indications of iron
and other minerals, in the immediate vicin-
ity of the valley. Occasionally, you will
see little shrub pines on the bluffs — but no
timber. These pines have tried to grow,
but the sterility of the soil is against them.
They find it almost impossible to " take
root." Sometimes it seems, as you pass
down the valley and look ahead, as though
tha train was going square against the
rocks, and would be dashed in pieces ; but
a sudJ^ii curve, and you have rounded the
projecting bluffs, and are safely pursuing
your journey. Again, it seems as though
the bluffs were trying to shake hands across
the chasm, or making an effort to become
dovetailed together. They assume all sorts
of shapes, washed out in places by the
storms of ages — smoothly carved as if by
the hand of the sculptor — and again, ragged
and grotesque. The geology of the Bitter
Creek and Green River Valleys, will afford
a chapter of curious interest, and will amply
reward him who searches thoroughly after
the knowledge. Professor Hayden and Major
Powell have the best reports on the forma-
tion and geology of this region.

Black Buttes — is the next station, 795.4
miles from Omaha, and 6,600 feet above
the sea. It is a telegraph station with
accompanying side tracks. Formerly there
was a coal mine worked here, said to be-
long to Jack Morrow, now of Omaha, and
quite a noted frontier character in his
day. It furnishes excellent coal, easily ac-
cessible, the vein being from six to eight
feet thick. As you approach the station,
notice the balanced rock north of the
road and within 50 feet of the side
track. The buttes from which the station

is named are south of the creek, and plainly

... £ J

visible.

HaUvitte, — named after a noted contractor
who graded the road through this part of
the valley. A few posts and adobe walls are
all that remain of the camp. It is simply
a side track, 800.9 miles from Omaha, with
an elevation of 6,590 feet.

Point of Hocks — is a station with a his-
tory. It was formerly quite a town, but its
glory has departed with the causes which
brought it into existence. It was formerly
the point of departure and the outfitting
place for the Sweetwater Gold District, South
Pass City, Atlantic City, Camp Stambaugh,
and other places in the region of the Great
South Pass at the foot of Wind River
Mountains, and is the nearest railroad point
to those places, to-day, with a good wagon
road not much traveled. Distance to South
Pass City, 65 miles. The rocks from which
this place is named are on a high point
south of the track, and a little east of the
station. They seem in the distance like faint
outlines of huge perpendicular columns, not
very high, but really 365 feet perpendicular
above their base surroundings. Their summit
is about 1,100 feet above the track. At the
base of the rocks proper, and about 735 feet
above the track, seven sulphur springs break
out, three of which are large ones, the balance
being small.

North of the track, and three-fourths of a
mile west of the station, is an iron spring,
reputed to possess remarkable medicinal qual-
ities, several invalids, especially females, hav-
ing been highly benefited by drinking and
bathing in its waters. Four miles north of
the station is a huge sulphur spring, with
water pouring forth from the ground. The
artesian well, which supplies the water
tank here, is 700 feet deep. Water is pumped
out by steam power. \\ ells & Fargo's Over-
land Express Company had a station here,
and their old adobe b'uildings, rapidly going
into decay, may still be seen across the
creek, at the base of the bluffs. In the
" piping " times of the town several build-
ings were commenced, but the collapse was
so sudden that they were never completed.
This station is 806.7 miles from Omaha, and
6,490 feet above the sea. It is now a place
of large coal interests, over one hundred
car loads per day being shipped. There
is also an artesian well one thousand and fif-
teen feet deep.

TItaj/er, — simply a side track, 812 miles
from Omaha, with an elevation of 6,425
feet. The moving trains will give the tourist
an ever-varying view of the grand and beau-
tiful scenery of this valley.

Salt Wells, — 818.2 miles from the eastern

100

terminus of the road, and 6,360 feet above
the sea. It is a telegraph station, and in
the construction period of the road, was a
place where considerable timber, wood, etc.,
was delivered. The water from the well here
has a saltish, alkaline taste, hence the name.
Three and one-half miles north, there is a salt
or alkali basin, which has no visible outlet in
which the brackish waters stand the most of
the year.

Baxter , — 826.2 miles from Omaha; eleva-

its entire line. Rock Springs coal for domestic
purposes is only surpassed by anthracite. It
has but little of the sulphurous smell of other
soft coal, burns into ashes without clinkers, and
without the black soot which characterizes other
coal. These mines, with others, were formerly
operated by the Wyoming Coal Company.
Their product is annually increasing; wherever
the superior merits of the coal have become
known it speedily supplants other kinds in use.
In 1875 the company mined 104,427 tons, or

CASTLE ROOK.

tion, 6,300 feet — A side track where passenger
trains do not stop. The valley narrows in this
vicinity, and the rugged rocks with their ragged
edges, if possible become more interesting to the
observer.

Rock Springs, — 831.6 miles from Omaha,
and 6,280 feet above the sea. This is the great
coal station on the line of the Union Pacific
Road. The company not only furnishes the
finest lignite coal to be found, for its own use,
but supplies the market at every point along

10,442 cars allowing the usual ten tons per car.
They did not, however, ship this number of cars
as considerable coal is furnished to all the en-
gines that pass, and consumed by the people
living in the town. They are now working two
veins,one sixand the other about ninefeet in thick-
ness. The Artesian well here is 1,145 feet deep.

Lawrence, — 840.6 miles from Omaha, with
an elevation of 6,200 feet. A side track for
passing trains between Rock Springs and

Green River, — which is the end of the Lara-

101

mie division of the road, 273.8 miles from that
place, and 846.6 miles from Omaha, with an ele-
vation of 6,140 feet. This is a regular eating-
station, breakfast and supper, and is now one of
the best kept hostelries on the road. This place
will eventually be a popular resort for those who
are seeking for fossiliferous remains, and those
who delight in fishing. Here is the outfitting
point for hunting and fishing parties who
desire to go either north or south, and here
is the head center for Rocky Mountain spec-
imens, fossils, petrifactions, etc., and travelers
would like to know beforehand just what accom-
modations they can obtain. Mr. Kitchen is able
to provide for all, in elegant style, at reasonable
prices. Here, also, he has on exhibition and for
sale the specimens alluded to — such as beautiful
moss agates, fossil fish, petrified shells and wood,
with others which we are not able to name. Par-

others to reclaim the soil, but thus far
with indifferent success, though Mr. Fields
was quite successful, in 1875, with a crop of
potatoes, cabbages, turnips, radishes, and other
"garden truck."

Stages leave here for the Big Horn Waters
and other towns tri-weekly. The old mud
huts are beginning to find occupants again.
The Desert House is the only hotel, a
pleasant place with its flowers, ferns, and
pictures.

The high projecting tower north of the
track, crowning a bluff, is 625 feet higher than
the river level below, and about 615 feet higjier
than the track. Other rocks, as " The Sisters "
and " The Twin Sisters " will be readily recog-
nized by the passing traveler.

" Wake up, wake up," said an old lady to her
husband, as the train approached the station one

THE TWIN SISTERS, GREEN RIVER.

ties of men are employed to search the hills,
mountains and valleys in this vicinity, for these
specimens, and when found, to bring them in.
The stock is, therefore, continually replenished
with rich and rare gems and fossils, and they
may here be obtained at any time.

Being the end of a division, Green Hirer has a
large roundhouse with fifteen stalK and the
usual machine and repair shops. The railroad
bursts into the valley through a narrow gorge
between two hills, then turns to the right and
enters the town, crossing the river beyond on a
wooden truss bridge. The old adobe town, re-
mains of which are still visible, was on the bot-
tom-land directly in front of the gorge.

Green River is now the county-seat of
Sweetwater County, Wyoming, and has a
population of nearly 1,000 persons. Efforts
have been made by Mr. Fields and a few

morning last year; "here is Solomon's temple
petrified," said she, as she gave him another
shake. The old gentleman rubbed his eyes, gave
another yawn, and finally looked out, to see what
excites the curiosity of every traveler, as he
arrives at this place. Sure enough : it seems as
though some great temple once stood here, or
several of them, and in the wrecks of time, left
their gigantic pillars standing, as a reminder of
their former greatness.

TJte Green Hirer. — The peculiar color of
this river is not owing to the fact of any discolora-
tion of the water ; that, when the banks of the
stream are not filled by freshets of itself or some
of its tributaries, is very pure and sweet, and of
the usual color of clear water, but is owing to
the green shale through which it runs, and which
can readily be seen in the bluffs in the vicinity
and for quite a distance up Black's Fork, and

102

PETRIFIED FISH CUT, GREEN RIVER.

which is supposed to contain arsenic or chloride
of copper, which bacomss detached by drainage
and fastens itself to the pabble stones and bot-
tom of the stream, causing the water, as you
look into it, to bear the same color. This river
rises in the Wyoming and Wind River Mount-
ains, is fed by numerous tributaries, and flows
in a general southerly direction, until it unites
with the Colorado River. The scenery along its
banks, most always rugged, in some places is
sublime. Where it is crossed by the railroad, its
valley is narrow, enclosed on either side by high
bluffs, which have been washed into numerous
fanciful shapes by the storms of time, and
which are crowned, in many instances, by col-
ums, or towers, forcibly reminding one of the
towers, battlements and castles, spoken of in
the old feudal times. Its tributaries, nearly
all have narrow fertile valleys, which are be-
ing occupied by stockmen, and which afford
both hay and shelter for stock. South of
the railroad, it winds through the famous Col-
orado Canon, so well and grandly described
by Major Powell, the explorer. The river and
its surroundings must from their verv nature,
always be a source of interest to the scien-
tist, and will soon become a popular resort
for fossil hunters, gem searchers and sports-
men.

Brown's Hole.— This is a beautiful scene
just below Red Canon, the water is calm, quiet,
and peaceful, like a mirror, with wonderfully dis-
tinct reflections. Here is the last quiet stretch
of the river ere it enters into the turbulent pas-'
sage of the deeper, gloomier, and larger canon

WEST BANK GREEN RIVER, LOOKING EASTWARD.

below. The sandy beach, at the left, shows the
foot-prints of numerous deer, bears, and elk that
frequent the bank.

Brown's Hole is an expansion of the val-
ley of Green River, and is about five miles
wide and thirty miles long. This is a name given
by the old trappers, — 40 years ago, or more — and
has been a favorite wintering place for stock.
Littleor no snow falls in the valleys, and they are
so well surrounded by high mountains, that the
bleak winds of winter cannot reach them. The
valley is covered with wild sage and bunch
grass — and at the time of the visit of the Hayden
Exploring Party, there were 2,200 head of Texas
cattle, just driven in, to fatten for the California
market. In the north sides of the valley, the beds
of rock have, by the action of the weather, become
shaped into innumerably beautiful, architectural
forms, like the ruins of pyramids.

Giant's Club. — This is fairly a giant in di-
mensions,— as its proportions are really colos-
sal. It rises with almost perpendicular sides,
and is impossible to scale by ascent. The rock
is valuable for its curious composition, as it bears
evidences of having once existed at the bottom
of a lake. The rock lies in regular strata, all
horizontal, and most of these contain fossils of
plants and fishes. The plants are all extinct
species, and closely allied to our fruit and forest
trees ; among them, however, are some palms,
which indicated this to be, in original times,
vhen the deposit was formed, a very warm
climate. Professor Hayden, in examining this
rock, and others near, found the plants in the
upper part of the rock, and about a hundred feet

103

lower down, discovered the remains of fishes, all
of them belonging to fresh water, and all extinct
species. They were imbedded in oily shales, and
insects were found with them, in a remarkable
state of preservation. With the fishes were also
found feathers of birds, and a few reeds.

Peculiarities of the Green River Rocks.
— To the curious formation of rocks which give
all this region its characteristic featirres, is given
the name of the Green River Shales ; the sedi-
ments are arranged in regular layers, mostly
quite thin, but varying from the thickness of a
knife-blade to several feet. These peculiar
'layers, or bands, are quite varied in shades of
color. In some of the thin slabs of shale, are
thousands of beautiful impressions of fish, some-
times a dozen or so within the compass of a

ters of the river are of the purest emerald, with
banks and sand-bars of glistening white. The
perpendicular bluff to the left is nearly 1,500 feet
above the level of the river, and of a bright red
and yellow. When illuminated by full sunlight,
it is grand, and deserves its full title " The Flam-
ing Gorge." It is the entrance to a gateway to
the still greater wonders and grandeurs of the
famous Red Canon that cuts its way to a depth
of 3,000 feet, between this point and its entrance
into Brown's Hole.

Leaving Green River the railroad crosses the
bridge, turns to the right, and runs along under
the bluffs — the highest being about 350 feet
high, and almost over the river in one place — for
about three miles, when it again turns to the
left, passing the divide where thei'e is an un-

OIANX'S CLUB, UltEEX K1VEK.

square foot. Impressions of insects and water
plants are also sometimes found. At Burning
Rock Cut, the road is cut through thin layers of
a sort of cream-colored, chalky limestone, inter-
spersed with strata of a dark brown color,
saturated with petroleum as to burn freely.
The Cut derives its name Burning Rocks, from
the fact that during the building of the road
the rocks became ignited and burned for some
days, illuminating the labor of the workmen by
night — and filling the valley with dense clouds
of smoke by day.

Curious Scenes along the Green River.
—At the mouth of Henry's Fork there is a view
on Green River of great beauty, which derives its
principal charm from its vivid colors. The wa-

GIANT'S TEA-POT, GREEN RIVEK.

named side track, and along a hilly, broken
country.

The Sweettrater. — This stream rises in the
Wind River Mountains, directly north of Point
of Rocks and Salt Wells, in the great South
Pass, discovered by General Fremont, and runs in
a general easterly direction uniting with the
North Platte River about 80 miles north of Fort
Steele. South of it is the Sweetwater Mountain
Range. North of it lay the Rattlesnake Hills,
which are said to be one continuous chain of
broken ragged rocks heaped upon each other in
confused masses. They are utterly barren and
desolate, and beyond the snakes which give them
their name, are avoided by almost every living
thing. Near the mouth of this river, Independence

104

Rock, a noted landmark of the plains, rises. It
is on the line of the Indian trail, to the upper
North Platte Region, and near it has been found
immense deposits of soda in lakes which are
said to be nearly pure, and which are soon to be
worked. The valley of this stream is rarely
covered with snow in winter, and affords ex-
cellent grazing for stock the entire year. Were
it not so exposed to Indian raids in summer, it
would soon be occupied. The care of stock re-
quires horses and beyond the killing of a few
head for beef occasionally, the Indians do not
trouble it ; the horses are what they want, and
what they come after and scalps will be taken,
if necessary to obtain them. Placer, gulch and
quartz gold has been discovered in the Wind
River Mountains, near the Great South Pass,
and fortunes have been made and lost in that
mining district in a very short time. They have
been made by the mining sharks, who sold their
mines to the inexperienced and uninitiated from
the East, and lost by the parties who were
" taken in." There are however valuable mines
in this vicinity (nearly all gold), which will
some day be developed. To the east of the
Wind River Mountains the Shoshone or Snake
River Indian reservation has been laid off. The
principal towns are Atlantic City, South Pass
City and Miner's Delight, a mining town. Near
Atlantic City is Camp Stambough and still
farther north on the east side of the same mount-
ain, is Camp Brown, the latter being near the
boundary line of the Indian reservation referred
to. Very fine hot mineral springs have been
found on or near this reservation, which will
eventually be extensively patronized. The main
road by which these places are reached, leads out
from Bryan and Green River. From the latter
place four-horse coaches are run tri-weekly,
while from the former a great quantity of gov-
ernment freight is annually shipped. The road
crosses the river near the mouth of Big Sandy
Creek, and follows up this stream, and its south
branch to Pacific Spring, after which it crosses
a low divide to a tributary of the Sweetwater.
While the road from Point of Rocks is much
shorter yet this route is said to be the best as it
follows the valley of a stream all the way, and
avoids sand-hills which are very trying to stock.
From Green River the road at present traveled,
passes up the valley until it strikes the Big
Sandy, where it intersects the road from Bryan.
The nearest peaks seen on the north side of the
track, as you pass the divide just west of Creston,
are those of the real Rocky Mountain Range, and
extend in a north-westerly direction to the head
of the Wind River Mountains, from which they
are only divided by the Sweetwater Valley. Be-
fore the Lodge Pole Valley Route was discovered
via the Cheyenne Pass, the North Platte and
Sweetwater Route via the South Pass and Big
Sandy was the main, in fact the great overland

route, traveled by the Mormons and Cali-
fornia emigrants. At the time the railroad was
built, however, the Lodge Pole Route was the
one mainly traveled. The vast region north of
the railroad between the Black Hills and Green
River Valley, contains within itself the germs of
a mighty empire, only waiting for the united
efforts of capital and labor for development.

Bryan, — over 13 miles from Green River,
and 860 miles from Omaha, with an elevation of
6,340 feet or just 200 feet higher than at Green
River. This station was formerly a division ter-
minus at which time it was a place of consider-
able importance. The government has a depot
here, where its freight for Camp Stambaugh,
Camp Brown and other places is received. The
majority of the freight for the Sweetwater Min-
ing District and the settlements at the base of
the Wind River Mountains, South Pass City,
Atlantic City, etc., is also shipped from this
place, the distance to the latter city being 90
miles. Bryan is the first station where the rail-
road strikes Black's Fork of the Green River.
This fork rises in the Uintah Mountains, directly
south of Piedmont, and runs in a north-easterly
direction till it reaches Bryan, then turns toward
the south-west and unites with Green River some
twenty miles below the town of Green River.
The valley at Bryan is quite broad in places, and
thickly covered with sage brush and greasewood.
The soil is said to be fertile and capable of pro-
ducing large crops with irrigation.

Fort Bridger, eleven miles south of Carter
Station, is on this stream, and at that place over
300 bushels of potatoes have been raised from a
single half acre of ground. This shows what
this virgin soil can do if irrigated. The tabJe-
land on the elevated benches that the traveler
will observe on either side of the road, is said to
be equally rich, and would be equally as prolific
if it could be irrigated. As you approach Bryan,
look away to the south and south-east, and you
will behold the towering peaks of the Uintah
Mountains, 70 or 80 miles off. They do not
look so distant, but then distance is very decep-
tive in this country. Bryan is a telegraph sta-
tion with a store, saloon, and a few houses — all
that's left to tell the story of its better and de-
parted days. Its early history is the same as all
the railroad towns we have mentioned, with
roughs, cut-throats, gamblers, villains, etc., and
their cleaning out by vigilance committees, under
law administered by " Judge Lynch."

We now pursue our way up the valley of
Black's Fork. Four miles west of Bryan, the
road first crosses this stream which it follows to
Church Buttes.

Marston — is the next station — a side track
21 miles from Green River, and 867.6 miles from
Omaha ; elevation, 6,245 feet. From the appar-
ently level plains which the road crosses, abrupt
buttes or bluffs rise as if built by human hands

105

as mounds to conceal some treasure, or to perpet-
uate some remarkable incident in history. They
form a curious study, and awaken no little in-
terest in the mind of an observing traveler. To
the left of the track there are a number of low
buttes as you approach

Granger, — the next station, 877.2 miles from
Omaha, and 6,270 feet above the sea. It is a
telegraph station, named in honor of an old set-
tler here, and is the principal shipping point on
the line of the Union Pacific, for Montana and
Idaho cattle. These cattle are driven to this
point from the territories named, and the ship-
ments are increasing every year. Yards and
chutes have been erected for their ac commodation
and use. Near the station are one or two stone
houses. The road here crosses Him's Fork, a
tributary of Black's Fork, which rises some 70

to Evanston, in great profusion. The most of
them, however, are valueless, but occasionally
specimens of rare beauty are picked up. On
what are called " the bad lands," about 7 miles
south of the road, however, the finest agates,
with other beautiful gems, are obtained with lit-
tle difficulty. In Ham's Fork water agates,
creamy white, and amber colored, may be occa-
sionally picked up. They are quite rare, and
when cut by the lapidary, are held to be of con-
siderable value.

View of Uintah Mountains. — The view
we give an illustration of, on page 80, is one of
the finest in the Far West. The scene is taken
from Photograph Ridge, at an elevation of
10,829 feet. In the foreground is a picturesque
group of the mountain pines. In the middle
distance flows Black's Fork. The peaks or cones

CHURCH BUTTES

miles north-west, and which, the old settlers say,
is really the main stream of the two. The banks
of this stream, as far as you can see, are lined
with bushes, and farther up, its valley produces
luxuriant grass, from which hay is cut, and upon
which numerous herds of cattle feed. An oval
peak rises on the north side of the track, beyond
which, in the distance, may be seen a range of
bluffs, or mountains,which rise up between Ham's
Fork and Green River. From Granger to the
next station, are buttes on both sides of the
track, while, to the left, the high peaks of the
Uintah Range tower up in the distance, affording
one of the grandest views on the line of the road.
This is the region of moss agates, gems of vari-
ous kinds, and precious stones. Agates are found
all along the line of the road from Green River

ON BLACK'S FORK.

in the distance have their summits far above the
limits of perpetual snow, and from 1,500 to 2,000
feet above the springs that are the sources of the
streams below. These cones are distinctly strati-
fied, mostly horizontal, and there are frequently
vast piles of purplish, compact quartzite, which
resemble Egyptian pyramids on a gigantic scale,
without a trace of grit, vegetation, or water. One
of these remarkable structures stands out isolated
from the rest, in the middle of the Valley of
Smith's Fork, and is so much like a Gothic
church, that the United States Surveying Party
gave it the name of Hayden's Cathedral, after
the leader of the exploration.

Church Butte*,— 887.7 miles from Omaha ;
elevation, 6,317 feet. The particular buttes,
from which the station derives its name, are

106

about 10 miles south of the station, on the old
overland stage road, but buttes rise up from the
level plains in this vicinity in every direction.
They are, however, fast washing away. The
annual increase in rain-fall on this desert, since
the completion of the railroad and the stretch-
ing of five telegraph wires, is remarkable, and
is especially noticed by the old settlers. These
rains, with the frosts of winter, are having a
noticeable effect on the buttes. Isolated peaks
have disappeared entirely — and prominent pro-
jections have been materially lessened. There
are still a large number, however, chiseled by
the action of frosts and rains into fantastic
shapss which will excite the attention and rivet
the gaze of the traveler, as he passes by ; but, if
their annual diminution continues, in less than
half a century, they will have lost their interest.
Near this station is the last crossing of Black's
Fork, which now bears away to the left, while
the road ascends another of its branches, called
the Big Muddy. What has been said in refer-
ence to agates, etc., of the other stations, will
apply to Church Buttes with equal force.

Curious Scientific Explorations. —
Church Buttes is a curious formation, located on
the line of the old overland stage route, about
one hundred and fifty miles east from Salt Lake,
and at this point having an elevation of 6,731
feat. The formation is part of the Mauvaises
Terres, or Bad Lands, and consists of a vast de-
posit of sedimentary sandstones, and marly clay,
in perfectly horizontal strata, and contain within
th.3ir beds, some very remarkable paleontological
remains. The peculiar effects of stormy weather
and flood, in the past, has carved the bluff-lines
into the most curious and fantastic forms — lofty
dom3S and pinnacles, and fluted columns, these
rocks resembling some cathedral of the olden
tinvi, standing in the midst of desolation.

Professor Hayden, in speaking of them says,
" Distance lends a most delicious enchantment to
tha scene, and the imagination can build many
castles from out of this mass of most singular
formation. A nearer approach dispels some of
ths illusions, but the mind is no less impressed
with the infinite variety of detail and the scat-
tered remains of the extinct life of some far dis-
tant age."

In this section are found " moss agates," in the
greatest abundance, being scattered all over the
surface of the country. Standing upon one of
the summits of the highest point of the "Bad
Lands," Hayden says, "as far as the eye can
reach, upon every side, is a vast extent of most
infinite detail. It looks like some ruined city of
the gods, blasted, bare, desolate, but grave, beyond
a mortal's telling." In 1870, a geological expedi-
tion, headed by Prof. O. C. Marsh, of Yale College,
and known as the " Yale College Expedition of
1870 " — visited the " Bad Lands " and made a
geological examination. They were accompanied

by Buffalo Bill, a military troupe, and ten Pawnee
Indians, as guides. On the way, Professor Marsh
endeavored to explain the mighty changes of
geology and the grand discoveries they would
make — and as Buffalo Bill intimated, some of
them were " pretty tough yarns.' ' The desolation
of the country can only be imagined, not de-
scribed— hour after hour the party marched over
burning sand-hills, without rocks or trees, or
signs of water, while the thermometer stood at
110° in the shade of the wagons. After fourteen
hours in the saddle, one of the soldiers, exhaust-
ed with heat and thirst, finally exclaimed :
" What did God Almighty make such as this J or?"
" Why" replied another more devout trooper,
" Go/I Almighty made the country good enough,
but it's thin deuced geology the professor talks about,
that spoiled it all."

For fresh water the party had to thank the
favor of a thunder-shower, during which they
drank from the rims of each other's hats. Their
researches resulted in the discovery of the re-
mains of various species of the camel, horse,
mammals, and others new to science. A branch
of this expedition exploring the canons and
plains of Northern Colorado, discovered a large
deposit which contained great quantities of
fossil turtles, and rhinoceros, birds, and the re-
mains of the areodon, — a remarkable animal
combining the characteristics of the modern
sheep, pig and deer. The remains of another mon-
ster, the Titanotherium, were found of such vast
proportions, that a lower jaw measured over four
feet in length. At Antelope Station, in one of
these areodon beds, remains were found of
several species of horse ; — one a three-toed ani-
mal, and another which, although full grown, had
attained the height of but two feet. In an ex-
ploration near Green River — the expedition
found petrified fishes in abundance, and a small
bed, containing fossil insects, a rare discov-
ery. Here were beetles and dragons, flies and
grasshoppers; a gigantic fossil mosquito, and
an extinct flea of great dimensions were also
discovered. At Fort Wallace, Ks., the party
found a trophy in the form of a skeleton of a
sea serpent nearly complete, which alone re-
quired four days to dig out and bring to the
camp. This monster when alive could not have
been less than 60 feet. It had a slender eel-
like body and tail, with mouth like a boa-con-
strictor.

Among the curious incidents which happened,
was the discovery of a genuine Sioux Indian bur-
ial ground. The dead were reposing on platforms
of boughs elevated above the ground, and sup-
ported at the four corners by poles about eight
feet in height. On one of these tombs lay two
bodies, — a woman, decked in beads and bracelets,
and a scalpless brave, with war paint still on the
cheeks, and holding in his crumbling hand,
a rusty shot-gun, and a pack of cards. Several

107

incidents occurred from the abundance of rattle-
snakes. Several animals were bitten by them,
and the country at some places fairly swarmed
with them. Numbers were killed every day by
the horses' feet, and while members of the party
would occasionally bathe in the river, these
reptiles would bask upon the bank of the stream
near their clothes, as one of them says, " Their
humming soon became an old tune, and the
charm of shooting the wretches wore away for
all but one, who was collecting their rattles as a
necklace for his lady love."

Hampton, — a little over 50 miles from Green
River, 897.1 miles from Omaha, and 6,500 feet
above the sea. It is simply a side track where,
occasionally, trains inset and pass. Approaching
this station, two large buttes lift themselves
above their fellows on the left side of the track,
while beyond, a low, dark ridge may be seen cov-
ered with cedars. In this ridge is an abundance
of game and good hunting at almost any season
of the year. The game consists of elk, coyotes,
wolves, deer, bears, etc. About three miles be-
fore you reach the next station, you will notice
off to the right of the track, a long, low, dark ridge.
It is also covered with cedars, and it strikes the
road near Bridger Station. There are also plenty
of cedars in the bluffs to the left before you
reach

Carter, — the next station, which is 904.6
miles from Omaha, and 6,550 feet above the sea.
The station is named in honor of Col. Dick
Carter, whose home is here, and who has lived
here since the completion of the railroad. It is
the nearest railroad station to Fort Bridger,
which is located on Black's Fork, 11 miles due
south, and reached by daily stages from this
point. Colonel Carter is about to try the experi-
ment of raising crops at this station. He has
built a dam across the creek and dug a ditch
nearly 2,000 feet long, which will irrigate the
ground he proposes to till. Near Carter, also,
one can hardly go amiss of moss agates and
other curious specimens. About 20 miles a
little north-west of this station, is a mountain
of coal on a tributary of Little Muddy. In
this mountain are found three splendid veins of
coal, of total thickness of 87 feet, which can be
traced over ten miles, also layers of slate 25 to
30 feet in depth. The coal resembles cannel coal,
and makes excellent coke for smelting purposes.
Seven miles north of Carter, a white sul-
phur spring was discovered in the summer
of 1875, whose waters will equal, if not
surpass those of the celebrated springs of
Virginia. Within about a hundred yards of
these sulphur springs, and at the same time, a
chalybeate spring was also discovered, but its
waters have not yet been analyzed, though their
medicinal qualities are said to be excellent.
There is also, a fine fresh water spring near by.
A branch railroad from Carter would pass these

springs, and reach the mountain of coal in a dis-
tance of 24 miles.

Smith's Fork, a branch of Black's, is about five
miles south of Fort Bridger, and Henry's Fork,
of Green River, is some 25 miles still farther
south, and is noted for its rich grazing. It is
mostly occupied by stockmen as a winter range,
and large numbers of cattle are annually win-
tered without hay in its valley. Smith's and
Henry's Forks are tilled with trout, and afford
fine fishing, while there is an abundance of game,
such as elk, deer, antelope and bear to attract
the hunter and sportsman. A plenty of sage
hens give fine shooting in the summer months.
Carter is a telegraph station, and has a store
from which ranchemen, hunters, and others ob-
tain supplies. It was formerly an eating-station
on the road and was renowned for the splendid
trout which were served up by Colonel Carter,
who was its proprietor. A government road to
Fort Ellis, Montana, and the Yellowstone Park,
has been surveyed from this station by way of
Bear River Valley and the Soda Springs in Idaho.
It is some 80 miles nearer than by Ogden or
Corinne, over a fine route, and will probably
be opened in a year or two.

^Bridger, — 914.1 miles from Omaha, with an
elevation of 6,780 feet. It is a telegraph station
named in honor of Jim Bridger, who was a noted
hunter and guide, for government and other ex-
peditions. Since leaving Bryan, we have been
going up hill all the time, and our ascent will
now be rapid until we pass the divide between
Piedmont and Aspen. Near here is a cliff
five hundred feet high, called " Pluto's Out-
look" Can be seen on left of track three miles
west.

Leroy, — is the next station. It is 919.1 miles
from Omaha, and 7,123 feet above the level of
the sea. In passing over only five miles of road,
we have ascended nearly 350 feet. Leaving this
place, you will observe old telegraph poles still
standing on the left of the track. They mark
the line of the old overland road. About two
miles west of Leroy, at the base of a hill or
bluff, south of the track, are some excellent Soda
Springs. They are near the road, and trains
sometimes stop to enable passengers to drink the
water. In 1875, an emigrant train stopped at
these springs a few minutes, when one of the
passengers, on the way to the springs, picked up
a most'beautiful moss agate, in which there were
six clearly defined, conical shaped trees, each one
perfect in shape and form. The hills and val-
leys in this vicinity continue to abound in agates
and other curious specimens, while soda, iron
and fresh water springs,, are numerous, some-
times in close proximity to each other.

Piedmont. — Here the road, after crossing it,
leaves the Muddy, which comes in from the
south. This station is ten miles from Leroy,
929.1 miles from Omaha, and has an elevation of

108

7,540 feet. In summer, the scenery along this
part of the road is delightful, while in winter the
storms are severe, the wind blowing almost a
constant gale, while the snow drifts mountains
high. There are several snow sheds along this
part of the road, the longest being on the sum-
mit, 2,700 feet in length. The road having to
wind around the spurs and into the depressions
of the hills, is very crooked, in one place doub-
ling back on itself. We are now crossing a high
ridge in the
Uintah Mount-
ains, and the
second highest
elevation on the
Union Pacific.
Off to the left
these mountains
in higher, grand-
er forms, lift
their summits
toward the
clouds, and are
most always
covered with
snow, while
their sides are
lined with dark
green — the col-
or of the pine
forests, which
partially envel-
op them. While
the road was be-
ing built, large
quantities o f
ties, telegraph
poles and bridge
timber, were cut
on the Foot
Hills, near these
mountains, and
delivered to the
company. About
two miles north-
west of Pied-
mont, is a won-
derful Soda
Spring. The
sediment or de-
posits Of this INTERIOR OF SNOW

spring have built up a conical-shaped body with a
basin on the top. In this basin the water appears,
to a small extent, and has evidently sometime
had a greater flow than at present ; but, as similar
springs have broken out around the base of this
cone, the pressure on the main spring has, doubt-
less, been relieved, and its flow, consequently,
lessened. The cone is about 15 feet high and is
well worthy of a visit from the tourist. At
Piedmont, the traveler will first observe the perr
manent coal pits, built of stone and brick, which

are used in this country for the manufacture of
charcoal for the smelting works of Utah. There
are more of them at Hilliard and Evauston, and
they will be more fully described then.

Leaving Piedmont, the road makes a long
curve, like a horse-shoe doubling on itself, and,
finally, reaches the summit of the divide in a
long snow shed, one of the longest on the road.
Aspen, — the next station. It is 938.5 miles
from Omaha, and has a reported elevation of

7,835 feet. It
is not a great
distance — only
about two miles
— from the sum-
mit. Evidences
of change in the
formation of the
country are
everywhere visi-
ble, and the
change affords a
marked relief to
the weary mo-
notony of the
desolate plains
over which we
have passed.
Down the grade
we now pass
rapidly, with
high hills on
either side of
the track —
through a lovely
valley, with an
occasional fill,
and through a
deep cut, to the
next station.

Hilliard,—
a new station,
opened for busi-
ness in 1873, is
943.5 miles from
Omaha, with an
elevation of
7,310 feet. The
town owes its
importance to
SHEDS, u. P. R. R. the Hilliard

Flume & Lumber Company, which has extensive
property interests here, and in the vicinity. In
approaching the town from Aspen, the road
passes down a " draw " or ravine, through
a cut on a curve, and near this place
enters the Bear River Valley, one of the
most beautiful, and so far as has been demon-
strated, fertile valleys of the Rocky Mountains.
Two things excite the curiosity of the traveler
if he has never seen them before ; one is the coal
pits, and the other is the elevated flume under

109

•which trains of cars pass. This flume, built of
timber and boards, is 24 miles long, and is 2,000
feet higher where it first takes the water from
Bear River, than where it empties the same at
Hilliard. The greatest fall in any one mile is
320 feet. The timber which is brought to the
station by this flume, is obtained in large
amounts in the foot hills of the Uintah Mount-
ains, or on the mountains themselves and is
mostly pine. The saw-mill of the company,
erected at the head of this flume, has a capacity
of 40,000 feet in 24 hours, with an engine of 40

horse-power.

Over 2,000,000
feet of lumber
were consumed
in the construc-
tion of this
flume, and its
branches in the
mountains.
Through it
cord-wood, lum-
ber, ties and
saw-logs are
floated down to
the railroad.
The cord-wood
is used for char-
coal. You will
observe the con-
ical shaped pits
in which it is
made, near the
railway track,
on the right, as
you pass west-
ward. There
are 29 pits or
kilns at Hilli-
ard, nineteen
small ones, and
ten large ones.
The small kilns
require twenty-
six cords of
wood at a fill-
ing, and the
large ones forty

BOCK CUT, NEAR ASPEN.

cords. The small ones cost
about $750, each ; the large ones $900

the mountain tributaries, and north of Evans-
ton, in Bear River Lake. Though the country
has somewhat changed in appearance, and a dif-
ferent formation has been entered upon, we hav»
not passed the region of agates and gems,
precious and otherwise. They are found in the
vicinity of Hilliai-d, in large quantities, together
with numerous petrifactions of bones, etc., with
fossilized fish, shells, ferns and other materials.

Twenty-five miles a little south-west of Hil-
liard are found two sulphur mountains. The
sulphur is nearly 90 per cent, pure, in inex-
haustible quan-
tities.

The scenery of
the Upper Bear
River is rugged
and grand.
About 20 miles
south of Hil-
liard is a nat-
ural fort which
was taken pos-
session of by a
gang of horse
thieves and cut-
throats, under
the lead of one
Jack Watkins,
a genuine front-
ier ruffian, who,
with his com-
panions, for a
long time re-
sisted all at-
tempts at cap-
ture.

The hills and
mountains in
this vicinity
abound in
game, and offer
rare induce-
ments to sports-
m e n . The
country around
both Hilliard
and Evanston is

These

kilns consume 2,000 cords of wood per month,
and produce 100,000 bushels of charcoal as a re-
sult, in the same time. There are other kilns
about nine miles south of the town, in active oper-
ation. There are fine iron and sulphur springs
within three-fourths of a mile of the station.
The reddish appearance of the mountain we
have just passed indicates the presence of iron
in this vicinity in large quantities, and coal also
begins to crop out in different places as we go
down the valley. Bear River is renowned for
its trout. They are caught south of the road in

the natural home for bears, elk, deer, catamounts,
lynx, wolves, coyotes, wolverines, beaver, mink,
foxes, badgers, mountain lions, wild cats, jack
rabbits, etc., grouse sage hens, quails and ducks
in the spring and fall. Not far north of Evans-
ton, on Bear River, is Bear Lake, ten miles in
length, and from five to eight in breadth. The
boundary line between Idaho and Utah passes
directly across the lake from east to west.

Soda Springs.— Farther north,at the Big Bend
of Bear River, the most interesting group of soda
springs known on the Continent, occupy some
six square miles. To those graced with steam
vents, Fremont gave the name of Steamboat

110

Springs, from the noise they make like a low-
pressure engine. Near by is a spring with an
orifice brightly stained with a brilliant yellow
coating of oxide of iron, from which the water is
thrown up two feet.

Independence Rock. — This has long been
a noted landmark, for travelers on the old over-
land wagon route. Its base which borders the
road is literally covered with names and dates,
some of them even before Fremont's expedition
crossed the Continent — many more well known.

The Sweetwater River flows immediately
along the southern end of it, and on the opposite
side of the stream is another ridge similar to it,
continuing from the south-west, which was once
connected with it. It is a huge example of dis-
integration ; its rounded form resembles an
oblong hay-stack, with layers of rocks lapping
over the top and sides of the mass. Thin layers

another conspicuous landmark, — the Twin Penks,
which really are but one high peak in the ridge,
cleft down the centre, dividing it in two, nearly to
the base.

View in the Uintah Mountains. — The
view we give on page 80, is taken from Photo-
graph Ridge, elevation, 10,829 feet, — by the
Hayden Exploring Expedition, and is one of the
grandest and most perfect mountain views in the
West. The traveler, as he passes rapidly
through Echo and Weber Canons, and casually
notices the chain of mountains at the south, can
form no idea of their beauty and grandeur.
Professor Hayden says of this view " In the fore-
ground of our view is a picturesque group
of the mountain pines. In the middle dis-
tance, glimmering in the sunlight like a silver
thread, is Black's Fork, meandering through
grassy, lawn-like parks, the eye following it up

INDEPENDENCE ROCK.

have been broken off in part, and huge masses
are scattered all around it. On some portions of
the sides they lap down to the ground, with so
gentle a descent that one can walk up to the top
without difficulty. The rock has a circum-
ference of 1,550 yards. The north end is 193
feet in height, and the opposite end, 167 feet,
with a depression in the center of 75 feet.

Devil's Gate on the Sweetwater. — Follow-
ing up the valley from Independence Rock, and
five miles north, is another celebrated natural
curiosity. The Devil's Gate, a canon which the
Sweetwater River has worn through the Granite
Ridge cutting it at right-angles. The walls are
vertical, being about 350 feet high, and the dis-
tance through is about 300 yards. The current
of the stream through the gate is slow, finding
its way among the fallen masses of rock, with
gentle, easy motion, and pleasant murmur.

Fifteen miles farther above the Devil's Gate, is

to its sources, among the everlasting snows of
the summit ridge. The peaks or cones in the
distance, are most distinctly stratified and ap-
parently horizontal or neaily so, with their sum-
mits far above the limits of perpetual snow, and
from 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the springs that
rise from the streams below."

Gilbert^ Peak, — is one of the highest peaks
of the Uintah Mountain Range, named after
General Gilbert of the U. S. A. It has near its
summit a beautiful lake of 11,000 feet, and
above this rises the peak abruptly 2,250 more.
Total, 13,250 feet.

Throughout these mountains are very many
lakes, — which gather among the rocks bordered
with dense growth of spruce trees, and form a
characteristic feature of the scenery.

Bear River City. — After leaving Hilliard,
the road, as it continues down the valley of Sul-
phur Creek, passes the site of Bear River City, a

111

once famous town, but which now has not a sin-
gle building to mark where it once stood ; a mile
and a half west of Hilliard will be seen the head-
boards of the graves of early-day rioters. The
city was laid out in 1868, and for a time there
was high speculation in lots, and once the popula-
tion reached as high as 2,000 persons. Fre-
quent garrotings, deaths and robberies, led to the
organization of a vigilance committee, who hung
three of the desperadoes. An active fight after-
wards ensued
between the
citizsns and
the mob, who
had organized
to revenge the
death of one
of their num-
ber. The citi-
zens were well
protected b y
the wall of a
store, and by
active firing
killed 16 of the
rioters, with
other losses,
never known.
From that day
the place was
dropped by the
railroad, and
it faded en-
tirely away.

Millis — is
the next sta-
tion, 947.5
miles from
Omaha, with
an elevation of
6,790 feet. It
is an unim-
portant side
track, where
trains occa-
sionally pass.
Its location is
about a mile
and a half be-
low or west of
the site of Bear
River City. THE DEVIL'S GATE

Leaving Milfis the road soon crosses Bear River
over a low trestle-work — an opening being left
in the embankment for the passage of surplus
water in time of freshets. The entire valley
here has been known to be covered with water
in the spring.

Evanston, — 957 miles from Omaha; eleva-
tion, 6,770 feet. It is the county-seat of
Uintah County, Wyoming Territory, and the
last town going west, in Wyoming. It con-

tains about 1,500 people, and is a thriving
business place, owing to proximity of the coal
mines, its lumber interests and the location of
the division roundhouse of twenty stalls, with
car and machine-shops — giving constant employ-
ment to a large number of men. 1 he town is
located on the western bank of Bear River, and
has abundant water power that might be utilized
in various manufactories. A laige saw-mill, inn
by a lumber company, gets its Jogs ficm the

mountains tc-
waid the head
of the stieam.
They are lolled
into the river,
and floated
down to the
mill. This
place, also, has
a few charcoal
kilns— lumber,
coal and char-
coal, being the
principal prod-
u c t s of the
town. Evans-
ton is a regu-
lar dinner sta-
tion— trains
from the east
and west stop-
ping thirty
minutes for
dinner. You
will dine at the
"Mountain
Ticut Hotel,"
a well-kept
hcuse, where
everything is
scrupulously
neat — the food
being plainly,
but well ccck-
ed. At this
house,thetiav-
eler will find
regular Chi-
n e s e waiters,
dressed in Chi-
nese costume,

ON THE SWEETWATER. quick, p O 1 i t 6

and attentive, and you can here gratify your cu-
riosity by seeing and talking with them. Game
and trout will usually be found on the tables, in
their season. The proximity of this eating-sta-
tion, and the one kept at Green River, to the great
trout-fishing regions of the Rocky Mountains,
creates an expectation, on the part of the traveler,
that he will usually find the speckled beauties
served up at these stations, nor is he often dis-
appointed, in the proper season of the year.

112

The town has good schools, three or four
churches and an excellent court-house. A daily
and weekly newspaper — •' The Evanston Age," is
published here. Bear River, which runs through
this place, rises in the Uintah Mountains, on the
south, and runs in a general northerly direction
to the great soda springs in Idaho, about 120
miles directly north of Echo City. It then turns
to the south-west and empties into Great Salt
Lake, near Corinne. Its valley is pretty well
settled by Mormons, and others, all the way
round its great bend. Near the location of these
soda springs, and at the northern extremity of
Bear ' River

Mountains, evi-
dences of vol-
canic action are
everywhere visi-
ble, and extinct
craters are no
uncommon
thing.

Evanston i s
built mostly on
the left side of
the track, as you
enter the town,
the valley ris-
ing into the hill
behind it. This
hill, were it not
for the hard
winds and deep
snows of winter,
would afford
some very fine
building spots,
and for summer
residences must
b e delightful.
In winter, how-
ever, some of
the little houses
that skirt the
hill on the west-
ern borders of
the place, are
literally covered

with snow which drifts over the hills from
the south. The agricultural prospects of the
valley, lower down, are said to be flattering
— the Mormon farmers producing fine crops.
Near Evanston there are a number of cattle
ranches where hay is cut, and cattle have to be
fed and sheltered during the winter. There have

also been some successful experiments in raising:
. . ^ _ ."

potatoes, cabbages, turnips, parsnips, radishes, let-
tuce, onions and other " garden truck," while oats,
barley and wheat can undoubtedly be raised in
favorable seasons. Notice the altitude of this
place, and then the traveler can form the best-
opinion as to whether agriculture, as a steady busi-

ness, can be made successful. Candor compels
us further to say that frosts may happen during
every one of the summer months.

Sporting. — Evanston, however, possesses all
the attractions which delight the sportsman.
The mountains to the north and south, and the
high hills in the immediate vicinity, are full of
game, while Bear River is renowned for its trout.
The streams flowing into Bear River, on
either side, both north and south of the
town, are full of trout, and afford excellent
sport in those seasons of the year when their
catching is not prohibited by law, while

Bear Lake, some
sixty miles
north, from all
that we could
learn about it,
is the chosen
home of trout
and the very
paradise of fish-
ermen. Sport-
ing parties can
obtain guides,
outfits, and
accommodations
at Evanston,
from which
place they can
hunt, fish, visit
the Sulphur
Mountains, and
search for fos-
sils, etc., to their
heart's content.
It is one of the
most favorable
points on the
line of the road
for recreation
and amusement,
and will, event-
ually, become a
noted resort for
tourists.

Chinamen be-

LAKE LAL, OR MOORE'S LAKK, HEAD OP BEAR RIVER. gin to thicken

as you proceed west. At Evanston they have
quite a settlement, the shanties and buildings
on the right of the track and opposite the depot
being "China Town." Here they have their
" Joss "house, saloons and residences. A h Say,
their head man, speaks very good English, has
his Chinese wife with him, and with the excep-
tion of the inevitable ." cue," dresses and appears

like the Americans, with whom he has now lived
for about fifteen years.

About three miles from Evanston, on the east
side of Bear River, is Alma, the coal miners'
town. Here coal mines belonging to the Cen-
tral Pacific, the Union Pacific, and to S. H.

113

Winsor are worked. Mr. Winsor is just open-
ing his mine — which is nearest to Evanstou —
while the other mines have been worked for
some time. " The Rocky Mountain Coal Com-
pany," is the name of the corporation which
supplies the Central Pacific with coal. In 1875,
this company mined 98,897 tons, or 9,890 cars
of coal. They have three mines open. In one
year, not long since, they mined about 150,000
tons, or 15,000 cars. The Union Pacific having
other mines along their road do not, of course,
mine as much here as does the Rocky Mountain
Company.

A Mountain on fire.

Do not be startled at this announcement, yet
this is a genuine fact ; the companies operating
these mines, have been put to immense labor and
expense to keep under control an immense fire in
their coal veins. These mines took fire from
spontaneous combustion in this way. They
perhaps took out too much coal in the first
place, that is, did not leave pillars enough
to support the overhanging walls; what is
called " slack " — coal that has crumbled by
action of air — was also allowed to accumulate
in the mine. The vein of fire clay next
above the vein of coal fell down on this slack,
and caused spontaneous combustion of the
coal underneath it. A fire with a perpetual
supply of fuel is rather a hard thing to master,
and in a coal mine generally awakens no small
amount of anxiety. In fact, it is very danger-
ous. As soon as it was discovered, and its loca-
tion fixed, the company immediately began to
wall around it ; they ceased all operations in its
immediate vicinity, and with rock, lime and
sand, made their air-tight walls along " the
slopes," between " the rooms " and across " the
air passages," until the outside air was com-
pletely shut out, and the fire entirely shut in,
and awaited further developments. Occasionally
it breaks out over a piece of this wall, and then
they begin farther back and wall again. But
the fire is not extinguished and probably never
will be. Water will not quench it, its action on
the fire clay only increases the difficulty. Inside
of these fire walls, pillar after pillar of the coal
left standing to support the roof has been con-
sumed, and the earth and rocks above have
fallen into the cavity, leaving great craters on the
side of the mountain, and the rock-ribbed pile
itself has seamed and cracked open in places above
the burning fires. Air has' thus got in and the
rains and melting snows of spring run into these
fissures and craters, dissolving the fire clay, and
thus add to the extent of the burning mass.
But everything goes on around the mine with-
out excitement, and as though nothing had hap-
pened. Watchmen are kept on duty all the time,
and the first appearance of the fire near the
walls is detected and a new wall built. And

thus while the smouldering fires are burning up
the coal in one part of the mine, men are taking
'it out unconcernedly in another part, to supply
the locomotives with the power to generate
steam.

How long the fire will burn no one can tell.
It will only stop when the fuel upon which
it feeds is exhausted, and this can only be
cut off by mining all around it, taking out
the full thickness of the vein — 26 feet — and
thus exhausting the supply. It will then cave
in and the rest of the mine can be saved.
Coal mining has its dangers, not the least
of which are "slack and waste" which result
in fires. In Mine No. 1, of the Rocky I^ount-
ain Coal Company, the fire is confined in a space
250 by 600 feet In Mine Xo. 2, owned by
same company, it is confined by a space 175 by
1,100 feet.

A Valuable Coal Mine.— Leaving Evans-
ton, in about two miles the branch to Alma
turns off to the right, and the town with
hoisting works of the coal companies can
be plainly seen, together with a beautiful view
down the Bear River Valley. On what is called
Twin Creek, down this valley, the Wyoming Coal
& Coke Company, have discovered and located a
coal mine 41 miles due north from Evanston.
The mine is on the east side of Bear River.
This company has what it claims to be a mount-
ain of coal. The veins on the ground level are
four and one-half feet thick, above it there are
about six feet of slate ; then a ten foot vein of
coal; then sandstone about five feet thick —
what miners call " Winn rock ; " then three
feet of fire clay ; then two feet of coal ; then al-
ternate layers of fire clay and coal 26 feet ; then
125 feet of solid fire clay; then sandstone, lime-
stone, etc., to the summit, it being about 400
feet above the level surface around it. A shaft
has been sunk from the ground level, and an-
other vein of coal struck ten feet below the sur-
face. We are minute in giving this description
of this coal mine, because it is claimed that the
coal it furnishes will coke, that it will give 50
per cent, coke, and coke is the great demand of
the smelting furnaces in the mining regions of
this part of the Continent. It is claimed that
the tests which have been applied to this coal,
establish conclusively its coking qualities and
ovens for coking purposes have been put in.
The work of the present year will, satisfactorily
determine the question whether coking coal can
be found in the Rocky Mountains. The history
of rich mineral-producing regions is that the
metals are usually (because cheaper) brought to
the fuel instead of carrying the fuel to the metal.
Hence if these coal mines are proved to produce
good coke, a town of smelters must spring up
near by.

Wahsatch , — a telegraph station, on the divide
between Bear River Valley and Echo Canon. It

ROCKS NEAR ECHO CITY.
1.— Bromley's Cathedral. 2.— Castle Rock. 3.— The Great Eastern. 4.— Hanging Rock.

115

is 968 miles from Omaha, and reported to be
6,879 feet above the level of the sea. The road
here crosses a low pass in the Wahsatch Range
of Mountains. As you ascend the beautiful val-
ley leading to this station, the grim peaks of the
Uintahs tower up in the distance on your left,
•while the adjoining hills shut out the higher ele-
vations of the Wahsatch Range, on the north.
Leaving Evanston, the road turns abruptly to
the left, and the town and valley are soon lost to
sight. Four miles out, on the left side of the
track, the traveler will notice a sign put up on a
post — the east side of which reads, " Wyoming,"
the west side, " Utah." Wahsatch was formerly
a terminus of a sub-division of the road, and
contained the regular dining-hall of the company,
with roundhouse, machine and repair shops, etc.
The water in the tank is supplied from a mount-
ain spring near by, and a " Y " for turning
engines, and a small house to shelter one, is
about all that is left of a once famous town.

Artesian Wells. — It has been our candid
opinion that the great plains, basins and alkali
deserts which lie between the Rocky Mountains
and Sierras can all be reclaimed and soil made
fertile by the sinking of artesian wells. The en-
tire Humboldt Valley can be made productive
by this means alone. As a proof of the success
of sinking artesian wells, we can mention
several along the Union Pacific Railroad. Com-
mencing at Separation and terminating at Rock
Springs, a distance of 108 miles, the Union
Pacific Railroad has sunk successfully six arte-
sian wells :

One at Separation, 6,900 feet above sea level,
is 1,180 feet deep, the water rising to within 10
feet of the surface.

At Creston, 7,030 feet elevation, the well is
only 300 feet deep, furnishing abundant supply
of water at that point.

At Washakie, 6,697 feet elevation, the well is 638
feet deep. The water rises 15 feet above the sur-
face, and flows at the rate of 800 gallons per hour.

At Bitter Creek. 6,685 feet elevation, the well
is 696 feet deep, discharging at the surface 1,000
gallons per hour, and with pumping, yields 2,160
gallons per hour.

At Point of Rocks, elevation 6,490 feet, the
well is 1,000 feet deep, and the supply of water
abundant, although it does not rise to the sur-
face nearer than 17 feet.

At Rock Springs, at an elevation of 6,280 feet,
the well is 1,156 feet deep, and discharges at the
surface 960 gallons per hour, or at 26 feet above
the surface, 571 gallons per hour.

As the elevation of all these places is 2,000 feet
or more above the Salt Lake Valley, and also the
Humboldt Valley, there is every probability that
the sinking of artesian wells in these valleys
would result in an immense flow of water.

Chinese Workmen. — The Chinese are em-
phatically a peculiar people, renowned for their

industry and economy. They will live comfort-
ably on what the same number of Americans
would throw away. Their peculiarities have
been so often described that a repetition of them
to any great extent is not needed here. Never-
theless a sight of them always awakens a curios-
ity to know all there is to be known concerning
their customs, habits, social and moral relations,
etc. A great deal that they do is mysterious to us,
but perfectly plain and simple to them. In their
habits of eating, for instance, why do they use
" chopsticks " instead of forks ? " Same as
'Melican man's fork " said one as we watched its
dextrous use. Their principal articles of diet
seem to be rice and pork. They reject the great
American fashion of frying nearly everything
they cook, and substitute boiling instead. In
the center of a table, or on a bench near by, they
place a pan filled with boiled rice. To this each
one of the " mess " will go and fill his bowl with
a spoon or ladle, return to the table and take his
"chopsticks" — two slender sticks, about the
length of an ordinary table knife, and operate
them with his fingers as if they were fastened
together with a pivot, like shears, lifting the
bowl to his mouth every time he takes up the
food with the " chopsticks." The pork for a
" mess " will be cut into small pieces and placed
in one dish on the table from which each one
helps himself with these " chopsticks. " In
other words " they all dive into one dish " for
their pork. They are called " almond-eyed
celestials " — but did you ever notice how much
their eyes resemble those of swine?

The first gang of Chinamen you meet with on
the road are employed near Table Rock ; for-
merly they extended to Rawlins, but they are in-
efficient laborers, although industrious, especi-
ally in the winter. We shall see more of them
by the time we reach the Pacific Coast. Rock
Springs as a town is mostly composed of dug-
outs, shanties, holes in the ground, etc., occupied
by miners, including Chinamen, together with a
few substantial buildings, such as the company's
store, a good school-house, two or three ordinary
hotels and the customary saloons. The impor-
tance of the town is wholly due to the coal trade,
otherwise it would be nothing.

ECHO AND WEBER CANONS.

And now, with full breath and anxious
heart, repressed excitement and keen zest, —
we anxiously scan the scenes from car win-
dows or platforms, and prepare for one grand,
rushing descent into the glories of Echo Canon.
The writer will never forget the feelings of over-
whelming wonder and awe, as with the seal of ad-
miration in both eye and lips, the ride through this
famous canon was enjoyed. Rocks beside which
all eastern scenes were pigmies, rose up in astound-
ing abruptness and massiveness — colossal old Ti-
tans of majestic dimensions, and sublimely soar-

116

ing summits, and perpendicular sides, — succeeded
each other for miles, and the little company of
spectators, seemed but an insignificant portion of
the handiwork of the Almighty. The train of
cars, which, on the plain, seemed so full of life,
and grand in power, here was dwarfed into
baby carriages ; and the shriek of the whistle, as
it echoed and resounded along the cliffs and from
rock to rock, or was hemmed in by the confines
of the amphitheatre, appeared like entering
the portals to the palace of some Terrible
Being. Into the short distance of sixty miles
is crowded a constant succession of those
scenes and objects of natural curiosity, which
form the most interesting part of the road,
and have made it world-wide in fame. It
seems hard, after nearly a week of expectation
and keen anxiety for a glimpse of such
scenes of grandeur, and after more than two
days of steady riding over the smooth surface of
the rolling upland plain, to find all the most
magnificent objects of interest crowded into so
short a space, and passed in less than three
hours.

Travelers must remember, however, that the
scenes witnessed from the railroad are but a very
little portion of the whole. To gather true re-
freshing glimpses of western scenery, the tourist
must get away from the railroad, into the little
valleys, ascend the bluffs and mountains, and
views yet more glorious will greet the eye. Echo
Canon is the most impressive scene that is beheld
for over 1,500 miles, on the overland railroad.
The constant succession of rocks — each growing
more and more huge, and more and more perpen-
dicular and colossal in form — make the attrac-
tions of the valley grow upon the eye instead of
decrease.

The observer enters the canon about on a level
with the top of the rocks, and even can overlook
them, then gradually descends until at the very
bottom of the valley the track is so close to the
foot of the rocks, the observer has to elevate his
head with an upward look of nearly 90°, to scale
their summits. Let us now prepare to descend,
and brace ourselves eagerly for the exhilaration
of the ride, the scenery of which will live with
you in memory for years.

Entering Echo Canon. — Leaving Wah-
satch we pass rapidly down grade, into the
canon, and we will point out, in detail, all
objects of interest as they are passed, so that
travelers may recognize them. From Wahsatch,
especially, you want to look with all the eyes you
have, and look quick, too, as one object passes
quickly out of sight and another comes into view.
About a mile from Wahsatch, you will notice
what is called the " Z " canon where the road
formerly zigzagged down a small canon, on
the left, and passed through the valley of the
creek to near Castle Rock Station, where it united
with the present line. Two miles farther on,'

over heavy grades and short curves, you enter
tunnel No. 2, which is 1,100 feet long. Pass-
ing through the tunnel, the high reddish rocks,
moulded into every conceivable shape, and
frequent side canons cut through the walls on
either side of the road. You rea^h at last

Castle Rock Station, — about eight and one-
half miles from Wahsatch, 976.4 miles from
Omaha with an elevation of 6,290 feet. It is so
called from the rock a little east of the station
which bears the same name. Notice the arched
doorway on one corner of the old castle just
after it is passed, with red colored side pieces,
and capped with gray. In close proximity are
some needle rocks — sharp-pointed — one small one
especially prominent, htill nearer the station is
a shelving rock on a projecting peak. Opposite
the water tank are rocks worn in curious shape.
Further on, about halt a mile, is a cave with
rocks and scattering cedars above it. Next
comes what is termed " Swallows' Nest," be-
cause of the numerous holes near the top,
chiseled out by the action of both water and
wind, and in summer sheltering a large number
of swallows. Toward it in summer months,

" The Swallows Homeward fly."

Then comes a honey-combed peak with a
shelving gray rock under it, after which we pass
through, what the railroad boys call " gravel " or
" wet cut " — the sides being gravel, and springs
breaking out in the bottom by the track. Then
Phillip's Canon juts in from the right with
yards for cattle at its mouth. See the curious
formations along the side of this canon as you
pass it. About four miles from the last station,
are other castle rocks similar in appearance to
those already passed, and rocks with caps and
slender little spires like needles. Then comes a
singular perpendicular column jutting out in front
of the ledge, with outstretched wings as if it
would lift itself up and fly, but for its weight.

This is called the " Winged Rock." If there
was a projection in front to resemble a
neck and head, the rock would appear very
much like an eagle or some other large bird,
with pinions extended just ready to fly. A little
below this, are the " Kettle Rocks " huge gray-
looking boulders, nearly to the top of the ledge,
looking like immense caldron kettles. Behind
them are some sharp-pointed projections like
spires. These rocks are capped with red, but
gray underneath. Then comes " Hood Rock "
a single angular rock about half way to the top
of the ledge, worn out in the center, and resem-
bling the three-cornered hoods on modern ulster
overcoats. About a mile before reaching the
next station, the rocks are yellow in appearance
and rounding a point you will notice sandstone
layers with a dip of more than 45 degrees, show-
ing a mighty upheaval at some period in the re-
mote past.

117

Hatiffitiff Rock, — a little over seven miles
from Castle Rock, and 983.7 miles from Omaha;
elevation, 5,974 feet. The descent has been
very rapid since we struck this canon. This
station is wrongly named. All books and guides
which represent the rocks of Echo Canon over-
hanging the railroad, are erroneous. Nothing in
the shape of a hanging rock can be seen,
but as you pass the station, you will notice how
the elements have worn out a hollow or cavity
in one place, which is bridged by a slim gray
rock, nearly horizontal in position, forming a
natural or hanging bridge across the cavity,
about 50 feet in depth. It can be seen as you
pass around a curve just after leaving the sta-
tion. Goiirjf a little farther, you notice what is
called " Ja-k-in-the-Pulpit-Rock," at the corner
of a projecting ledge, and near the top there-
of. A round gray column, flat on the surface,
stands in front ; this is the pulpit, while
in close proximity rises the veritable " Jack "
himself, as if expounding the law and gospel to
his scattering auditors. Then comes the

North Fork of Echo Canon,— down
which more water annually flows, than in the
main canon. Now bending around a curve, if
you look forward, it seems as though the train
was about to throw us directly against a high
precipice in front, and that there was no way of
escape ; but we keep onward and finally pass
safely on another side. We now approach what
are called " the narrows." The rocky sides
of the canon seem to draw together. Notice
the frame of an old rickety saw-mill on the
left, and a short distance below, still on the
left, see a huge, conical-shaped rock rising
close to the track. We are particular in men-
tioning these, because they are landmarks,
and will enable the traveler to know when
he is near the ledge on the right of the
track, upon which the Mormons piled up
stones to roll down on Gen. Albert Sidney John-
son's army, when it should pass here, in 1857.
The canon virtually becomes a gorge here, and
the wagon road runs close to the base of the high
bluffs, (it could not be made in any other place)
— which the Mormons fortified after a fashion.
Now you pass these forts ; high up on the top,
on the outer edge or rim you will still see small
piles of stones which they gathered there for of-
fensive operations, when the trains and soldiers
of the army went by. They look small — they
are so far off, and you pass them so quickly —
not larger than your fist — but nevertheless they
are there. They are best seen as they recede
from view.

At the time we speak of, (1857) there was
trouble between the Mormons and the United
States authorities, which led to the sending of
an army to Salt Lake City. It approached as
far as Fort Bridger, where — the season being
late — it went into winter quarters, it was ex-

pected to pass through this canon, however, that
same fall, and hence the preparations which the
Mormons made to receive it. Their arm}- — the
Nauvoo Legion, redicious, under the command of
Gen. Daniel H. Wells, had its camp near these
rocks, in a little widening of the valley below,
just beyond where you pass a " pocket " of
boulders, or detached pails of the ledges above,
which have sometime, in the dim past, rolled
into the valley. The rocky fort being passed,
with the pocket of boulders and the site of the
old camp, the traveler next approaches " Steam-
boat Rock," a huge red projection like the prow
of a big propeller. A little cedar, like a flag of
perpetual green, shows its head on the bow,
while farther back, the beginning of the hurri-
cane deck is visible. It slopes off to the rear,
and becomes enveloped in the rocky mass
around it. By some, this is called " The Great
Eastern," and the one just below it, if anything,
a more perfect representation of a steamer, is

SENTINEL ROCK, ECHO CAXON.

called " The Great Republic." They are really
curious formations, and wonderful to those who
look upon them for the first time. "Monument
Rock" comes next. It is within a cove and
seems withdrawn from the front, as though shun-
ning the gaze of the passing world, yet in a posi-
tion to observe every thing that goes by. If the
train would only stop and give you more time —
but this cannot be done, and your only recourse

ROCK SCENES NEAR ECHO CITY.
1.— Witches Rocks. 2.— Battlement Rocks. 3.— Egyptian Tombs. 4.— Witches Bottles. 5.-Needle Rocks, near Wahsatch. t

119

is to pause at Echo and let it pass, while you
wait for the one following. This will give you
ample opportunity to see the natural wonders
congregated in this vicinity. We have almost
reached the mouth of Echo Creek, and the
Weber River comas in from the left, opposite
" Bromley'* Cathedral" in front of which stands
" Pulpit Rock" on the most extended point as
you turn th3 elbow in the road. This " Cathe-
dral " is named in honor of J. E. Bromley, Esq.,
who has lived at
Ejho since 1858,
and who cams
here as a divi-
sion s u p e r i n-
tendent of Ban
Holladay's
Overland Stage
and Express
Line. It extends
some distance
— a mile or more
— around the
bend in the
mountain, and
has numerous
towers and
spires, turrets
and domes, on
either side.
"Pulpit Rock"
is so called from
its resemblance
to an old-fash-
ioned pulpit,
and rises in
plain view as
you go round
the curve into
Weber Valley.
It is a tradition
among a good
many people,
that the "Proph-
et of the Lord,"
who now pre-
sides over the
church of " The
Latter Day
Saints," in Salt
Lake City, onca
preached to the

assembled multitude from this exalted emi-
nence ; but, while we dislike to spoil a story
that lends such a charm to the place, and
clothes it with historic interest, nevertheless,
such is not the fact. The oldest and most
faithful Mormons we could find in Echo,

know how high the ledges are, which have been
so rapidly passed. We are informed that Mr.
S. B. Reed, one of the civil engineers who
constructed this part of the railroad, stated that
the average height of all the rocks of Echo canon,
is from 600 to 800 feet above the railroad.

As you approach the elbow referred to, there
is an opening through the mountains on the lel't,
and in close proximity to " Pulpit Rock," the
waters of Echo Creek unite with those of Weber

River, which
here come in
through this
opening. If not
the southern-
most point on
the line of the
road, it is next
to it. You have
been traveling
in a south-west-
erly direction
since leaving
Evanston ; you
now round the
elbow, turn
toward the
north-west, and
arrive at

Echo , — a
beautiful spot —
a valley nestled
between the
hills, with evi-
dences of thrift
on every hand.
This station is
nearly nine and
a half miles
from Hanging
Rock, 993 miles
fiom Omaha,
and 5,315 feet
atove the level
of the sea. The
town and the
canon are right-
ly named, for
the report of a
gun or pistol
discharged i n
this canon will

we could iina in

know nothing of any such transaction. Our
cut is a faithful representation of this re-
markable rock. It is estimated to be about sixty
feet high — above the track. You will desire to

PULPIT ROCK, ECHO CANON— LOOKING WESTWARD.

bound from side to side, in continuous echoes,
until it finally dies away. " Bromley's Cathe-
dral " rears its red-stained columns in rear of
and ' overshadowing the town, while opposite
is a lofty peak of the Wahsatch Range. To
the right the valley opens out for a short dis-
tance like an amphitheatre, near the lower ex-
tremity of which, "The Witches," a group of
rocks, lift their weird and grotesque forms.
They are about half way to the summit of the

120

ledge belli ud them. Weber Valley, from its
source to the Great Salt Lake, is pretty thickly
settled with Mormons, though quite a number of
Gentiles have obtained a foothold in the mines
and along the line of the railroad.

tJppef Weber Valley. — From this station
there is a narrow gauge railroad up the Weber
Valley jo Coalville, seven miles in length.
The town has two or three stores, hotels,
saloons, etc., and a school-house is to be
built this year. Accommodations for fish-
ing parties, with guides, can here be obtained.
The Echo and
Weber Rivers,
with their tribu-
taries, abound
in trout, while
there is plenty
of game, elk,
deer, bear, etc.,
in the mount-
ains. Richard
F. Burton, the
African explor-
er, visited this
canon and Salt
Lake City in
1860, and wrote
a book called
"City of the
Saints," which
was published
by the Harpers,
in 1862. He
speaks o f the
wonders of this
valley as fol-
lows : "Echo
Kanyon has but
one fault ; its
sublimity will
make all simi-
lar features
look tame."

Weber River
rises in the
W a h s a t c h
Mountains,
about50 miles in
a south-eastern direction from Echo, flows nearly
due west to Kammas City, when it turns to the
north-west and passes in that general direction
into the Great Salt Lake, not far from Ogden. Go-
ing up this river from Echo, Grass Creek flows in
about two and a half miles from the starting
point. This creek and canon runs very nearly
parallel to Echo Creek. Very important and ex-
tensive coal mines have been discovered from two
to four miles up this canon. It is not as wild or
rugged in its formation as Echo Canon. The
mines are soon to be developed. Two and a half
miles above the mouth of Grass Creek is

PULPIT ROCK AND VALLEY. — LOOKING SOUTHWARD.

Coalvitte, — a town of about 600 people, with
a few elegant buildings, among which are the
Mormon bishop's residence and a line two-story
brick court-house, which stands on an elevation
near the town, and can be seen for a long dis-
tance. The town is situated on the south side of
Chalk Creek where it empties into Weber River.
This creek also runs nearly parallel with Echo
Canon, and rises in the mountains near the head
of the Hilliard Lumber Company's flume. It is
called Chalk Creek from the white chalky ap-
pearance of the bluffs along its banks. Coalville

is a Mormon
village, and its
inhabitants are
nearly all em-
ployed in min-
ing coal from
two to three
miles above the
town where the
railroad ends.
This road is
called the Sum-
mit County
Railroad, and is
owned by some
of the wealthy
Mormons in
Salt Lake City.
Four miles far-
ther up the
Weber, and you
come to Hoyts-
ville, another
Mormon village.
It is a farming
settlement. The
town has a
grist-mill. Four
miles still far-
ther is located
the town of
Wanship, nam-
ed after an old
Ute chief. It
has about 400
inhabitants,
with a hotel,
stores, grist-mill, saw-mill, etc. It is located at
the junction of Silver Creek with the Weber.
Still going up the Weber, in about three miles
thei-e is another Mormon settlement called Three
Mile. It has a "co-op" store, bishop's resi-
dence, and a tithing office.

Peon. — Leaving Three Mile, and pursuing
the course still up one of the most beautiful val-
leys in the country, the tourist will reach Peoa,
a nice little fanning town, in five miles travel.
Evidences of thrift and of the successful cultiva-
tion of the soil, are visible all along the val-
ley, but it is a wonderful matter to eastern

T0V&IST.

121

SCENE AT MOUTH OF ECHO CANON.

men who know nothing of the characteris-
tics of the soil, and see nothing but sage
brush and greasewood growing thereon, how
crops can be raised amidst such sterility.
Irrigation has done it all. The labor to accom-
plish it has been immense, but thirty-five to
forty bushels of spring wheat to the acre attest
the result. The soil has been proved to be very
prolific.

Kammas City. — Next on this mountain
journey comes Kammas City, eight miles
beyond Peoa, on Kammas Prairie. This is
an elevated plateau about four miles by ten,
and affords some very fine grazing lands
and meadows. It is nearly all occupied by
stockmen. Here the Weber makes a grand de-
tour; coming from the mountains in the east, it
here turns almost a square corner toward the

122

north, and then pursues its way through valleys
and gorges, through hills and mountains to a
quiet re.st in the waters of the Great Salt Lake.
Above this prairie the river cuts its way through
a wild rocky canon, lashing its sides with foam
as though angry at its confinement, out into the
prairie where it seems to gather strength for its
next fearful plunge in the rocky gorges below.
In the lofty peaks of the mountains, east of
Kainmas Prairie, in the frigid realms of perpet-
ual snow, the traveler will find the head of Weber
River, and the route to it will give him some of
the grandest views to be found on the American
Continent.

Parley's Park. — The old stage road to
the " City of the Saints," after leaving Echo
passed up the Weber to Wanship, at the
mouth of Silver Creek ; thence nine miles
to Parley's Park, a lovely place in summer,
where a week or two could be whiled away
in the beauty of the valley and amidst the
grandeur of the mountains. There are three
things in nature which make a man feel small —
as though he stood in the presence of Divinity.
These are the ocean, with its ceaseless roar ; the
mighty plains in their solitude, and with their
sense of loneliness ; and the mountains in their
towering greatness, with heads almost beyond
the ken of mortal vision, and crowned with
eternal snows. Parley's Park is nearly round in
shape, about four miles in diameter, and almost
surrounded by the rocky domes of the Wahsatch
Range. The old stage road leaves Park City to
the left, and reaches the summit on the west side
of the divide; thence, it follows down Parley's
Canon to Salt Lake City, forty-eight miles, by
this route, from Echo. The mountain streams
along this road abound in trout, while elk, deer
and bear, will reward the hunter's toil. There
are ranches an 1 small farms by the way, which
will afford abundant stopping places for rest and
food ; there are mines of marvelous richness, to
reward one's curiosity, if nothing else will do it ;
and, in fact, there is probably nothing which can
be gained along the line of the Union Pacific,
which will afford so much gratification, at so lit-
tle expanse, of either money or time, as a lei-
surely jaunt of a week or two up the river and
its tributaries from Echo.

Chn !• act eristics of Echo and Weber
Canons. — The massive rocks which form Echo
Canon, are of red sandstone, which by the steady

Eroc3ss of original erosion and subsequent weather,
ave worn into their present shape. Their
shapes are exceedingly curious, and their aver-
age height, 500 to 800 feet. At the amphithe-
atre, and the Steamboat Rock, the height is
fully 800 feet to the summit. There is a bold
projection in the wall of rock near the Pulpit,
called Hanging Rock ; but it is composed of a
ma«s of coarse conglomerate, which is easily
washed away, and is not very easily noticed.

Pulpit Rock overlooks Echo City and the val-
ley of the Weber, through which flows a pure
beautiful mountain stream. In one of our
illustrations is shown a railroad train passing
through this valley and descending to the en-
trance of Weber Canon just below. This is the
sketch of the special excursion train of the New
York and Eastern Editorial Excursion Party
of 1875, who, at this part, the center of the val-
ley, midway between the two canons, were pro-
fuse in their exclamations of delight at the
scene of beauty.

A curious feature of Echo Canon is that its
scenery is entirely on the right or north side,
and that the Weber Canon has, also, upon the

MONUMENT HOCK.— ECHO CANON.

same side, its wildest and most characteristic
scenery. The entrance and departure from
each canon is distinguished with great abrupt-
ness and distinctness. Travelers who can enjoy
the fortunate position of the lowest step on the
platform of each car, can witness all the scenes
of Echo and Weber Canons, to the best advan-
tage. The view is particularly fine, — as when
the train describes the sharp turn, under and
around Pulpit Rock, the view from the last plat-
form includes the whole length of the train on
the curve, — and overhead the jutting point of
the rock, and, farther above, the massive Rock
Mountain, the overlook to the entire valley. Just
as the train rounds at Pulpit Rock, passengers

123

THE CLIFFS OF ECHO CANON, UTAH.

BY THOMAS MORAIT.

124

on the south side of the train, will have a pretty
little glimpse of the upper portion of Weber
River, with its green banks and tree verdure — a
charming relief to the bare, dry plains, so con-
stant and even tiresome. A curious feature of
this little Weber Valley, are the terraces. Near
Echo City is a low, narrow bottom, near the
river ; then an abrupt ascent of 30 feet ; then a
level plain or bottom of '200 to 400 yards ; then
a gentle ascent to the rock bluffs.

The Weber River is exceedingly crooked in
its course, — originally occupying the entire width
of the little space in the canon — and in construct-
ing the railroad at various points, the road-bed
here has been built directly into the river, to
make room for the track. The average angle of
elevation of the heights of Weber Canon is 70
to 80 degrees, — and the height of the summits
above the river is 1,500 to 2,000 feet. In this
canon is found a thick bed of hard, red
sandstone, of great value for building stone, —
which can be wrought into fine forms for culverts,
fronts of buildings, caps, sills, etc. Emerging
from the mouth of Weber Canon — and turning
to the right, every vestige of rugged canon
scenery vanishes, and the scene is changed
into one of peace and quietness of valley life.
Here the Weber River has a strong, powerful
current — with heavy and constant fall over beds
of water-worn stones, and fallen rocks of im-
mense size. In the spring and summer months,
it is swollen by the melting of snow from the
mountains, and is of great depth, — though usually
it averages but four to six feet in depth and its
widtti, at the mouth of the canon, is usually
120 feet.

The remainder of its course to the Great Salt
Lake, is through a large open bottom of increas-
ing breadth, along which gather little villages,
grain fields, meadows, brilliant with flowers of
which the Indian Pink, with its deep scarlet
clusters, is most luxuriant. The hills are smooth
in outline, and as we approach Ogden, the grand
summit of the Wahsatch Mountains, with snowy
peaks, arise behind, in front, and northward,
around us bold and impressive. This is the range
of mountains which border the east side of the
Salt Lake Vr alley, and will accompany us, as we
go southward to Salt Lake City.

Hocks of Weber Canon. — Returning to
the road ; after leaving Echo you will soon
notice, on the north side of the track, two
curious formations. The first is a group of
reddish-colored cones of different sizes and
varying some, in shape, but on the whole
remarkably uniform in their appearance.
These are known as Battlement Rocks. They
are about one mile, perhaps not that, be-
low Echo. Next come the wierd forms of " The
Witches" — looking as though they were talking
with each other. These are gray, and about
this place it seems that the formation changes —

the red-colored rocks disappearing— dark gray
taking their place. How these columns were
formed will ever be a question of interest to
those who are permitted to see them. One of
the Witches especially looks as though she was
afflicted with the " Grecian bend '' of modern
fashion, a fact which does not at all comport
with the dignity or character of a witch. Worn
in fantastic shapes by the storms of ages, and
capped with gray, they stand as if " mocking the
changes and the chance of time." Four
miles below Echo, we lound a rocky point,
nearly opposite to which lies the little Mormon
Village of Henniferville, on the left side of
Weber River, with its bishop's palace — the largest
brick building in sight — and school-house, also of
brick, nestled under the mountains which lift
up nigged peaks in the background. The valley
now narrows to a gorge, and we approach Weber
Canon proper. It has high bluffs on the left,
with a rocky castle towering up on the right. If
Echo Canon was a wonderful place in the mind
of the traveler, wonders, if possible more rugged
and grand, will be revealed to his gaze here.
High up on the face of a bluff to the left, as you
pass through the gorge, see the little holes or
caves worn by the winds, in which the eagles build
their nests. This bluff is called "Eayle neat
Rock." Every year the proud monarch of the
air finds here a safe habitation in which to raise
his young. It is beyond the reach of men, and
accessible only to the birds which fly in the air.
Passing this home of '; Freedom's Bird," before
we have time to read these lines hardly, we are
at the

Thousand Mile Tree, Devil's Slide, &c.,
— on the left side of the track. There it stands,
spreading its arms of green, from one of which
hangs the sign which marks the distance traveled
since leaving Omaha. It is passed in a moment,
and other objects of interest claim your attention.
High upon rocks to the right, as you peer ahead,
see how the winds have made holes in project-
ing points through which the light and sky be-
yond can be observed; now looking back see
another similar formation on the opposite side —
one to be seen looking ahead, the other looking
back. Now we come to Slate Cut — where photo-
graph rocks without number are found. The
rocks are so called from the pictures of ferns,
branches of trees, shrubs, etc., which are seen
traced in them. They remind one of moss-
agates, only they are a great deal larger — mag-
nified a thousand times, and are not in clear
groundwork like the agates. Lost Creek Canon
now puts in from the right, and around the
curve you can see the houses of the little Mormon
Town, Croyden. It is only seven miles from
Echo. This canon runs parallel with Echo
Canon for quite a distance, and is said to be
rich in the scenery characteristic of this region,
with a narrow valley of great fertility when cul-

125

tivated. But right here on the left side of the
road, pushing out from the side of the
mountain, is the " Devil's Slide " — one of the
most singular formations to be seen on the en-
tire route from ocean to ocean. It is composed
of two parallel ledges of granite, turned upon
their edges, serrated and jutting out in places
fifty feet from the mountain side, and about 14
feet apart. It is a rough place for any one;
height about 800 feet.

Weber Quarry, — 1,001. 5 miles from Omaha,
and 5,250 feet above the sea. It is a side track
where fine reddish sandstone is obtained for
building purposes, and for the use of the road.
The sandstone is variegated, and is both beauti-
ful and durable when cut, or polished. The
gorge still continues, and devils' slides on a
smaller scale
than the one
noticed, are
visible on
both sides of
the road. A
little below
this station,
Dry Creek
Canon comes
in on the
right. The
road now
passes round
short curves
amidst the
wildest scen-
ery, when it is
suddenly
blocked to all
human ap-
pearance ; yet
tunnel No. 3
gives us liber-
ty. Crossing
a bridge ob-
serve the ter-
raced mountain on the right, and by the time
it is well in view, we enter and pass through
tunnel No. 4, after which comes Round Valley,
where a huge basin in the mountains is formed,
and where man again obtains a foothold. On
the right of the mountain, as you enter this val-
ley, there is a group of balanced rocks, that seem
ready to topple over into the valley below. Still
rounding another point farther down, and we
arri/e at

Weber, — 1,008.5 miles from Omaha, an ele-
vation of 5,130 feet. It is a telegraph station in
a thrifty looking Mormon village. The valley
here widens out — the narrows are passed — and
scenes of surpassing beauty, especially in the
summer, enchant the eye. To the left the
mountains gradually recede, and East Canon
Creek; which takes its rise in Parley's Park, be-

THOUSAXD MILK TREE.— WEBER CANON.

fore mentioned, cutting its way through the
rocky hills, comes into the valley of the Weber.
This station is the nearest point on the Union
Pacific Road to Salt Lake City. The town and
cultivated farms in the valley seem like an oasis
in the midst of a desert. Here, for the first time
on the road, the traveler will see the magic sign,
" Z. C. M. I.," which, literally translated, means
" Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institution,"
where all the faithful are expected to purchase
their dry goods, groceries, notions, etc. The
Mormon name for this station is Morgan City.
As you leave this station, the same query
broached before, rises in the mind of the trav-
eler— how are we to get out ? We seem entirely
surrounded by hills and mountains, and, while
there is a depression visible off to the right, it

does not seem
low enough
for a railroad
to pass over.
But we follow
the river
down, and
notice the re-
sult. Bend-
ing first to
the right, then
to the left,
and again to
the right
round a curve
like an el-
bow, and near-
ly as short,
we reach

Peterson,
-1,016.4 miles
from Omaha;
elevation,
4,963 feet —
another tele-
graph station,
near which
a wagon bridge crosses the river on the left.
It is convenient to a Mormon village called
Enterprise, near by, and within a few miles
of another, called Mountain Green. Just be-
low Peterson, Cottonwood Creek puts in from
the right, while immediately in front. Devil's
Gate Mountain rears its snowy crest. You now
begin to see where we are to get out of the
basin. A huge gap in the mountains opens be-
fore you. It is the DeviT* Gap with the Devil's
Gate and several other odd characteristics about
it. It is one of the most remarkable places on
the line of the road. The waters of Weber
River, as if enraged at their attempted restraint,
rush wildly along, now on one side of the road,
and now on the other, and now headed off com-
pletely by a projecting ledge before them, turn
madly to the right, determined with irresistible

126

strength to force their way through the mount-
ain ; foiled in this, they turn abruptly to the
left, still rushing madly on, and at last find
their way out to the plain beyond. If Echo
was grand, and the narrows grander — this Dev-
il's Gate pass is surely grandest of all. Just
before you enter the deep cut, you will notice
the old wagon road winding along the bed of
the stream, cut out of the mountain's side
in some places, and, in others, walled up
from the river. In the midst of all this majes-
tic grandeur, the train passes, but seldom stops
at a station appropriately named
Devil's Gate,
—1,020.4 miles
from Omaha,
and 4,870 feet
above the sea,
— and so we
pass rapidly on.
The gap begins
to open in the
west, and we
soon emerge
from one of the
grandest scenes
in nature, into
the lovely val-
ley below, re-
claimed by the
hands of men
from the barren
waste of a des-
ert, and made
to bud and
blossom as the
rose. We have
now passed the
Wahsatch
Range of mount-
ains, though
their towering
peaks are on the
right, and re-
cede from view
on the left, as
we leave their
base and get DEVIL'S SLIDE.

out into the plain. We are now in the Great Salt
Lake Basin, or Valley ; and, though the lake itself
is not in sight, the mountains on its islands are.
These mountains, back of Ogden, are almast
always crowned with snow, and frequently have
their summits enveloped in clouds. They are
storm-breeders — every one, and the old Storm
King sometimes holds high carnival among them,
when

" From peak to peak, the rattling crags among,
Leaps the live thunder."

The winds and storms of winter occasionally
fill the craggy gap through which we have passed
with snow, to such an extent that it slides like-

an avalanche down over the track, and in the
river below, where the rushing waters give it a
cordial greeting, and where it soon melts in their
embrace.

UinfaJi, — 1,025.3 miles from Omaha; eleva-
tion, 4,560 feet. This was formerly the stage
station for Salt Lake City, but the completion of
the Utah Central Railroad from Ogden, took
away its glory. While it was the stage terminus
it was a lively place, though it never possessed
indications of being a town of any great size.
Approaching the town, the valley opens out like
a panorama, and neat little houses with farms

and gardens at-
tached, greet the
eyes of the trav-
eler in a won-
derful change
from the scenes
through which
he has just
passed. Look-
ing off to the
left you will no-
tice the first
bench of land
across the river,
with a higher
bench or terrace
in the rear.
Upon this first
bench, the Mor-
risite massacre
took place in
1862, an account
of which we
shall give in an-
other place.
Leaving Uintah,
the road pursues
its way in a
general norther-
ly direction
along the base of
the mountains,
till it arrives at
Offden, — the
western termi-
nus of the Union Pacific Railroad, 1,033.8 miles
from Omaha, and 4,340 feet above the level of
the sea. By agreement between the two roads,
it is also the eastern terminus of the Central
Pacific Railroad. The place is one of con-
siderable importance, being the second city in
size and population in the Territory of Utah.
It is regularly laid out, is the county-seat of
Weber County, has a court-house of brick,
which, with grounds, cost about $20,000, two
or three churches and a Mormon tabernacle.
The town may properly be divided into two
parts — upper and lower Ogden. The upper
part is pleasantly situated on an elevated

— WEBEU CANON.

SCENES IX WEBER CAXON.

1.— Ogden, Utah. Wahsatxih Mountains in the distance. 2. -Devil's Gate and High Peaks of Wahsatch Mountains.

3.— Heights of Weber Canon. 4.— Tunnel No. 3, Weber Canon.

128

bench adjoining the mountains. This bench
breaks rather abruptly, and almost forms a bluff,
and then begins lower Ogden. The upper part
is mostly occupied for residences, and has some
beautiful yards with trees now well grown. The
lower portion — that which is principally seen
from the railroad, is mostly occupied by business
houses. One peculiarity of the towns in these
western or central Territories, is the running
streams of water on each side of nearly every
street, which are fed by some mountain stream,
and from which water is taken to irrigate the
yards, gardens and orchards adjoining the dwell-
ings. Ogden now has fully 6,OUO people, and has
a bright future before it. It is not only the ter-
minus of the two great trans-continental lines
before mentioned, but is also the starting-point
of the Utah Central and Utah Northern Rail-
roads. These four companies have united in the
purchase of grounds, on which a large Union de-
pot will soon be built, nearly east of the present
building, and nearer the business portion of the
city. It is the regular supper and breakfast sta-
tion of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific
Railroads — passengers having one hour in which
to take their meals and transfer their baggage.
The Central Pacific Road has numerous machine
and repair shops here which are wooden build-
ings of a temporary character, and which will
soon be replaced by more permanent structures.
In addition to their freight depots the Union
Pacific has only a roundhouse for the shelter of
engines — their buildings for the sub-division of
the road being located at Evanston.

Ogden is the last town on the Weber River
before it empties into the Great Salt Lake. This
river takes its name from an old mountaineer
and trapper, who was well known in these parts
during the early days of the Mormon settlement.
The town is named for Mr. Ogden, another old
mountaineer who lived and died near or in the city.
Ogden is destined to become a manufacturing
town of no small importance. Vast quantities
of iron ore can be obtained within five miles of
the city, and iron works on a large scale have
been commenced, but owing to want of proper
foresight, the company ran short of means before
their works were completed. An effort is now
being made to resuscitate them, and with addi-
tional capital carry them on to completion. The
freight on all iron brought into the Territory is
so large in amount, that an iron manufactory
here, with coal and iron ore bearing 60 per cent,
of pure iron of an excellent quality, near by, will
prove a paying investment and materially facil-
itate the development of the Territory. Discov-
eries of silver have also been made on the mount-
ains back of the city, but the mines have not,
as yet, been developed. These discoveries have
been made up in Ogden Canon, about five miles
from the city.

On the mountain directly east of the town, ex«

cellent slate quarries have been discovered and
worked to some extent. It is said to be equal to
the best found in the Eastern States.

Ogden River rises in the Wahsatch Range
of Mountains, some 40 miles east of the city. It
has three forks — north, middle and south — all of
which unite just above the canon and fairly cut
their way through one of the wildest and most
romantic gorges on the Continent.

Ogden Canon. — This lovely little canon con-
tains views quite as pretty as either Weber or
Echo Canons. Visitors should stay over at Og-
den and spend a day in a drive hither.

A fine creek, about 30 feet wide, and three to
five feet deep, has cut through the mountain and
its ridges. As it comes out of the mountain on
the west side, it opens into a broad, grassy valley,
thickly settled with farmers, and joins the
Weber River about five miles distant. The
scenes, as the traveler passes through the narrows
of the canon, are wild in the extreme. The rocks
rise from 500 to 2,000 feet almost perpendicularly,
and the width averages less than 100 feet for a
long distance. In this canon, geologists have
found evidence sufficiently satisfactory to indi-
cate that the entire Salt Lake Valley was once
a huge fresh water lake, whose surface rose high
up on the sides of the mountains, even covering
the highest terrace.

Five miles up the canon, which runs eastward,
there is a beautiful little valley, with table-like
terraces, 30 to 50 feet above the bed of the creek,
wherein a little Mormon village is located. The
situation is a lovely one — the sides of the hills
which enclose the valley, are 800 to 1,000 feet
high, smoothly rounded and sloping, covered
with coarse bunch grass and small bushes.

In addition to the railroad hotel before spoken
of — which, by the way, is a first-class house and
popular with the traveling public — Ogden has
several hotels, prominent among which are the
Utah Hotel, an up-town establishment, conven-
ient for commercial men, and the Beardsley
House which caters for railroad travel. It is
also supplied with two newspapers, the Daily
Junction, a small seven by nine sheet — the organ
of the church, and published by one of the
bishops, a Mormon poet, etc. The other is a
weekly, styled the Oyclen Freeman, the organ of
the opposition. The city water-works are sup-
plied with water taken from Ogden River, at the
mouth of Ogden Canon. The road through the
canon is a dugway along the stream, and some-
times built up from it, while the wall rocks on
either side tower up thousands of feet. The
water in the river goes rushing madly on over
huge rocks and boulders lying in the bed of the
stream, as though it would push them out of the
way. In some places the rocks almost hang over
the road, and as you round some point they seem
as though they would push you into the stream.
In some places the formation and dip of the rocks

129

is very peculiar. They seem to be set up on end,
in thin layers, and with a slight dip, while the
wash of ages has worn out a channel for the
river. About two miles up the canon, Warm
Spring Canon comes in on the right. It is not
much of a canon, but high up on the mountain
side, near its source, are warm springs from
which it takes its name. About half a mile far-
ther are some hot sulphur springs, on the left
side of the river, in the midst of a little grove of
trees. This is a
charming resort
for the tourist,
and he will never
cease admiring the
wild and rugged in
nature,as exhibited
in this canon. The
canon is about six
miles long, and
the stream which
runs through it is
filled with " the
speckled beau-
ties " which are so
tempting to the
fisherman and so
satisfactory to the
epicure. As you
look to the top of
the mountain you
will see pine trees
that appear like
little shrubs.
These trees are
from 50 to 80 feet
in height, and are
cut and brought
down to the val-
leys for their
timber. Accommo-
dations for pleas-
ure parties for
visiting this won-
derful canon, and
for fishing and
hunting, can be
obtained in Ogden,
and no excursion
party from ocean
to ocean should
fail to visit it.
Beyond the mountains, before the river gorges
through, there is a fertile valley pretty well
settled, and the road through the canon gives
the people living there an outlet to the town.
This road was built several years ago, and re-
quired a great deal of time and labor, and fitly
illustrates the persevering industry of the Mor-
mon people.

Fruit-growing is very common in the vicin-
ity of Ogden, and a large quantity of the

best varieties grown in the Territory are pro-
duced in this region of country. Utah apples,
peaches and pears are finer in size, color and
flavor than any grown in the Eastern or Middle
States.

Hot Springs. — Northward from Ogden,
about a day's ride, is a very interesting lo-
cality, known as the Hot Springs. Here is
a group of warm springs, forming, in the
aggregate, a stream three feet wide, and six

to twelve inches
deep; the sur-
face, for a space
of 300 to 400 yards
in extent, is cov-
ered with a de-
posit of oxide of
iron, so that it
resembles a t a n -
yard in color.
The temperature is
136°. They flow
from beneath a
mountain called
Hot Spring Mount-
ain, which is about
five miles long and
three wide. The
elevation of the
lake is 4,191 feet.
The water of the
spring is clear as
crystal, containing
great quantities of
iron, and the sup-
ply is abundant.
As there are plenty
of cold springs
in the vicinity,
there is nothing
to prevent this
from being a noted
place of resort
for invalids. The
medicinal qual-
ities of this water
are excellent for
rheumatism, skin
diseases, dys-
pepsia, and the
climate is unsur-

XARROWS OF OGDKN CA.NUN.

passed.

The Territory of Utah.

When the Mormons first located in Utah, in

1847, it was territory belonging to Mexico, but
by the treaty of Guadaloupe Hidalgo, in March,

1848, it was passed over to the United States
with New Mexico and the whole of upper Cali-
fornia. The government of the United States
was not very prompt in extending its jurisdic-
tion over the newly-acquired Territory, and in

130

131

the absence of any other government the Mor-
mons set up one for themselves, which was called
the State of Deseret. This was done in the
spring of 1819. On the 9th of September, 1850,
Congress passed a bill which ignored the State
government of the Mormons, and organized the
Territory of Utah, and on the 28th of that same
month, Millard Fillmore, President, appointed
Brigham Young,Governor of the Territory with a
full complement of executive and judicial officers.
Since that time the area of the Territory has been
diminished, but it is still large enough for all
practical purposes. It now extends from the
37th to the 42d parallels of north latitude, and
from the 109th to the lllth degree of longitude,
embracing over 8i,000 square miles or over
54,000,000 of acres. The national census of
1870 showed a population of about 90,000, and
a fair estimate would give the Territory about
125,000 people at the present time. The climate,
as a general thing, is salubrious and healthy, and
violent extremes of either heat or cold are seldom
experienced. The area of land susceptible of
cultivation is small as compared to that included
in the whole Territory, and a large quantity of
even desert land is now unproductive because of
the presence of alkali and mineral substances.
While all kinds of grain can be grown with more
or less success — depending upon local causes —
wheat is the great staple, and in favorable sea-
sons and localities monstrous crops of the great
cereal have been produced.

It may astonish eastern readers, but it is nev-
ertheless a fact, that whole fields, producing
from fifty to sixty bushels per acre of as fine
wheat as was ever grown, are no uncommon
thing in Utah. The land, of course, is irrigated,,
and there is no great danger of loss by rains dur-
ing the harvest season. The average yield, it is
true, is a great deal less than this, amounting to
about twenty-five bushels per acre. On account
of the high altitude and cool nights, corn will
not do as well, though fair crops are raised.
Vegetables of all kinds grow to an astonishing
size, and are superior in quality. Corn will, as a
general thing, do better in the valleys in the
southern part of the Territory, where cotton is
also grown to a limited extent, and some kinds
of tropical fruits. The climate and soil are
especially adapted to the production of apples,
pears, peaches, plums, currants, strawberries,
raspberries, blackberries, etc. It must constantly
be borne in mind, that successful agricultural
pursuits can only be carried on here with irriga-
tion, and that, as a general thing, it costs no
more to irrigate land here, nor as much, as it
costs to drain and clear it in many of the Eastern
States. The market for most of the products
raised in this Territory, is at the mining camps
and settlements, and in Nevada, Idaho and Mon-
tana. The explorations in the southern half of
the Territory, have resulted in the discovery of

vast deposits of iron, coal, copper, silver, gold
and lead. In the Strawberry Valley, coal veins
over twenty feet thick, of excellent quality, have
been discovered. In San Pete Valley, other
magnificent coal deposits have been found, from
which coke for smelting purposes has been made.
East of the Wahsatch Range, in San Pete
County, are the remains of the Moquis Village,
of which much has been written. Iron County,
still south, is so named from the vast deposits of
this material found within its limits; and, in
the spring of 1876, the most wonderful discov-
eries of silver were made near St. George, in
what has been called the Bonanza District.
There is horn silver around a piece of petrified
wood in a sandstone formation. A part of this
petrifaction was coal. The discovery of silver
in such a formation, has upset many of the geo-
logical theories heretofore prevalent in the
country. Ore from surface mines to the value
of over fifty thousand dollars, has already been
taken out. This discovery is one of the won-
ders of the country. A correspondent of the
Salt Lake Tribune, recently spoke of these mines
as follows : " The mines are in the rear of Bo-
nanza City, and are certainly a new thing in the
theory of geology and the mining world. Those
in Silver Flat are found under and in sandstone,
lying flat and about six to eight inches in width,
showing rich chlorides, horn silver and sulphur-
ets, carrying some mica. The manner of work-
ing the same has the appearance of quarrying
rock." Judge Barbee, the discoverer of these
mines, found several pieces of petrified wood
ore, containing chlorides and horn silver. The
specimen that we saw, said to have been brought
from these mines, was carbonized to a cer-
tain extent — one side distinctly showing a thin
vein of coal. There are two main ranges of
mountains in Utah, running nearly parallel to
each other. The easternmost range is the Wah-
satch, and that farther west, the Oquirrh. Still
farther to the west are broken ranges, parallel
with those above named. Nearly all of these, so
far as they have been prospected, are mineral
bearing; and, incur judgment, the time is' not
far distant, when mines greater even than the
Comstock, will be developed in Utah. They
only await capital and the extension of railroads
for their development. The Emma mine, which
has filled the public prints, is thought to be one
of the richest mines on the Continent, to-day, by
the leading business men of Utah, who are fa-
miliar with the characteristics of the district in
which it is located. In fact, Utah alone, has all
the resources of an empire ; and if it were only
under a safe, stable and peaceful political local
government, she would become the richest and
brightest star in the coronet of the nation. It
were well if certain pages in her eventful history
could be forever obliterated.

Utah Central Railroad. — Ogden is the

132

northern terminus of this road. It is the pioneer
line of Utah proper, though the Union Pacific
and Central Pacific Roads were completed first
through the magnificent generosity of the people
of the United States. Early in May, 1869, the
iron rails which bound the Continent together
were joined near Promontory, some 50 miles
west of Ogden. One week after this was done,
work on the Utah Central began. The company
was organized on the 8th of March previous,
Brigham Young being president. A large
quantity of material for building railroads was
left on hand, when the Union Pacific was
finished to Promontory, and this was purchased
by the Utah Central Company. Brigham
Young had entered into a contract for grading
the former road, from the head of Echo Canon
to Ogden, and successfully accomplished the
work. If this had not been done, that road
would have failed in its race across the Conti-
nent, and the Central Pacific would have built
the greatest part of the trans-continental line.
His contract was sublet to John Sharp and
Joseph A. Young, the eldest son of the Mormon
prophet. They crowded it with all possible
speed, and obtained that experience in railroad
building then, which has befin of great advan-
tage to the people of Utah since. In less than
eight months from the time ground was broken
for this new line of road, the last rail was laid,
and on the 10th day of January, 1870, the first
through train from Ogden, arrived in Salt Lake
City. As elsewhere stated, this company is to
unite with others in the erection of a Union
depot at Ogden, work upon which will probably
begin the present year. Their road now crosses
the Central Pacific in Ogden, at nearly right
angles, and their depot and freight houses are
north of the Pacific Roads. Arriving at Ogden
from the east, the traveler, looking ahead to the
right, will see the engine and train of cars ready
to take him to the City of the Sainbs. Entering
elegantly furnished cars at about 6 o'clock p. M.,
and turning your back upon Ogden and the
lofty mountain peaks behind it, you will soon be
off. In less than a quarter of a mile, the road
passes over the Weber River on a new and
elegant iron bridge, just put up by the American
Bridge Company of Chicago. It is a suspension
bridge, 150 feet span, each end resting on a
solid abutment of masonry. This bridge is so
constructed that it will contract by cold or ex-
pand by heat as one body, one end being placed
on rollers to allow self adjustment by the action
of heat or cold. The bridge crossed, the road
passes through a cut, and rises upon a bench or
terrace of land from which, off to the right, the
traveler obtains the first view of the Dead Sea
of America — the Great Salt Lake. The general
direction of the road is due south, and you pur-
sue your way along the base of the foot hills
and mountains, which form the first line looking

east, of the Wahsatch Range. As far as
Kaysville, the road passes over a comparatively
unsettled country, though in the dim distance on
the right, the fanning settlements of Hooper may
be seen near the mouth of Weber River. We
soon arrive at

Kaysville, — 16 miles from Ogden. It is a
telegraph station surrounded by a farming set-
tlement, with its "co-op" store, blacksmith-shop
and the usual buildings of a small country town.
In entering and leaving, the road crosses several
little creeks that flow down from the mountains,
the waters of which are nearly all drank up by
the dry earth in the processes of irrigation.
Passing on, the traveler will notice a few houses
and settlements,'toward the lake and mountains,
sometimes nearer the mountains ; arriving at

Farmii if/ton, — the next station, 21 14 miles
from Ogden. It is the county-seat of Davis
County, and has, besides a court-house, the usual
store and shops. This town is also located in
the midst of a farming region, and nearly over-
shadowed by the mountains on the east. Davis
County slopes to the west toward the lake, has a
warm rich soil, and when irrigated, produces
luxuriant crops of vegetables, melons, grain, etc.,
for the Salt Lake market. Leaving this station
the road draws near to the side of this great
inland sea, to

Centewille, — 25 1-2 miles from Ogden, — a
little farming town with its store, etc. Between
the lake on one side and the mountains on the
other, and the thrifty farms with orchards and
gardens now on either side and all around him,
. the traveler will be kept pretty busy.

Wood's Cross — is the next station, 27 3-4
miles from Ogden. It is about midway between
the mountains and the lake, and is located in
what is called the best portion of Davis County.
It is a telegraph station with usual side tracks,
etc. The country gradually slopes into the
lake toward the west with an occasional drift of
sand near the shore, covered with the inevitable
sage brush which we have had since leaving Lara-
mie River. The cosy farm houses and the evi-
dences of thrift everywhere visible, the growing
crops and ripening fruits, if in the summer — all
conspire to make a pleasant landscape, upon which
the traveler can feast his greedy gaze, while the
shadow of the mountains grows longer, and the
twilight deepens into night as we arrive at

Salt Lake City, — the southern terminus of
the read, 36 1-2 miles from Ogden. But of this
city, more in another place.

The Utah Central has been a paying road
from the start, and its business, as the yeai'S pass
by, is destined to make it better still. We have
not all the data at hand to show what it has done,
but will give one or two illustrations. In 1873,
its tonnage was as follows. Freights received,
233,533,450 Ibs. Freights shipped, 55,387,754
Ibs. In 1874, there was a slight falling off,

134

though it was not as large as expected from the
business done In 1873, because of general depres-
sion of the mining interest of the Territory. In
1875, its business was as follows : Freights re-
ceived, 184,158,526 Ibs. Freights shipped
54,189, 929 Ibs. Its gross earnings for 1875 were
$407,000. Its operating expenses were $162,000.
This last sum does not of course include divi-
dends on its stock of $1,500,000, nor the interest
on its bonds amounting to $1,000,000. The pas-
senger fare, first class, from Ogden to Salt Lake
is $2. The controlling interest in this road is at
present owned by stockholders in the Union
Pacific, and it is one of the best paying roads in
the country. The above figures prove it.

SALT LAKE CITY.

Its Discovery. — When Brigham Young,
with his weary band of pioneers arrived here, in
1817, it was a dreary waste, nevertheless a
beautiful site so far as location is concerned, for
a city. It lies on a bench or gradual slope from
the Wahsatch Mountains, whic^i tower up be-
hind it on the east, to the River Jordan, which
bounds it on the west. It is recorded that when
the pioneers cams within a few days' march of
the place, Orson Pratt and a few others went
ahead of the party " to spjT out the land " and
select a place for camping, etc., convenient
to wood and water. On the 22d day of July,
1847, he rode over this valley with his compan-
ions, and returning to the main body, reported
the results of their observations. On the morn-
ing of July 24, 1847, this body arrived at the
top of the hill, overlooking the site of the city,
and the valley beyond, and were enchanted with
the scene. They gave vent to their joy in ex-
clamations of thanksgiving and praise to
Almighty God, firmly believing they had found
the land of promise, though it did not flow with
" milk and honey," and the " Zion of the Mount-
ains " predicted by ancient prophets. The Mor-
mons are great on literal interpretation. Figu-
rative language and expressions as viewed by
them are realities. The Bible means exactly
what it says with them. They had reasons,
however, for being enchanted. From the canon
through which they entered the valley, the view
is simply magnificent. The Great Salt Lake
.glittered like a sheet of silver in the rays of the
morning sun ; the towering peaks of the mount-
ain ranges, crowned with clouds and snow,
lifted themselves high up toward the sky, and
the valley, though a desert, was to them as lovely
as a June rose. The party camped on a small
stream south-west of the Tabernacle, and pro-
ceeded to consecrate the entire valley to the
" Kingdom of God." On the 28th of the same
month, the ground for the temple was selected —
a tract of 40 acres, and a city two miles square.
was laid off. Streets eight rods wide were

staked out, and the blocks contained ten acres
each. Orson Pratt took observations, and deter-
mined the latitude and longitude of the city. A
large number of this pioneer party, after planting
their crops returned for their families, and the
last expedition for that year arrived on the last
day of October, when they were received by those
that remained with demonstrations of great joy.
Brigham Young went back with the returning
party, and did not find his way again to " Zion "
until the next year. After the city had been
founded, emigration from foreign .countries,
which had been suspended, was re-organized
and came pouring into the Territory in masses.
The city grew and the people spread out over
the Territory, settling every available spot of
laud, thus contributing to its prosperity.

Reality of Position. — The main portion of
the city lies off to the left, as it is approached by
the traveler, and presents a pleasing appearance.
Its streets are wide, with streams of water cours-
ing their way along the sides, while rows of
beautiful shade trees line the walks; and gar-
dens, and yards filled with fruit trees of various
kinds, everywhere greet the eye. Visitors
who are interested in beautiful "gardens, will
find the most interesting on Main Street, just
west of the Walker House, at the residences
of the Walker Brothers ; also at Mr. Jen-
nings, on Temple Street, near the depots.
The city is now nearly thirty years old, and
in that time the tourist can see for him-
self what wonderful changes have been
made. The desert truly buds and blossoms
as the rose. The city is admirably located
for beauty, and at once charms its visitors.
The tourist should engage a carriage and drive
up and down the shaded streets, and see the wil-
derness of fruit groves and gardens. The first
practical thing, however, with the traveler is to
select his stopping place, during his visit. Of
hotels there are two first-class houses that are
popular resorts with the traveling public. The
Walker House is a four story brick structure with
132 rooms. It is located on the west side of
Main Street, has a frontage of 82 feet and a
depth of 120 feet. It has lately been entirely
renovated and handsomely furnished ; also has
had the addition of a passenger elevator. It is
especially noted for its excellent table, which is
abundant in game, fruits, fish, etc. The Town-
send House is on the corner of West Temple
and South Second streets, and has a fine shady
piazza along the front. Both of these hotels face
eastward, both are lighted with gas, and both are
supplied with all modern conveniences and lux-
uries. There are, also, other good hotels in the
city, which are considered second-class, and are
largely patronized.

Sif/Ms for Tourists. — Having selected a
stopping place, the next thing is a visit to the
warm sulphur springs, for a bath. The street

135

OFFICES AND FAMILY RESIDENCE OF BR1GHAM YOUNG.

cars, running by nearly all the hotels, will take
you there.

Warm Springs. — These are, to invalids,
the most grateful and delightful places of resort
in the city. Exceedingly valuable either for
rheumatic or dyspeptic complaints, they are ex-
cellent in general invigorating properties, and
specially efficacious in skin diseases. They are
but about one mile from the hotel, reached either
by horse-cars or carriage. Even a pleasant walk
is preferable. Best times to enjoy them are early
in the morning before breakfast, or immediately
before dinner. Should never be taken within
three hours after a meal. The springs issue
from the limestone rock near the foot of the
mountains, and the curious character of the rock
is seen in the stones used for either fences or the
foundation of the buildings. The following an-
alysis has been made of the water by Dr. Charles
S. Jackson of Boston, and is generally posted on
the walls of the bathing-house.

" Three fluid ounces of the water, on evapo-
rating to entire dryness in a platine capsule, gave
8.25 grains of solid dry saline matter.

Caibonate of lime and magnesia, 0.240 1.28ft

Peroxide of iron, 0.040 0.208

Lime. 0.545 2.907

Chlorine, 3.454 18421

Soda. 2.877 15.344

Magnesia, 0.370 2.073

Sulphur. c Acid, 0.703 3.748

8.229 43.981

It is slightly charged with hydro-sulphuric acid
gas, and with carbonic acid gas, and is a pleas-
ant, saline mineral water, having the valuable
properties belonging to a saline sulphur spring.

The temperature is lukewarm, and, being of
a sulphurous nature, the effects are very pene-
trating ; at first the sensation is delicious, pro-
ducing a delightful feeling of ease and re-

pose ; but if the bather remains long, over
fifteen minutes, there is danger of weakness and
too great relaxation. These baths are now un-
der control of an experienced gentleman, and
fitted up with every modern convenience. Here
are Turkish baths, Hot Air baths and Russian
baths, in addition to the natural bath. The
warm sulphur-water can be enjoyed in private

NEW MORMON TEMPLE.

rooms, or in the large plunge or swimming bath.
Separate rooms for ladies and gentlemen, and a
smaller building near by is fixed up for the boys,
where they can frolic to their heart's content.
Hot Springs. — The tourist should take a

136

carriage, and, after visiting the Warm Springs
and enjoying the bath, drive a mile farther north
to where the mountain spur juts out to the very
railroad — and, right at its base are situated the
" Hot Springs." which are the greatest natural
curiosity of the city. The water boils up, with
great force, from a little alcove in the limestone
rocks, just even with the surface of the ground.
If you dare to thrust your hand in it, you will
find it boiling hot, apparently with a temperature
of over 200°. The finger can not be retained in
the water for the best part of a minute ; yet the
sensation, as it is withdrawn, is so soft and cool-
ing, you will like to try it again and again — and,
strange to say, rarely with any danger of scald-
ing. If meat is dropped into this boiling water,

agriculture and vegetation for hundreds of yards
within the vicinity. This lake is also supposed
to be supplied, to some extent, by other hot
springs beneath the surface. Strange as it may
seem, the hot water does not prevent the ex-
istence of some kinds of excellent fish, among
which have been seen some very fine large trout.
Analysis of Hot Sulphur Spring :

Chloride of Sodium,
" " Magnesium,
" " Calcium,

Sulphate of Lime.

Carbonate of Lime,

Silica,

0.8052
0.0288
0.1096
0.0806
0.0180
0.0180

1.0602

Specific gravity, 1.1454.
TJie Museum — is located on the south side

INTERIOR OF OFFICE OF THE MORMA.JT PRESIDENT.

it is soon cooked, (though we cannot guarantee
a pleasant taste) and eggs will be boiled, ready
for the table, in three minutes. Often a dense
volume of steam rises from the spring, though
not always. A very large volume of water issues
forth from the little hole in the rock — scarcely
larger than the top of a barrel — about four feet
wide and six to twenty inches deep. Immedi-
ately near the rock is a little pool, in which the
water, still hot, deposits a peculiar greenish color
on the sides, and coats the long, wavy grass with
its sulphurous sediment. Flowing 'beneath the
railroad track and beyond in the meadows, it
forms a beautiful little lake, called Hot Spring
Lake, which, constantly filling up, is steadily in-
creasing its area, and, practically, destroying all'

of South Temple street, and directly opposite
the Tabernacle. Professor Barfoot is in charge,
and he will show you specimen ores from the
mines, precious stones from the desert, pottery-
ware and other articles from the ruins of ancient
Indian villages, the first boat ever launched on the
Great Salt Lake by white men, home-made
cloths and silks, the products of the industry of
this people, specimen birds of Utah, a scalp
from the head of a dead Indian, implements of
Indian warfare and industry, such as blankets
white people cannot make, shells from the ocean,
and various articles from the Sandwich Islands,
and other things too numerous to mention.

Formerly there were quite a number of living
wild animals kept here, but some fiend poisoned

137

VIEW OF SALT LAKE CITY, LOOKING WESTWARD ACROSS THE JORDAN VALLEY.

the most of them. There are now living, how-
ever, a lai-ge horned owl, a prairie dog, and the
owls that burrow with him, together with the
rattlesnake ; also other birds and reptiles which
need not be named. This institution is the re-
sult of the individual enterprise of John W.

CO OPERATIVE

SIGN OF MORMON STORES.— SALT LAKE CITY.

Young, Esq., and for which he is entitled to
great credit. A nominal sum, simply, is charged
for admission, which goes for the support of Pro-
fessor Barfoot, who has the care and direction of
the Museum. Across the street, behind a high
wall, is the Tabernacle, and near by it, on the
east, enclosed within the same high wall, are the
foundation walls of the new Temple. We shall
not attempt a description of either, as a personal
inspection will be far more satisfactory to the
visitor. We advise every tourist to get to the
top of the Tabernacle, if possible, and get a view
of the city from the roof. Within the same
walls may be found the Endowment house, of
which so much has been written. In this build-
ing both monogamous and polygamous marriages
take place, and the quasi-masonic rites of the
church are performed. On South Temple street,
east of Temple block, is the late residence of
Brigham Young, also enclosed in a high wall
which shuts out the rude gaze of passers-by, and
gently reminds the outsider that he has no busi-
ness to obtrude there. Xearly opposite to this
residence is a large and beautiful house which
is supposed to belong to the Prophet's favorite
wife, Amelia — familiarly called Amelia Palace,
probably the finest residence for 500 miles around.
Returning to East Temple or Main street, we
behold a large brick building with iron and
glass front, three stories high, with a skylight its

138

entire length. This is the new "co-op" store,
40 feet wide and 300 feet long, with all the mod-
ern improvements, steam elevator, etc. Nearly
opposite this store is Savage's picture gallery,
whose photographs of scenery and views
along the road, are the finest of any ever
issued in the Great West. Continuing on
the same street south, and the elegant build-
ing of the Deseret National Bank greets
our gaze, on the north-east corner of East
Temple and First
South streets. Di-
agonally across the
street from this is
the emporium of
William Jennings,
Esq. But it is
needless to enu-
merate all the
buildings in the
city, be they pub-
lic or private.
We must not omit,
however, the ele-
gant private resi-
dence and beau-
tiful grounds of
Mr. Jennings, on
the corner east of
the depot. They
are worthy of a
visit, and so, also,
is the elegant pri-
vate residence of
Feramor Little,
directly east of the
Deseret National
Bank. The theater
is open occasion-
ally in the even-
ing, where may be
seen many of the
leading Mormons
and their families.

The city is sup-
plied with gas,
water, and street
railroads. The
water is brought
from City Creek
Canon, through the principal streets, in iron
pipes, though in some seasons the supply is
rather short.

Scenery Near the City. — North of the city,
Ensign Peak lifts its head, the Mountain of
Prophecy, etc. Its crown is oval in shape, and
the mountain, etc , is said to have been seen in a
vision by some of the Mormon dignitaries long
before it was beheld by the naked eyes of the
present settlers. The sight from this peak, or
others near at hand, is grand and impressivev
Under your feet lies the City of the Saints, to

INTERIOR OF MORMON TABERNACLE.— THE GREAT ORGAN.

the west the Great Salt Lake, to the south the
valley of the river .Jordan, the settlements along
the line of the railroad, and the mountains on
either side. Though the way to the summit re-
quires a little toil, and will expand one's lungs to
the fullest extent, yet the reward, when once the
summit is reached, will amply pay for all the
toil it has cost.

In the summer months only, the Tabernacle is
open, and the services of the Mormon church are

then h e 1 d there
nearly every Sab-
bath. Behind the
rostrum or pulpit
is the great organ,
made in the city,
and said to be the
second in size on
the Continent.

East of the city
there seems to be
a withdrawal of
the mountains and
a part of a circle,
formed like an
amphitheatre.
About two miles
east is Camp
Douglas, estab-
lished by General
Connor during the
late war. It is beau-
tifully located on
an elevated bench
commanding the
city,and at the base
of the mountains.
New buildings
have been erected,
and it is now
considered one
,of the finest and
Th o s t convenient
posts the govern-
ment has. It is
supplied with
water from Red
Butte Canon, and
has a great many
conveniences.
Below Camp Douglas, Emigration Canon next
cuts the mountains in twain. It is the canon
through which Orson Pratt and his companions
came when they first discovered the valley, the
lake, and the site for a city — through which
Brigham Young and the pioneers came, and was
the route by which nearly all the overland emi-
grants arrived, on coming from the East. Below
this, as you look south, is Parley's Canon,
through which a road leads to Parley's Park and
the mining districts in that region. Then comes
South Mill Creek with its canon, through the

139

towering peaks, and then the Big Cottonwood
Creek and Canon. Between it and Little Cot-
tonwood Canon, next on the south, is the mount-
ain of silver — or the hill upon which is located
some of the richest paying mines in the Terri-
tory. Here is the Flagstaff, the North Star, the
Emma, the Reed & Benson, and others worth
their millions. The Emma mine has become
notorious in the history of mines, but there is
not a practical miner in Utah who doubts the
existence of large bodies of rich ore there, and,
if it had been practically worked, would, in the
opinion of
many, have
equaled, if not
exceeded, the
celebrated Corn-
stock lode be-
fore this.

No visitor to
Salt Lake
s h o u Id leave
the city with-
out a trip to the
lake and a ride
on its placid
bosom — a trip,
also, to the
southern ter-
minus of the
Utah Southern
Railroad, the
mountains and
canons along
its line, and to
the mountains
and mines of
Stockton,
Ophir, Bing-
ham, and above
all, the Cotton-
wood districts.
If you are fur-
ther inclined to
improve the op-
portunity, ride
up to Parley's
Park, go to
Provo and spend a week, or a month even, in
visiting the wonderful canons near there, and
in hunting and fishing in the mountain streams
and in Lake Utah. A trip to the summit of
old Mount Nebo would afford you good ex-
ercise, and very fine views. With Salt Lake
for headquarters, all these places can be taken
in, and your only regret will be that you did
not stay longer, travel farther, and see more of
this wonderful land.

Gardening, Irrigation. — The city was
originally laid out in large ten acre blocks, which
were, in time, subdivided into house lots, most
of which, having been liberally planted with

ITEW RESIDENCE OP BRIGHAM YOUNG.— AMELIA PALACE.

fruit trees, have since grown with great luxuri-
ance, and the city seems a vast fruit orchard and
garden. Through all the streets run the little
irrigating streams, and every part of the city
has its chance, once or twice a week, to get a sup-
ply of pure water to wet the soil and freshen the
vegetation.

The city is divided into wards. Every ward
has its master, and he compels all the inhab-
itants to turn out and work on public improve-
ments. There is no shirking. Every one has a
responsibility to guard and watch his own

property, take
care of his own
irrigating
ditches, and
keep his ward
in perfect order.
The city is one
of perfect order
and quietness.

Through all
the streets of
the city there
is a universal
and luxuriant
growth of
shade trees.
These have
been planted
profusely, and
grow with
amazing rapid-
ity. The lo-
cust, maple and
box-elder, are
the greatest fa-
vorites, the for-
mer, however,
being most
planted. In
many cases
the roots have
struck the al-
kali soils, which
contain an ex-
cess o f soda
and potash, and
their leaves have turned from a bright or dark
green to a sickly yellow — and often trees may be
noticed, half green and half yellow.

This alkali has to be washed out of the soil by
irrigation, and gradually grows less positive year
by year. In nearly all the gardens are splendid
apples, pears, plums and apricots, growing with
exceeding thrift, and covered with the most
beautiful blushing colors. Apricots which in
the East are almost unknown, here have been so
abundant as often to sell as low as $1.00 per
bushel, and we have seen them as large as east-
ern peaches, from four to six and eight inches
round.

140

Flowers are very abundant, and vegetables are
wonderfully prolific. In the gardens of William
Jennings, may be seen growing out doors on
trellises, grapes, the Black Hamburgh, Golden
Chasselas and Mission grape, varieties which are
only grown in a hot-house in the East. Through
all the gardens can be seen an abundance of
raspberries, gooseberries and currants. In Mr.
Jennings's garden, in summer, may be seen a
pretty flower garden, 150 feet in diameter, —
within the center of which is a piece of velvety
lawn — the finest and most perfect ever seen —
while from it, southward, can be caught a spe-
cially glorious view of the Twin Peaks of the
Wahsatch Mountains, capped with unvarying
snow.

Future of Salt JLake City. — The future of
Salt Lake depends upon two things — the mines
and the railroads. If the mines are developed
and capital is thus increased, it will have a ten-
dency to cause an immense amount of building
in the city, and a corresponding advance in real
estate. It is claimed that the citv now has a
population of 30,000 souls, but we "think 22,000
a closer estimate. Many parties owning and
operating mines make the city their place of
residence, and some have already invested in
real estate there. We heard the opinion of a
wealthy capitalist — a gentleman operating in
mines — to the effect that in ten years Salt Lake
would number 250,000 people, but he was a little
enthusiastic. If the Utah Southern is extended
to the Pacific Coast, it will add largely to the
wealth, population and influence of the " City of
the Saints." The silent influence of the Gen-
tiles and the moral power of the Nation has
already had an effect upon the Mormons of the
city, which will soon be felt throughout the Ter-
ritory. The discovery and development of the
mines will largely increase the Gentile popula-
tion throughout the Territory, and their influ-
ence will then be each year more powerfully felt,
and we question if Mormonism will be strong
enough to withstand them.

Newspapers. — The press of Salt Lake is
exceedingly peculiar. The Daily News is the
recognized church organ ; the Daily Herald is
more lively. It is the organ of the so-called pro-
gressive Mormons. The Daily Tribune is a
stinging, lively journal — the leading organ of
the opposition to the priesthood and the the-
ocracy. The Mail is an evening paper under
Gentile influences, but not as bold or belligerent
as the Tribune. The Utah Weekly Miner is a
paper devoted to the development of the mineral
resources of the Territory. There is another lit-
tle evening paper called the Time*, under church
influences. Fortunes have been expended upon
newspaper enterprises in Salt Lake, but with the
exception of the three papers first mentioned,
none have succeeded. The ground is now, how-
ever, fully occupied, and further efforts should

be directed toward improving those already
established, rather than in new and costly ex-
periments.

The Utah Southern Railroad. — This
road is really a continuation of the Utah Cen-
tral. It was begun on the 1st day of May, 1871,
and completed to Sandy that same year. In
1872 it was extended to Lehi, about thirty miles
from Salt Lake City. In 1873 it was extended
to Provo, and its present terminus is at York, a
little place just across the divide between Lake
Utah and Juab Valley. It will probably be ex-
tended from a hundred to a hundred and fifty
miles the present year. York is 75 miles
from Salt Lake City, and 16 miles from Nephi,
the next town on its proposed line of any im-
portance. The stockholders of the Union Pacific
Road, own a controlling interest in this, as also
in the Utah Central. It will probably be ex-
tended to the Pacific Coast sometime. The
following is the record of freight received and
forwarded at the Salt Lake City Station for the
year 1875. Freight received, 70,916,527 Ibs.
Freight forwarded, 71,969,954 Ibs. Its gross
earnings for same period, were $188,987.60, — and
its operating expenses, were $120,650.87. The
great bulk of its business is between Salt Lake
City and Sandy, though travel and traffic are
gradually increasing on the balance of its line,
and will rapidly double up^as soon as the road
shall have reached the rich mining districts in
the southern portions of Utah, which are at pres-
ent comparatively undeveloped. Its general di-
rection is southward from Salt Lake City, up the
Jordan Valley to the Valley of Lake Utah, and
thence across the divide as before mentioned.
Travelers visiting this Territory should not fail
to visit the towns, valleys and mountains on this
line of road. The Valley of Lake Utah espe-
cially, entirely surrounded by mountains lofty and
rugged, will compare favorably, so far as magnifi-
cent scenery is concerned, with anything of a
similar character to be found either in Europe
or America. Leaving Salt Lake City, we slowly
pass through the limits of the corporation where
cultivated fields and gardens, with farm houses
and fine orchards of all kinds of fruit trees,
giving evidences of thrift 'on every side, greet
our gaze. Streams of water are constantly run-
ning through the irrigating ditches, and the
contrast between the cultivated lands and the
sage brush deserts, sometimes side by side, is
wonderful. On our left, the everlasting mount-
ains, with their crowns of snow almost always
visible, stand like an impenetrable barrier to ap-
proaches from the east, or like eternal finger-
boards, and say as plainly as words can indicate
— " go south or north ; you cannot pass us." On
the right, the river Jordan winds its way to the
waters of the great inland sea, while beyond,
towering into the sky, are the peaks of the
Oquirrh Range. You will need to keep your

141

eyes wide open, aud gaze quickly upon the
rapidly changing scenes as they come into view,
or swiftly recede from your vision ; for, between
the scenes of nature aud the works of man in
reclaiming this desert, you will hardly know
which to admire, the most, or which is the most
worthy of your attention. Passing on, we arrive
at the first station —

Little Cottonwood, — 7 miles from the city.
It is a way station at which trains do not stop
unless flagged, or the signal is given from on
board the train. All the canons aud ravines in
the mountains supply more or less water, which
is gathered into canals and distributed through
ditches as re-
quired for the
fields, meadows
and orchards.
The well culti-
vated fields con-
tinue until we
arrive at

Junction, —
12 miles from
Salt Lake City,
•where the Biug-
ham Canon &
Camp Floyd
Railroad inter-
sects the Utah
Southern. Pas-
sengers here
change cars for
Bingham Canon
and the mining
districts in that
vicinity. This
road i s about
twenty-two
miles long and
i s extensively
used in trans-
porting ore, bull-
ion, coke, coal
and charcoal to
and from the
mines and
smelting works
and railroad. It is a narrow gauge (three
feet) road and is now doing a fine business.

Sandy, — 13 miles from the city and the point
of intersection of the Wahsatch & Jordan Val-
ley Railroad, — narrow gauge (three feet). This
road turns off to the left and goes up Little
Cottonwood Canon, which can now plainly be
seen from the cars. The Big Cottonwood Canon
is also in sight. There they are, with the mount-
ain of silver between them. There is silver
enough in that mountain to pay the national
debt of the United States, with enough left to
pay for a huge fourth of July celebration. This
road has some very heavy grades, and, on the

SNOW SLIDE MOUNTAIN. — LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANON.

upper end of it, horses, instead of engines, are
employed to haul the empty cars. These two
narrow gauge roads are now under one manage-
ment. The Little Cottonwood Road is about
eighteen miles in length. Sandy is a flourish-
ing little town. It has several smelters, or
reduction works, where crude ore is converted
into bullion. The celebrated Flagstaff mine
has its smelting works here ; its ore is brought
down from the mine on the Wahsatch & Jor-
dan Valley Railroad. Every visitor to Utah,
who is at all interested in mines, or metal-
lurgy, will obtain a great deal of informa-
tion, and be amply repaid for the time and ex-
pense of a visit
to its more cele-
brated mining
districts. A
visit to the Bing-
ham and Little
Cottonwood Dis-
tricts,, certainly
should not be
neglected. Leav-
ing Sandy, we
enter into a des-
ert country
again ; the farm-
houses are scat-
tering, though
the land on the
right, toward
the immediate
vicinity of the
Jordan, is still
pretty well set-
tled. The next
station is

Draperville,
— 17 miles from
Salt Lake City.
It is an unim-
portant station,
convenient to a
little Mormon
settlement.
Leaving this sta-
tion we soon
cross South Willow Creek, and then follow the
outer rim of the hills around the valley toward
the right, like a huge amphitheatre. We have
been going up hill, and, as we turn to the right,
to get through a pass or gorge in the mount-
ains, the valley below us with Sandy, Salt
Lake City, Salt Lake itself, its islands, the
mountains beyond and a vast scope of country
is suddenly unrolled, like a beautiful panorama,
to our view — a magnificent spectacle which
never fails to excite and satisfy the beholder.
Turning to the left again, we near the narrows,
and, looking to the right, the river Jordan
winds along beneath us ; then, passing through

142

a deep cut, we suddenly emerge into the
valley of Lake Utah, and at once become en-
chanted with the lovely view now spread out be-
fore us. The valley, cities and towns we have
just left, are entirely shut out from our vision,
and, in their stead, new wonders invite our at-
tention. There is Lake Utah, with little villages
and settlements between its snores and the base
of the mountains, and those mountains thou-
sands of feet in height, piercing the very clouds,
around it. With an elevation about 500 feet
higher than that of the Great Salt Lake, it
lies nestled down among the lofty peaks, as
though it would hide its beauty and shun the
gaze of the outside world. But iron arms have
forced their way through the rugged defiles, and
now hold it in long and lasting embrace.
Henceforth it will receive the homage of thou-
sands, and become a place of worship to the
multitudes who shall see in it and its surround-
ings, the Mecca of their pilgrimages — the grati-
fication of their desires and the satisfaction of
every hope. This is strong language, and the
tourist himself shall be the judge of its truth-
fulness. This lake is virtually the head of the
river Jordan. It winds its way, like a ribbon of
silver, through the valley, passes through the

B>rge we have entered and becomes lost to view,
own into the valley of the lake we go and ar-
rive at

Lehi, — the next station, 31 miles from the
City of the Saints. It is located on Dry Canon
Creek, though the creek furnishes water suffi-
cient to irrigate the thrifty farms bordering the
little village. A large portion of the bottom-
lands around the lake are cultivated and irrigated
with the water that flows down the mountain
streams.

American Fork, — 34 miles from Salt Lake
City, is now reached. It is named from the
creek and canon back of the town, which has
cleft the mountains in twain, and left on their
ragged edges the marks of the heroic and victo-
rious struggle. From this town another narrow
gauge railroad has been built up the canon to
Deer Creek, some twelve miles, to accommodate
the necessities of the mines which have been
opened there. It will be extended whenever
the increased productions of these mines shall
demand it. Of the grand scenery of this
noted canon we shall speak in another place.
The town is about six miles from the mouth
of the canon, and has every appearance of the
industry which usually characterizes Mormon
towns.

Pleasant Grove,— 37 miles from the city, is
the next station. It is a thriving farming set-
tlement, and similar to all the little villages in
the Territory. It was formerly called Battle
Creek because of a fight which early settlers had
with the Ute Indians. Leaving Pleasant Grove
we soon arrive at

Provo, — 48 miles from Salt Lake City, and
the third town in size in Utah Territory, having
a population of about 5,000 souls. After leaving
the last station, off to the left, Provo Canon is
visible, with Provo or Timpanogos River flowing
through it. This river rises in the western spur
of the Uintah Mountains, flows along the south-
ern part of K animus Prairie and then turns to the
south-west, entering what is called Provo Valley,
which lies east of the range of mountains on our
left, and finally cutting through this range into
the valley of Lake Utah. Observe, as you ap-
proach the town, how the strata of rocks in the
mountains on each side of the canon dip toward
each other. An immense body of water flows
down this river, annually — more than passes
through the river Jordan, the surplus being
taken up by evaporation or drank by the
thirsty soil. We cross the river as we ap-
proach the town, and for the first time since
leaving Salt Lake, see small bodies of timber,
mostly cottonwood, and a thick undergrowth of
brush, etc.

Sporting. — Between the town and lake are
low marshes and meadows which render this
place a paradise for ducks, which fact the sports-
man will do well to note. The streams which
flow into the lake abound in fish, and the lake
itself is full of trout, chub, suckers, etc. It is
no unfrequent matter to catch trout here weigh-
ing from seven to ten pounds, though from two
to five pounds is their usual weight. The trout
ascend the streams in the proper season to de-
posit their spawn ; the suckers follow to devour
it, and sometimes they almost choke the river, so
vast are they in numbers, and are cauglit in
large quantities. The streams sometimes fall so
rapidly that they are left in shallow places and
die there as the water recedes. Measures should
be taken to prevent this wholesale raid on the
spawn of the trout, or it will soon be des-
troyed— at least materially lessened. If the
suckers are masters of the situation, so far as the
spawn is concerned, the reverse holds true with
the trout in the lake, for there they attack the
suckers without mercy, and the old adage that
" the big fish eat the little ones," proves liter-
ally true. It is evident that the young suck-
ers are highly relished by the larger trout in this
lake.

The town of Provo is regularly laid out, has
numerous school-houses, stores, grist-mill, tanner-
ies, woolen factory, etc. Brigham Young has a
private residence here, which he frequently visits,
and which is occiipied by one of his so-called
wives. It has finely cultivated gardens, yards,
orchards and small farms adjacent.

SpringrUle, — 53 miles from Salt Lake City.
The little town lies back under the mountains,
and will probably be the initial point of a narrow
gauge railroad to the extensive coal fields in
Strawberry Valley, some 60 miles east. This

143

coal possesses coking qualities, and as a large
amount of coke is now imported from Pittsburg,
Pa., for the use of the numerous smelting works
in the Territory, it at once becomes an object to
manufacture it nearer home. Coke made from
coal found in the San Pete Valley is already ship-
ped from this point. Still rounding the eastern
rim of the valley, we soon arrive at the next sta-
tion, which is

Spanish Fork, — 58 miles from Salt Lake
City. To the left, the traveler will observe the
canons and gorges which have cut their way
through the mountains, and the lofty peaks of
Mount Nebo, now nearly in front. Hobble
Creek courses a canon through the range back
of Springville, and now Spanish Fork does like-
wise. There is more of a depression in the
mountain, however, where this river canons
through. It has two main branches on the other
sids of the range — upon the northern, the pro-
posed Danver Railroad conies in, while the
southern branch heads in the divide that crosses
San Pete Valley, east of Mount Nebo. Near
Wales, in this valley, coking coal has been dis-
covered, ovens erected, and the manufactured
article is now delivered at Springville, being
hauled nearly 60 miles by wagons. The pro-
jected railroad from Springville, will pass up the
valley of the Spanish Fork River. The town is
located on this river, a little distance from the
road. We cross th.3 river soon after leaving
the station. A little village called Pontoun, is
seen on the left at the base of Mount Nebo.

Payson, — 66 miles from the City of the
Saints. Iron ore is shipped from here to the
smelters, where it is used for fluxing purposes in
the reduction of ore. It is hauled some 14 miles
by wagons. It is said to bear 60 or 65 per cent,
of iron, and is known as brown hematite. At
this station and the next, ore and bullion are
hauled from the East Tintic Mining District,
which is about 22 miles away. To our right, a
mountain rises from the level plain around it,
while the lake puts out an arm, as if to clasp it
in fond embrace. Between this mountain and
Mount Nebo, the road finds its way, and a little
farther on, this arm of the lake can be seen west
of the mountain.

Santaquin — is the next station, 71 miles
from Salt Lake City. Stage lines leave here
for the Tintic Mining District on the west.
In one year this station received one million
tons of ore. The road now passes through
a low depression or valley, which divides the
Wahsatch and Oquirrh Ranges, and across the
divide between Lake Utah and Juab Valley, by
easy grades, and we soon arrive at

York, — 75 miles from the northern terminus,
and the present southern terminus of the Utah
Southern Railroad. The town is of no particular
impoi-tance, and will lose its present significance
as soon as the road is extended. In fact it is no

place for a town, and there is no country around
it to support one. Farther down the valley,
streams from the mountains come in, water for
irrigation can be obtained, and the desert, under
the manipulations of labor, is made to bud and
blossom as the rose. When the road is extended
to Nephi, 16 miles, the traveler can pass into a
beautiful and highly cultivated valley, and be-
hold the towering form and giant outlines of
Mount Nebo, from the south. It is one of the
highest peaks in the Wahsatch Range of the
Rocky Mountains, and its lofty head whitened
by eternal snows, is frequently obscured by
clouds. The elevation of the summit of this
mountain, is given by the Engineer Department
of the United States Army, at 11,922 feet.
Frisco Mines. — The railroad is to be ex-
tended this year 150 miles south to these mines,
and thence in time to Arizona and California
through new belts of mineral richness. Stages
leave here daily for Pioche and St. George.

AMERICAN FORK CANON.

Of this canon, no less a writer than the late
Charles Kingsley, Canon of the English Church
in London, England, has given the most enthusi-
astic expression, and declares it " The rival of the
Yosemite"

It is by far the most wonderful of all the canons
which are within convenient access to the Pacific
Railroad, and tourists who value sights of grand-
eur and sublime rock sceneiy, must not omit it
in their overland tour. In interest, beauty, and
as a delightful pleasure trip, it will surpass either
Echo, Weber, or Humboldt Canons, and not a
little of the joy is attributable to the novel mode
of ascent and descent.

Taking the cars of the Utah Southern Rail-
road at Salt Lake City, proceed southward to
American Fork Station ; there a little train is in
waiting with narrow gauge cars and locomotive.
If the party is large enough for a picnic, so much
the better, as often flat cars are added, neatly
trimmed with evergreen boughs. The railroad,
after leaving the station turns directly toward
the mountain range, and gradually ascends for
the first six miles, a steady grade of 200 feet to
the mile, until just before the mouth of the can-
on it reaches 296 feet. Nothing can describe the
apparent desolation of sage brush and dry sterile
appearance of the soil, but here and there where-
ever the little mountain brook can be diverted
from its course, and its water used to irrigate the
land, the richest of fruit trees, grass and grain
spring up and give abundant crops. The little
stream, with its rapid fall, follows us up the
entire length of the canon. The upward ascent
of the grade seems hardly noticeable, of so uni-
form a slope is the surface of the country, and it
is not till the base of the mountains is reached,
and the tourist looks back, he realizes his height,

144

145

and sees in the distance the clear surface of Utah
Lake considerably below him. Gathering now
on the flat cars — where the scenery can be best
observed — the little train slowly enters the canon.
Scarcely 500 feet are passed over before there
bursts upon the eye views of rock scenes of the
most rugged character. The little valley is
scarcely 100 feet broad, and in its widest part
not over 200 feet, but from the very track and little
stream, the rocks loom up into heights of start-
ling distinctness and almost perpendicular ele-
vation.

The color of the rocks is uniformly of very
dark red and brown granite, apparently having
once been heated in a terrible furnace, and then
in melting had arranged themselves into rugged
and fantastic shape more than mortal could con-
ceive.

At the beginning of the canon, the rocks aver-
age about 800 feet in height, then, as the route
ascends, the sides become more and more bold
and erect, — the height greater, and the summits
sticking up in jagged points seem like heaven-
reaching spires, — often 1,500, 2,000, and 2,500
feet above the observer.

No pen can picture the sensations of the ob-
server, as he passes slowly through these scenes
— which are constantly shifting. Each turn in
the road brings forward some new view, more
entrancing than the last, — and on either side,
front and rear, the vision is superb in the high-
est degree. We could not term these scenes
better than to call them " Rock Kaleidoscopes."
For in this short distance of 12 miles, there is a
constant succession of castellated heights, titanic
monsters, spires, rock mountains of increasing
height, sublime form and piercing altitudes*
meeting us, crossing our path, and shooting up
above and around us the entire distance, — it
seems like a succession of nature's castles, far
more rugged and picturesque than the castle
covered rocks of the Rhine. Rocks of endless
form and beauty, vistas of rocks, sky tower-
ing summits, bold crags, and flinty points jut-
ting out from the mountain sides in most profuse,
rugged, yet charming positions and combina-
tions, that those eyes which once had no admira-
tion for rocks — here confess with extreme en-
thusiasm, that there is beauty beyond the wildest
imaginations.

While passing upward, the train is very slow,
scarcely passing more than four or six miles per
hour, — the traveler will see some rocks of curious
formations at the left hand, about one-third of
the way up; on the summit of one of the
highest crags, will be seen a sharp-pointed rock,
and in it a large distinct hole, through which can
be seen the sky beyond. The contrast of the
dark brown rock, and the clear blue of the sky is
intense. This is familiarly called the Devil's
Eye.

Farther up, the track passes under the jutting

edge of a rock mountain with a sharply cut
alcove in its base. This is Harujiny Rock — the
roof of the rock which projects over the railroad,
being about 20 feet outward.

Near the upper part of the canon, just before
reaching the junction of two little valleys, the
track reaches a huge rock mountain overlooking
a little wilderness of trees and vegetation, in the
center of which is located the Old Mill. It is
now entirely useless, once used for sawing timber
and ties for the railroad, but though it has left
its field of usefulness behind, — it has remained
to add a far more important help to art. The
scene as viewed in our illustration, is one consid-
ered the most lovely and picturesque, not only of
the entire canon, but also of all the Territory. In
all that grand reach of country, of 2,000 miles
from Omaha to the Sierras, not a single view is
the equal of this delightful scene of the Old
Mill. The dense growth of trees, the rippling
water, the bold rock at the side, the soft shades
of light in the distance, the luxuriant bushes
along the stream, and the little silent deserted
mill, situated exactly in the most beautiful site,
make up a view which artists of keenest taste
admit with rapture is unparalleled in beauty.

Beyond this, as the track ascends the canon,
it is bordered with more shrubbery and trees, —
and the rock views partially ceasing — the tourist
will find his best vision looking backward, with
a good view of the tallest mountain of the canon,
Lone Mountain, or Mount Aspinwall.

At last the end of the track is reached at Deer
Creek, though the canon continues six miles or
more to the Silver Lake Mine. At Deer Creek,
there is a little village with a comfortable inn
and store, and a large collection of charcoal
kilns. This business is quite large, there being
ten pits of brick, which reduce each about 1,100
bushels of charcoal, for which the proprietor
gets 25 cents per bushel, — a business of about
$50,000 per year is done.

The Miller Mine has been estimated exceed-
ingly rich, and is owned largely by New York
capitalists, who work it steadily. It is said to
yield, with lead, over fifty ounces of silver per
ton. The American Fork Railroad was built
originally to facilitate the carrying of ores,
as well as the charcoal, but the grandeur of
the scenery has given it a celebrity among
tourists, far beyond that of any railroad in
Utah.

At Deer Creek is a gcod hotel, The Mountain
Glen House, and a lovely picnic grove, pure spring
water, and for those of good wind and lovers of ad-
venture,— an opportunity for mountain climbing.

The total length of the canon to this point, is
12 miles, and the total length of the railroad, is
16 miles, — cost about $400,000, and the most
solidly built narrow gauge railroad in the
United States. The total ascent in elevation
for the whole railroad, is nearly 5,000 feet, and

SCENES IN AMERICAN FORK CANON.
jL-Mt. Aspinwall, or Lone Mountain. 2.-Rock Summits. 3.-Picnic Grove, Deer Ci
4 -A quiet Glen. 5.-Hanging Rock. 6.-Rock Narrows.

147

the average grade of the railroad is 200 feet. The
maximum grade is 290 feet. This is the steepest
railroad grade in the United States, and the only
grade over 200 feet ascended by a locomotive.

Tourists who have enjoyed so fine and glori-
ous a ride up tha canon hither, will perhaps ex-
pact that thd return will ba tains. They will be
nust pleasantly surprised and disappointed, for it
is Ike grandest of all railroad scenes they will tver

Ditaehingthe locomotive from the train, the
conductor stands at tlu little brak3, and without
a signal or halp, tha little cars of the train
quietly start on thair downward journey, alone.
Gliding down with increasing spied, rounding
th3 curves with grand and swinging motion, the
br33za fanning your face, and th3 beautiful,
pure mountain air stimulating your spirits to
tQ3 high3st limits of exhilaration, your feelings
and body are in an intense glow of delight, as
th3 rock scenas, crags and mountain heights
com 3 back again in all thsir sublimity, and your
littla car, securely heli, glil3s swiftly down the
bsautiful valley. In no part of th.3 country is
thsre a scena to be compared with this. The
entire being is fascinated, and when, at last,
the little car turns swiftly into the broad
plain, the tourist feels he has left behind
him a land of delight. The little cars
occupy but one hour in making the de-
scent, and the writer has made the trip in
forty minutes. This canon was first brought
to the notice of the traveling public and pleas-
ure travelers of the East, by the editor of
" THE PACIFIC TOURIST," who conducted over
it, in 1873, the first body of editors which had
ever visited the locality. Since that time, its
value as a road for mining purposes has be-
come less valuable, yet the canon has become
noted as a resort of grand and remarkable
scenery.

NOTE. — Since the foregoing description was
written, the railroad has been discontinued,
but the tourist can visit it by horse from
American Fork or Alta.

^ Lake Utah.— This beautiful sheet of -water
lies b3tween the O juirrh and Wahsatch Ranges
of Mountains. Thess ranges and their foot
hills corn.3 closely together between Drapersville
and Lehi, and the River Jordan cuts through
them there in a narrow gorge or canon. The
lake and valley then suddenly burst upon the
view of tti3 traveler, and admiration grows into
enthusiasm as he contemplates the lovely picture
before him. The lake is about thirty miles long
and six miles wide, is triangular in shape and
composed of fresh water. Its elevation is about
4,482 feet, or nearly 300 feet greater than that of
the Great Salt Lake. The railroad goes around
ths eastern side of the lake, turning an obtuse
angle at or near Provo. The lake is fed by Provo
River, American Fork, Hobble, Spanish Fork,

Peteetneet, Salt and a few other small creeks.
Its outlet is the River Jordan which empties
into Great Salt Lake, and supplies water for
irrigating the numerous farms in its valley.
As before stated the lake abounds in fish, and
on its eastern and northern sides, has a large
quantity of arable land. Its western shore is
not very well watered, only one or two little
creeks putting down into it fiom the Oquinh
Range of Mountains. It is \\ell worthy of a
visit from the tourist, or sportsman.

The Utah Western l^ailioad. — This
road was first chartered on the 15th of June,
1874, with a capital stock of $900,000. The
company is mostly composed of Utah men
having their residence in bait Lake City; John
W. Young, a son of Brigham Young, being
President, while Heber P. Kimball is Superb*
tendent. The same year it was chartered,
twelve miles were completed and opened for
business on the 12th day of December, and,
on the 1st of April, 1875, it was completed to
Half-Way House, thirteen miles farther. An
extension of fourteen miles is now under con-
tract, which will doubtless be completed the
present year. This last extension will take the
road to within one and a half miles of Stockton,
a prosperous mining town on the western slope
of the Oquirrh Range of Mountains. Its busi-
ness on twenty-five miles of completed road, for
the year beginning February 10, 1875, and end-
ing February 9, 1876, both days inclusive, was
as follows: Freights received, 15,284,636 Ibs. ;
freights forwarded, 5,276,619 Ibs., one of the
smelting works near Stockton, alone forwarding
over 7,000,000 Ibs. of bullion, ore, etc. The
cash receipts for the same time were as follows :
$49,186, and the operating expenses of the road,
also, for the same period, were nearly $16,000.
It is a narrow gauge road, (three feet) and has
prospects for an extensive business in the future.
Its general route is w estwai d until it passes the
southernmost point of the Great Salt Lake, and
then south waid, along the western base of the
Oquirrh Range, and into the rich mining dis-
tricts which have been developed on the western
slope of those mountains. Leaving Salt Lake
City, on a heavy downward grade of ninety-five
feet to the mile, but which is short, the road
crosses the River Jordan on a common pile bridge,
and then over a barren sage biush country, un-
til it reaches

Millstone Point, — near the base of the
mountains, and 11 1-2 miles from Salt Lake
City. This place is named from the fact that
the first millstones used in grinding grain in
Utah, were quarried from the mountains near
this point. The old overland stage road from
Salt Lake City to California passes along the
line of the road, as does one line of the Western
Union Telegraph Company, to the present ter-
minus of the road. The station is of no partic-

149

ular importance, and beyond the incident men-
tioned, is without a history. We are now at the
base of the Oquirrh Range, and the first station
of the Old Stage Company where they changed
horses is pointed out to the traveler on the south
side of the road. Beyond Millstone Point, about
two miles on the south side of the track, is a
large spring, which furnishes a good supply of
water, and which has been utilized by a dairy-
man. A little beyond this spring on the same
side of the track, there is, in the first point of
rocks, quite an extensive cave which a shepherd
uses as a shelter for his sheep, during the inclem-
ent season of
the year. A rail
fence with gate
surrounds the
entrance to the
cave, and it is
said to be large
enough to turn a
four horse team
and wagon with-
o u t difficulty.
The extent of
the outer part of
the cave is about
40 feet, where a
huge fallen rock
precludes fur-
ther access with-
out inconven-
ience. The lake
and its mount-
ain islands, and
the ranges be-
yond, now come
grandly into
view on the
north side of
the track.
The next sta-
tion is

Slack Mock,
—17 1-2 miles
from Salt Lake
City, — a sta-
tion named from
a rock, dark
enough to be called black, -rising in the lake
about 100 yards from the shore. It is nearly
flat on the top, and with a little elfort can be
easily ascended. Jutting out from the shore,
and a short distance from the station, is " Lion's
Head" Rock. Beyond this is "Observation
Point," from which the Goose Creek Mountains,
145 miles north, can be seen in a clear day, with
their white peaks glistening in the sunlight.
The northern point of the Oquirrh Range here
comes close to the lake, and what seems to be a
few scattering trees, or groves of trees, high up
on the mountain, contain millions of feet of pine

LIONS HEAD BOCK. — GREAT SALT LAKE.

lumber, if it could only be made available.
Right under " Observation Point," on the very
edge of the lake shore stands a stone house,
formerly kept as a hotel for pleasure seekers, but
now the private property of John W. Young,
Esq. Whoever occupies it hereafter, can very
nearly be " rocked in the cradle of the deep," or,
at least, be lulled to sleep by the murmur of the
restless waves. Standing upon " Observation
Point," before you, a little to the left, rises the
rock from which the station is named ; beyond
and to the left still, KimbalPs Island rises out of
the sea twenty-two miles away ; while off to the

right is Church
Island, 14 miles
away : they do
not look half the
distance, but
the rarified at-
mosphere of
these elevated
portions of the
Continent is
very deceptive
as regards vision
and distance.
P r omontory
Point on the
north shore
of the lake is
also visible at a
distance of
about eighty
miles.

Lake Point,
— 20 miles from
the city is the
next station and
the great resort
for excursion
parties and tour-
ists in the sum-
mer. Near this
station is "Gi-
ant's Cave" from
which stalactites
may be obtain-
ed, and other
relics, said to be
remains of Indians who were conquered and
penned in until they died. A personal exam-
ination will satisfy the tourist as to the proba-
ble truth of this tradition. The company has a
large hotel at Lake Point containing 35 rooms
for guests, besides other necessarv appurtenances
to a good hotel. A wharf has been built into
the lake, beside which, when not employed, the
stern wheel steamer, " General Garfield," is
moored. This steamer is employed for excur-
sion parties and for transporting ore from the
islands, and the west side of the lake, to the
railroad. A bathing-house has been erected on

150

the wharf, where conveniences for a salt water
bath are kept. The waters of the lake are very
dense, and it is almost impossible for bathers to
sink. In former times three ban-els of water
would make by evaporation, one barrel of salt ;
now four barrels of water are required to effect
the same result. A company has been organized
in Salt Lake City, to manufacture salt from the
waters of this lake near Millstone Point, and
vats are to be erected the present year. An ex-
cellent quality can be made and sacked — ready
for market for <$l.oO per ton.

Half- Way House, — 25 miles from Salt
Lake City, and Tooele Station 37 miles are the
next stations an I termini of the road. Grant-
ville is one of the richest agricultural towns
of Utah. Stages leave here for the mining
camps on the western slope of the mount-
ains, and a large amount of freighting is done
with teams to and from the mines. The sta-
tion will lose its importance as soon as the
road passes beyond it. There are large springs
of fresh water near the station, which sup-
ply a flouring mill and woolen factory with
power. On the left side of the track, before you
reach the station, is" E. T. City" — the initials
being those of E. T. Benson, who was interested
in the town. It is simply a settlement of Mor-
mon farmers, nestled under the mountains. The
•woolen factory alluded to is a long, low stone
structure, with approved modern machinery,
about one and three-fourths miles from the sta-
tion, north of the track. This route must prove
very attractive to travelers, and one which will
'amply reward them in the pleasures it will
afford. The rich mining districts of Rush Val-
ley, Ophir and others, are reached by this line
of road. The Hidden Treasure and other mines
in these districts have already acquired a repu-
tation and standing among the first mines in the
country.

Social Life A mona the Mormons. — Be-
yond the limits of Salt Lake City the uniform
character of Mormon families is of exceeding
plain ways of living, almost all being of very
modest means, and even poor. What the better
families have gained has been by the hardest
and most persistent labor. It is said that when
the city was first settled, there was not found
over f 1,000 in cash for the whole community,
and for a long series of years thereafter money
was little used, and the people lived and paid for
their wants by barter, and a writer facetiously
says : " A farmer wishes to purchase a pair of
shoes for his wife. He consults the shoemaker,
who avers his willingness to furnish the same for
one load of wood. He has no wood, but sells a
calf for a quantity of adobe*, the adobe* for an
order on the merchant, payable in goods, and the
goods and the order for a load of wood, and
straightway the matron is shod.

" Seven water-melons purchased the price of a

ticket of admission to the theater. He paid for
the tuition of his children, seventy-five cabbages
per quarter. The dressmaker received for her
services, four squashes per day. He settled his
church dues in sorghum molasses. Two loads of
pumpkins paid his annual subscription to the
newspaper. He bought a ' Treatise on Celestial
Murriuye ' for a load of gravel, and a bottle of
soothing syrup for the baby, with a bushel of
string beans."

In this way, before the advent of the railroad,
fully nine-tenths of the business of the Mormon
people was conducted. Now barter has given
place to actual circulation of money.

While there is not what may be called dis-
tress or abject poverty in any part of the Mor-
mon settlements, yet with many, especially the
new emigrants, their means are so limited, and
the labor so hard, it would be exceedingly dis-
couraging to exist, but for the grand confidence
all have in the joys to come promised by their
religion and their leader.

Except in the cities there is little or no form
of amusement, and the Sabbath is mainly the
great day of reunion, when the population turn
out en masse to the Tabernacle or other places of
worship.

In the church services no one knows, until the
speaker arises, who is to preach from the pulpit,
or what may be the subject.

The subjects of sermons, addresses and exhor-
tations are as wide as there are books. A writer
has laughingly said : " In the Great Tabernacle,
one will hear sermons, or advice. on the culture of
sorghum, upon infant baptism, upon the best
manure for cabbages, upon the perseverance of
the Saints, upon the wickedness of skimming
milk before its sale, upon the best method of
cleaning water ditches, upon bed-bug poison,
upon the price of real estate, upon teething in
children, upon the martyrs and persecutions of
the Church, terrible denunciations of Gentiles
and the enemies of the Mormons, upon olive oil
as a cure for measles, upon the ordination of the
priesthood, upon the character of Melchisedec,
upon worms in dried peaches, upon abstinence
from plug tobacco, upon the crime of fceticide,
upon chignons, twenty-five-yard dresses, upon
plural marriages, etc."

Portions of this are doubtless the extrava-
gance of humor, yet it is true every possible
thing, secular or spiritual, is discussed from the
pulpit which the president thinks necessary for
the instruction of the flock. We attended per-
sonally one Sunday a Sunday-school celebration
in the Tabernacle, where the exercises were en-
livened with a spirited delivery of "Marco Boz-
arris" " Gny You g Lo'-hinrar," the singinjr of
" Home, Sweet Home," and the gallery fronts
were decorated with gay mottoes, of which there
shone in great prominence, " Utah's best crop,
children."

REPRESENTATIVE MORMONS.

.—-W. Woodruff. 2 John Taylor. 3.— Mayor nnniel H. Wells. 4.— W. H. Hooper. 5.— President Brigham Young.

6.— Orson Pratt. 7.— John Sham. 8. — George Q. Cannon. 9.— Orson Hyde.

152

EMM

The city Mormons are fond of the theater and
dancing, and as their president is both the owner
of the theater and its largest patron, the Saints
consider his example highly judicious and ex-
emplary, so the theater is crowded on all occa-
sions. We were present, on one occasion, in 1869,
when we witnessed over thirty of the children of
one of the Mormons sitting in a row in the
dress circle, and the private boxes filled with his
wives. The most striking event of the evening
was when one of the theatrical performers sung
this ditty :

" If Jim Fisk's rat-and-tan, should have a bull-dog pup,
Do you think Louis Napoleon would try to bring him up ? "

This elicited tremendous applause, and the per-
formers, much to their own laughter and aston-
ishment, had to repeat it.

A few years afterward, in witnessing a large
body of Mormon children singing their school
songs — we noticed the end of one of their little
verses :

"Oh, how happy I ought to be,
For, daddy, I'm a Mormon."

As justifying their amusements, the Saints
thus say, through one of their authorities :

" Dancing is a diversion for which all men and
women have a natural fondness."

Dancing parties in the city are, therefore, quite
frequent, and the most religious man is best en-
titled to the biggest amount of fun. Hence
their religion should never be dull.

" As all people have a fondness for dramatic
representations, it is well to so regulate and gov-
ern such exhibitions, that they may be instructive
and purifying in their tendencies. If the best
people absent themselves, the worst will dictate
the character of the exercises."

Therefore every good Mormon, who can get a
little money, indulges in the theater.

The Religion of the Mormons. — It is
not the purpose of this Guide to express opin-
ions of the religious aspect of Mormonism ; but,
as all visitors who come from the East, seeking
either from curiosity to gain reliable information,
or, having prejudices, expect to gratify them
with outbursts of indignation, we can only stand
aloof, and explain, calmly and candidly, a few
facts as we have found them by actual contact
and experience with both Mormons and Gen-
tiles, and leave each reader to judge for himself
the merits of this vexed question.

So thoroughly and implicitly have the masses
of the Mormon people been led by their leader,
that no one must be surprised to find that they
are firm believers and obedient servants to all
the doctrines and orders of the Church. They be-
lieve just as they are told.

Whatever, therefore, there is in their life,
character and business, industry and enterprise,
that is good and praiseworthy, to Brigham Young,
their leader, belongs the credit. But for what-
ever there is wicked in their religion, life, faith,"

deeds and church work — and for whatever is
lacking in good, to the same powerful mind and
willful hand, belongs the fearful responsibility.

Whether Mormonism be a religion or not —
yet candor must confess, that if it fails to give
and preserve peace, contentment, purity ; if it
makes its followers ignorant, brutal, supersti-
tious, jealous, abusive, defiant ; if it lack gen-
tleness, meekness, kindness, courtesy ; if it brings
to its homes, sadness and discontent, it cannot be
that true religion, which exists alone by sincere
trust in Christ and love for heaven. If in all its
doctrines, services, sermons, prayers, praise and
church work, it fails to give the soul that seeks
after rest, the refreshing, comforting peace it
needs, it cannot be everlasting.

Mormonism has accomplished much in in-
dustry, and perseverance, in reclaiming Utah's
waste lands and barren plains. It has opened a
country, which now is teeming with riches inex-
haustible and untold wealth is coming to a
scene, once the very type of desolation. We
give to the Mormons every worthy praise for
their frugality, temperance and hard labor. No
other class of people would have settled here.
By patience they have reclaimed a desert, — peo-
pled a waste, developed hidden treasures, have
grown in thrift, and their lives bear witness to
their forbearance, and complete trust and faith.

How The Mormon Church Influences
Visitors. — The system of polygamy is not the
only great question which affects the future of
Utah. More than all things else, it is the Power
ofihe Rulers of the Mormon Church. It is natural
that they should make efforts to maintain it by
every use of power ; gentleness if that will do the
work, coercion if not.

It is unfortunate that in the spiritual services
of the Church, they fail to impress visitors with
proper respect. Their sermons, all eastern
travelers have uniformly admitted, were remark-
able in the absence of spiritual power. The
simple truths of the Gospel rarely ever are dis-
cussed, the life of Christ, the Gospel of the New
Testament, the " Sermon on the Mount " — the
Cross are all ignored, — the Psalms of David, the
life of Daniel, Solomon, and the work of the
twelve Apostles are rarely referred to ; instead,
visitors are compelled to listen to long argu-
ments justifying Mormonism and plural mar-
riage, and expressions of detestation for their
enemies.

We heard three of the elders talk at one of
their Sabbath meetings, during which the name
of Jesus Christ as the Saviour of the world, was
scarcely mentioned. One talked of the wonder-
ful conversion as he claimed, and baptism of
some Lamanites (Indians), not one of whom to-
day, can give a single intelligent reason for the
course he has adopted. Another told of the
time he was a local preacher in the East, of the
Methodist Church, and of the trials and persecu-

153

tion they had endured there. The third was
quite belligerent in tone, and gave utterance to
what might possibly be interpreted as treasonable
sentiments against the government of the United
States. In the meantime the audience accepted
all that was said with apparent relish. We
thought of the saying of one of the popular
humorists of the day, to the effect that " if that
kind of preaching suits that kind of people, it is
just the kind of preaching that kind of people
likes." Their preachers will often take a text
from the sayings of the prophets, and give it a
literal interpretation that would grate harshly
upon orthodox ears, while the listener would be
amused at the ingenuity displayed in twist-
ing the word of God — making it mean anything
desired.

It is exceedingly unfortunate for the cause of
the Mormons, that such exhibitions of nature
are made, the only result of which is to increase
the prejudice of all visitors, and tend to grad-
ually change the minds of those who would
gladly be cordial, but feel they can not. We
speak in candor; the efficacy of a religion is
judged by its purity of life and speech. A true
religion wins admiration from even its enemies.
But Mormonism seems never to have made a
friend of an enemy, and only returns even
deeper resentment.

A religion which does not do as Christ com-
manded, " Pray for them which persecute you,
bless and curse not," — but treasures its resent-
ments and fulminates its curses continually — can
it be any religion at all ?

Inconsistencies. — Another circumstance,
one very unfortunate for the Mormons, and al-
ways noticed by strangers, is the inconsistency
of their history.

In the original revelation to Joseph Smith,
there was not only no mention of polygamy, but
in the Book of Mormon, such a practice was
fiercely denounced. In the second chapter of the
Book of Mormon, there originally appeared this
warning to the Nephites :

" Wherefore, hearken unto the word of the Lord,
for there shall not any man among you have save it
be one wife ; and concubines he shall have none ;
for I the Lord God, delighteth in the chastity of
woman. "

The following comments and arguments based
on the above, seem absolutely necessary, and im-
possible for any one to controvert :

1. If Joseph Smith wrote this under the inspira-
tion of the Holy Spirit, then present Mormon prac-
tices and doctrines, being wholly different, are not
true nor worthy of confidence.

2. If Joseph Smith did not write this under the
inspiration of the Almighty, then Joseph Smith did
not rfceive a true revelation, was not a true Prophet,
and what he has written has betn entirely unworthy
the confiilenre of his people.

3. If Mormonism since then has found a new

revelation totally opposed to the Jirst, then the Jirst
must have been false.

4. If the Jirst revelation was false, then the
Book of Mormon is wholly false and unreliable, and
Joseph Smith was an impostor.

5. If the Jirst revelation was true, then (as the
decrees of the Almighty once given, never change),
the second revelation is not true, nor ever was in-
spired by God.

6. As History proves that Joseph Smith received
and promulgated both the first and second revela-
tions — as one of these must be false — as no Prophet
could ever be falsely led, if instructed by the Al-
mighty — it follows that Joseph Smith never received
a true inspiration, was not a true Prophet — that
Mormonism is not a revealed religion.

Another inconsistency, fatal to the claims of
the Mormon religion, is the curious act of Joseph
Smith at Nauvoo. On the 12th of July, 1843,
Smith received the new revelation. When it
was first mentioned, it caused great commotion,
and many rebelled against it. A few elders at-
tempted to promulgate it, but so fierce was the
opposition that at last, for peace, Smith officially
made public proclamation against it in the
Church paper as follows :

NOTICE.— As we have lately been credibly informed tbat
an elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints, by the name of Hiram Brown has been preaching
polygamy and other false anil corrupt doctrines in the
County of Lapeer and State of Michigan,

This is to notify him, and the Church in general, tbat he
has been cut off from the Church for his iniquity, and he is
further notified to appear at the special conference on the
6lh of April next, to make answer to these charges.

Presents of the Church.

QUERY. — What is the world to think of a
religion, or a people, when their Prophet falsifies
his own record, and denies his own revela-
tion ?

Subsequent history shows that in less than
three years from the publication of the above
notice, the Mormon leaders were living in open
and undisguised polygamy.

Would a Prophet who ever received a true revela-
tion deny it, punish his followers for observing it, and
then practice it for himself f

How appropriately the answer is given to this
question when one takes up the Mormon Hymn
Book, and finds among its verses, used in their
church services, the following leading lines :

' The God that others worship is not the God for me."
A church without a Prophet is not the church for me."

' A church without Apos'les is not th« church for me."
The hope that Gentiles cherish is not the hope for me."
It has no faith nor knowledge ; far from it I would be."
The heaven of sectarians is not the heaven for me."

Tlie Neiv Route to Montana and the Yel-
lowstone, The Utah Northemi It. It.

This new railroad has been lately pushed rap-
idly northward toward Montana. Upwards of
300 miles are expected to be finished this year.

154

155

Upon this road are several points of very great
interest, worth the special visit of tourists for
one or two days. The road after leaving Ogden
runs for a number of miles close to the foot of
the Wahsatch Mountains. On its way it passes
a Sulphur Spring where arises a d« nse cloud of
vapor. The road gradually ri.-es above tlie valley
upward to the mountain range, giving grand
views of the Great Salt Lake, and its islands,
with the orchards and grain fields below. A
backward look reveals the glories of the mount-
ains. Reaching the Summit, there is a glorious
view of an interior valley of the Bear River,
with its villages and distant views of canons
and peaks. The road then descends rapidly
into the Cache Valley. The land is remark-
ably rich and well irrigated. Near Logan is
a high plateau 300 feet above the town whence
a fine view of the valley is obtained, and over
fourteen villages seen, surrounded with a series
of mountains capped with snow. The scene is
most picturesque. Near Oneida and 30 miles
distant are the famous Soda Springs of Idaho,
which can now be reached by stage. A place
where most remarkable cures have been
effected. For tourists to the YtJlowstone, this
is now the only available rou'e, saving over
300 miles horseback riding from any other
point.

Tlie Great Salt Lake.

In many respects this is the most wonderful
body of water on the American Continent. It is
the chief object of interest in the physical geog-
raphy of the great basin in which it is located.
Its waters are saline and brackish, unfit for use,
and uninhabited by representatives of the finny
tribes.

Its Discovery. — In his report on this lake,
Captain Stansbury speaks of a French explorer,
with an unpronounceable name, who left the west-
ern shores of the great lakes sometime 'in the
seventeenth century, and proceeded westward for
an undefined period, and made extensive discov-
eries on the Mississippi, Missouri, and other
western rivers, and either saw, or heard from the
Indians, of the Great Salt Lake. His accounts,
however, are somewhat mixed, and not at all sat-
isfactory. It is reported that John Jacob Astor
fitted out an expedition, in 1820, to cross the
Continent, meet a vessel he had sent round Cape
Horn, and at some point on the Pacific Coast,
form a town which should be to it what New
York was to the Atlantic Coast, the greatest
commercial emporium of that part of the country.
This expedition, it is said, crossed the Rocky
Mountains, near Fremont's Peak in the Wind
River Range, and after reaching the Tetons sep-
arated into small parties, each one exploring on
its own account. One of these, consisting of
four men and commanded by a Mr. Miller,
hunted around the vicinity of Snake River and

the Soda Springs, finally crossing into Cache
Valley, a little north-west of Corinne. It is fur-
ther reported that Miller, in one of his rambles,
ascended the mountains south of this valley, and
here, for the first time, beheld the waters of the
great inland sea spread out before him. He re-
turned to his party, and with them proceeded to
the lake, and on further inspection concluded it
was an arm of the ocean. This was its first dis-
covery by white men. The next recorded visita-
tion is that of John Bedyer, in 1825, and the
next was by Captain Bonneville, in 1831, who
saw it from the Red Buttes in the Wahsatch
Range, and whose account was written up by
Washington Irving. In 1832, Captain Walker
first attempted to explore it with a party of forty
men. He traveled around the northern and
western boundaries, but was compelled to aban-
don the undertaking for want of water for his
animals and men. Captain Stansbury after-
wards explored it, and his report contains the
only reliable information concerning this re-
markable lake that has been published from
official sources, though subsequent observation
has revealed many facts and phenomenon con-
cerning it which would be highly interesting if
they could be collected and given to the world in
tangible form. General Fremont also visited
this lake, and has given some information about
it.

Analysis. — The only analysis of its waters
that we have been able to obtain is that given
by Dr. Gale and recorded in Captain Stansbury's
report. We quote : " It gives the specific gravity,
1.170; solid contents, 22.422 out of 100 parts.
The solid contents when analyzed gave the fol-
lowing components :

Chloride of sodium,
Sulpli ite of soda.
Chloride of magnesium.
Chloride of Calcium, a trace.

Loss,

20.106

1.x: '4
0.252

22.282
0.140

22.422

A remarkable thing about this analysis is that
the specific gravity, as here given, corresponds
exactly with the mean of eight different analyses
of the waters of the Dead Sea of Palestine, which
is largely above that of the water of the ocean.
This analysis reveals what is now generally
known, that here is a source from which salt
enough can be obtained to supply the Continent.
When it is considered, however, that all the
streams flowing into this lake are fresh water,
draining the water-shed of a large area of
country, and discharging from the springs, melt-
ing snows and rains of the great basin, an im-
mense volume of water, the puzzling question
very naturally arises as to the source of this
abundant supply of saline matter. The various
saline incrustations, however, at various points
on the surrounding shores, indicate clearly that

156

some portion of the earth is saturated with this
ingredient. Still this lake is without any visi-
ble outlet, and with all the great influx of fresh
water, annually, why does it remain so salty?
The inference naturally follows that it washes
some vast bed of rock salt or saline deposit in
the bottom of the lake, hitherto undiscovered.
Without facts, however, even this is a supposi-
tion which may or may not be true. The shores
of this lake, especially toward the city bearing
the same name, have now been settled nearly
thirty years, and it would be strange indeed if
the changes which have been gradually going
on in this lake should not have been noticed.
The elevation of the lake is given at 4,200 feet
above the level of the sea. The elevation of
Salt Lake City is given at 4,351 feet above the
sea — difference of 151 feet. The figures here
given as the elevation of the lake, we think, are
based upon observations and calculations made
several years ago, perhaps by Captain Stansbury.
The observation of the old settlers is, that it is
not correct — that the lake is from ten to fifteen
feet higher now than it was in 1850, and that in
proportion as the water rises it becomes less
salty. Reliable citizens have informed us that
in 1850, three barrels of water evaporated would
make one of salt ; now, four barrels of water are
required for the same result. This fact leads to
the opinion that the humidity of the atmosphere
in this region of the Continent is increasing — in
consequence of which there is less evaporation —
evaporation being greater and more rapid in a
dry than in a moist atmosphere — and the failure
of evaporation to take up the surplus waters dis-
charged into this lake has not only increased its
volume and extent, but lessened its saline
character. Since the settlement of this Terri-
tory, there has been a great increase of rain-fall,
so much so that it is noticed and remarked upon
by very many of the inhabitants, and the belief
is very generally entertained that the Territory is
gradually undergoing a great climatic change.

Speculations as to the Result. — The
evaporation of the water in the lake growing
gradually less, it will, of course, continue to
rise and overflow its banks in the lowest places,
but no fears need be entertained for the safety
of any considerable portion of the country, or
the inhabitants thereof. Notice the elevation of
Salt Lake City, as herein given, being about 151
feet greater than the lake itself. If the rise
continues it will be slower as the covered surface
of the adjoining land becomes greater, on the
principle that the larger end of a vessel fills more
slowly with the same stream, than the smaller
end. If it reaches a height of 15 or 20 feet
above its present surface, it will first overflow a
low, sandy and alkali desert on its western shore,
nearly as large as the lake itself. In this case,
its evaporating capacity will be nearly doubled
in extent — a fact which will operate to retard

its rise. But if it continues to rise in the years
to come until it must have an outlet to the occ-au,
that outlet will be the Humboldt River, and a
cut of 100 feet or less in the low hills of the di-
vide, will give it. When, however, this event
transpires, it will be — unless some convulsion of
nature intervenes to hasten it — after the last
reader of this book shall have finished his earthly
labors and been quietly laid away to rest.

Boundaries and Extent. — Looking from
Observation Point at the south end of the lake,
to the north, it seems to be pretty well di-
vided. Promontory Mountains on Antelope
Island, those on Stansbury Island and Oquirrh
Mountains are evidently parts of the same
range — running from north to south, parallel
with the Wahsatch Range. Their continuity is
only broken by the waters in the lake or sink of
the great basin. Promontory Mountains divide
the northern end of the lake into two parts, or
arms, the eastern being called Bear River Bay,
and the western, Spring Bay — the latter being
considerably the largest. The lake has numerous
islands, both large and small. Fremont Island
lies due west of the mouth of Weber River, and
is plainly visible from the cars of the Utah Cen-
tral Railroad. South of it and nearest to Salt
Lake City, is Antelope Island. West of Ante-
lope, and north-west from Lake Point, is Stans-
bury Island. A little north-west of this, is Car-
rington Island. North of these still, and in the
western part of the lake are Hat, Gunnison and
Dolphin Islands. Nearly south of Gunnison
Island is a high promontory -jutting out into the
lake called Strong's Knob ; it is a prominent
landmark on the western shore of the lake.
Travelers on the Central Pacific Road can ob-
tain a fine view of this great inland sea, near
Monument Station. The extreme length of the
lake is about 80 miles, and its extreme width, a
little south of the 41st parallel of latitude, is
aboiit 50 miles. Promontory Mountains project
into the lake from the north about 30 miles.
Nearly all the islands we have named are rich in
minerals, such as copper, silver, gold and iron.
Excellent quarries of slate have also been opened,
but neither it nor the mines have been developed
to any great extent, because of the want of cap-
ital.

Incidents and Curiosities. — When Col-
onel Fremont first explored the lake in 1843, it
is related by Jessie, his wife, that when his boat
first touched the shore of Fremont Island, an
oarsman in the bow of the boat was about to
jump ashore, when Kit Carson, the guide, insisted
that Colonel Fremont should first land and
name the island, — " Fremont Island."

Tonic Properties. — A bath in the water
of the Great Salt Lake, is one of the greatest
delights a tourist can seek. We have per-
sonally indulged in its pleasure, and it is beyond
question a splendid recreation. Upon the

157

wharf near Lake Point, is a cozy bathing-house,
wherein are bathing-suits, and large tubs filled
with fresh water; donning the suits, you descend
the steps and jump into the water. You are
surprised at the buoyancy of it. The most
vigorous effort and plunge will not keep your
body under the surface. Clasping your hands
and feet in the water, you can sit on its bosom
with head and shoulders projecting above the
surface, — and even then for but a short period, as
the buoyancy of the water soon has a tendency to
tip you over on your side. It is impossible to
stand erect in the water, no matter how straight
or rigid you place your limbs, — in a moment
over goes your head, and up come your feet.
Lying on your back, or side, or face, in any position
— still you will always keep at the surface. But
beyond this curious feature of impossibility of
sinking, there is the better quality of the
toning and invigorating properties of the bath.
These are beyond all question, the finest of any
spring along the Overland Route. In some
warm summer day, take your bath in the lake, —
spend, say half an hour in its water, and then
returning to your bath-house, cleanse your skin
from all saline material, which may adhere, by
plentiful ablutions of pure water from the tubs,
wash the hair and face thoroughly, then dress
and walk up and down the wharf, or the cool
piazza of the hotel, — and you are astonished at
the wonderful amount of strength and invig-
oration given to your system, and with greater
elasticity than ever you have possessed before, it
seems like the commencement of a new life.
Invalids should never fail to visit this lake, and
enjoy its bath. Tourists who omit it, — will
leave behind them the greatest curiosity of the
Overland Tour, and it is no great effort of the
imagination to conceive this fully the rival of
the great ocean in all that can contribute to the
attractions of sea-shore life. The cool breeze
and delicious bath are all here.

In the summer time the excursion rates from
Salt Lake City, are f 1.50 per ticket, which in-
cludes passage both ways over the Utah Western
Railroad, a ride on the steamer on the lake, and
the privilege of a bath, — the cheapest and
most useful enjoyment in the entire Territory.

The only life in or near the lake, is seen in
the summer time by immense masses of little
insects (astemia fertilisoj) which live on the
surface of the lake, and thrive on its brine.
These masses stretch out in curious forms over
the surface. Sometimes, when small, they appear
like a serpent, at other times like rings, globes,
and other irregular figures. A gentle breeze
will never disturb them, for their presence keeps
the water a dead calm as if oil had been poured
upon it. If disturbed by a boat passing through
the mass, millions of little gnats or flies arise
and swarm all over the vessel — anything but
agreeable. Professor Spencer M. Baird, of the

Smithsonian Institute, Washington, believes the
lake may yet sustain fish and other animal life.
There seems to be plenty of insect food al-
ways on the surface, — occasionally with high
winds, the surface of the lake is driven into
waves, which dashing against the shore, shower
the sage brushes near with salty incrustations,
which, when dried in the sunlight, give a bright,
glittering and pearly appearance, often furnish-
ing splendid specimens for mineral cabinets.

Atmosphere. — The atmosphere which sur-
rounds the lake, is a curiosity, always bluish and
hazy — from the effects of the active evaporation,
— in decided contrast to the purity and trans-
parency of the air elsewhere. Surveyors say
that it is difficult to use telescopes, and astro-
nomical observations are imperfect.

The solid ingredients of the water have six
and one-half times the density of those of the
ocean, and wherever washed upon the shore, the
salt dried, after evaporation, can be easily
shoveled up into buckets and bags.

Burton describes a beautiful sunset scene upon
the lake. "We turned our faces eastward as
the sun was declining. The view had memo-
rable beauties. From the blue and purple clouds,
gorgeously edged with celestial fire, shot up a
fan of penciled and colored light, extending half-
way to the zenith, while in the south and south-
east lightnings played among the darker mist
masses, which backed the golden and emerald
bench-lands of the farther valley. The splendid
sunset gave a reflex of its loveliness upon the
alkaline barrens around us. Opposite rose the
Wahsatch Mountains, vast and voluminous, in
stern and gloomy grandeur, northward the thin
white vapors rising from the hot springs, and
the dark swells of the lake."

The Great Desert West of Salt Lake
City. — The overland stage, which traversed
westward, followed a route immediately south of
Salt Lake, and passed for several hundred miles
through a desert, beside which the Humboldt
Valley had no comparison in tediousness and dis-
comfort. Captain Stansbury, an early explorer, in
describing this section, describes large tracts of
land covered with an incrustation of salt :

" The first part of the plains consisted simply
of dried mud, with small crystals of salt scat-
tered thickly over the surface ; crossing this, we
came upon another portion of it, three miles in
width, where the ground was entirely covered
with a thin layer of salt in a state of deliques-
cence, and of so soft consistence, that the feet of
our mules sank at every step into the mud be-
neath. But we soon came upon a portion of
the plains where the salt lay in a solid state, in
one unbroken sheet, extending apparently to its
western border. So firm and strong was this
unique and snowy floor, that it sustained the
weight of our entire train without in the least
giving way, or cracking beneath the pressure.

168

Our mules walked upon it as upon a sheet of
solid ice. The whole field was crossed by a net-
work of little ridges, projecting about half an
inch, as if the salt had expanded in the process
of crystallization. I estimated this field to be, at
least, seven miles wide and ten miles in length.
The salt which was very pure and white, aver-
aged from one-half to three-quarters of an inch
in thickness, and was equal in all respects to our
finest specimen for table use. Assuming these
data, the quantity that here lay upon the ground
in one body, exclusive of that already dis-
solved,— amounted to over 4,500,0 >0 cubic yards,
or about 100,000,0 »0 bushels," And even this
small area, is but a very little portion of the
•whole region, farther northward and westward.

The Wonders of Montana.

This new territory possesses very many re-
markable features of wonderful scenery, agri-
cultural wealth and mineral richness. In a few
years it will be as famous and popular as Col-
orado.

Its Indian name is Tay-a-he- shock-up, or
" Country of the Mountains." To a larger extent
than any Western Territory it is traversed by
great rivers. The Missouri and Columbia with
all their tributaries each possess nearlv 2,000
miles of water, largely navigable within its bor-
ders,— and with the Yellowstone, any of them
are larger than the Ohio River at Pittsburgh.
Probably no state in America is as finely
watered. The valleys of these rivers are won-
derfully beautiful, usually a dozen miles in
width or more, and all arable land. Were the
fertile land of Montana placed by itself, it would
form a country four miles wide and 4,000 long.

In addition to these valley lands, the sloping
sides of the mountains are the natural home for
grazing immense herds of cattle. The grass
land and pastures of the Territory, being more
famous in richness than any Territory of the
Union.

The climate is very mild, although never as
warm as in territories farther south, yet far more
even and equable. In winter constant sunshine.
The snow-fall is not as large as Michigan or
Minnesota, and by actual test, the number of
fine days in one year was 291, — or 100 more than
the average of Chicago or Philadelphia. The
average winter temperature is from 25° to 44°,
which being in a dry climate is equal to that of
35° to 55° in an Eastern State. The average
temperature for a year is 48J. The highest ex-
treme of heat for six years was 94° — and low-
est 19° — which is less than any Eastern State, —
while the spring season opens a month earlier
than at Omaha.

These peculiarities of climate are due to the
influence of the mildness of the winds of the
Pacific Ocean, which blow across Oregon, and

up the valley of the Columbia, and so moderate
the climate of this region that, while most
northern in location, yet it is equal in mildness
to one nearly 1,000 miles south. There are
16,(.00,00(J acres of land suited for culture and
less than 5uO,000 occupied, the last crops bring-
ing about $3,000,000 in value.

The Territory is 550 miles long, east and west,
and 300 miles wide from north to south. It is
three times the size of New York, twice the size
of the whole of New England, and will more
than take Ohio and Indiana together within its
borders.

Stock raising in Montana is attended with the
greatest ease. A $30 Montana steer, costs but
$3 to raise, — and while the mines continue to
increase in productiveness, the demand for all
farm and dairy products will be very great.

Montana is filled full with riches of gold, sil-
ver, iron, lead, copper, etc. Coal is extremely
abundant. The entire mineral vield of the Ter-
ritory to the present time is $145,000,000.

The financial condition is extremely lucrative.
The average wealth of the people is $450, for
every man, woman and child — the highest of
any Western Territory. Its entire productions
last year were $16,000,000. The freight, etc.,
paid for merchandise passing to and from its
principal cities exceeded $10,000,000. The
transportation business is immense, giving em-
ployment to over 2,500 wagons, 8,500 animals,
1,400 men, and an invested capital of $1,500,000,
and the imports and exports exceed yearly
8nO,000,OOi> pounds or 40,000 tons. Employ-
ment is abundant, living cheap, no one is poor —
for a Poor Man's Paradise, there is no home like
one in Montana.

The average elevation of the Territory is
4,000 feet above the sea, — half that of Colorado.
It is unlike Utah or Nevada, in that the country
is always green, while the others are dry most of
the year.

Helena City, — is about 500 miles north from
Ogden, and has a population of 5,000. Its taxa-
ble wealth is $2,000,000— a beautiful city. Its
business is very large. The three banks often
exceed transactions of $300,000 per day. Several
grocery firms each do business of over one mil-
lion dollars per annum, and half a million dollars
are paid for freight coming here.

Virginia City, — has about 1,000 inhabi-
tants— elevation, 5,713 feet — very enterprising.
A beautiful spring upon the mountain side flows
through pipes into the place, which is there sup-
plied at no cost to the people, who improve its
use for pretty flower gardens and fruit farms.
It is the principal outfitting place for the Yellow-
stone Park, distant 100 miles. A fine wagon
road extends the entire distance.

Bozetnan — is beautifully located, surrounded
by mountains abruptly rising above the valley.
Population 900, has many elegant residences.

159

From here is an excellent route to the Yellow-
stone Park, about 75 miles away. Near Bozeman
also are other places of attraction to tourists :
Mystic Lake, distance 14 miles ; Limit's Hot
Spring.*, eight miles ; Rock Canyon, five miles ;
Bridger Canyon, three miles ; Bear Canyon and
Lake*, six miles ; Hunter's Hot Springs on the
Yellowstone, 47 miles ; Middle Creek Falls and
Canyon, 15 miles ; Mount Blackmore, 30 miles.

The mountains around are The Sportstnan's
Home, full of large game, and streams are
crowded with trout.

Tlie Deer Lodge Springs — are the princi-
pal Health Resort. Here are 40 springs, iron,
soda, iodine, grouped together, with temperature
of 115° to 150°.

The Central Pacific Railroad.

The record of the building of the Central Pacif-
ic Railroad is a description of one of the greatest
trials of courage and faith the world has ever seen,
and the actual results are, beyond doubt, the great-
est marvel in engineering science, ever known in
the United States. The heroic strength of charac-
ter, the magnificent power and endurance, the
financial intrepidity and the bold daring which
defied all obstacles, overcame all difficulties, and
literally shoved the mountains aside to make
room for their pathway, are not equaled by any
other achievement of the century. If ever an
American can feel and express just admiration,
it is to those Samsons of the Pacific Coast, who
have hewn their way with the ponderous strength
of their arms, and with invincible fortitude
opened to the world the treasures of industry in
the mountains and valleys of the Far West and
the Pacific Coast. To one man, more than all
others, is due the credit for the conception, sur-
vey and actual beginning of the great Trans-
Continental Line. Theodore D. Judah — yet he
did not live to see the completion of the railroad
up the Sierras — and his successor Mr. S. S. Mon-
tague carried it through with great energy and
success, and to them the nation and all Califor-
nia owe a debt of gratitude.

For years this brave and accomplished en-
gineer had the subject of the road in his mind.
It occupied his thoughts by day and was the
subject of his dreams by night. The idea took
a firm hold upon him, and he became completely
absorbed in it. It energized his whole being and
he was persistent and hopeful to the end. Sac-
ramento, then a much smaller place than now,
was the home of C. P. Huntington and Mark
Hopkins, the former now Vice-President and the
latter now Treasurer of the company, then hard-
ware merchants under the firm name of Hunt-
ington & Hopkins. Their store became the
headquarters of the little company that used to
meet Judah there and talk over the enterprise.
Judah's ideas were clear, his plans seemed prac-

ticable and his enthusiasm was contagious. The
men who associated with him were led to make
j contributions for the purpose of partial pay-
I ment toward a preliminary survey, and, in I860,
Judah and his assistants wandered over the
i gorges and canons of the Sierra Nevadas in
I search of a line for a railroad. The results of
his summer's work were in every way encour-
aging— so much so that other contributions and
subscriptions were obtained for work the follow-
ing year. The summer of 1861 again found
Judah and his party in the mountains. The
work of the previous year was extended and
further examination renewed the hope of the
engineer and quickened the zeal of his followers.
Success was certain if they could only enlist cap-
ital in the enterprise.

But right here was the difficulty. While the
great majority of the people of California be-
lieved that the road would be built some day — it
would not be done in their time. Some genera-
tion in the future might accomplish it, but it
would be after they were all dead. The subject
was broached in Congress, and finally, in 18d2, the
bill was passed. Huntington and Judah went to
Washington with maps and charts, and rendered
invaluable assistance to the friends of the meas-
ure in both houses of Congress, and the day of its
passage was the day of their triumph. The news
was sent to California with lightning speed,
and caused great rejoicing among the people.
The beginning of the end could now distinctly
be seen. Though great difficulties had been
surmounted, a comparatively greater one lay in
the way. Capital which is proverbially timid,
must now be enlisted in the enterprise. Forty
miles of road must be built and accepted by the
government, before the aid could be secured.
Finally, with what local help they could get, and
the assistance of New York capitalists and
bankers, the work was begun at Sacramento,
and the first section carried the line high up
toward the summit of the Sierras. Their finan-
cial agents in New York, put their bonds on the
market, and the funds for the further extension of
the road were rapidly forthcoming. Leland
Stanford, then as now President of the company,
inaugurated the work at Sacramento, and also
drove the silver spike, which completed the union
of the two roads at Promontory on the 10th day
of May, 1869. The progress of the road during
each year, from the time of its commencement
until its completion, is given as follows : In the
years 1863-4-5, the company completed 20 miles
each year. This might be called preliminary
work. They were learning how, and their
severest difficulties were to be overcome. In
1866 they built 30 miles, and the next year 46
miles. Now the rivalry between the two great
corporations may be said to have commenced in
earnest. In 1868, they built 364, and in 1869, up
to May 10th, they closed the gap with 191 miles.

160

Difficulties, Discouragements and La-
bor.— Few travelers realize, as they pass so
easily and pleasantly over this railroad, — what is
represented by these long, smoothly-laid rails,
nor do they know of the early days of labor, and
intense energy.

Everything of every description of supplies had
to be shipped by water from New York, via Cape
Horn — to San Francisco, and then inland to
Sacramento. Thus months of delay occurred in
obtaining all needful material.

Even when the project was under full discus-
sion at the little office in Sacramento, where gath-
ered the six great brains which controlled the
destiny of the enterprise, (these were Governor
Leland Stanford, C. P. Huntington, Mark Hop-
kins, Charles Crocker, E. B. Crocker, and T.
D. Judah), everybody predicted its failure, and
few or none looked for its success. Very little
was known of the country it was to traverse, — and
that not satisfactory, and one prophesied that
this, the western end of the Great Trans-Conti-
nental Railroad, would be run up into the
clouds, and left in eternal snows.

Scores of friends approached Huntington in
those days and said, " Huntington, don't go into
it; you will bury your whole fortune in the Sierra
Nevadas"

Outsiders called it, after the first 40 miles were
built, " The Dutch Flat Swindle ; " and the pro-
ject was caricatured, abused by the newspapers,
derided by politicians, discountenanced by capi-
talists, and the credit of every one was impaired
who was connected with it.

Thus nobly did the Californians help this the
greatest enterprise of the State, and how much
more noble have they since been !

In a speech before the Senate Committee of
Congress by C. P. Huntington, he says :

" I suppose that it is a fact, the mercantile
credit of my partners in business and myself, was
positively injured by our connection with this
enterprise.

" The difficulties which confronted us then, are
now nearly forgotten, but they were intensely
vivid and real then. There were difficulties from
end to end; difficulties from high and steep
mountains; from snows; from deserts where
there was scarcity of water, and from gorges and
flats where there was an excess ; difficulties from
cold and from heat, from a scarcity of timber
and from obstructions of rock ; difficulties in
supplying a large force on a long line ; from In-
dians and want of laborers."

Of the princely subsidies voted by the United
States in its government bonds to aid the road —
what was the real case? From the individual
and private means of the five capitalists, they
were compelled to support a force of 800 men
one year — at their own risks — build 40 miles
before they were entitled to the government
bonds, and then were eleven months delayed in

receiving what was their due. To build the first
section of the road to the mountains, they were
obliged to call in private means, which out on
loan was yielding them two per cent, interest in
gold, per month — invest in the road and wait
for reimbursement. When the government
bonds were at last received, they vested into
gold at the high rate of premium then prevail-
ing, (often taking $2 in bonds to buy $1.00 in
gold) to pay for labor and expense of construc-
tion, which, too, were excessively high for gold
prices.

The personal dangers of the builders were

freat. The very surveyors ran the risk of being
illed by Indians, and some of them were ; the
grading parties, at times, could only work under
military guard ; at all times all the track-layers
and the train hands had to be armed, and even
after construction the trains were often attacked.

The first 100 miles was up a total ascent of
7,000 feet, requiring the most skillful engineer-
ing and expenditures of vast sums of money in
excavation. At the height of 5,000 feet, the snow
line was reached, and 40 miles of snow galleries
had to be erected, at an additional expense of
820,000 to $30,000 per mile, and for a mile or
more, in many places, these must be made so
strong that avalanches might pass over them and
yet preserve the safety of the track. Even after
passing the Sierras, the railroad descended into
a vast plain, dry, sere and deserted, where there
•was not a sign of civilized life, nor any fuel.
For over 600 miles of the route, there was not a
single white inhabitant. For over 100 miles at a
stretch, no water could be found for either man
or machinery ; and, even at the present day, in
many places the railroad company is obliged to
bring its water in artificial pipes for distances of
one to fifteen miles for the use of the engines.

Labor was almost impossible to get, and when
attained was almost impossible to control, until
the Chinese arrived, and to them is due the real
credit of the greatest help the road possessed.
Powder was one of the heaviest items of ex-
pense, which before the rise in prices of the war,
could have been had for $2.25 per keg — but then
•was obtained with difficulty at $5.00. Locomo-
tives, cars, tools, all were bought at double prices.
Rails, now worth but $40.00 to $50.00 per ton,
then cost $80.00 to $150.00.

Every bar of iron and every tool had first to
be bought and started on a sea voyage round
Cape Horn, some four or six months before it
was needed.

Insurance on the sea voyages rose from 2 1-2
to 10 per cent.— freights increased from $18.00 to
$45.00 per ton.

Of the engineering difficulties of the con-
struction on the Sierras, none can form a possi-
ble idea. A culvert would be built, the begin-
ning of which was on the grade, while the other
end would be 50 feet or more below. At another

161

place is a bank 80 to 100 feet in height, covering
a culvert 250 feet in length, then comes a bridge
leaping a chasm of 150 feet in depth.

Next a cut of hardest granite, where, in the
short space of 250 feet, would be working 30
carts and 250 workmen, thick as bees — while
a little beyond is an embankment built up 80
feet, from whose top you can look down 1,000
feet.

The famous Summit Tunnel is 1,659 feet in
length, cut through solid granite, and for a mile
on either side there are rock cuttings of the most
stupendous character, and the railroad is cut
directly in the face of a precipice. The powder
bill alone for one month was $54,000. Blasting
was done three times per day, and sometimes of
extraordinary execution. A hole of eight feet
was once drilled and fired, and 1,440 yards of

franite were thrown clear from the road-bed,
everal more holes of same depth
were drilled into a seam in the rock,
which were lightly loaded and ex-
ploded until a large fissure was opened,
when an immense charge was put
in, set off, and 3,000 tons of granite
went whirling down the mountain,
tearing up trees, rocks, etc., with
fearful havoc. One rock, weighing 70
pounds, was blown one-third of a mile
away from its bed, while another
of 240 pounds was blown entirely
across Donner Lake, a distance of two-
thirds of a mile. At one place, near
Donner's Backbone, the railroad track
is so constructed that it describes a
curve of 180°, and runs back on the
opposite side of the ridge only a few
feet parallel to the course it has fol-
lowed to the point, all at a grade of 90
feet to the mile.

But it is impossible to tell all the won-
ders of engineering, or the feats of skill ;
let active eyes watch the scene as the
traveler passes over the railroad, and then give
due credit and admiration to the pluck, skill,
persistence and faith which has accomplished
so much, and been productive of so much
good.

The little beginning, in 1860, has now given
place to the most astonishing enterprise of mod-
ern times. The pay-roll of the Central Pacific
Railroad Company now exceeds 7,000 names of
employes. The Southern Pacific Railroad, an-
other grand enterprise, controlled in part by some
of the same company, is building its road rapidly,
with a force of 5,000 men, toward the fields of
Arizona and New Mexico. All the important
railroads and steamboats of California are now
controlled by these gigantic corporations, and
from the latest reports we quote figures of this
financial capital of the greatest corporations in
the United States :

CENTRAL PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY.

Capital stock actually paid in, $54,275,500

Fun.led debt, 53.069,095

United States subsidy bonds, 27,855,680

Land grants of 1 1 ,722.400 acres at $2.50, 29.306,000

Value of lands in San Francisco, Oakland, and

Sacramento, 7,750,000

Total value, $172,256,275

SOUTHERN PACIFIC BAILKOAD COMPANY.

Authorized capital stock. $90,000,000

First mortgage bonds, authorized, 46>000,000

12,000,000 acres land grants, at $2 50, 30,000,000

Total value Southern Pacific Railroad Company, $166,000,000

Total capital of Central Pacific and Southern

Pacific Railroads, $338,256,275

Number miles constructed and in operation by

Central Pacific Railroad, 1,213

Number miles built and being built by Southern

Pacific Railroad, 1,160

SILVER PALACE CAR, C. P. R. R.

Westward to San Francisco.

Travelers from the East, after dining at Ogden
and having an hour in which to re-check their
baggage, will board a train of silver palace cars
belonging to the Central Pacific, in the evening,
as the trains now run, and will soon be whirling
away across the Great American Desert. As we
pass out of the suburbs of Ogden, we cross Og-
den River on a pile bridge, and leave it to pur-
sue its turbulent way to the lake. We soon ar-
rive at the point of junction before alluded to,
but find no magnificent hotel, or other buildings,
or any evidence of any. " Union Junction " is
therefore a myth, and exists only in the fertile
imagination. The land, such as it is, however,
is there, and we soon pass the steaming Hot
Springs on the right of the road and close to the
track. These springs are said to be both iron

162

and sulphur, and from the red sediment which
has been deposited over quite an area of surface
near by, we judge that the iron springs predom-
inate. Since leaving Weber Canon we have come
nearly north and will continue in that direction
until we approach Corinne. On our right are
the towering peaks of the Wahsatch in close
proximity. On our left are the irrigating ditches
that supply the farms with water, an increas-
ing growth of underbrush off toward the lake,
and Fremont's Island in the distance with a
towering rock,
looking like a
huge castle,
upon one ex-
tremity of it.
We soon pass ,{P
a little town
called North
Ogden, at a
canon through
the mountains,
which is some-
times called Og-
den Hole, or
North Ogdeu
Canon. Before
the road was
built through
Ogden Canon
proper, this was
the nearest
source of com-
munication
with the valley
the other side of
the mountains.
There are about
nine miles of
straight track
here and we
soon arrive at

Bonnevitte
— 871 miles
from San Fran-
cisco, with an
elevation of
4,310 feet. It
is merely a side
track. The
Mormons have
some fine farms in this vicinity, and between the
railroad and base of the mountains there are
many cultivated fields and fine orchards of apple
and peach trees. There are frequent canons
through the range, at the mouth of which are
little settlements or villages ; the creeks from the
canons supplying the water which irrigates their
fields, gardens and orchards. The largest of
these settlements or villages are called Willard
City and Brigham City, and their business is now-
done almost exclusively with the Utah North-

SHOSHONE INDIAN VILLAGE.

ern Railroad, which runs parallel with the Cen-
tral Pacific between Ogden and Corinne and near-
er the base of the mountains. The next station is
Brif/ltam, — 862 miles from San Francisco ;
elevation, 4,220 feet. A side track for the pass-
ing of trains. It is the station for Brigham
City, which is some three miles away, though it
does not look half that distance. Leaving this
station we cross some alkali marshes near, and
cross an arm of the lake or small bay, with the
eastern part of the Great Salt Sea in full view,

with Promon-
tory Mountains
beyond. Ap-
proaching Co-
rinne we enter
the celebrated
Bear River Val-
ley, crossing the
river on a pile
bridge and
reach

Corinne, —
857 miles from
San Francisco,
with an eleva-
tion of 4,294
feet. It is the
largest Gentile
town in the Ter-
ritory, and if
not hated is cor-
dially and ef-
fectually let
alone by most of
the Mormons in
the surrounding
settlements.
The natural lo-
cation is excel-
lent, and when
the thousands of
acres of fertile
lands in the
Bear River Val-
ley are settled,
as they surely
will be in time,
Corinne will be
the center of
trade and influ-
ence to which her location entitles her. On the
completion of the railroad through here — before
it came, even — the Gentiles had taken posses-
sion of the town and determined to maintain an
ascendency. From that time it has been an
object of defamation by the Saints; and the
lands in the broad valley which surround it, as
rich as any in the Territory, are left with scarcely
a settler. To-day these lands are open and in
the market, and if enterprising fanners in the
East desire farms in a healthful climate, near a

163

good market, with short winters and those sel-
dom excessively cold, with the salt water breezes
fresh from the lake, and in a country where the
finest kind of fruit can be grown, we advise
them to stop here, inform themselves as best
they can, look the ground over thoroughly and
decide for themselves, the question of choosing
this place for a new home. This is one side of
the picture. The other is want of water. All
crops in this valley are raised by irrigation. A
ditch has already been dug from Malad River,
which supplies some farms on its line, and the
town with water. A large flouring-mill is also
supplied with water from this ditch.

Some of the finest wheat we ever saw was
raised near Corinne, on irrigated land. It was

UTE SQUAW AND PAPPOOSE.

spring wheat and produced at the rate of nearly
50 bushels to the acre. The spring wheat of
Utah far excels in quality, the best winter wheat
produced in Eastern States. It has a large, plump,
hard, white berry, and will rank as A No. 1 in
any wheat market in the country.

Corinne in its early history, was " a rough
town ; " but the roughs have passed on, or sleep
in unknown graves. The town now has three
churches, a good school, a large flouring-mill,
several commission and forwarding houses, stores
of various kinds, etc. It was the old freighting
point to eastern Idaho and Montana, before the
Utah Northern Railroad was removed to Ogden.

Corinne is about seven miles from Great Salt
Lake.

The leading hotel is the "Central." Bear
River abounds in fish, and in the proper season
the sloughs and marshes bordering the river

near the lake, are almost covered with ducks
and wild geese, thus offering fine sport for
the hunter arid fisherman. The water-lines
of the lake become, as we pass westward toward
the mountains of the Promontory Range, visible
high up on the side of the mountains. There
are three distinct water-lines to be seen in some
places near Ogden, and each one has left a
bench or terrace of land or rock by which it may
be traced.

The Indian as a Beggar. — As a beggar
an Indian excels the laziest tramp. They have
a free-mason ly among themselves. Give an
Indian anything and next day two Indians will
call on you. The third day there will be three,
the original beggar as one, and so on ad infni-
tum. A well known gentleman connected with
the Union Pacific Railroad, seeing this propen-
sity in the character of the Indian resolved to
gratify it for his own amusement. Giving way
to his charitable impulses he bestowed a nickel
upon one of " Cooper's lords of the forest."
Next day he was waited on by a committee of
two. On the third day the first Indian made
up the three. After the fourth day the thing be-
came monotonous, and to get rid of his " friends "
he locked his office door. No less than six In-
dians came down on him at once and looked in
the windows. The gentleman concluded his
finances were unequal to the strain, and that the
attempt to support the whole tribe of that per-
suasion of Indians was useless.

Quarry, — a side track, with a huge, rocky,
black castle on the right and back of it. The
mountain on our right is called Little Mount-
ain. As we pass beyond and look back, an
oval-shaped dome rises from its northern end
as the turret of a castle. Salt Creek rises in
the valley above, and sinks into the sand on its
way to the lake.

Blue CreeJt, — 838 miles from San Francisco
with an elevation of 4,379 feet. It is a telegraph
station with a side track and turn-table. If we
have a heavy train a helper engine is here await-
ing our arrival, and will assist in pulling us up
the hill to Promontory. Between this and the
next station, are some very heavy grades, short
curves and deep rocky cuts, with fills across
ravines. Blue Creek comes rushing down from
the mountains, and furnishes water for several
stations along the road. Leaving this station
we begin to climb around a curve and up the
side of the Promontory Range, the road almost
doubling back on itself. The old grade of the
Union Pacific is crossed and recrossed in several
places, and is only a short distance away.

As we wind into the depressions and round the
points, gradually ascending to the summit of the
divide, the view of the lake, Corinne, Ogden and
the Wahsatch Mountains, is grand. The grade
for a short distance, is said to be 110 feet to the
mile. We pass the rock cuts where each road

164

expended thousands of dollars, and where Bishop
John Sharp, now President of the Utah Central,
exploded a mine which lifted the rock from the
grade completely out, and gave a clear track after
the rubbish was cleared away.

Promontory, — 804 miles from San Fran-
cisco ; elevation, 4,905 feet. It is about 9 miles
from Blue Creek, and in the first seven miles we
ascend over 500 feet. While the road was under
construction, this little place was quite lively,
but its glory has departed, and its importance at
this time, is chiefly historic. It has a very well-
kept eating-house for railroad and train men,
and large coal-sheds with a three-stall round-
house and other buildings for the convenience of
employes. The water used here is brought
from Blue Creek. It is located between two
peaks or ridges of the Promontory Range, one of
which on the left, is covered with cedars, and a
portion of the year crowned with snow.

This place is well known as the meeting of the
two railroads.

The highest point on the left, is called "Peak"
on Froiseth's Map of Utah, and from its summit a
magnificent view of the lake and surrounding
country can be obtained.

The Great Railroad Wedding — Driving
the Last Spike.

American history, in its triumphs of skill,
labor and genius, knows no event of greater,
thrilling interest, than the scene which attended
the driving of the last spike, which united the
East and West with the bands of iron. The
completion of a project so grand in conception, so
successful in execution, and likely to prove so
fruitful and rich in promise, was worthy of
world-wide celebrity.

Upon the 10th of May, 1869, the rival roads
approached each other, and two lengths of rails
were left for the day's work. At 8 A. M., spec-
tators began to arrive; at quarter to 9 A. M.,
the whistle of the Central Pacific Railroad is
heard, and the first train arrives, bringing a large
number of passengers. Then two additional
trains arrive on the Union Pacific Railroad, from
the East. At a quarter of 11 A. M., the Chinese
workmen commenced leveling the bed of the
road, with picks and shovels, preparatory to
placing the ties. At a quarter past eleven the
Governor's train (Governor Stanford) arrived.
The engine was gaily decorated with little flags
and ribbons — the red white and blue. The last
tie is put in place — eight feet long, eight inches
wide, and six inches thick. It was made of Cal-
ifornia laurel, finely polished, and ornamented
with a silver escutcheon, bearing the following
inscription :

" The last tie laid on the Pacific Railroad, May
10, 1869."

Then follow the names of the directors and

officers of the Central Pacific Company, and of
the presenter of the tie.

The exact point of contact of the road was
1,085.8 miles west from Omaha, which allowed
690 miles to the Central Pacific Railroad, for
Sacramento, for their portion of the work. The
engine Jupiter, of the Central Pacific Railroad,
and the engine 119 of the Union Pacific Rail-
road, moved up to within 30 feet of each other.

Just before noon the announcement was sent
to Washington, that the driving of the last spike
of the railroad which connected the Atlantic
and Pacific, would be communicated to all the
telegraph offices in the country the instant
the work was done, and instantly a large crowd
gathered around the offices of the Western
Union Telegraph Company to receive the wel-
come news.

The manager of the company placed a mag-
netic ball in a conspicuous position, where all
present could witness the performance, and con-
nected the same with the main lines, notifying
the various offices of the country that he was
ready. New Orleans, New York and Boston in-
stantly answered " Ready."

In San Francisco, the wires were connected
with the fire-alarm in the tower, where the heavy
ring of the bell might spread the news immedi-
ately over the city, as quick as the event was
completed.

Waiting for some time in impatience, at last
came this message from Promontory Point, at
2.27 P. M. :

" A Imost ready. Hats off, prayer is being of-
fered"

A silence for the prayer ensued ; at 2.40 P. M.,
the bell tapped again, and the officer at Promon-
tory said :

" We have got done praying, the spike is about
to be presented."

Chicago replied : " We understand, all are
ready in the East."

From Promontory Point. "All ready now;
the spike will soon be driven. The sif/nal will be
three dots for the commencement of the blows."

For a moment the instrument was silent, and
then the hammer of the magnet tapped the bell,
one, two, three, the signal. Another pause of a
few seconds, and the lightning came flashing
eastward, 2,400 miles to Washington ; and the
blows of the hammer on the spike were repeated
instantly in telegraphic accents upon the bell of
the Capitol. At 2.47 P. M., Promontory Point
gave the signal, " Done ; " and the great Amer-
ican Continent was successfully spanned.
Immediately thereafter, flashed over the line,
the following official announcement to the As-
sociated Press :

Promontory Summit, Utah, May 10. — THE

LAST RAIL IS LAID 1 THE LAST SPIKE IS

DRIVEN! THE PACIFIC RAILROAD is COM-
PLETED 1 The point of junction is 1,086 miles went

•it _ ff\

THE GREAT RAILROAD WEDDING.
1.— Driving the last Spike. 2.— Union of the East and West. 3.— First Whistle of the Iron Horse.

166

of the Missouri River, and 690 miles east of Sacra-
mento City.

LELAND STANFORD,

Central Pacific Railroad.

T. C. DURANT, J

SIDNEY DILLON, > Union Pacific Railroad.
JOHN DUFF, )

Such were the telegraphic incidents that at-
tended the completion of the greatest work of the
age, — but during these few expectant moments,
the scene itself at Promontory Point, was very
impressive.

After the rival engines had moved up toward
each other, a call was made for the people to
stand back, in order that all might have a
chance to see. Prayer was offered by Rev. Dr.
Todd of Massachusetts. Brief remarks were
then made by General Dodge and Governor
Stanford. Three cheers were given for the
Government of the United States, for the Rail-
road, for the Presidents, for the Star Spangled
Banner, for the Laborers, and for those respec-
tively, who furnished the means. Four spikes
were then furnished, — two gold and two silver, —
by Montana, Idaho, California, and Nevada.
They were each about seven inches long, and a
little larger than the iron spike.

Dr. Harkness, of Sacramento, in presenting to
Governor Stanford a spike of pure gold, delivered
a short and appropriate speech.

The Hon. F. A. Tritle, of Nevada, presented
Dr. Durant with a spike of silver, saying: '• To
the iron of the East, an/1 the gold of the West, Ne-
vada adds her link of silver to span the Continent
and weld the oceans."

Governor Safford, of Arizona, presenting
another spike, said : " Ribb<-d in iron, clad in
stiver, and cro'pned with gold, Arizona presents her
offering to the enterprise that has banded the Conti-
nent and welded the ocean.*."

Dr. Durant stood on the north side of the tie,
and Governor Stanford on the south side. At a
given signal, these gentlemen struck the spikes,
and at the same instant the electric spark was
sent through the wires, east and west. The two
locomotives moved up until they touched each
other, and a bottle of wine was poured, as a liba-
tion on the last rail.

A number of ladies graced the ceremonies with
their presence, and at 1 p. M., under an almost
cloudless sky, and in the presence of about one
thousand one hundred people, the greatest railroad
on earth was completed.

A sumptuous repast was given to all the guests
and railroad officers, and toward evening the
trains each moved away and darkness fell upon
the scene of joy and triumph.

Immediately after the ceremonies, the laurel
tie was removed for preservation, and in its
place an ordinary one substituted. Scarcely had
it been put in its place, before a grand advance

was made upon it by the curiosity seekers and
relic hunters and divided into numberless me-
mentoes, and as fast as each tie was demolished
and a new one substituted, this, too, shared the
same fate, and probably within the first six
months, there were used as many new ties. It is
said that even one of the rails did not escape the
grand battery of knife and hack, and the first
one had soon to be removed to give place to
another.

A curious incident connected with the laying
of the last rails, has been little noticed hitherto.
Two lengths of rails, 56 feet, had been omitted.
The Union Pacific people brought up their pair
of rails, and the work of placing them was done
by Europeans. The Central Pacific people then
laid their pair of rails, the labor being performed
by Mongolians. The foremen, in both cases, were
Americans. Here, near the center of the great
American Continent, were representatives of
Asia, Europe and America — America directing
and controlling.

It is somewhat unfortunate that all the scenes
which characterize this place of meeting are
passed over by the railroad trains at night, and
travelers can not catch even a glimpse.

Leaving Promontory, a sugar-loaf peak rises
on our right, and, as we near it, the lake again
comes into view, looking like a green meadow in
the distance. About three miles west of the
station, on the left side of the track, a sign-board
has been erected, stating that 10 miles of track
were here laid in one day. Ten miles farther
west a similar sign-board appears. This track
was laid on the 29th of April, 1869, and, so far
as known, is the largest number of miles ever
laid in one day. (For a full description, see
page 8.)

Rozel, — an unimportant station, where trains
meet and pass ; but passenger trains do not stop
unless signaled. The lake can now be seen for
a long distance, and in a clear day, with a good
glass, the view is magnificent. Still crossing a
sage brush plain, with occasional alkali patches,
closing in upon the shore at times, we soon ar-
rive at

Lake. — There is an open plain to the north
of these two stations, and north of Rozel espe-
cially, are salt wells. Between these two stations
the second sign-board close to the track, showing
the western limit of the 10 miles of track laid
in one day, is seen. North of Lake Station
about three miles, are Cedar Springs, which was
quite a place during the construction of the
road, and a great deal of wood, etc., was obtained
near them, for use of the road. Leaving this
station we pass across flats and marshes, with
the old Union Pacific grade still well preserved,
on our left. In places, however, it is partially
washed away by the waves of the lake. Next
comes

Monument, — 804 miles from San Francisco ;

167

SALT LAKE FROM MONUMENT POINT.

elevation, 4,227 feet. An isolated rock rises,
like a monument, in the lake on the left, while
the hill on the right is crowned with turrets and
projecting domes. You have here a grand view
of the lake, its islands and shores, with promon-
tories, etc., which is correctly represented by our
artist. The station itself is a mere side track
and " Y," for the convenience of the road.
When the strong south wind blows, the waves;
dashing against the rocks on the shore, and the
rolling white caps in the distance, form a beauti-
ful view which the tourist, after passing the
dreary waste, will appreciate. The road now
turns to the right, and the view of the lake is
shut out by a low hill that intervenes. On the
west side of this hill are the Locomotive Springs
which puff out steam at times, and which give
them their name. A Mormon brother has a
ranche at the springs, and seems to enjoy life as
best he can with three wives.

The Overflow of the Great Salt Lake —
Another theory as to its outlet. — Parties
who profess to be well posted as to the nature of
the country surrounding this great body of salt
water, do not agree with the views elsewhere ex-
pressed, that in case its rise continues, its waters
will flow into the Humboldt River. They assert
that north of Monument Rock is an extensive
arm of the lake, now dry, and that the divide
between the northern extremity of this arm and
the Raft River, a tributary of Snake River, is
not more than from 50 to 75 feet high ; and that,
if the lake rises, this divide will be washed out —
or a channel may be cut through it into Raft

MONUMENT POINT FROM SALT LAKE.

River, and the surplus waters of the lake thus
drained into the Pacific Ocean, through the
Snake and Columbia Rivers. Next we pass

Seco, — which is an unimportant station in
the midst of sage plains, and soon arrive at

Kelton, — 790 miles from San Francisco, with
an elevation of 4,223 feet. There have been no
very heavy grades between this and Promontory.
The town is located at the north-west corner of
Salt Lake, and about two miles from it. with low
marshes and sloughs intervening. This is a
stage station, and passengers for Boise City and
other points in Idaho, and points in Oreg-on as
far as Dalles, will here leave the train and secure
seats in the coaches of the stage line. The ship-
ping of freight for Idaho, and the fact that it is
the terminus of the stage line, are the principal
causes for the growth and business of this place.
It has a fair hotel, several stores, the usual n um-
ber of saloons, and corrals for stock used in
freighting. In 1875, 6,000,000 pounds of freight
were shipped from this place to Idaho, or about
3,000 tons. The freighting business has grad-
ually increased from year to year, and will con-
tinue to do so as the mines of the Territory
are developed, and until the Portland, Dalles
and Salt Lake Railroad is pushed forward into
the Territory. Seven miles north of the town,
at the foot of the mountains, are springs of
clear, fresh water, from which water is conveyed
for the use of the railroad and inhabitants.
There is a good deal of stock grazed in the
vicinity of this station, which feed on sage brush
in the winter and such grass as they get, but find

168

F0&8/SF.

good grazing in the summer. The surplus cattle
are shipped to the markets on th« Pacific Coast.

Tourists will also bear in mind, that this is
the station nearest to the great Shoshoue Falls.
These falls are 110 miles from Kelton. Passen-
gers from the east will arrive at about 10 o'clock
p. M., and stay all night. Passengers from the
west will arrive at about two o'clock A. M. The
next morning they will take the stage
run by the North-western Stage Company, 100
miles to Rock Creek Station, which are made
over good roads in twelve hours. Here you will
stay over night, and take a team the next morn-
ing for the falls ; distance ten miles over a lava
plain, with stinted sage brush. No sign of the
great falls is seen, until you reach a point one mile
from them, when they suddenly burst upon the
eye with a grandeur and magnificence truly
bewildering.

Travelers to the main falls can reach them on
foot very easily from the upper ridge. It will
abundantly repay visitors to go to the edge of
the river, and contemplate their silent grandeur.
A pathway or trail leads from the point where
wagons stop, and the distance is about one mile.

The Great Shoshone Falls.

BY CLARENCE KINO.

In October, 1868, with a small detachment of
a United States Geological Survey, the writer
crossed the Goose Creek Mountains, in northern
Utah, and descended by the old Fort Boise Road
to the level of the Snake Plain. After camp and
breakfast, at Rock Creek, mounting in the sad-
dle we headed toward the Canon of the Shoshone.
The air was cold and clear. The remotest
mountain peaks upon the horizon could be dis-
tinctly seen, and the forlorn details of their
brown slopes stared at us as through a vacuum.
A few miles in front, the smooth surface of the
plain was broken by a ragged, zigzag line of
black, which marked the edge of the farther wall
of the Snake Canon. A dull, throbbing sound
greeted us. Its pulsations were deep and seemed
to proceed from the ground beneath our feet.

Leaving the cavalry to bring up the wagon, my
two friends and I galloped on, and were quickly
upon the edge of the canon wall. We looked
down into a broad, circular excavation, three-
quarters of a mile in diameter, and nearly seven
hundred feet deep. East and north, over the
edges of the canon, we looked across miles and
miles of the Snake Plain, far on to the blue
boundary mountains. The wall of the gorge
opposite us, like the cliff at our feet, sank in
perpendicular bluffs, nearly to the level of the
river. A horizon as level as the sea; a circling
wall, whose sharp edges were here and there bat-
tlemented in huge, fortress-like masses; a broad
river, smooth and unruffled, flowing quietly into
the middle of the scene, and then plunging into

a labyrinth of rocks, tumbling over a precipice
two hundred feet high, and flowing westward in
a still, deep current, disappear behind a black
promontory. Where - the river flowed around
the western promontory, it was wholly in shadow,
and of a deep sea-green. A scanty growth of
coniferous trees fringed the brink of the lower
cliffs, overhanging the river. Dead barrenness
is the whole sentiment of the scene.

My tent was pitched upon the edge of a cliff,
directly overhanging the rapids. From my door
I looked over the edge of the falls, and, when-
ever the veil of mist was blown aside, I could see
for a mile down the river. At the very brink of
the fall a few twisted evergreens cling with their
roots to the rock, and lean over the abyss of foam
with something of that air of fatal fascination
which is apt to take possession of men.

In plan, the fall recurves up-stream in a deep
horseshoe, resembling the outline of Niagara.
The total breadth is about seven hundred feet,
and the greatest height of a single fall about one
hundred and ninety. Among the islands above
the brink are several beautiful cascades, where
portions of the river pour over in lace-like forms.
The whole mass of the fall is one ever-varying
sheet of spray. In the early spring, when swollen
by the rapidly melted snows, the river pours over
with something like the grand volume of Niag-
ara, but at the time of my visit, it was wholly
white foam. The river below the falls is very
deep. The right bank sinks into the water in a
clear, sharp precipice, but on the left side a nar-
row, pebbly beach extends along the foot of the
cliff. From the top of the wall, at a point a
quarter of a mile below the falls, a stream has
gradually worn a little stairway down to the
river : thick growths of evergreens have huddled
together in this ravine. Under the influence of
the cool shadow of the cliffs and the pines, and
constant percolating of surface-waters, a rare fer-
tility is developed in the ravines opening upon
the shore of the canon. A luxuriance of ferns
and mosses, an almost tropical wealth of green
leaves and velvety carpeting line the banks.
There are no rocks at the base of the fall. The
sheet of foam plunges almost vertically into a
dark, beryl-green, lake-like expanse of the river.
Immense volumes of foam roll up from the cata-
ract-base, and, whirling about in the eddying
winds, rise often a thousand feet into the air.
When the wind blows down the canon, a gray
mist obscures the river for half a mile; and
when, as is usually the case in the afternoon, the
breezes blow eastward, the foam-cloud curls over
the brink of the fall, and hangs like a veil over
the upper river. The incessant roar, reinforced
by a thousand echoes, fills the canon. From out
this monotone, from time to time, rise strange,
wild sounds, and now and then may be heard a
slow, measured beat, not unlike the recurring fall
of breakers. From the white front of the cata-

^ -' . v^^Jr'M^?/

p
n

170

ract the eye constantly wanders up to the black,
frowning parapet of lava. The actual edge is
usually formed of irregular blocks and prisms of
lava, poised upon their ends in an unstable equi-
librium, ready to be tumbled over at the first
leverage of the frost. Hardly an hour passes
without the sudden boom of one of those rock-
masses falling upon the ragged debris piled below.

After sleeping on the nightmareish brink of
the falls, it was no small satisfaction to climb
out of the Dantean gulf and find myself once
more upon a pleasantly prosaic foreground of
sage. Nothing more effectually banishes the
melotragic state of the mind than the obtrusive
ugliness and abominable smell of this plant.
From my feet a hundred miles of it stretched
eastward. A half-hour's walk took me out of
sight of the canon, and as the wind blew west-
ward, only occasional, indistinct pulsations of the
fall could be heard.

I walked for an hour, following an old Indian
trail which occasionally approached within see-
ing distance of the river, and then, apparently
quite satisfied, diverged again into the desert.
When about four miles from the Shoshone, it
bent abruptly to the north, and led to the edge of
the canon. Here again the narrow gorge widened
into a broad theater, surrounded as before by
black, vertical walls, and crowded over its whole
surface by rude piles and ridges of volcanic rock.
The river entered it from the east through a
magnificent gateway of basalt, and, having
reached the middle, flows on either side of a low,
rocky island, and plunges in two falls into a
deep, green basin. A very singular ridge of the
basalt projects like an arm almost across the
river, inclosing within its semi-circle a bowl three
hundred feet in diameter and two hundred feet
deep. Within this the water was of the same
peculiar beryl-green, dappled here and there by
masses of foam which swim around and around
with a spiral tendency toward the center. To the
left of the island half the river plunges off an over-
hanging lip, and falls about 150 feet, the whole vol-
ume reaching the surface of the basin many feet
from the wall. The other half of the river has
worn away the edge, and descends in a tumbling
cascade at an angle of about forty-five degrees.

The cliffs around the upper cataract are infe-
rior to those of the Shoshone. While the level
of the upper plain remains nearly the same, the
river constantly deepens the channel in its west-
ward course.

By dint of hard climbing I reached the actual
brink in a few places, and saw the canon succes-
sively widening and narrowing, its walls here
and there approaching each other and standing
like the pillars of a gateway ; the river alter-
nately flowing along smooth, placid reaches of
level, and then rushing swiftly down rocky cas-
cades. Here and there along the cliff are dis-
closed the mouths of black caverns, where the

lava seems to have been blown up in the form of
a great blister, as if the original flow had poured
over some pool of water, and the hot rock, con-
verting it into steam, had been blown up bubble-
like by its immense expansion. I continued my
excursions along the canon to the west of the
Shoshone. About a mile below the fall, a very
fine promontory juts sharply out from the wall,
and projects nearly to the middle of the canon.
Climbing with difficulty along its toppling crest,
I reached a point which I found composed of
immense, angular fragments piled up in danger-
ous poise. Looking eastward, the battlemented
rocks around the falls limited the view ; but
westward I could see down long reaches of river,
where islands of trachyte rose above white cas-
cades. A peculiar and fine effect is noticeable
upon the river during all the midday. The
shadow of the southern cliff is cast down here
and there, completely darkening the river, but
often defining itself upon the water. The con-
trast between the rich, gem-like green of the sun-
lit portions and the deep-violet shadow of the
cliff is of extreme beauty. The Snake River,
deriving its volume wholly from the melting of
the mountain snows, is a direct gauge of the an-
nual advance of the sun. In June and July
it is a tremendous torrent, carrying a full half of
the Columbia. From the middle of July it con-
stantly shrinks, reaching its minimum in mid-
winter. At the lowest, it is a river equal to the
Sacramento or Connecticut.

Near the " City of Rocks " Station, in the
Goose Creek Mountains, are found the " Giant
Rocks," and over the little rise is the place that
gives the name to the station. Dotting the
plains are thousands of singular rocks, on which
the weary pilgrims of 1849, have written their
names in cart-grease paint. The old Cali-
fornia road is still seen, but now overgrown
with rank weeds. The view as you descend
from the summit is sublime. Far away in the
distance loom up the Salmon River Mountains,
distant 125 miles, and in the intervening space
winds the valley of the Snake River.

Kelton has from 250 to 300 inhabitants, nearly
all supported by the Idaho trade, though it will
eventually have some mining trade, as the recent
discovery of mines in the Black Pine District, 25
miles north, will have an influence in this direc-
tion. Kelton is the nearest railroad station to
these mines, and parties desiring to visit them
will leave the cars here.

Idaho Territory. — This is one of the
smallest of the Territories, as now constituted,
and claims a population of about 15,000 people.
There are three public lines of conveyance which
lead into the Territory, or rather two, as one of
them passes entirely through it. The stage line
from Kelton passes the City of Rocks, and

171

within ten miles of the Great Shoshone Falls, to
Dalles in Oregon, by way of Boise City, 250 miles
out ; thence to Baker City, Oregon, 400 miles ;
to Union, 435 miles ; to La Grande, 450 miles ;
to Unatilla, 510 miles, and to Walla Walla, 530
miles. At Boise City the line connects with
stages for Idaho City, Centerville, Placerville and
Silver City. Boise City is the territorial capital,
a city said to contain 3,500 people, and located
on the Boise River. There is not much agri-
cultural land in the Territory, but a few of the
valleys are cultivated and produce excellent
crops of wheat, barley and oats, with potatoes
and all kinds of vegetables. Crops are raised by

are quite a large number of Chinese in the Ter-
ritory, mostly engaged in placer and gulch min-
ing. They are industrious and frugal and will
frequently make money from claims that have
been abandoned as worthless by white men. So
far as developed, the Territory has some rich
mines, and those in the Atlantic District are be-
coming somewhat noted. It is claimed that the
richest known gold mine in the country at pres-
ent, is in this district. In addition to the sup-
plies, etc., shipped from Winnemucca, over
6,000,000 pounds of freight were shipped from
Kelton Station to this Territory in 1875, and
more than this amount will be shipped the pres-

VIEW LOOKING DOWN THE SHOSHONE FALLS.

irrigation. Boise Valley, the settled portion of
it, is about 60 miles long and four miles wide,
and is the most thickly settled of any of the
valleys in the Territory. The nights are so cool
and the altitude of the valleys is so great that ex-
periments in corn raising have not, thus far,
turned out very well. The second line of public
conveyance spoken of, runs from Winnemucca to
Silver City.

It is claimed that this town is equal in popu-
lation to Boise City. It is sustained by the
mines located near it. At Rattlesnake Station
there is also a connecting stage line for Rocky
Bar, a mining camp, near which placer and
gulch diggings have been discovered. There

ent year. Much of it has been, and will be,
mining machinery. A railroad through the Ter-
ritory is much needed, will aid greatly in the
development of its mines, and will be a paying
investment from the start, or, at least, in a very
short time after its completion. The Snake and
Salmon Rivers are among its principal streams.
The Snake River rises in the mountains of the
Yellowstone Region, and flows entirely through
the Territory from east to west, and forms one of
the tributaries to the Columbia River of Oregon.
The scenery along its valley is varied, but in
some places is grand. Idaho also has immense
ranges where a large number of cattle are grazed
both winter and summer, without hay. The stock

172

interest is rapidly becoming one of the principal
features of the Territory. Its future prosperity,
however, depends largely upon the development
of its mining interests.

Leaving Kelton, the road soon turns to the left,
and, rising a heavy grade, reaches the divide be-
tween the Great Salt Lake and the valley beyond.
The mountains for a distance are on our right,
while, from the left, a magnificent view of the
western arm of the lake can be obtained. Be-
tween the road and the lake are extensive salt
plains, which in the sun glisten like burnished
silver, while beyond are the green waters of this
inland sea. Going up this grade, you wili notice
a ledge of rocks on the left side of the track,
the lower end of which has been tunneled by the
wind, forming a natural aperture like an open
arch. We soon turn to the right, leave the lake
behind us and wind along the side of the mount-
ain. A dreary salt marsh or alkali plain is now
seen on the left, and the low, isolated hill on the
shore, which for a time obscured our vision is
passed, giving us another view of the lake in the
distance, and the mountains of the Wahsatch
and Oquirrh Ranges beyond, as far as the eye
can reach. Passing through a rocky cut from a
projecting spur of the range we are passing, and
looking to the right, a beautiful conical dome
rises up, as a grim sentinel to guard the way.

Ombey, — simply a side track in the midst of
a heavy gravel cut, 778 miles from San Fran-
cisco, with an elevation of 4,721 feet. At Kelton
we were but little above the elevation of Salt
Lake, 4,223 feet, and we are 500 feet higher here
than when we left that place, the distance be-
tween the two being about 11 miles. From the
frequent views of the Great American Desert
which the traveler can obtain while passing over
this portion of the road, he can form some idea
of its utter barrenness and desolation, and the
great sufferings of those who have attempted to
cross it without adequate preparation, and the
consequent burning thirst they and their animals
have endured.

Matlin, — only a side track. 768 miles from
San Francisco ; elevation, 4,597 feet.

Terrace, — a railroad town on the edge of the
Great American Desert. It is 757 miles from
San Francisco, with an elevation of 4,544 feet.
Here is a ten-stall roundhouse, and the machine
and repair shops of the Salt Lake Division of
the Central Pacific Railroad. Mr. R. H. Pratt,
with headquarters at Ogden, is Superintendent
of this Division, which extends from that place
to Toano in Nevada. The town has about 300
people, which includes not only the railroad men
and their families, but those who are here for the
purpose of trade and traffic with them. The
water tank here, as at a good many stations on
this road, is supplied with water brought through
pipes from the springs in the mountains.

The town has two or three stores, saloons and

an eating-house, where railroad men and emi-
grants take their meals. It depends wholly on
its local trade at present; but the discovering
and opening of the Rosebud Mines, about 10
miles north, will tend to increase its business, if
they are developed. Terrace is the railroad sta-
tion for the mines in the Newfoundland District,
some 18 miles south. Miners for either of the
above named districts, will leave the cars at this
station. There are no stage lines to them, as
yet, but private conveyances can be readily ob-
tained. The desert with its dreary loneliness —
a barren waste — still continues.

Leaving Terrace we have over 20 miles of
straight road over which we soon pass. A spur
of the Goose Creek Range of Mountains puts
down on our right, while Silver Islet Mountain
rises out of the alkali plain on our left, and
Pilot's Peak, one of the lofty mountains of
Nevada, and a noted landmark for many a weary
pilgrim across the desert, looms up in the south-
west.

Bovine, — an unimportant station, with side
track for the convenience of passing trains, 747
miles from San Francisco, with an elevation of
4,347 feet. On our right are broken mountains,
while there is an isolated peak one side of which
seems to have settled away from the other, leav-
ing it very rough and ragged. Next we come to

Lucin, — 734 miles from San Francisco, with
an elevation of 4,486 feet above the sea. Be-
yond Lucin, a short distance, we strike Grouse
Creek, which rises in the hills north. This creek
usually sinks in the sandy desert, and no water
in it crosses the railroad, except in the spring
when the snows are melting. On the right, east
of the hills, and north of Lucin about 4 1-2 miles,
are the Owl Springs which have an abundance
of water. As we enter the pass in this low range
of hills, we lose sight of Silver Islet Mountains,
and the range close to the track is called the
Pilot Range, or by the miners, Buel Range, after
Buel City. Leaving Grouse Creek on our right,
the road leads to the left again, and we enter
the Thousand Spring Valley. It virtually unites
with the Grouse Valley, though its waters usu-
ally sink in the sand before they reach those of
the creek mentioned. As we near Tecoma, the
traveler will notice a small granite monument on
the left side of the track, near the summit of the
grade, supported by a heap of stones. This mon-
ument marks the Nevada State line and passing
it, we enter the land of the " big bonanzas."

Tecoma, — Nevada, 724 miles from San Fran-
cisco, with an elevation of 4,812 feet. This is
the nearest railroad station to the celebrated
Tecoma Mines, one owned by Rowland &
Aspinwall of New York, and the other owned
by a London company, — both mines bearing the
same name. Tecoma is the railroad station for
Lucin Mining District, and stages leave here
every morning for Buel City, the mining town

173

of the district, six miles south, in the foot hills of
the range. It is the nearest railroad station
also, to the Deep Creek District, 90 miles due
south. The Goose Creek and Delano Districts
have recently been opened about 35 miles north
of this place and are said to contain rich pros-
pects. The formation, however, is very much
broken, and affords strong evidences of a mighty
upheaval sometime. Within a mile or two of
the town, north, a good view of the Thousand
Spring Valley is obtained with its pasturage and
hay lands. Teconia has two or three stores,
saloon, dwellings, etc., and will soon have a
smelting works. It has a population of from 50
to 100 ; and the most of its business is with the
mines and cattle men. Stock-yards convenient
for shipping cattle have been erected here.
There is a fine grazing country off to the north,
where large herds of cattle are kept, and this
has come to be a prominent business of this part
of the country. As we approach Tecoma, on
our left a bluff peak with perpendicular walls
closes the northern end of Pilot Range, while
Pilot Peak towers up to the heavens at the
southern extremity. It is 20 miles from Tecoma
to the base of this peak, though it does not seem
half that distance. Tecoma is also the railroad
station for the Silver Islet Mining District, and if
the mines in its immediate vicinity are developed,
it will become a place of considerable impor-
tance. Leaving Tecoma the railroad continues
over a sage brush and greasewood plain to the
left of the valley, with a part of the old Union
Pacific grade on the right, and as we approach
the next range of hills or mountains, we have a
fine broadside view of grand old Pilot Peak, and
do not wonder at its prominence, or the great re^
gard in which it was held by the emigrants across
this dreary desert.

Montello, — 715 miles from San Francisco,
with an elevation of 5,010 feet. At this station
is a large water-tank supplied with water from
a spring in the mountains on the right, some ten
miles away. The mountain ranges this side of
Ogden run from north to south, parallel with
each other, and the railroad crosses them over
low divides or passes, while the plains of the
desert lay between them. To our right a
point of the Pequop Range approaches the
track, and shuts out our view of the Old Pilot,
as we pass up the grade, and into the narrow
defile.

It is generally understood that the mines of
the Pilot Range are quite extensive, and that the
ore, though of rather low grade, is nevertheless
to be found in large quantities and is quite ac-
cessible. Buei City has a smelter erected which
has reduced considerable ore.

Loray, — nearly on the summit of the divide.
It is 704 miles from San Francisco, with an ele-
vation of about 5,960 feet. It is a station of no
particular importance to travelers. Wood and

timber, cut in the mountains for the use of the
road, is delivered here.

Toano, — 698 miles from San Francisco, with
an elevation of 5,973 feet — the western terminus
of the Salt Lake Division of the Central Pacific,
and nearly 183 miles from Ogden. Toano has
a roundhouse with 14 stalls and an adjoining
shed where two engines can be sheltered. It
has the usual side tracks, coal-sheds and build-
ings for the transaction of the business of the
company. The town has about 250 people.

The following mining districts are tributary to
this place, and transact the most of their busi-
ness here : Silver Zone, distant 20 miles, mines
mostly milling ore; Dolly Varden, 55 miles;
Cherry Creek, 100 miles; Egan Canon, 105
miles; Shellburn, 110 miles; Mineral City, 130
miles ; Ward, 140 miles. They are all south of
the railroad, and connected with Toano by a
good wagon road. Stages run regularly to
Cherry Creek. A great deal of freight is
carried to the mines, and ore and bullion hauled
back. The road is destitute of water for a consid-
erable part of the way, and wells, at a great ex-
pense, have been dug in some places, from which
water is sold to freighters. The ore from some
of the mines in these districts is very rich.
Twenty cars of ore from the Paymaster Mine in
the Ward District were shipped from here in
January, 1876, nineteen of which averaged about
$800 per ton, and one car averaged a little over
§1,000 per ton, net. Not only the Ward, but
others in this region are regarded as prosperous
mining camps. In 1875, from 800 to 1,000 tons
of base bullion were shipped from this place, the
product of these mines. The valleys south have
good ranges for stock, and some of them, as the
Steptoe Valley, produce excellent crops of small

frain and vegetables. The Toano Range of
lountains runs from north to south, and heads
near this place. On the road to Pioche, about
180 miles from Toano, and about half a mile
from the road, is the Mammoth Cave of Nevada.
It has been partially explored, but its extent is
not known. Beautiful specimens of stalactites
and crystals have been found here, and the
tourist would be highly interested in a visit to
this cave, which in a short time must become a
place of public resort.

North of Toano, the Goose Creek Range of
Mountains, which divides Goose Creek and Thou-
sand Spring Valley, are plainly visible. The Sal-
mon Falls copper mines, on Salmon Falls River,
are about 60 miles north, and are known to be
rich in copper.

About 20 miles south of the town, a road to the
Deep Creek Mining District branches off from
the Pioche road, and part of the business of that
mining camp is done here. The country imme-
diately around Toano is barren and desolate in
appearance — not very inviting to the traveler or
settler.

174

On leaving Toano we have an up grade to
Moore's Station, about 30 miles. In the winter
great difficulty is experienced with snow over
this distance, and in the summer the route is ex-
tremely beautiful and picturesque. Just west of
the town, on the right, the low hills are covered
with a scattering growth of scrub pines and ce-
dars. The Pequop Range juts up to the town
on the south, while on the north may still be
seen the mountains of the Goose Creek Range.
The road between this point and Wells is undu-
lating, and full of short curves and heavy grades.
Six snow sheds are passed, in rapid succession.
As we look off to the right, the hill seems to de-
scend into a large valle.y, with a range of mount-
ains beyond. It is a dry, sage brush valley and
continues in sight until we pass Independence.

Pequop, — 689 miles from San Francisco,
with an elevation of 6,184 feet. It is simply a
side track, at which passenger trains do not stop.
Passing this, we next reach the Otego telegraph
station, which is only used in winter, to give no-
tice of snow-blocked trains, etc.

Dead Man's Spring. — About five miles
from Pequop, in the low hills off to the right of
the track, is a spring which bears the above sug-
gestive title. In the spring of 1873, the body of
a dead man was found near it, with a bullet hole
through his skull. The decomposition of the
body had advanced so far that it was past
recognition, and the questions as to who he was,
and now he came to be killed, were not likely to
be solved. In short, the man and his tragic end
were wrapped in great mystery. The old adage,
however, that " murder will out," was again veri-
fied in this case. It seems that a large drove of
cattle came into this region of country, in the
fall of 1872, and that two of the herders em-
ployed— one a Mexican, and the other a white
man, were paid off near Wells, and started back
for Colorado, where they were first employed.
They camped together one night at this spring,
and the next morning one was left cold and
stark upon the bosom of mother earth, while the
other, the Mexican, went on and in due time
arrived in Denver, Col. He had murdered
his companion, robbed him of his money, his
watch and his horse, and with his plunder, with
no one to witness the deed, thought himself se-
cure. But a brother of the murdered man lived
in Denver, and hearing nothing from the absent
one for a long time, became somewhat alarmed
about him, and began to institute inquiries and
to search for his companion. His efforts were
soon rewarded, and in a short time he heard that
the Mexican, — who was known to have accom-
panied his brother in driving the herd to Neva-
da,— had returned, and had been seen in Denver.
Furthermore, it was supposed that he had not
left that city, and could be found somewhere in
its immediate vicinity. His trail was finally
struck, and followed until he was found. His

account of the missing man was so confused, and
his different stories so conflicting and improb-
able, that he was arrested and searched. The
search revealed the watch and other trinkets of
the murdered man, which were at once recognized
by his brother. His horse was also found. The
Mexican, now thoroughly suspected, was closely
questioned, and the evidence against him was so
strong, that, while confined in jail, he confessed
the crime. This so exasperated the friends of
the murdered man that they determined upon
vengeance, and immediately organized to secure
the death of the culprit. The villain was taken
from his cell in the jail one night, and found the
next morning hanging to a telegraph pole. Thus
was the spring named.

Oteflo, — station and side track, which is 688
miles from San Francisco, with an elevation of
6,154 feet. The tourist may enjoy a magnificent
view of hills and mountains, valleys and dales,
as we pass on over some of the reverse curves in
the road. The old Union Pacific grade is still
seen in patches, on our right. Pequop Range,
with Independence Valley, now looms grandly
into view on our left, as we arrive at

Independence, — 676 miles from San Fran-
cisco, with an elevation of 6,007 feet. We are
now crossing a low divide between the valley on
our right, above spoken of, and Independence
Valley on our left. This station is on a heavy
down grade, and trains going west seldom stop.
The water tank is supplied from springs in the
low hills off to the right, and the side track is a
little beyond it. We now pass to the right
around an isolated mountain that seems to
guard the entrance to Independence Valley, —
and then to the left, and as we turn to enter the
pass in the mountains a lovely view of this beau-
tiful valley is again obtained stretching away as
far as the eye can reach. It is a great stock
range, and thousands of cattle annually feed
upon its rich nutritious grasses. Turning again
to the right we enter what is called Cedar Pass.
Passing a section-house at which there is a win-
ter telegraph station for use of snow-bound trains,
we soon reach the summit of the divide between
Independence Valley, and the valley of the Hum-
boldt, at

Moore's, — 669 miles from San Francisco,
with an elevation of 6,166 feet. It was formerly
quite a town for wood-choppers and frontier
men, when the railroad was being built; but
its glory has departed and the stakes and posts
of a few houses are all that remain to mark the
spot. Down the grade we go into the far-famed
Humboldt Valley, passing Cedar, a side track,
where a camp of wood-choppers in the mount-
ains on our left, deliver their wood.

Wells, — 661 miles from San Francisco, with
an elevation of 5,629 feet. Just as we enter the
town, we pass the mountain spur on our left,
and Clover Valley bursts into view. Its name

175

is significant as it abounds in the natural clover
so well known in the Eastern States. The town
has about 200 inhabitants, with roundhouse for
three engines, a hotel, stores, saloon, etc. The
railroad water tank formerly supplied with water
pumped from the wells, a little west of the town, is
now filled from a mountain spring four miles
away.

Humboldt Wells as they are called, give celeb-
rity to this place. They are really springs about
thirty in number, situated mostly in a low basin
half a mile west of the station. There are no
evidences of volcanic action about them as we
could perceive, nor does a crater in this low
place seem at all probable. They are very
probably natural springs and from the nature of
the porous soil around them, they do not rise and
flow away as similar springs do in a more com-
pact soil. The water, by residents here, is not
considered brackish at all, nor is it particularly
warm, though the springs have never been
known to freeze over. They are also called
bottomless, but no accurate knowledge has yet
been published in regard to their depth. They
are simply deep springs, but the opinion is here
entertained that a lead and line would soon
touch bottom in them. It was the great water-
ing place in times of the old emigrant travel, and
at least three of these roads converged to this
point and united here. These were the Grass
Creek, the Thousand Spring Valley and the
Cedar Pass Roads. Emigrants in those days al-
ways rejoiced when they had passed the perils of
the Great American Desert, and arrived at these
springs where there was plenty of water, pure
and sweet and an abundance of grass for their
weary and worn animals. Hence it was a favor-
ite camping ground. Visitors approaching these
springs in the summer, and springing on the sod
can fairly shake the adjoining springs, a fact
that leads to the opinion entertained by some,
that they are really openings of a lake, which
has been gradually covered over by the accumu-
lation of grass and grass roots and other luxu-
riant vegetation, which abounds along and
around the basin. The fact that the ground
around these springs is so elastic, and the known
incidents in history, where luxuriant vegetation
has frequently caused islands in rivers and lakes,
confirms this opinion in our mind, and we be-
lieve a thorough investigation will establish this
theory as correct. There is then in this basin
simply a covered lake, and the springs are open-
ings to it. The conformation of the land
around the basin also tends to convince us of the
truth of this theory. The basin is the receptacle
of the drainage of a large water-shed, and there
are high mountains nearly all around it. These
springs abound in fish — the little minnows that
are so common in the brooks and small streams
in the Eastern States. Other kinds there may
be, but these only have been caught. The

apertures differ in size, and the openings to
some are much larger than the openings in
others. If they were on a side-hill every body
would call them springs, but inasmuch as they
are in a low basin, they are called wells. Their
depth and surroundings also convey this im-
pression.

Mr. Hamill, a merchant of Wells, says that he
took a piece of railroad iron and tied some lariat
ropes to it (about 160 feet), and could find no
bottom in the deepest springs which he sounded
with that length of rope. He further says that
a government exploring party, under command
of Lieutenant Cuppinger, visited Wells in 1870
and took soundings of the springs to a depth of
from 1,500 to 1,700 feet and found no bottom.
These soundings were of the largest springs or
wells, and while his statement may be true, even
soundings to this depth does not render them
bottomless.

How to see them and know where they are, is
the next thing of consequence to the traveler.
As you pass west of the station, notice the end
of a piece of the old Union Pacific grade ; next
the graves surrounded by painted fences ; then
off to the right a heap of stones, where the en-
gine-house was built — the engine being used to
force water from the well, which is just beyond
this heap of stones, to the tank along side of the
track. The heavy growth of grass around the
place will indicate where this well is in sum-
mer, and the accumulated deposits of this grass
has raised a little rim around this particular
well, — and the same is true of others in its im-
mediate vicinity.

Travelers will take notice that a mail and ex-
press stage line leaves Wells tri-weekly — Mon-
days, Wednesdays and Fridays — in the morning,
for Sprucemont, 40 miles, and Cherry Creek,
95 miles distant. At Cherry Creek this line con-
nects with stages for Egan Canon, on the line of
the old overland stage route, Mineral City (Rob-
inson District) and Hamilton, the county-seat of
White Pine County. At Mineral City, convey-
ances can be easily obtained for Ward's District,
20 miles distant. The Spruce Mountain Mining
District is said to contain some very good mines,
and a company has recently been organized in
San Francisco, to continue the work of develop-
ment. Sprucemont is the mining town of the
district, and is beautifully located on an elevated
bench in the midst of groves of pines and cedars.
Stages also run 100 miles south to Shellburne,
also to Bull Run.

There are estimated to be about 40 ranches in
Clover Valley, and as many in Ruby Valley.
These ranchemen are engaged in agriculture and
stock growing. They raise wheat, barley, oats,
and splendid vegetables. Wells has extensive
stock-yards, to accommodate the large shipments
of cattle, annually made from these ranches.
The valley in this immediate vicinity is the

176

scene of the annual " round-ups," every spring.
Cedar Pass Range is the range on our left, as we
come through by Moore's Station. West of this
range and south of Wells, is Clover Valley. The
tourist will see " Castle Peak " on the further
side of this valley as the train pauses at the
station, and this peak is on the northern end of
Ruby Range, and it is always covered with snow.
Ruby Valley is nearly due south of the " Castle "
which you see in the mountain, and is divided
from Clover Valley by a spur of this range,
which turns into it like a hook. Ruby Range is
about 150 miles long, and we only see its north-
ern extremity at Wells.

North of Wells, across the first range, lies the
Thousand Spring Valley — then across another
low divide, you will strike a valley whose
waters flow north-west through the Columbia
River, to the Pacific Ocean. Fishermen will
bear in mind that salmon trout are caught in
this valley in the spring of the year. The
stream is a branch of the Salmon Falls River,
which empties into Snake River, about 120
miles north of this station.

A proposed railroad has been talked of, to con-
nect this point with Callville, on the Colorado
River, and the route is said to be very feasible.
Wells is also the connecting point for a direct
" cut off " to Salt Lake City, should such a road
be built.

It may be well to remark here, that the mount-
ain ranges in Nevada, as in Utah, generally ex-
tend from north to south — and the only exception
to this rule, is where there are broken or detached
ranges, or isolated peaks. Leaving Wells, the
foot hills on our left, in a short distance, ob-
scure a view of the high peaks in the Ruby
Range ; but they soon reappear as we pass down
the valley, and are our constant companions, only
a short distance away, until we leave Halleck.
Between the Humboldt River and the base of
these mountains, there is an elevated bench cov-
ered with the usual sage brush and grease wood,
while in the valley and along the borders of the
stream, grass land predominates. An exten-
sive stock-dealer, when asked about the quali-
fications, etc., for growing cattle, said that
" there was about one acre of grass to seventy-
five acres of sage brush," and a limited observa-
tion of this part of the State, at least, proves
that he was not far out of the way. As we de-
scend the river, however, a gradual increase in
grass lands will be observed, while in places, the
greasewood which, so far as we know, is entirely
useless, grows in astonishing luxuriance.

Tulasco, — 654 miles from San Francisco,
with an elevation of 5,482 feet. The valley seems
to widen out as we descend it, and bushes grow
in bunches along the banks of the stream as if
the old earth, under the most favorable conditions,
was trying to produce trees to beautify and adorn
these barren plains. Soon Bishop's Valley can

be seen on our right. Looking to the left, we
see the canon in the mountain side, down which
rushes Trout Creek, when the snows are melting
in the spring and early summer. This creek
abounds in " speckled beauties," and unites with
the Humboldt about a mile and a half below
Bishop's Creek, which we soon cross, through a
covered bridge.

Bishop's — is another side track station, but
on we glide through the valley as it widens out
into magnificent proportions. It is 649 miles
from San Francisco, and has an elevation of
5,412 feet. Another little creek and valley now
appear on our right, and we soon arrive at

Deeth, — 642 miles from San Francisco; ele-
vation, 5,340 feet. It is a telegraph station, and
has a few buildings around it. The valley seems
very broad as we approach this station, and evi-
dences of settlement and cultivation begin to
appear. The bushes and willows along the
banks of the stream increase, and it is a para-
dise for ducks and geese.

Halleck — is the next station, 630 miles from
San Francisco, with an elevation of 5,230 feet.
It is named from Camp Halleck, which is located
at the base of mountains, 13 miles from the
station, and across the river. A few troops are
usually kept here — two or three companies, —
and all the freighting and business of the post is
done from this station. The town itself has a
post-office, hotel, a small store and the usual saloons
where " lingering death," or '/ blue ruin," the com-
mon terms for whisky, is doled out to soldiers, and
others who patronize them. It is probable that
good crops of wheat, barley and oats could be
raised here by irrigating the land, but it is
mostly occupied as stock ranges. Camp Halleck
is not plainly seen from the railroad, though a
few buildings a little removed from it, will point
out its locality. A regular mail ambulance runs
daily between it and the station. Leaving
Halleck, Elko Mountain seems to rise on our
right close to the track, but the road soon turns
and we pass this landmark on our left. The
Ruby Range which we have seen away to the
left, from Wells to the last station, is now left in
the rear as we turn westward again, and pass
down one of the Humboldt Canons. The camp
is delightfully located, well watered and is sur-
rounded with thriving groves of cottonwood
trees.

Peko — is the next station, merely a side
track, and section-house at the head of the first
canon on the river. It is 626 miles from San
Francisco, with an elevation of 5,204 feet. We
are now at the head of the Humboldt Canon, the
first one through which the river passes. It is
not wild and rugged but nevertheless sufficiently
so to make it interesting. A short distance be-
low Peko, the North Fork of Humboldt comes
in. It is about as large as the main body and is
a peculiar stream. It rises nearly north of Car-

177

lin, some distance west of this point, and runs
to the north-east for a distance, then nearly east,
and finally turns toward the south-west, and
unites with the Humboldt at this point. The
road through this canon is full of short curves,
and winds like a serpent through the hills.
Now it seems as though the train would be
thrown into a heap at the base of the hill we
are approaching, but a turn to the right or
left saves us from such a calamity. Once or
twice before we reach Osino, the valley opens
out between the hills, and where the North Fork
enters there is an abundance of grass which is
monopolized by a raucheman. At the next
station,

Onino, — 614 miles from San Francisco, with
an elevation of 5,132 feet, — a mere side track,
we enter upon an open valley, and for about
nine miles pass over a nearly straight track.
The valley is all taken up by ranchemen and
farmers, and good crops are raised by irrigation.
The water is taken from the Humboldt above,
brought down in a ditch, from which it is taken
and distributed among the farms.

ELko, — 60(3 miles from San Francisco, with
an elevation of 5,063 feet. It is the regular
breakfast and supper station of the road, and
passengers get an excellent meal in a neat
house, kept by Mr. Clark, the most genial
and accommodating landlord on the road.
The table is usually well supplied with fruits,
fish and game.

Elko is the county-seat of Elko County — the
north-eastern county of the State. It has a pop-
ulation of about 1,200, and is destined to become
one of the important commercial and educa-
tional centers of the State. Jt has a large brick
court-house and jail, one church, an excellent
public school, and is the seat of the State Uni-
versity. This institution has 40 acres of ground
on a bench of land overlooking the city, in plain
sight of the cars on the right, just before reach-
ing the town. Its buildings have thus far cost
about $30,000, and it was first opened in 1875.
The money paid for freights consigned to this
place and the mining districts which are tribu-
tary to it, in 1875 amounted to nearly $400,000,
and the first year the railroad was completed
ran up to over $1,000,000. The town has nu-
merous retail stores and two or three wholesale
establishments, with a bank, a flouring mill,
brewery, hotels, etc. Water taken from the
Humboldt River some 17 miles distant, and
brought here in pipes, supplies the city. It has
three large freight depots, for the accommo-
dation of its railroad business, and is the loca-
tion of the United States Land office for the
Elko Land District. The city is rapidly im-
proving, brick and wooden structures taking
the place of the canvas houses that were formerly
prevalent. Altogether it has a bright and
promising future. Indians, mostly the Sho-
12

shones, of all sizes and of both sexes, hover
around the town and beg from the trains of
cars. They still bedaub themselves with paint,
and strut around with feathers in their hats in
true Indian style.

Elko is destined to become famous as a water-
ing place. About one and a half miles north of
the river, and west of the town, are a group of
mineral springs that are already attracting the
attention of invalids. There are six springs in
this group, three hot, and three cold. The hot
springs show 185° Fahrenheit, and one of them,
called the "Chicken Soup Spring," has water
which, with a little salt and pepper for season-
ing, tastes very much like chicken broth. We
regret that no analysis of the waters of these
springs has been made, which we could furnish
to our readers. Tourists in search of wonderful
curiosities will not fail to visit these springs and
observe the craters of those which are now ex-
tinct. The sediment or incrustations formed by
the water into some kind of porous rock, accu-
mulated around the apertures until at length
they were raised, in one instance, about three
feet above the surface of the ground, with a hol-
low basin, at least one foot in diameter on the
top. Other extinct springs are not as high as
this one, but show the same formation and have
the same peculiarities. Of the hot flowing
springs — said to be white sulphur — two are quite
large, and one of them is said to contain a large
solution of iron. A bathing-house has been
erected a short distance away, to which the wa-
ter is conducted, and in which there are private
bathing- rooms supplied with both hot and cold
water from the springs. There is also a large
swimming bath near by, with dressing-rooms ad-
joining. A large hotel is to be erected the pres-
ent year for the accommodation of guests. There
is a public conveyance running between the city
and the springs for the accommodation of vis-
itors. In the absence of an analysis of the
waters we will simply state that they are claimed
to be a certain cure for rheumatism and all dis-
eases of the blood ; to have a remarkable effect
in paralytic cases ; to have a good effect on con-
sumptives, when the disease is not too far ad-
vanced ; to cure fevers of all kinds, and the
leaded cases of miners who become poisoned
with the lead disease, by working among antiino-
nial ores. The uniform temperature of the
hot springs has been further utilized in hatching
chickens, and the experiment, if carried to per-
fection, will beat all the setting hens in the coun-
try. Poultry breeders will make a note of this
fact. A competent physician who is a good
judge of temperaments and diseases should be
located at the springs, and additional facilities
for the accommodation of invalids will make it a
place of great resort.

The following mining districts are tributary to
Elko, and will in the future, far more than in

178

the past, contribute to its growth and prosperity :
Lone Mountain, 30 miles distant ; Tuscarora, 50
miles ; Grand Junction, 55 miles ; Cornucopia,
70 miles ; Aurora, 80 miles ; Bull Run, lately
changed to Centennial, 80 miles; Cope, 100
miles ; Island Mountain placer diggings and
quartz mines, 75 miles ; Bruno, 80 miles ; Hicks,
110 miles; Mardis, 100 miles. Nearly all the
business done in these mining districts is trans-
acted through Elko, and adds not a little to its
bustling activity. These districts are north of
the town, and located mostly in the ranges of
mountains that border or lie between the forks
of the Owyhee River, a stream that flows into
the Snake River of Idaho. Lieutenant Wheeler,
in his report of the United States Exploring Ex-

E edition, which made a partial survey of the
inds and features of Nevada, describes this
mineral belt as about 160 miles long, and as one
of the richest in the country. It has been but
partially prospected, however, and we believe the
divelopments which are now in progress and
which are hereafter to be made, will astonish the
nation as to the unparalleled richness of the
mines of Nevada. Up to the spring of 1876,
greater developments had been made in the
mines in Tuscarora and Cornucopia Districts
than in most of the others. Tuscarora is the
principal town in the mining district of the
sam3 name. It has about 500 inhabitants, and by
September of the present year is anticipated to
have 1,500. The principal mines of this district
are Young America, Young America North,
Young America South, Lida, De Frees, Star,
Grand Deposit, Syracuse and others. The most
work thus far done, is on the Young America,
Young America South, and De Frees. On the
first named of these three there is an inclined
shaft of 190 feet, and carries free ore from sur-
face to end of development. In sinking, levels
h.ive been run to full extent of the ground, 800
feet, and the ledge is from 20 inches to five feet
wide.

It is easily worked, no explosions being re-
quired, and the ore is said to average from $80 to
$103 per ton in gold and silver, without assorting.

The developrn3iit on the De Frees Mine is as
follows : A tunnel has been run from side of
hill and ledge struck, about 40 feet from the sur-
face ; an incline shaft has been sunk from level
of this tunnel to a depth of 95 feet, showing fine
ore all the distance, the extreme bottom showing
the best ore. This ore has averaged from $90
to $150 per ton, in gold and silver. Steam
hoisting works have been erected on the Young
America, and a twenty-stamp mill will soon be
finished, for the reduction of the ores from this
mine. A twenty-stamp mill will soon be finished
for the De Frees Mine, and it is expected that
these mills will do some custom work for the
mines being developed in the vicinity. Other
mines in the district are said to be very prom-

ising. The mines in the Tuscarora and Cornu-
copia Districts are in a porphyry formation,
with free milling ore ; those in the Bull Run or
Centennial District are in porphyry and lime,
and the ores have to be roasted before they are
milled.

Cornucopia District is about 25 miles north of
Tuscarora District, and contains a population of
500. Its mines are upon the same range of
mountains as the Tuscarora. The principal
mines in this district are the Leopard ; the Pan-
ther, the Tiger, the Hussey, and the Consoli-
dated Cornucopia. Principal developments are
on the Leopard and Hussey. The former has
been largely opened, and has been running a
twenty-stamp mill for the past year or more,
producing about $1,000,000. The ore is said to
average about $150 per ton, all silver.

The Centennial District has a population of
about 200. Its principal mine is the Blue
Jacket, which supplies a twenty-stamp mill with
ore. A Buckner furnace for roasting is also
used in connection with the mill. The ore is
said to average $70 per ton, and the vein is
very large, frequently 20 feet between the walls.
Other districts are said to contain promising
mines, but miners and those interested in mines,
are always so full of hope — always expecting to
strike something rich — and nearly always hav-
ing a good thing in the "prospects" already
found, that it is extremely difficult to determine,
in a short investigation, which is the most prom-
ising district, or where are the best undeveloped
mines. In a developed mine the daily product
of bullion will show what it is worth.

Elko has a daily stage route north, which car-
ries the mail and express and supplies the fol-
lowing places : Taylors, Tuscarora, Independence
Valley, Grand Junction, Cornucopia, Bull Run
and Cope. These places are generally north and
north-west of Elko. At Cope, the route ends.
There is a weekly mail, stage and express line
to the Island Mountain District, 75 miles due
north. This is a placer gold field, discovered
in 1873, and it is estimated that $100,000 in gold-
dust, were taken out in 1875. Three miles north
of the Island Mountain District, is the Wyoming
District, where valuable silver mines are said to
have been discovered. The chief lode is known
as the Mardis, which is owned by a Chicago
company. A stamp mill is now being erected
there. The mineral belt before alluded to, be-
gins at the north end of the Goose Creek Range,
and runs south-west about 160 miles. It is
about 60 miles wide.' Tuscarora is also some-
what noted as a placer field, while Aurora, a
new district west of Cornucopia, is said to be
very promising. It is 10 miles from the last
named place to Aurora.

In the vicinity of the mining districts spoken
of, there are rich agricultural valleys where all
kinds of grain, but corn, are extensively raised,

179

and vegetables and melons grow to a great size
and excellence. There are, also, vast stock
ranges — all of which are tributary to Elko.

South from Elko there is a semi-weekly stage,
mail and express route to Bullion City, the town
of the Railroad Mining District. This town has
about 150 people, and is distant 25 miles from
Elko. The ores of this district are smelting
ores, and the town has two large furnaces for
the reduction of this ore. The principal mines

180

are owned by the Empire Company of New
York.

There is also a weekly stage line into the
South Fork and Huntington Valleys — two rich
agricultural valleys, which are thickly settled
with farmers and stockmen. In addition to the
two valleys last named, there are the Star,
Pleasant and Mound Valleys, all rich agricultural
districts, and all tributary to Elko. Elko has
one daily and two weekly papers which are well
supported. The Post is a weekly, Republican
in politics, and the Independent, daily and weekly,
is Democratic in politics — though party ties do
not seem to be drawn very tightly, and men, re-
gardless of their personal political affiliations,
frequently receive the support of all parties.

We will now take leave of this city, and, re-
freshed with food and rest, renew our journey
westward. The valley of the Humboldt con-
tinues to widen as we leave Elko for a few miles,
and if it is winter or cool mornings of spring or
autumn, we will see the steam rising in clouds
from the Hot Springs across the river near the
wagon bridge, on our left. The pasture and
meadow lands, with occasional houses are soon
passed, and we arrive at

Moleett,) — 594 miles from San Francisco, with
an elevation of 4,982 feet. It is simply a side
track station, with no settlements around it, and
trains seldom stop. The same general appear-
ance of the valley and low ranges on either side
continue to this place. Occasionally as we have
glanced to the left, the high peaks of the Ruby
Range have lifted themselves into view, overtop-
ping the nearer and lower range that borders the
river on the south.

Passing Moleen, the valley begins to nar-
row, and the river gorges through the Five Mile
Canon. Close to the bluffs we roll along and
suddenly, almost over our heads, the beating
storms of ages have washed out the softer and
more porous pai-ts of the ledges, leaving turrets
and peaks, towers and domes standing along in
irregular order. We could not learn that this
peculiar formation had any local name ; they are
known in this vicinity as the " Moleen Rocks,"
and with this name we must be satisfied. The
road curves to conform to the line of the earth
now one way and now another. The scenery here
is not grand and sublime, but just enough
peculiar to be interesting. The towering ledges
in this canon or, in the one below, are not a
thousand or fifteen hundred feet high,1 — for accu-
rate measurements have placed them at about
800 feet. This canon is soon passed and the
valley opens out again. We soon cross Susan's
Creek, and then Maggie's Creek, then Mary's
Creek, and we are at

Cfii'lin, — 585 miles from San Francisco, at
an elevation of 4,897 feet. It is a railroad town,
the terminus of a freight division of the road
and the location of the roundhouse, machine,

car and repair shops of the 'Humboldt Division
of the Central Pacific Railroad. It is the head-
quarters of Mr. G. W. Coddington, the Division
Superintendent. The division extends from
Toano to Winnemucca, and this place is about
half way between them. The town has no busi-
ness outside of the railroad shops and employes,
and numbers about 200 people. The round-
house has 16 stalls for engines, and the repair
shop, six pits. It is in Elko County. The old
emigrant road divided just before reaching Car-
lin, one branch going south of the river, and the
range of mountains bordering the same, and the
other going north of the hills on the north side of
the river. These two roads came togethei- below,
near Gravelly Ford. In the vicinity of Carlin
the four little creeks come in from the north.
In the order in which they are crossed, they are
called Susie, Maggie, Mary and Amelia. Tra-
dition says in regard to these names, that an
emigrant was crossing the plains with his family
at an early day, and that in this family were
four daughters in the order given, and that as
the party came to these streams, they gave the
name of each one of the daughters to them —
a very appropriate thing to do, and their names
have been perpetuated in history. Just east
of Moleen Station, the tourist looking off to the
left, will notice the break or gorge through the
low hills, on the south side of the river. Through
this gorge the South Fork of the Humboldt
comes in. This stream rises in the Ruby Range
of Mountains and flows in a general westerly
direction, uniting with the main river at this
point. We will here state that nearly all the
people in the vicinity, call the range of mount-
ains last alluded to " Ruby," and we have fol-
lowed the custom ; but Lieutenant Wheeler's Map
speaks of it as the Humboldt Range, and accord-
ing to the custom of the people along this valley,
nearly every range of mountains in sight, from
one side of the State to the other, is called " Hum-
boldt Range," or " Humboldt Mountains." As
to the fertility of these and other valleys in this
part of the State, it all depends upon irrigation.
A sage brush plain indicates good soil, but water
must be obtained to raise a crop. An effort has
been made to make Carlin the shipping point to
the mining districts on the north, but without
much success thus far. The iron horses are
changed here, and with a fresh steed we pass
down the valley. It is quite wide here, but will
soon narrow as we enter the Twelve Mile Canon.
Like the former, the road winds around the base
of the bluffs and almost under the ledges, with
the river sometimes almost under us. The
peaks and ledges seem to have no local name,
but some of them are very singular. In one
place, soon after entering the canon, the ledges
on the right side of the track seem to stand up
on edge, and broken into very irregular, sei rated
lines, — the teeth of the ledge being uneven as to

SCENES IN THE HUMBOLDT DESERT.

l._The Siiik of the Humboldt. 2.— Mountain Scene near Deetb. 3.— Group of Piute Indians. 4.— Humboldt River.
5.— Great American Desert, East of Elko. 6.— Wadsworth.

182

length. The height of the bluffs and of the
palisades below, is about the same as in the
former canon — 800 feet. In some places the pal-
isades are hollowed out like caves or open
arches, and the debris that has crumbled and
fallen from their summits during the ages,
obscures their full form and height from view.

Twelve Mile Canon, in the Palisades, was
graded in six weeks by the Central Pacific
Railroad Company, one cut herein containing
6,600 cubic yards. Five Mile Canon just east-
ward, was graded in three weeks, with a force of
5,000 to 6,000 men.

With the perpendicular walls rising on each
side of us, we glide around the curves, and in
the midst of these reddish lines of towering
rocks, arrive at

Palisade, — 576 miles from San Francisco,
with an elevation of 4,841 feet. It is the initial
point of the Eureka & Palisade Railroad, is a
growing little place between the wall rocks of the
river, and has a population of from 150 to 200
souls. It has one or two hotels or lodging-houses,
stores, saloons, two large freight depots, and the
machine and repair shops of the Eureka &
Palisade Railroad. This road is a three feet
gauge, and we shall speak of it more fully here-
after. A new station-house, ticket and telegraph
office has been constructed here, — the finest on
the road — to be occupied and used by both the
Central Pacific and Eureka & Palisade Roads.

The town is located about half the distance
down the canon, and the rocky, perpendicular
walls give it a picturesque appearance. The
lower half of the canon is not as wild and rug-
ged, however, as the upper half. All freight,
which is mostly base bullion, that is shipped
from Eureka and other points on this branch
road, has to be transferred here, and the traveler
may sometimes be surprised, in passing, at the
immense piles of bullion which may here be seen
on the platform of the railroad companies. On
a hill to the right is a wooden reservoir supplied
by springs, from which the water used in town
is taken. The canon above was not used for the
purposes of travel before the passage of the Cen-
tral Pacific Road — not even a horseman ventur-
ing through it.

Shoahone Indian Village. — Just below
the town is what Fenimore Cooper would doubt-
less call an Indian Village, but it requires a great
stretch of the imagination on the part of the prac-
tical American, or live Yankee, now-a-days, to see
it. A dozen or so tents, discolored with smoke
and besmeared with dirt and grease, revealing
from six to ten squalid beings covered with ver-
min, filth and rags, is not calculated to create a
pleasing impression, or awaken imaginary flights
to any great extent. Between Ogden and Battle
Mountain, the Indians now seen on the line of the
road are mostly Shoshones. Their reservation
proper, for this part of the country, is at Carlin,

but very few of them are on it. For some reason,
best known to themselves, they prefer to look
out for themselves rather than receive the small
annual amount appropriated by the government
for their maintenance. They are all inveterate
gamblers, and a group of squaws will sit on the
ground for hours, around a blanket stretched out,
and throw sticks. There are usually five of
these flat sticks, from four to six inches in
length, one side of which is colored slightly.
Each one has a rock, a piece of coal, or some
other hard substance by her side, and slightly
inclined toward the blanket. She will then
gather the sticks in her hand and throw them
upon this rock so that they will bound on to the
blanket, and the point of the game seems to be,
which side of the sticks, the colored or plain,
comes up in falling. It seems to be a perfect
game of chance, and the one who throws so that
the sticks all fall colored side up, seems to have
some advantage in the game. There is said to
be some improvement in their methods of living
during the last fifteen years ; some of them have
been employed on ranches, and some of the
squaws are employed in doing the plainest kinds
of housework ; the children and younger mem-
bers of the tribe are most all becoming acquainted
with the English language, and all, so far as they
are able, are gradually adopting the civiHzed
customs of dress, etc., though they invariably,
thus far, paint their faces.

Leaving Palisade, the traveler will notice the
railroad bridge, a short distance out, on which
the narrow gauge crosses the river on its way
south as it enters Pine Valley. We soon enter
gorges in the canon, and on the left side of the
river a high bluff rises. After passing this, and
looking back about half way up the side, a
column is seen jutting out in front of the bluff,
and crowned with what appears like a finger.
We have called it " Finger Rock." The chan-
nel of the river has been turned from its bed by
a heavy embankment — a work rendered neces-
sary to avoid a short curve, and on we go over a
very crooked piece of road for nearly six miles,
when we cross the river and the valley again
opens. We have now passed through the Twelve
Mile Canon, and soon arrive at

Cluro, — a way-station 565 miles from San
Francisco, with an elevation of 4,785 feet.
Trains do not stop unless signaled. The valley
becomes wider, the hills more sloping and less
high as they border the valley, but away to the
left are the higher peaks of the Cortez Mount-
ains. We now enter an open basin, and on the
right we see the old emigrant road making up
the hill from Gravelly Ford. One branch of
this road, leading to the same ford, we also
cross, but the old roadway, plainly visible from
the cars, up the hill on the north side of the river,
marks the locality of the ford itself. The river
here spreads over a wide, gravelly bed, and is

TW&IST.

183

184

always shallow so that it is easily crossed. The
emigrants, in the days of ox and mule trains,
took advantage of this crossing to send letters,
either one .way or the other,- by outward bound or
returning trains. They would split a willow
sprout by the side of the road and put their let-
ters in it, which would be taken out by some one
in the first train and carried to the nearest post-
office on the route.

In 1858, it is said, that an Indian massacre
took place here, in which 18 emigrants were
killed ; and other skirmishes with the gentle
red men, were frequently in order. The old emi-
grant road is fairly lined with the graves of emi-
grants, who perished on their way to the land of

finally come to believe it themselves ; and this
may account for the many wonderful stories that
have been palmed off on some book-makers, and
by them, in turn, hashed up for the traveling
public. Travelers can always hear all they
choose, but it is well to be a little cautious about
believing all they hear.

The Maiden's Grave. — There is hardly an
old resident on this coast, but who has some in-
cident to relate in reference to Gravelly Ford. It
was not only an excellent crossing place, but it
was also a fine camping place, where both man
and beast could recruit after the weary days on
the dreary plains. There were wide bottom-
lands that offered excellent grazing for stock,

ENTERING 1IUMBOLDT CANON.

gold, or in returning from the same. There are,
also, many of the Shoshoues and Piutes now
living, who have been made cripples in these
battles and skirmishes with the emigrants.
They will talk about them with their acquaint-
ances, and say "heap of white men killed
there," but can seldom be induced to say how
many Indians were slain in the same conflict.
Indeed, parties representing each side of the
contending forces have become well acquainted,
and now frequently meet each other on friendly
terms. There is a disposition, also, among these
old plainsmen " to spin yarns," equal to any old
navigator that ever lived, and one has to be ex-
tremely cautious as to what he believes. These
old story-tellers are like old Jim Bridger — they
will tell a lie so often and so earnestly, that they

aad the small brush along the banks of the
stream gave excellent shade and firewood. On
a low point of land that juts out toward the
river on the south side of the track, and just be-
low this ford, is the Maiden's Grave. Tradition
has it that she was one of a party of emigrants
from Missouri, and that, at this ford, while they
were in camp, she sickened and died. Her lov-
ing friends laid her away to rest in a grave on
this point of land, in plain sight of the ford and
of the valley for miles in either direction. But
while her remains were crumbling into dust, and
she, too, was fading from the memory of all, per-
haps, but her immediate relatives, the railroad
builders came along, and found the low mound,
and the decayed head-board which marked her
resting-place. With that admiration of , and de-

185

votion to woman, which characterizes American
citizens of even humble origin, they made a new
grave and surrounded it with an enclosure — a
picket fence, painted white — and by the side of
it erected a cross, the emblem of the Christian's
faith, which bears on one side, this legend — " The
Maiden's Grave " — and on the other, her name,
" Lucinda Duncan." All honor to the men whose
respect for the true woman led them to the per-
formance of this praiseworthy act — an act which
would have been performed by no race under the
heavens, but ours : and not by them, indeed, to
the remains, under similar circumstances, of a
representative of the sterner sex. The location
of this grave is near Beowawe, and the point is
now used as a burial ground by the people living
in the vicinity. Passing the point where the
grave is located, an extended valley comes in
from the left, south of which extends the Cor-
tez Range of Mountains. We now arrive at

Beowaive, — 556 miles from San Francisco,
with an elevation of 4,695 feet. It has a hotel,
a few dwellings, and is the station where the
business of the Cortez Mining District is trans-
acted. There is no regular stage line to this
district, but private conveyances may be ob-
tained. The mines are reported looking well —
are mostly individual property. They are 30
miles from the station and a tri-weekly mail is
carried by some parties who are interested in the
matter. A reduction mill has been erected there,
which is producing bullion regularly. There is
a beautiful signification attached to the name of
this station, which will be more fully realized
after the station is passed, than before. It
means "gate," or "the gate," and as you look
back from below, the conformation of the hills
on either side of the valley is such, that the sta-
tion seems to stand in an open gateway, up the
Humboldt Valley to the canon beyond. The
valley is occasionally dotted with farm-houses,
or ranches, and besides stock raising, which is
one of the principal features of this part of the
country, there is considerable done in the way of
agriculture, barley being the chief crop — yield-
ing immensely when the land is properly irri-
gated and the crops taken care of. At Beowawe
an immense stretch of valley land can be seen
away to the right, with a range of mountains,
which seems to be an extension of the Reese
River Range, north of the Humboldt, west of it.
As the river bends northward to meet these val-
leys, it receives the waters of Boulder and Rock
Creeks, which come in from the north and north-
east. These creeks open up a vast country,
which is well occupied by ranches and stock-
men. Leaving Beowawe, we cross a large valley
and sage brush plain — the valley coining in from
the south. A few miles out, we notice, if the
weather is at all cool, steam rising from the side
of the mountain, while colored streaks, caused
by the sediment of the springs, can clearly be

seen from the passing train. This steam comes
from the Hot Springs on the mountain side, and
the sediment marks their locality. The water in
some of these springs is boiling hot, and par-
takes strongly of sulphur. We could not learn
that any analysis had been made, nor could any
one inform us of the exact temperature. There
is a vast field for geological exploration in this
State, and the general government should enter
upon the work at once. The springs also are im-
pregnated with iron, but no one knows the quan-
tity, nor just in what proportion these mineral
waters are mixed. To the inhabitants in this
immediate vicinity, of course, they have ceased
to be a wonder; but to the majority of travelers,
they will ever be clothed with interest. A creek of
alkali water comes down from the springs and
we cross it on the flat alluded to, and the wide
valley off to the right is still better seen as we
approach and pass

Shoshone, — 546 miles from San Francisco ;
elevation, 4,636 feet. It is simply a side track
station. Rock Creek, before spoken of, cornes
into the Humboldt nearly opposite this place,
and the broad valley continues, on the right of
the road. The station is called Shoshone Point
by the people in the valley, because a mountain,
or high ridge, pushes out into the valley, like a
promontory. This is one of the landmarks on
the dividing line between the Shoshone and
Piute tribes of Indians ; but the line we con-
sider purely imaginary, from the fact that Indi-
ans, as a general thing, go where they please in
this country, lines or no lines. The wide basin
spoken of, continues below and off to the right
of this station, and, as we pass on, a long line of
board fence will be noticed stretching, from a
point high up on the mountain, across the track
and valley toward the Humboldt River, on the
right. This is the eastern line of Dunphy & Hil-
dreth's stock ranche. In seven miles we shall
pass the western line, or fence. We have be-
fore spoken of Iliff, as the cattle king of the
plains, and, while this is true east of the Black
Hills of Wyoming, he will have to yield the
crown to some of the cattle kings of the Pacific
Coast. This firm has 20 miles of fencing in
these two lines : They have over 20 thousand
acres fenced in. Their fences, made of redwood
posts and Oregon pine boards, cost them a little
over $900 per mile. They have, altogether,
about 40,000 head of cattle, mainly in two
herds — one here and the other north, on the
Snake River. They have purchased of the State,
government and Central Pacific Railroad and
now own about 30,000 acres of land. Most of
their cattle are shipped to, and find a market in
San Francisco.

The immense range fenced in at this point is
occupied by a select herd of graded stock, and
some of the best blooded animals in the country
are annually purchased to improve the grades.

186

The system they have adopted for grading up their
herds, is such that in a very few years they will
have the largest herd of high graded stock in
the country. They also cut large quantities of
hay on the meadow lands near the banks of the
Humboldt, which they feed to all their weak
cattle, and to those which they intend for late
winter, or early spring market. The Humboldt
Valley and its tributaries constitute the best
part of the State for stock ranges. The snow
seldom falls very deep ; does not stay long, and
the grass makes its appearance early in the
spring. The purchase of large tracts of land by
these foresighted cattlemen, will give them a
monopoly of the business in the future.

Arffenta, — 535 miles from San Francisco;
elevation, 4,548 feet. It is simply a side track
station, where considerable hay is shipped. This
station is immediately surrounded by alkali flats,
near the base of the Reese River Mountains.
The road continues for a few miles along the
base of these mountains, when, suddenly, a broad
valley opens out, on the left. It is the" valley of
Reese River. We turn to the right, cross the
valley and the river — all there is left of it — and
arrive at

Battle Mountain, — 524 miles from San
Francisco, with an elevation of 4,511 feet. It is
located at the junction of the Reese River and
Humboldt Valleys. The mountain which gives
it its name is about three miles south of the sta-
tion, where there are magnificent springs from
which water is conducted to the town, supplying
the railroad and inhabitants with water. Battle
Mountain is the regular dinner station on the
line of the road, and the passenger will dine at a
very cosy and attractive place. In the midst of
a surrounding desert he will observe the flowing
fountain and patches of green grass which will
here greet his eyes, together with the evident
taste and care which is manifested about every-
thing connected with the house. Travelers will
occasionally have a great deal of fun in listening
to the talk of the Chinese waiters.

The town is mostly on one street south of the
railroad. It has several quite extensive stores, a
public hall, an excellent school-house, two large
freight depots, a first-class hotel. It has an ex-
tensive and rapidly increasing trade with the
surrounding country, and newly developed min-
ing districts in its neighborhood. It is the busi-
ness center of a large number of stockmen, and
the trading point for a large number of mining
districts — districts considerably scattered over
quite a large part of the State. The town is
located in Lander County, but is not the county-
seat. Austin, 90 miles away, claims that honor.

Daily stages, carrying the mail and express,
leave here for Austin, Belmont and other places
south, immediately on the arrival of the trains
from the west. The distance to Austin, 90 miles,
is made by about 6 o'clock on the morning of the

day after departure, and, of course, takes in an
all night stage ride. Belmont, about 90 miles
from Austin, is reached in the evening of the day
after departure.

The following mining districts, south of the
railroad, are reached by stages to Lewis and
Tuscarora : commencing on the east side of the
Reese River Range, first is the Lewis Mining
District, 16 miles distant from Battle Mountain.
It is located on the northern extremity of the
range. At the southern extremity of this range
is the Austin District. The mountain range
between these two districts, is said to contain
mines, but it has not been thoroughly prospected.
Austin, the head-quarters of the Austin District,
is a very nice town with a population of about
3,000 souls. It is said to possess a good deal of
public spirit, and is active and enterprising. It
has a fine court-house, three churches, a large
brick public school building, some elegant resi-
dences, and other appearances of thrift. The
Reese River Valley is about 160 miles long, trav-
ersed its entire length by the river of the same
name, though it cannot be called much of a river
where the railroad crosses it, near Battle Mount-
ain. The upper portion of the valley, about 50
miles in length, is a very fine agricultural dis-
trict, is quite well settled, and is tributary to
Austin. The valley is also settled in places
where mountain streams come into it, between
Battle Mountain and Austin. The Manhattan
Company, composed of New York capitalists,
own and operate nearly all the mines in the
Austin District. They are reported to possess
some excellent mines with milling ore, some of
which is high grade. There are other mining
districts around Austin, and tributary to it-
such as the Jefferson, lone, Belmont, etc., which
are favorably spoken of.

On the west side of the Reese River Valley,
and immediately south of Battle Mountain, are
the following districts: Battle Mountain Dis-
trict, 7 miles distant; Galena District, 16 miles;
Copper Canon, 18 miles, and Jersey, 55 miles.
The copper mines are owned by an English com-
pany— which is now putting in concentrating
machinery — and are said to be rich. The Jersey
District produces smelting ore, and has one or
two furnaces already erected which are turning
out bullion.

North of Battle Mountain are the Cornucopia
and Tuscarora Districts which are said to do
some business from this place, and are regarded
as tributary to it. Several stations on the line
of the road are competing for the trade of these
mining districts, and all claim it, and also claim
to be the nearest railroad point, with the best
wagon roads, etc.

Battle Mountain — not north of the Humboldt
River, but about three miles south of the station
— is reported to have been the scene of a conflict
between a party of emigrants camped near the

187

springs heretofore spoken of, and a band of red-
skins who had an innate hankering after the stock
of the said party of emigrants. The losses of
this battle are said to have been quite severe on
both sides, considering the numbers engaged. It
is generally conceded, however, that the redskins
got the worst of it, though they say " A heap
white men killed there."

The opening, or valley directly opposite and
north of Battle Mountain, is without water in its
lower portion, and is a desert of sand and sage
brush. The range of mountains at whose base the
town is situated, and south of it, on the west side
of Reese River Valley, is sometimes called the
Battle Mountain Range, and sometimes the
Fish Ci'eek Range, from a creek that rises in it
about 25 miles south of Battle Mountain, and
runs into Reese River Valley.

About 25 miles south of Battle Mountain, are
some very fine hot springs. There are nearly
60 of them, covering about half a section of
land. The largest one is about 60 feet long by
30 feet wide, and at times rises and falls from
three to five feet. These springs are on the
stage road to Austin, and are something of a
wonder to travelers in that direction.

How Ore. is Reduced. — We visited the re-
duction works of the Lewis District, and to those
who are not familiar with the way in which ores
are handled, the following account may be of
some interest. The ore from the mine in this dis-
trict is neither free milling nor smelting ore. It
has to be dried before it can be milled, and then
roasted before it can be separated and amalgam-
ated. The following is our account of the
process in taking the silver from the ore : The
ore, as it comes from the mine, is first run through
a crusher — a machine which has two heavy pieces
of iron coming together like the human jaws in
chewing. It is then passed either onto drying
pans, heated by a fire from some furnace, or into
a revolving dryer where all the moisture is ex-
tracted. From this dryer it passes through a large
iron tube or pipe into the milling hoppers below.
These hoppers, holding the crushed and dried ore,
are similar to those seen in old fashioned grist-
mills, and from them the ore runs on to the stamp
mill. The stamp mill is a series of upright iron
shafts with a heavy iron or steel hammer on the
lower end of each shaft. By machinery, these
shafts are lifted up very rapidly and dropped — a
process repeated by each one from sixty to ninety
times per minute. As they fall, they stamp or
crush the ore to powder. In fact it leaves this mill
pulverized like dust, and is conveyed by a hori-
zontal screw to an adjoining room, where it is
taken by elevators, just like those used in flour-
ing mills to a bin or tank above. In the room
where this elevator and bin are, is the cylin-
drical roaster and furnace. From the tank the
pulverized ore is taken as required, through an
iron pipe into a large horizontal revolving

roaster. About one and one-half tons of ore
dust are required to charge the roaster, to which
is added from eight to ten per cent, of salt. The
heat and fire from the furnace pass through
this roaster as it slowly turns around, the ore
now mixed with salt, falling of course, from side
to side at each revolution, across and through
the flames. It is kept in this place about seven
hours, or until it is supposed to be thoroughly
chloridized. It is a sulphuret ore as it conies
from the mine, but becomes a chloride ore by
passing through this process. It comes out of
the roaster at a white heat, is then wet down and
cooled, and taken to an amalgamating pan which
is agitated with a muller, which revolves in the
pan from 60 to 70 times per minute — in other
words, it is a stirring apparatus. One and a
half tons of ore are put into these pans, to
which is added about 350 Ibs. of quicksilver.
Water is then turned in and the mixture stirred
a little, to the consistency of thick paste. Then
hot steam is let in upon the mass, and while in
process of agitation it is heated to a boiling heat.
The pulp, as it is now called, is kept in this pan
and constantly agitated or stirred for about
seven hours. A plug is then drawn from the
bottom of the tank or pan, and the pulp passes
into " a settler " or " separator " where it is
again agitated in water — the amalgam, mean-
while, settling to the bottom of the " settler," the
quicksilver — with the silver — being drawn into
a little receiver, from which it is dipped into
sacks and strained. The quicksilver being thus
nearly all taken out, the balance is called dry amal-
gam, and this is taken to an iron retort, cylindri-
cal in shape, about five feet long and 12 inches
in diameter. This cylinder is charged with
about 900 Ibs. of this dry amalgam, then
thoroughly sealed, after which it is heated from
a furnace underneath. The quicksilver remain-
ing in the amalgam,volatilizes under the action of
heat, and passes through an iron tube sur-
rounded by cold water, where it is condensed and
saved. The quicksilver being expelled by the
action of the heat, leaves the crude bullion
(silver in this case) in the cylinder. The dry
amalgam remains in the retort some six or seven
hours, — requiring two or three hours additional
to cool. The base bullion is then taken out, cut
into small pieces and placed in a black lead
crucible, and melted over a charcoal fire. While
in this crucible the dross of course rises to the
surface of the molten mstal and is skimmed off.
In the crucible it is thoroughly stirred with
a long iron spoon, and a sample poured into
cold water for assaying purposes. This is done
just before the hot metal is poured into
the molds and becomes bars. The assay deter-
mines its fineness and value, which is stamped
upon it, and it is then shipped and sold. It goes
into the mill ore from the mine, and comes out
silver in bars.

188

Tlie tfreat Plains and Desert.

BY JOAQUIN MILLER.

Go ye and look upon that land,
That far, vast land that few behold,
And none beholding, understand ;
That old, old land, which men call new,
That land as old as time is old :

Go journey with the seasons through
Its wastes, and learn how limitless,
How shoreless lie the distances,
Before you come to question this,
Or dare to dream what grandeur is.

The solemn silence of that plain,
Where unmanned tempests ride and reign,
It awes and it possesses you,
'Tis, oh, so eloquent.

The blue

And bended skies seem built for it,
With rounded roof all fashioned fit,
And frescoed clouds, quaint-wrought and true :
While all else seems so far, so vain,
An idle tale but illy told,
Before this land so lone and old.

Lo ! here you learn how more than fit,
And dignified is silence, when
You hear the petty jeers of men,
Who point, and show their pointless wit.
The vastness of that voiceless plain,
Its awful solitudes remain,
Thenceforth for aye a part of you,

And you are of the favored few,
For you have learned your littleness.

Some silent red men cross your track ;
Some sun-tann'd trappers come and go ;
Some rolling seas of buffalo
Break thunder-like and far away,
Against the foot hills, breaking back,
Like breakers of some troubled bay ;
But not a voice the long, lone day.

Some white tail'd antelope flow by,
So airy-like ; some foxes shy,
And shadow-like shoot to and fro,
Like weaver's shuttles as you pass — ;
And now and then from out the grass,
You hear some lone bird chick, and call,
A sharp keen call for her lost brood.
That only make the solitude,
That mantles like some sombre pall,
Seem deeper still, and that is all.

A wide domain of mysteries,
And signs that men misunderstand !
A land of space and dreams : a land
Of sea, salt lakes and dried up seas !
A land of caves and caravans,
And lonely wells and pools.

A land

That hath its purposes and plans,
That seem so like dead Palestine,
Save that its wastes have no confine,
Till pushed against the levell'd skies.

189

How the Piiites Bury their Dead. —

There seems to be a very irregular custom in
practice among this tribe of Indians, in refer-
ence to the disposition they make of their dead.
When one of their number is sick, the services
of a Medicine Man, as he is called, are made
available, and all his arts and skill are exhausted
to effect a recovery if possible. The Medicine
Man coims, and goes through a system of con-
tortions, which would rack the frame of a white
person till it was unjoiuted, makes passes with
the hands over the body of the sick one, and
keeps up a continual howl that must grate very
harshly upon the nerves of a sensitive person.
.Amidst these motions and groans and passes, the
victim to disease lingers, until death puts an
end to his sufferings. When the final dissolu-
tion has occurred, the body hardly has time to
become cold, before it is wrapped in a blanket,
or old cloths, and preparations are made for the
burial. This is done in secret, and, strange as
it may appear, though many have died since the
advent of the whites into this country, not a
single person, so far as we could learn, knows of
the burial place of a Piute Indian. The Indians
will scatter in small parties, some of whom, it is
supposed, will dig a grave, or perhaps several of
them ; and though their actions may be closely
watched, they somehow manage to spirit away
the body and conceal it in its final resting-place
so completely, that its location is unknown.
Whether the immediate relatives of the deceased
are made acquainted with the burial place, we
could not learn, but judge not, from the fact
that all traces of the grave are obliterated from
humiu view. This custom of concealing their
d3ad, so very strange to us, is said to be univer-
sal among this tribe. Another singular custom
among them, is to remove the tent, or wick-ee-up,
at once, as soon as the body is taken away.
They claim that an evil spirit has cursed the
spot, and that it would be dangerous for them to
remain in the " wick-ee " longer, or on the
ground where it stood. They hasten into this
work as if actuated by the greatest fear, and,
ever afterwards, seem to regard it with suspicious
awe.

How the Piutes Catch Fish. — Nearly
all the Indians seen on the line of the road be-
tween Battle Mountain and Reno, are Piutes.
They are great rabbit-hunters, and very success-
ful in fishing. They make hooks from rabbit
bones and greasewood, which are certainly su-
perior to the most improved article made by the
whites. This hook is in the shape of what
might be called the letter " V " condensed ; that
is, the prongs do not spread very far. A line,
made of the sinews of animals, or the bark of a
species of wild hemp, is attached to this hook at
tha angle, and baited with a snail or fresh water
bloodsucker. Several of these hooks are tied to
a heavier line, or a piece of light rope, one above

the other, so far that they will not become tan-
gled or snarled. A stone is then tied to the end
of the heavy line, and it is cast into the stream.
The fish take the bait readily, but Mr. Indian
does not " pull up " when he feels one fish on the
line. He waits until the indications are that
several fish are there — one on each hook — and
then he pulls out the heavy line, with fish and all.
It seems that the hooks are so made that they
can be swallowed easily enough with the bait, but
as soon as the fish begins to struggle, the string
acts on both prongs of the hook, pulling it
straight, the ends of the letter " V " hook, of
course, piercing its throat. It can neither swal-
low it, nor cast it forth from its month. The
more it pulls and struggles, the more straight-
ened the hook becomes. Besides the superiority
of this hook, one fish being caught, others are
naturally drawn around it, and seize the tempt-
ing bait upon the fatal hook. In this way an In-
dian will catch a dozen or so fish, while a white
man, with his fancy rod and " flies " and
" spoons," and other inventions to lure the finny
tribes and tempt them to take a bait, will catch
not one.

Leaving Battle Mountain we have a straight
track for about 20 miles, across a sage brush
plain, the river and a narrow strip of bottom-
lands, on our right.

Pitite, — 519 miles from San Francisco, with
no elevation given, and

Coin, — 511 miles from San Francisco, are
simply side track stations where trains meet and
pass, but of no importance to the traveler. There
was no Indian battle fought near Piute, nor does
the Reese River sink into the .valley here. What
battle there was, was fought, as before stated,
about three miles south of Battle Mountain Sta-
tion, and what the sands in the valley do not ab-
sorb of the waters of Reese River, may be seen —
a little alkali stream — flowing across the railroad
track, east of Battle Mountain, to effect a junc-
tion with the Humboldt River.

Stone House, — 504 miles from San Fran-
cisco, with an elevation of 4,422 feet. This was
not an old trading post, but a station in former
times of the Overland Stage Company, and the
house, built of stone near some very fine springs,
was one of the eating-houses on their line, where
travelers could relish square meals of bacon and
coffee with safety. There is no particular ravine
near the old ruins which the traveler would
notice as an impregnable fortress. Quite a
number of skirmishes are reported to have taken
place near this station, however, and the graves
yet distinguished in its vicinity tell of the num-
ber who were killed near this place, or died here
on their journey to the golden shores of the
Pacific. Stone House Mountain, as it is now
called, rears its head just back of the crumbling
ruins, and from its summit a most extensive and
beautiful view of the neighboring valleys and

190

surrounding country can be obtained. On the
western slope of this mountain, and about seven
miles from the station, are some hot springs simi-
lar to others found in the Great Basin. But
these springs are no more peculiar than those
found at Golconda. a few miles below, nor dif-
ferent from those found near Beowawe, which
have already been mentioned. A gentleman
who camped four days near them, while in pur-
suit of a marauding party of Indians, informs us
that there are four springs at the place alluded to,
ttiat they vary in temperature, and that only one
is boiling hot, from which steam simply rises in
the cool mornings of the season. The waters of
this particular spring are very fine for drinking,
when cooled. These springs are not in sight
from the railroad, nor can the steam therefrom
be seen. About the only way one can become
scalded is to tumble into it. Jn such a case,
something more than " simple cerate and the
prayers of friends " will be required. During
the passage of the Humboldt Valley we cross
several dry valleys, between ranges of mountains,
that seem to be cut in twain by the river. These
valleys are mostly covered with sand and sage
brush; occasionally have streams flowing down
from the mountains which soon sink in the sands.
There is a wide valley of this description north
of the track as we approach

Iron Point, — 491 miles from San Francisco;
elevation, 4,375 feet. This station is near the
point of a low ridge, with barren sides and rocky
summit; the rocks a little reddish, indicating
the proximity of iron. It is a shipping point
for cattle, and has extensive stock-yards, though
there are no other accommodations near by.
This ridge was formerly considered the bound-
ary line between the Shoshones and Piutes, and
a trespass by either party has been the cause of
many an Indian war. The wasting away of these
tribes, however, renders the line simply imagin-
ary, and the rights of either party to exclusive
privileges on either side are no longer regarded.
The valley now narrows, and we pass through a
sort of a canon, with high blutfson both sides of
the road. We wind round numerous curves, and
after the canon is passed, we shall see the re-
mains of an old irrigating ditch that was started
here by a French company to take water from
the Humboldt and carry it down the valley quite
a distance for irrigating and mill purposes. A
great amount of labor and money was expended
upon this enterprise, but it was finally aban-
doned. We believe a small outlay, compara-
tively, would now make it a success. The ditch
began at an adobe house, just as we are through
a short canon and as the valley again begins to
widen. This pass was called 'Emigrant Canon
in the days of wagon travel.

Golconda, — 478 miles from San Francisco,
with an elevation of 4,385 feet. The little town
here has one or two stores, a hotel, several adobe

houses and the usual railroad conveniences.
Golconda is favorably located, as regards two or
three important mining districts, and will event-
ually do considerable business with them. It is
also the location of some eight or ten hot mineral
springs, which are passed on the right side of the
track, just after leaving town. These springs
vary in temperature from cool, or tepid water, to
that which is boiling hot. The swimming bath
— an excavation in the ground — is supplied with
tepid water, and is said to be very exhilarating.
The Boiling Spring — exact temperature and
analysis unknown — is utilized by the farmers in
the valley in scalding their swine. The water is
said to be hot enough to boil an egg in one min-
ute. Here clouds of steam can be seen when
the weather is cold, rising from the hot water and
warm soil surrounding.

One of the springs near this station is also a
curiosity, and should be visited by tourists. It
is conical in shape, like an inverted tea-cup, four
or five feet high, with a basin about three feet in
diameter on the top. Formerly, the water came
in at the bottom of this basin and bubbled over
the rim ; but a few years since, it was tapped
from below, and the water now flows out at
the side, leaving the basin and cone as it war,
formed, by the sedimentary incrustations and
deposit. The water flowing from the hot
spring is used for irrigating purposes, and the
owners of the spring have a monopoly of early
vegetable " garden truck," raising early radishes,
lettuce, onions, etc., before their season, by the
warmth produced from the hot water. It is
expected that the springs will be improved this
year by the erection of a suitable bathing-house
and hotel for the accommodation of guests.

Gold Run Mining District, south of Golconda,
is tributary to the place. The mines are re-
ported rich in large uodies of ore, but not of a
very high grade. They are, however, easily ac-
cessible, and not more than 10 or 15 miles from
the railroad, with good wagon roads the entire
distance. The ore in this district is both smelt-
ing and milling — but requires roasting if it is
to be milled. Three prospects are now being
worked. About three miles from town is a small
four-stamp mill, which is running on ore from
this district.

Paradise District of gold and silver mines, is
about 18 miles north of Golconda. The ore is
said to be a rich milling variety, but the pros-
pects are not yet sufficiently developed to deter-
mine the true value of the district.

Title, — 530 miles from San Francisco, with an
elevation of 4,313 feet. It is simply a side track
of no importance to travelers, and trains seldom
stop. After leaving Golconda, we look toward
the north and see the opening of Eden Valley.
East of this valley, and to our right, is the Sol-
dier's Spring Range, a broken range of mount-
ains. Eden Valley extends north to the Little

191

Humboldt River. In fact, this river flows through
the upper portion of the valley, and rises in the
range just named, and flows in a south-westerly
direction through Paradise Valley and unites
with the Humboldt, nearly opposite, north of
Title. Paradise Valley is a fine agricultural
basin, thickly settled, about 30 miles north.
Paradise Valley is the name of the post-office —
a semi-weekly line of mail stages connecting it
with Winnemucca, the county-seat of Humboldt
County. This valley is shaped like a horseshoe,
and produces superior crops of barley, wheat,
rye and all kinds of vegetables. It seems to
have a depression in the center, and, while it is
nearly all cultivated, the best crops are raised on
the slopes toward the mountains. The soil is a
black, gravelly loam, and sage brush grows on
the slopes to enormous size. Experiments in
fruit culture have been tried, but, thus far, with
indifferent success. Paradise Valley has a flour-
ing-mill, store and dwellings, and gives every in-
dication of thrift. Its name indicates the high
esteem in which it is held by the settlers. It is
nearly surrounded by mountains, and the numer-
ous streams flowing down from them, afford am-
ple water for irrigation. Most of these streams
sink in the ground before they reach the Little
Humboldt. Five miles beyond Tule, we reach

WriuneHiticca, — 463 miles from San Fran-
cisco ; elevation, 4,332 feet. It is named in
honor of the chief of the Piute tribe of Indians.
The name itself means " chief," and is given to
any member of the tribe who holds that office.
The Piutes are divided into several bands, each
under a chief they call " Captan," thought here
to be derived from the Spanish, and to mean the
sains as our English word, "captain." Winne-
mucca is now about 70 years old, and lives on
the Malheur Reservation, in Oregon — a reserva-
tion occupied by the Piutes and Bannocks. He
is very much respected — almost worshiped by
his dusky followers.

The town is the county-seat of Humboldt
County, and has a population of about 1,200
people, among whom are some Indians, and quite
a number of Chinamen. It is the western ter-
minus of the Humboldt Division of the Central
Pacific, has a large roundhouse, two large freight
depots and the usual offices, etc., for the accom-
modation of the railroad business. An elegant
brick court-house has bsen erected, together with
several stores, hotels, shops, a large flouring-mill,
a foundry, a ten-stamp quartz mill, with a capa-
city for crushing ten tons of ore every 24 hours,
and other public improvements completed, or in
contemplation. The town is divided into two
parts — upper and lower ; the latter being built
on the bottom land near the river, and the upper,
on a huge sand-bank, adjoining the railroad.
Most of the buildings are frame, though a few
are built of brick, or adobe, which, in this west-
ern country, are called " dobe," for short.

There is a school-house with accommodations
for about 150 pupils — two apartments, and no
churches. It is also quite a shipping point for
cattle and wool. About 9,000 head of cattle
were shipped to the San Francisco market from
this place, in the months of January and Feb-
ruary of the present year. In the spring of
1875, over 500,000 Ibs. of wool were shipped to
New York and Boston markets. It is also the
shipping point to Camp McDermott, near the
northern line of the State ; to Silver City and
Boise City, Idaho ; and to Baker and Grant

WINNEMCCCA, THE NAPOLEON OF THE I'll'TES.

Counties, in south-eastern Oregon. The stage
lines are as follows : Daily stage and mail line
to Silver City and Boise City, Idaho, — distance
to Silver City, 210 miles, extension to Boise, 65
miles farther. The same line supplies Camp
McDermott, 85 miles distant. Semi-weekly
line, Mondays and Fridays, to Paradise Valley,
45 miles. Weekly line — soon to be made daily
and to carry the mail to Jersey, 65 miles, (south)
leaving at present every Wednesday. There is
also an immense freighting business done with
the mining districts in the vicinity, and with
Idaho Territory. Regular freight lines are on
the road between this place and Silver City.
The following mining districts are tributary

192

to Winnemucca and located in Humboldt
County : beginning north of the railroad — there
are placer mines west of Paradise Valley and
settlement; at Willow Creek about 60 miles dis-
tant from Winnemucca. Bartlett Creek Mines,
gold and silver, 100 miles distant. Varyville is
the town of this camp. It has about a hundred in-
habitants, and is north-west of this city. Two
quartz mills are in operation there, controlled by
a Chicago company. Pueblo District — copper
mines, about 100 miles distant. Winnemucca
District — silver, two miles west of town, mines
owned and operated by the Humboldt Mining
Company, which has a ten-stamp quartz mill in
town, supplied in part with ore from their mine,
and run on custom ore at times. The ores in
this vicinity have to be roasted, and this mill
has a drop furnace — the ore dropping through
the naming fire instead of being turned in a
revolving heated cylinder.

Central District in Eugene Mountain, south-
west of town, produces silver ore and has a
quartz mill.

South of the railroad there is Jersey District
and town, 65 miles distant. The business of
this mining camp is divided between Battle
Mountain and this place — both claiming it.
The town has about 200 people. The ore is
argentiferous galena, rather above the average
grade, and is found in large quantities. A
smelting furnace has been erected and a consider-
able amount of base bullion has been turned out.
The smelter has a capacity of 25 tons per day.
The shaft in the mine has been sunk to a depth
of 130 feet, and levels run about 300 feet. It is
claimed to be a very promising mining district.

Antimony District is 80 miles due south of
Winnemucca. Slabs of that mineral, weighing
three tons, and averaging 70 per cent, pure anti-
mony, can be obtained in this district. Near it
is the Humboldt Salt Marsh, where salt, 95 per
cent, pure, can be shoveled up by the wagon-
load. This salt deposit is very extensive, and
the supply seems to be exhaustless. Underneath
the surface deposit, rock salt, or salt in large
cakes or slabs, is taken out, in the driest part of
the season, by the ton.

In the valley leading to the above-named dis-
trict are some very fine hot springs, but they are
so common here as to be no curiosity. Twelve
miles out, in the same valley, is a rich agricul-
tural district, thickly settled, where not only
grain and vegetables nave been successfully cul-
tivated, but the experiments in fruit culture
have also proved successful. At the county fair,
held in this city during the fall of 1875, fine
specimens of apples, peaches, pears and plums
were exhibited which were raised in this valley.

Bolivia District, silver ore, 70 miles away.
Ore from this district is shipped to various
points; some to the mill here that is claimed to
average $500 per ton. Comminsville Camp, in

Sierra District, produces gold and silver ore. A
ten-stamp mill is erected there.

As the tourist walks the platform at this place,
looking across the river to the right, he will see
Winnemucca Mountain, but a short distance
away, overlooking the town. To the left, he will
observe the peaks of the Franklin or Sonoma
Range. To the east, and somewhat distant, are
the ragged summits of the Soldier's Spring
Range, while a little to the south-west, but ap-
parently in front, Eugene Mountain lifts itself
up as a landmark to guide the traveler on his
way. This mountain will be passed on our left
as we continue the journey.

Winnemucca has two newspapers, The Daily
Humboldt Register arid the Daily Silver State.
Both are energetic little sheets, and fitly illus-
trate the enterprise of these western towns.
Across the river, over a wooden bridge, is located
the cemetery, in which the remains of the dead
are enclosed. It is on an elevated, sandy bench, the
second terrace or step from the river level. By
it winds the stage road to Idaho and the north.
The Piutes have their tents scattered on all
sides of the town, to which the euphonious name
of " Wick-ee-ups " is given. They serve to re-
mind cne of the departing glory — if they ever
had any — of the Indian race. In this tribe, to
their honor be it said, licentiousness among their
women is very rare, and virtue is held in high
esteem. But very few half-breed Indians can be
found, or are they known in the State. This
tribe, with the Bannocks, were especially hostile
to the whites in an early day, and fought for
many years with desperation and cruelty to pre-
vent the settlement and development of this
country. Their courage and deadly enmity has
been displayed on many a hard-fought field, and
if there are families in the East, or on the Pacific
Coast, who still mourn the loss of missing ones,
who were last heard of as crossing the plains,
some Indian warrior, yet living, might be able to
explain the mystery which has enveloped their
final doom. For a number of years, with cease-
less vigilance, they hung around the trains of
emigrants, eager to dispatch a stray victim, or
upon the borders of settlements, ready to strike
down the hardy pioneer at the first favorabje
opportunity. At present, overpowered by num-
bers, they live upon the bounty of their former
enemies, and are slowly, but surely learning, by
example, the ways of civilization. As a class,
however, they are still indolent, dirty and cov-
ered with vermin. But they begin to learn the
worth of money, and know already that it has a
purchasing power which will supply their scanty
wardrobe, and satisfy their longing appetite.*1..

The mines on the top of Winnemucca Mount-
ain are plainly seen, and the road that leads to
them, from the cars, and the tourist from this
will be able to understand something of the diffi-
culties attending the process of getting out ore.

TO&&1ST.

193

As we pass westward, a grand view of a distant
range is obtained between Winnemucca and
Black Butte. The last named mountain is an
isolated peak, and stands out like a sentinel on
guard. As we approach the higher peaks of the
East or Humboldt Range, we pass

Hose Creek, — 453 miles from San Francisco,
with an elevation of 4,322 feet. It is an unim-
portant station, with side track, etc. You will
have to look sharp to see the creek, or the roses,
and, by way of variety, you will discover plenty
of sage brush. It is a staple article, in this
country. The river still winds its way along our
right, and there is an occasional ranche on the
mountain slope, where the water from some
spring, or little creek, can be obtained for irriga-
tion.

Raspberry,
— 443 miles
from San Fran-
cisco ; elevation
4,327 feet. If
roses were few
and far be-
tween, at the
last station,
raspberries are
less frequent
here. But these
names are tanta-
lizing and sug-
gestive in the
places they are
applied to.
Having turned
the point of
East Range, we
bear off to the
left. Eugene
Mountain is
now on our
right, across the
II u m b o 1 d t
River.

Mill Citi/,—
435 miles from
San Francisco,
with an eleva-
tion of 4,225
feet. This was once a town with great prospects.
It was to be the terminus of the irrigating ditch,
which we have seen beyond Winnemucca and Gol-
conda, and this ditch, by a small expenditure of
money, could now be made available, as far as
Winnemucca. The Humboldt Mining Company,
owning the stamp mill at that place, already al-
luded to, also own this ditch. The French capi-
talists, who put their money into the enterprise,
long since abandoned it. Mill City, in their im-
agination, was to be the seat of empire — a mighty
city of the plains, of influence and power. The
banks of the canal they partially dug, were to be

B. H. STATION, HUMBOLDT, NEVADA.

lined with factories and mills. The mineral bear-
ing ore of the State was to be brought to these
mills, for reduction. Their ideas were grand, and
could have been made successful, under other cir-
cumstances ; but they were in advance of the
times — ahead of the age in which they lived. In
the mutations of time, the town has become a
great shipping-point for cattle — 100 cars being
shipped last year — a number which is greatly ex-
ceeded in some years. It has a steam foundry in
operation, — mostly employed in the manufacture
and repair of mining machinery, — and is the rail-
road point where the business of several mining
districts is done. Ore from Dun Glen, Unionville
and Star City, comes here for shipment, and,
once per week, bullion comes over from Union-
ville. This last place was formerly more lively

than at present.
It is a town of
about 300 peo-
ple— has four
quartz mills in
operation, and
is connected
with Mill City
by a daily stage
line, wh ich
passes by Star
City — distance
to Unionville,
20 miles; to
Star City, 10
miles ; to Dun
Glen, 8 miles.
The general
course of the
railroad being
east and west,
these places are
all south of it.
The mining dis-
tricts, including
the towns
named, which
are tributary to
this place, are
Unionville, Star
and Indian Dis-
tricts— all trib-
utary to Mill City. Mill City has a neat little
hotel, a livery stable and several dwellings. It
may possibly be the junction of a railroad to Ore-
gon— surveys of which have been, and are now
being made.

Leaving Mill City, we pass rapidly by an
opening or gap in the mountains on our left,
while a broad extent of valley opens out on our
right, as Eugene Mountain sinks into the plain.
The river recedes from our view, and winds along
across an alkali flat some six or seven miles
away- Through this opening on our right, the
proposed branch railroad to Oregon will pass. —

194

Surveys have already been made, and it is supposed
the men in the Central Pacific Company will
build it, and the junction with this road will be
either here or near here. Through this gap
travelers in the old emigrant times, turned off to
go by the Honey Lake Route to Northern Cali-
fornia and Southern Oregon. A natural road
with easy grades is claimed for this route. In
coming down this valley from Mill City, we pass
a high mountain on our left, — said to be the
highest peak in Nevada — 8,000 feet high. It is
called Star peak. The elevation given is the
common rumor in the vicinity. It is certainly
a high mountain, and its lofty towers are nearly
always covered with snow. Opposite this
mountain is

Humboldt, — 423 miles from San Francisco,
with an elevation of 4,236 feet above the sea, —
nearly the same as the Great Salt Lake. We
have been coming down hill all the way from
Wells, and yet we are no lower than when we
left Ogden. We have now arrived at

An Oasis in the Desert.

The traveler from the East, will be especially
delighted with this spot. It will remind him of
things human, of living in a land of cultivation
again. The first growing trees since leaving
Ogden will be seen here, with green grass, shady
bowers and flowing fountains. Humboldt
House is a regular breakfast and supper station,
at which all passenger trains stop for meals.
The proprietors have been here quite a number
of years, and seem to delight in making their
house, and surroundings beautiful and attractive
to the traveling public. A fountain surrounded
with an iron fence, springs up in front of the
house, while gold-fish swim around in the basin
below. East of the house, trees, locusts and
poplars are growing finely, while the ground is
covered with a thick matting of blue-grass. At
first this lot was sown to alfalfa, which grew
very rank and strong. Blue-grass seed was
afterwards sown, and now it has rooted every-
thing else out and grows luxuriantly. A field
south of the road toward the mountain, has pro-
duced 18 tons of alfalfa at one cutting, and has
been cut from five to seven times a year. In the
garden north of the house, toward the valley, all
kinds of vegetables grow luxuriantly. The
average yield of potatoes is 300 bushels to the
acre, of the very best quality. We were, how-
ever, particularly interested in the experiments
made in fruit growing. Here in the midst,
almost, of the Great Nevada Desert, with barren-
ness and desolation spread out on every hand —
with a high rocky mountain on one side, and a
huge alkali flat on the other, nestled under the
towering cliffs as though it would claim shelter
and protection, is this Oasis in the desert, — this
reminder of more genial climes and a more
kindly soil — this relief from the wearisome,

dreary views, which have everywhere met our
gaze, over the largest part of the journey. The
experiments so successful here prove, beyond a
doubt, that the desert can be reclaimed and
"made to bud and blossom as the rose." Grit,
labor and above all, water, will do it. Here is
an orchard of apple trees five years old, bearing
not only fruit as beautiful to the eye as that
raised in California, but superior in flavor — in
fact retaining the flavor of eastern apples.
These apple trees of all varieties are prolific
bearers, and the same is true of the peaches,
pears, plums and cherries. In the orchard and
opposite the water tank, is a fish-pond some
25 or 30 feet in diameter. In it are trout, great
speckled fellows, very thick and very shy.
Rocky coves have been built for them in the
bottom and center of the basin, and here they
hide — seeking shade from the rays of the hot sum-
mer's sun, and also from those of the silvery
moon. The experiments first made with these
fish were costly, but have at last proved suc-
cessful. This place and its surroundings cause
the traveler not only to rejoice over the scene
which here greets his gaze, but serves to remind
him of home — of " God's country " either in the
far East or, at this point, in the nearer West.

In the fish-pond mentioned, there are a couple
of wild geese, and a Mandarin duck said to be
from Japan. It is a beautiful little creature
with tufts of feathers on each side of its head,
and finely colored plumage. The proprietors of
the Humboldt House, seem to strive to offer
attractions to their guests in both their indoor
accommodations, and outside arrangements.

The station has shipped a large number of
cattle, and is the shipping point for the sulphur
or brimstone, that is manufactured some thirty
miles north-west of the place. The old emigrant
road spoken of as leading to Northern California
and Southern Oregon, winds around the base of
Eugene Mountain and near a low butte, re-
sembling a haystack, which can be seen in the
distance across the alkali flats. This road was
laid out by General F. W. Lander, who was
killed in the war of 1861, and is said to be one
of the best wagon routes to the regions named.
The Humboldt House is the place of resort for
tourists who desire to visit the sulphur mines,
Star Peak, or the mining districts in the Hum-
boldt Range, Eugene Mountain, and the Ante-
lope Range. The latter is a low range on our
right, beginning as we leave this station. In
front and south-east of the Humboldt House, is
the Humboldt Mining District, four to six miles
distant. Humboldt Canon opens in the mountain
side, in which was formerly located Humboldt
City. Mines were first discovered in the rocky
gorges of this range in 1861, and there was a great
rush here from all parts of the country. The
" City " sprang up as if by magic, and at one
time contained about 500 people. Several sub-

2FMM &&GS&W

195

stantial buildings were erected, a few of which
sti.l remain. The mines were diligently pros-
pected, but not rewarded with immediate suc-
cess, the expenses of living and building being
very great, together with the determined hos-
tility of the Indians, the people left it as
suddenly as they came. The district remained
idle until 1874- 5, when work was again begun
by a few individuals, and the mines are now be-
ing re-opened with rich developments and every
prospect of success. The ore is gold, silver and
argentiferous galena.

Antelope District is 16 miles away, in a west-
erly direction ; Geneva District is 21 miles dis-
tant, in a north-westerly direction ; both of these
are but little developed.

one and one-half miles distant from the Me Wor-
thy Mines. They were formerly known as the
AV right and Egbert Mines. This company have
a new patented process for refining the crude
ore, which they claim has a capacity of ten tons
per day, and producing an article which they
further claim is superior to that manufactured
by any other process yet known. The ore, as it
comes from the mine, is a mixture of sulphur,
clay, gypsum, water, etc., and the trouble has
heretofore been to separate them perfectly and
cheaply. This company fuses the crude or mixed
ore by heat, and then separates them by a chemi-
cal process which is claimed to be very simple,
producing the " brimstone " of commerce, nearly
100 per cent. fine. The deposits lie in the hills,

TWO BITS TO SEE THE PAPPOOSE.

The sulphur mines are 30 miles away, in a
north-westerly direction. A7ery large deposits of
native sulphur are found in these mines which
will average nearly 75 per cent. pure. There are
two mines opened. One called the McAVorthy
Mine, located and developed by Mr. McAVorthy,
is now operated by a San Francisco company.
The product of this mine is refined by retorts,
three in number, which are now in active opera-
tion, and which are capable of producing about
three tons per day of twenty-four hours. The
mines of the Pacific Sulphur Company are about

and are found from 20 to 100 feet thick. They
are also found in some of the adjoining valleys,
but are not as pure in the valleys as in the hills.
They are covered with ashes and mixed with ex-
traneous matter. In fact, wherever these de-
posits come to the surface, they are covered with
ashes, nearly white in color, indicating that at
some period, they were on fire, and that the fire
was extinguished — smothered — by the accumu-
lation of these ashes. AVhen " the elements shall
melt with fervent heat," the vast sulphur de-
posits of Nevada will add fuel to the flames a,nd

196

greatly accelerate the melting process. Hum-
boldt is the business center of the mining dis-
tricts named, and has bright prospects for the
future.

The Oregon branch of the Central Pacific
Railroad, which was surveyed in 1875, will leave
the main line of the Central Pacific, between Mill
City and Humboldt, cross the Rabbit Hole Mount-
ains, Mud Lakes, thence northerly to Goose Lake,
then on to Klamath Lake, and across the Cascade
Mountains near Fort Klamath, to intersect the
completed railroad in Oregon. This road is to
be constructed by an Oregon company, is not a
part of the Central Pacific Railroad, but will be
a feeder to it, and it is understood that some of
the principal owners of the Central Pacific Rail-
road are giving it some of their support. It is
expected to be in progress next year, and com-
pleted between Humboldt and some point on the
California and Oregon Railroad, near Eugene
City, a distance of 450 miles, within five years.

Immediately to the north-west of these mines,
and in close proximity around them, is a vast
alkali desert covering a large area of ground.
Of all the dreary wastes to be seen in this sec-
tion of the country, this desert is one of the most
forbidding and desolate.

About half a mile west of Humboldt, on our
right, is a sulphur deposit. It seems to be near
the remains of what was once, evidently, a sul-
phur spring, long since dried up. It is not
worked for the reason of its impurities — a far
better article of crude is being obtained else-
where. The river, still on our right, seems to
have cut a deeper channel in the valley, and is
seldom seen from the cars. On our left are the
towering peaks of the Humboldt Range. The
valley itself becomes more undulating, but still
retains its dull monotony.

A Vigilance Comnnittee Incident. — The
following incident which happened in one of the
Nevada mining towns, is vouched for by Clar-
ence King :

Early in the fifties, on a still, hot summer's
afternoon, a certain man, in a camp of the
northern mines, which shall be nameless, having
tracked his two donkeys and one horse a half
mile, and discovering that a man's track with
spur marks followed them, came back to town
and told " the boys," who loitered about a popu-
lar saloon, that in his opinion some Mexican had
stolen the animals. Such news as this demanded,
naturally, drinks all round.

" Do you know, gentlemen," said one who as-
sumed leadership, " that just naturally to shoot
these greasers aint the best way? Give 'em a
fair jury trial, and rope 'em up with all the
majesty of the law. That's the cure."

Such words of moderation were well received,
and they drank again to "Here's hoping we
ketch that greaser."

As they loafed back to the veranda, a Mexican

walked over the hill brow, jingling his spurs
pleasantly in accord with a whistled waltz.

The advocate for the law said in an undertone,
" That's the cuss."

A rush, a struggle, and the Mexican, bound
hand and foot, lay on his back in the bar-room.
The camp turned out to a man.

Happily such cries as " String him up ! " "Burn
the doyyoned lubricator ! " and other equally pleas-
ant phrases fell unheeded upon his Spanish ear.
A jury was quickly gathered in the street, and
despite refusals to serve, the crowd hurried them
in behind the bar.

A brief statement of the case was made by the
ci-devant advocate, and they showed the jury in-
to a commodious poker-room where were seats
grouped about neat green tables. The noise
outside, in the bar-room, by and by died away
into complete silence, but from afar down the
canon came confused sounds as of disorderly
cheering. They came nearer, and again the
light-hearted noise of human laughter mingled
with clinking glasses around the bar.

A low knock at the jury door, the lock burst
in, and a dozen smiling fellows asked the ver-
dict. A foreman, promptly answered, "Rot
guilty."

With volleyed oaths, and ominous laying of
hands on pistol hilts, the boys slammed the door
with " You'll have to do better than thai."

In half an hour the advocate gently opened
the door again.

" Your opinion, gentlemen?"

" Guilty."

" Correct, you can come out. We hung him
an hour ago."

The jury took theirs next, and when, after a
few minutes, the pleasant village returned to its
former tranquility, it was " allowed " at more than
one saloon, that " Mexicans'll know enough to
let white men's stock alone after this." One
and another exchanged the belief that this sort
of thing was more sensible than " nipping 'em on
sight."

When, before sunset, the bar-keeper concluded
to sweep some dust out of his poker-room back-
door, he felt a momentary surprise at finding the
missing horse dozing under the shadow of an
oak, and the two lost donkeys serenely masticat-
ing playing-cards, of which many bushels lay in
a dirty' pile. He was then reminded that the
animals had been there all day.

Rye Patch, — 411 miles from San Francisco,
with an elevation of 4,257 feet. In early days,
in the canons that put down from the mountains
near here and along the banks of the little
creeks flowing through them, there were large
patches of wild rye, from which the station took
its name. The increase, however, in the herds
of the stockmen has destroyed its native growth,
and it is now seldom seen. It is a small station
with a store and saloon, freight-house, side track,

197

etc. It is the location of a ten-stamp mill owned
by the Rye Patch Mill and Mining Company,
and which is supplied by ore taken from the
company's mine in the mountains on our left.
This mine is about four miles distant from the
station. The Rye Patch Mining District, and
the Eldorado Mining District, six miles away,
are tributary to this place. The train stops but
a moment, and as you look to the mountains, on
the left, two high peaks are seen — the left one
being Stark Peak, and the right one Eldorado
Mountain. This is the best view of these mount-
ains that can be obtained. Leaving this station,
the mountains of the Humboldt Range gradually
dwindle into hills, and a conical or isolated little
peak across the range is seen. It seems fully as
prominent as a wart on a man's nose. It is called
Black Knob — a very appropriate name — and near
it is Relief Mine and mill. There is no stage to
this mining district, and its principal business
point is

Oreana, — 400 miles from San Francisco,
with an elevation of 4,181 feet. The descent
from Humboldt has been quite rapid, and we
will soon be at the lowest elevation in this great
basin. The Antelope Range continues on the
north-west, and the Humboldt Range on the
left, though the peaks in these ranges grow
smaller as we pass this place. Oreana is the
railroad and business point for the following
mining districts : in the Antelope Range is the
Trinity District, seven miles away, ore princi-
pally milling. The Governor Booth Mine has
the most development thus far, though other
prospects are said to be looking well. Some of
the ore found in this district is claimed to be
very rich. Adjoining this is the Arabia Dis-
trict, five miles from the station ; it has smelt-
ing ore. Three miles from the mine and two
miles from the station, on the Humboldt River,
which has been dammed at this point, are the
smelting furnaces, where the ore is reduced to
base bullion. There is also a small stamp mill
at this point. The principal mines thus far
developed in this district are the Vanderbilt,
Montezuma and Hurricane, and the ore is said
to average 33 per cent, metal, — lead, antimony
and silver. South of the railroad first comes
the Sacrament District, seven miles away. It has
milling ore but the prospects are not yet devel-
oped. Spring Valley District is next, 12 miles
distant. The ore is gold and silver, and the
Eagle Mine has a fifteen-stamp mill in operation
reducing the ore. Relief District follows, 16 miles
from Oreana. It has milling ore and a five-
stamp mill. At the south end of this district, is
a very superior mine of antimony, the ores of
which are brought to this station and shipped to
San Francisco. Bolivia District is 40 miles
away, and abounds in copper ore. Tidal Wave
is the name of the principal mine ; Kellogg's
Mine is next in importance. Conveyances to these

mining districts can be obtained at Oreana.
The region round about the station is occupied
by stockmen, and large numbers of cattle and
horses are grazing upon the extensive ranges in
the vicinity. No traveler will be able to see
what they live on, but stockmen claim that they
relish the white sage which abounds here, and
that they will grow fat upon it. The very air is
heavily perfumed with sage.

Leaving Oreana, we pass round a curve where
the Humboldt River bends in toward the hills
on our left, and soon cross the river which makes
its way into Humboldt Lake. After crossing
the river, the large growth of sage brush and
greasewood shows that the soil in this vicinity
is very rich and that, properly cultivated and
well supplied with water, it will produce im-
mense crops.

Lovelock's, — 389 miles from San Francisco,
with an elevation of 3,977 feet. It is a side
track station with a telegraph office, a store,
post-office and a few adjoining buildings. The
Humboldt River near here, spreads out over con-
siderable territory — a fact which renders irri-
gation comparatively easy. It has also caused
the formation of a large body of natural mead-
ows, from which immense quantities of hay are
cut and shipped to different points along the
line of the road. It is also a fine grazing region
and large herds of cattle nre fattened here upon the
rich native grasses and the white sage. There are
three varieties of the sage brush to be found on
the plains and on the deserts. The largest kind
is used as fuel for the engines at several stamp
mills ; white sage is considerably smaller and
affords grazing for both cattle and sheep; the
clover sage, still smaller, is not as plentiful as the
former kinds, but is highly relished by sheep.
Thus we have at last found the uses to \\hic'h
this shrub is applied. Even greasewood, when
it first starts up in the spring, and before it
hardens, is a favorite food with sheep and swine.

There is quite a settlement of f aimers near
Lovelock's. The station itself is named after a
gentleman who lives near it. and Afvlio is an old
settler in this part of the country. Faims are
being cleared of sage brush and greasewood,
irrigating ditches are being dug, and the success
which has hitherto attended the growing of
barley and potatoes, induces quite a number to
engage in the business, and a black, rich soil
gives every promise of encouragement. Before
the railroad came, the meadow or pasture lands
here were renowned among the emigrants, par-
ties of whom recruited their stock after the
wearisome journey across the plains. Upon
the Humboldt meadows are now grazing
nearly 400,000 head of cattle. After leaving
Rye Patch, the Humboldt Mountains on
our left dwindle considerably, and are neither
ragged nor formidable after reaching this
place. The same is likewise true of the

198

Trinity Range on our right. They are low,
barren, tinged with reddish brown ; the evi-
dences of volcanic action become more apparent
as we pass, and the broken lava of the desert,
the cinders and sco^ice, visible in places, speak of
the time when the mountain ranges near here,
were seething volcanoes and vomited forth
smoke, flames, fire and lava with great profu-
sion. Passing Lovelock's we soon arrive at a
point, where a glimpse can be obtained of the
waters of Humboldt Lake, just under the mount-
ain ridge on our left. We have also passed by
the richer soil that surrounds the last station,
and entered upon the barren desert again.

Granite JPoiut, — 380 miles from San Fran-
cisco, with an elevation of 3,918 feet. Approach-
ing the sink in this great basin, it will be seen
that our elevation is decreasing, but this will
only last for a short distance, and then io will
be up hill again. On the right of the station,
which is merely a side track, there is a ragged,
broken mountain, which undoubtedly gives the
place its name. It is the only thing curious or
interesting to be seen from the cars. As we leave
this place the lake com'is into full view — a beau-
tiful sheet of water with white, salty incrusta-
tions all around it, like a cloud fringed with a
silver border. The waters on the shore nearest
the road, are said to be far more brackish and
saline in character than those on the farther
side. The channel through the lake is on that
side, and probably the cause of the difference.
The lake, abounds in fish but they are mostly
in the fresh water channel, and at the proper
season it is a great resort for pelicans, wild
geese and ducks. We approach nearer the shore
as we pass to

Brown's, — 373 miles from San Francisco,
with an elevation of 3,929 feet. It is a coaling
station, and engines sometimes take water from
the tank, pumped from the lake, though it is
poor stun0 to make steam with. Above the
nearer range of mountains, just across the lake,
can be seen the tops of a farther and higher
range in the distance. This higher range runs
south of the Humboldfc and Carson Sink, and
looms into view as the nearer range gives way.
Humboldt Lake was not as large formerly as
now, — in fact it was a simple widening of the
river as it entered the gateway of the sink be-
low. At the foot of the lake a ridge of land ex-
tends nearly across the valley, and there was some-
thing of a gorge through which the outlet passed.
The opportunity to build a dam was thus
improved, and what was formerly a little widen-
ing in the river, has now become a lake about
35 miles long and from 16 to 18 miles wide in
the widest places. It is filled with islands
caused by this rise, and the head or volume of
water thus accumulated serves to run a stamp
mill, located a few miles below the station and
under a reddish bluff across the valley. Ore for

this mill has been found in the mountains near it,
and some is brought from the range on the
north. You will notice an island nearly op-
posite the station, and may be interested to
know that it was part of the main land before the
dam was built. The mountains on each side of
the track, now become high hills though, occa-
sionally, a ragged peak is seen, to relieve the
n^onGtony of the journey. We pass over the
ridge of land before spoken of, and fairly enter
upon what is the beginning of the Humboldt
and Carson Sink. We pass down on the low
alkali flats which are whitened with salt, and
wlach extend for miles as far as the eye can
rea^n, off to our left.

White Plains, — 361 miles from San Fran-
cisco, with an elevation of 3,894 feet — the lowest
point we reach in this great basin. The place —
a side track, is appropriately named for it is
surrounded by a white alkali desert, covered in
places with salt and alkali deposits.

The evidences of volcanic action and a lava
formation are everywhere visible in the hills and
on the plains in this vicinity. Though the plains
immediately adjoining the station are white with
alkali or salty deposits, yet the ridge and uplands
to the right are covered with the reddish, porous
rocks and finer blackish sand which always ac-
company this formation. At White Plains we
have reached the lowest elevation on the Central
Pacific, east of the Sierras. We are, in fact,
almost in the sink itself of the Humboldt and
Carson Rivers. The low flats stretching away
to our left, are usually more or less covered with
water in the season of floods, and the two rivers
virtually unite in this great valley or basin.
There is no visible outlet to these streams, or
rather to this basin, and the immense drainage
of these two rivers sinks in the sand and is taken
up by evaporation. The oldest settlers in this
region of country, hold to the opinion that the
water is taken up by evaporation, and say that at
certain seasons of the year this process is very
rapid — large bodies of land covered with water
becoming thoroughly dry in a few days.

Leaving White Plains, we again begin to go
up a grade. We have to cross a divide between
White Plains and the Hot Spring Valley. This
divide is reached at

Miraf/e, — 355 miles from San Francisco, with
an elevation of 4,247 feet. It is simply a side
track with no habitation near it but a section-
house— and is near the summit of the divide.
This place, like many others, is named from some
peculiarity of location or from some character-
istic of the country. The wonderful optical de-
lusions that are apparently seen here, have given
it a suggestive name. When the conditions of
the atmosphere are favorable, wonderful visions
of lakes, mountains, trees, rivers, etc., can be seen.
It is reported that many a weary emigrant in the
days of old, was deceived by the optical illusions

199

that here seemed so real, and wondered why he
did not reach the cooling lakes and spreading
shade that seemed so near and was yet so far
away. The heat of summer during the day
time on these plains is almost intolerable. The
dust, sometimes blowing in clouds, is suffo-
cating, and long distances add to the incon-
venience of wagon travel, without water. But
overland travelers on the trains have more
comforts. No matter how oppressive the day,
yet the moment the sun is set, a lovely cool
breeze comes from the mountains, the air be-
comes fresh, and sleep is delightful. The
heat and dust of the day is soon forgotten
in the comforts of the pure, cool night at-
mosphere. Crossing a low divide, the end of
the Antelope Range we reach

Hat Springs,— 346 miles from San Fran-
cisco, with an elevation of 4,072 feet. This is a tel-
egraph station with side track, section-houses, etc.
Great efforts have been made here to sink arte-
sian wells in order to obtain fresh water for the
use of the road. First a depth of 800 feet was
reached, then 1,000 feet, and lastly 1,300 feet,
but all without success. In some portions of
work very rapid progress would be made — 95
feet having been made in one day — then some
hard, flinty rock would be struck, and progress
of less than one foot per day would be the result.

The station is in the midst of a desert, and is
named from the Hot Springs, whose rising steam
can readily be seen about half a mile from the
track on the left. There are quite a number of
them boiling hot. They formerly extended
along the base of the hill, still farther to the left,
and nearer the track, but while they seem to
have dried up in one locality, they have broken
out in another. These springs are now owned
by a German company, who have a dwelling-
house, and works for producing borax, erected
near by. They were badly " sold " by sharpers
who induced them to believe that borax, in
large quantities, could be obtained here. They
sent out an expert who was induced to make
a favorable report to the effect that there were
inexhaustible quantities of the mineral to be
found near here. As a consequence, they in-
vested large sums of money in the purchase of
the mines and in the erection of works. We
believe some 60 boxes of the manufactured arti-
cle was all that was ever turned out, and then
the mine suddenly gave out, the production
ceased, of course, and the company, after an ex-
penditure estimated at about a quarter million of
dollars, ceased operations, their property re-
maining idle. These springs are said to be a sov-
ereign remedy for rheumatism and kindred dis-
eases, and the property may yet be utilized as an
infirmary cr watering-place for invalids. The
erection of a bathing-house would be all that is
at present required. The steam from these
springs can be seen for quite a distance in the

cool mornings of the winter, and in the spring
and fall months. Looking off to the right, as
far as the eye can reach, almost, is a valley com-
ing in from the north-east — a dreary waste of
sage brush and alkali, which extends across the
track, over low hills, to the sink of the Carson.
We move out through a gap in the hills, and in
about two miles come to the salt works. Build-
ings have been erected, side track put in, and
large platforms built where the salt is stored pre-
paratory to shipping. The whole face of the
country, in this vicinity, is nearly white, the saline
water rising to the surface and evaporating, leaves
the white incrustations to glisten in the sun. The
salt obtained here is produced by solar evapora-
tion, and is said to be nearly 99 per cent. pure.
Formerly vats were tried, but they were found to
be useless and unnecessary. Vats are now dug in
the ground and the salt water pumped into them.
It soon evaporates, and after a sufficient quantity
has accumulated, it is shoveled out, drawn to the
station, ground and sacked, when it is ready for
the market. We are now passing over one of the
most uninviting portions of the desert. The
range of mountains directly in front are those
through which the Truckee River comes, and the
valley, both north and south, extends beyond our
vision. Away off to the left we can see the
mountains south of the Carson Sink and River.
The aspect of the desert becomes more dreary as
we approach

Desert, — 335 miles from San Francisco ; ele-
vation, 4,018 feet. It is only a side track, rightly
named, and passenger trains seldom stop. The
winds that sweep the barren plains here heap the
sand around the scattering sage brush like huge
potato hills. Now we turn toward the right
approaching the base of the adjoining hills, while
boulders of lava, large and small, greet the eye.
The hill on our right, dwindles into the plain;
we round it, toward the right, and arrive at

Two-Mile, — 329 miles from San Francisco;
elevation, 4, 156 feet. The gap, in the mountain
range in front, now opens and we see where the
Truckee River comes tumbling down. The
valley extends, on the right, till it is lost in Pyra-
mid Lake. We pass rapidly on, and in a short
distance pitch down a steep grade into the valley
of the Truckee, where green grass, green trees
and flowing water, God's best gift to man, again
greet our vision.

Rabbit drives and Rabbit Robes.— The
Piutes have a very clever way of catching rab-
bits, by a method called " rabbit drives " in this
country. They make some long, narrow nets
like fish-seines from the bark of the willow, or from
wild hemp, and hold them up on edge by means
of sticks, which they fasten in the ground at in-
tervals ; the part of net next to the ground is
held there by weights — just as seine is managed.
These nets they spread in the shape of the letter
" V," with the arms extended to receive the

200

game when it shall be driven in. One Indian
crouches in the enclosure for a purpose which
will be explained hereafter. The nets are
woven coarsely, so that a rabbit's head, once
through the meshes, is tight. Late in tho fall
or early in the winter, when a light snow has
covered the ground, the Indians will set their
nets generally across some valley and prepare
for the " drive." From twenty-five to sixty of
them, the more the better, will start out and
go quietly away from the net some ten or twelve
miles. This company is composed of Indians,
squaws, and children armed with sticks, old
sacks or blankets which they can nourish in
the air, and when they have arrived where they
propose to commence the drive, they spread out
in a semi-circular form, and begin to hoot and
yell, swinging their rags around their heads, and
beating the sage brush with their sticks. The
rabbits, very much frightened, run in the only
direction open for them, while the Indians press
forward to the net and gradually draw in to-
ward it. The rabbits continue their flight until
they are fairly within the arms of the nets, with
the Indians close upon them. The Indians, per-
haps two or three of them — who have remained
in the net perfectly still until the frightened
rabbits surround them, suddenly rise up with
a shout, and the frantic creatures wildly rush
hither and thither and finally dash into the
meshes of the net, which holds them by the
neck so that they cannot escape. Then follows
" the slaughter of the innocents." The Indians
pass along and tap the rabbits over the head,
the squaws secure the game, and the whole
drive results in a big feast, wherein the course
begins and ends with rabbit ad libitum. Our
informant stated that he had known from 500 to
1,000 rabbits to be caught in this way, in one
drive.

About Rabbit Robes. — The traveler has
doubtless noticed the gray fur robes, which
adorn the persons of a large number of the
Indians seen on the road west of Ogden. These
robes are a curious piece of workmanship in
some respects. They are not made of whole
rabbit-skins sewed together, as wolf and coon-
skin robes are made. When the rabbits are
skinned, their hides are at once cut into narrow
strips with the fur on. These strips are sewed
together until the right length for a robe is
secured, and then they are twisted like a rope —
in fact, become fur ropes. These are used the
same as " filling " in woolen or cotton cloth, as
distinguished from the " warp." You can press
your fingers through these robes at pleasure —
the threads of the " warp " being from one to
three inches apart. This warp is made from the
sinews of animals, from the bark of willows, or
from the wild hemp which the Indians gather
for this purpose. It is very stout and very du-.
rable, and is not perceptible as you casually ex-

amine one of these robes. The Indians value a
rabbit-skin robe very highly, and much prefer
them to blankets, though it takes a good deal of
time and patience to make one. This work,
however, is all done by the squaws, and is taken
as a matter of course by the A bucks " of the
tribe.

Wadsworth, — 328 miles from San Fran-
cisco; elevation. 4,077 feet. It is a little vil-
lage of about 400 inhabitants, nestled down in
the valley of the Truckee and overshadowed by
the range of mountains beyond. The railroad
has a twenty-stall roundhouse, 65 feet deep, with
over 500 feet of circular length. The machine
shop has six working stalls where engines are
repaired, and is 75 by 130 feet. Engines are
here entirely rebuilt. At one end of this shop a
piece of ground has been fenced in, a fountain
erected, trees planted, and alfalfa and blue-grass
sown. It affords a refreshing sight to the me-
chanics here employed, and strangely contrasts
with the barren desert surrounding the place.
The engines used on that part of the division
between Winnemucca and this place, have very
large tenders, the tanks in them holding 3,800
gallons of water. They run 70 miles without
taking water on the line of the road. Other
shops for the convenience of the road are located
near by. The huge water tank in which water is
stored for use of shops and engines, has a capacity
of 60,000 gallons. Hydrants have been erected,
connected with it by pipes, and hose supplied by
which the water may be quickly applied in case
of fire, to any part of the buildings. The road
passes from Wadsworth to Sacramento through
a mountainous region of country, where there is
plenty of timber and, hence, wood is used for
fuel on the engines between these two places.
Between Ogden and this place coal taken from
the mines north of Evanston, on the Union
Pacific Road, is used. West of Sacramento, coal
from Oregon and Washington Territory is used.
Between Wadsworth and Truckee some trouble
has been experienced with snow, and in some
places huge boulders roll down on the track
which are knocked out of the way by the snow-
plows on the engines. This is a novel use for
snow-plows. In addition to the machine shops,
there is a large freight building and other
offices for the convenience of the company. The
town has several large stores, hotels, saloons,
with China hoiises, ad libitum, and is, altogether,
the place of considerable trade. Huge freight
wagons, from two to four attached together, are
here loaded with freight for the mining districts
south. These large wagons, with their teams
attached, are quite a curiosity to eastern trav-
elers, and fully illustrate how western men do
their freighting.

The following mining districts do business
at this station: Columbus, borax mines, 130
miles distant ; Teal's Marsh borax Mines, 140

201

miles away ; the Pacific Borax Works are 20 miles
south-east of Columbus still ; the Bellville Min-
ing District, 140 miles distant. In this dis-
trict the celebrated Northern Bell Silver Mine is
located, also the General Thomas and others less
prominent. Silver Peak Mining District is 110
miles distant. These districts, and others not
named here, are all south of Wadsworth. Rhodes'
Salt Marsh, an immense salt deposit, Is about
130 miles distant. There is salt enough in this
deposit to preserve the world, if reports as to its
extent, etc., prove true.

there are three bodies of water which travelers
will more fully understand by an explanation.
Humboldt Lake proper, into which flows the
Humboldt River, we pass at Brown's Station.
A little south-west of this lake is the Humboldt
and Carson Sink — the waters from the lake
seeping through a channel or slough into the
sink. The dam at the foot of the lake is across
this outlet or slough. The waters from Car-
son Lake flowing nearly east, find their way
into this sink through a similar outlet. Thus
the waters of the two rivers, the Humboldt

PYRAMID LAKE.

From Wadsworth to Carson Lake, south, the
distance is about 40 miles. This lake is named
from the river of the same name, which flows
into, or rather through it. Directly south of
Carson Lake is Walker Lake into which flows
Walker River. The lake last named has no
visible outlet, and is one of the sinks of the great
basin east of the Sierras. South of the railroad,

and Carson, each flowing through a small lake,
finally meet in the same sink. To this sink
there is no visible outlet, and the vast amount
of water which is poured into this basin through
these two rivers is undoubtedly taken up on its
way, or after its arrival into this common sink,
by evaporation.

The Humboldt River, though it has a length

202

of 500 miles, and has several tributaries con-
stantly flowing into it, yet does not increase in
volume, throughout its length, as do most rivers.
After passing Winnemucca it diminishes to a
small stream, finally spreads into a marsh and
" sinks " out of sight.

In addition to the mining districts south of
the railroad, the Soda Lakes and refining works
must not be forgotten. These are now in active
operation, and the results are the frequent ship-
ments from this place.

North of Wadsworth about 21 miles is Pyr-
amid Lake, and east of it, separated by Lake
Range of Mountains, which can plainly be seen
from Wadsworth, — is Winnemucca Lake, 26
miles distant. Both of them are sinks, and
have no visible outlet. Both of them receive the
waters of Truckee River, and the latter is said
to be rising, — being several feet higher now than
it was ten years ago.

Curiosities of Pyramid Lake. — In 1867
a surveying party visited this lake, which they
found to be 12 miles long and 30 miles wide.
The lake takes its name from a remarkable rock
formation, a pyramid which towers above the
lake to a height of more than 500 feet, and pre-
sents in its outlines the most perfect form. Upon
visiting this pyramid, the party found it occupied
with tenants who were capable of holding their
ground against all intruders.

From every crevice there seemed to come a hiss.
The rattling, too, was sharp and long-continued.
The whole rock was alive with rattlesnakes.
Even in the party those who had been champion
snake exterminators, and had demolished them
on all previous occasions, now found the combat
beyond their power to carry on, and abandoned
the island with all hope of victory.

The water of Pyramid Lake is clear, sparkling.
In it are said to be fish, principally among which
is the couier, very sprightly, with flesh the color
of salmon. The weight of the fish ranges from
3 to 20 pounds. There is also said to be aii
abundance of trout.

Winnemucca Lake is also stated to be some
200 feet lower than Pyramid Lake, its basin
being on the east side of Lake Range of Mount-
ains. The Truckee River and these two lakes
are great resorts for ducks, geese and pelicans.
The latter abound here in large numbers in the
spring. An island in Pyramid Lake is a great
resort for them and there, undisturbed, they rear
their young. These birds are very destructive
to the fish of the river and lake. They will
stand in the shallow water of the entrance to the
lake for hours, and scoop up any unwary fish
that may happen to pass within their reach.
They are apparently harmless, and of no earthly
use whatever. The huge sacks on their under
jaws, are used to carry food and water to their
young. These waddle around before they fly— a
shapeless, uncouth mass, and easily destroyed be-

cause unable to get out of the way. A man with
a club could kill thousands of them in a day,
without much difficulty.

North of Pyramid Lake is Mud Lake, another
sink of this great basin, and a little north-east of
Winnemucca Lake is the sink of Quin's River
and other streams. In fact, they lose their iden-
tity in .flowing across the desert, — are swallowed
up by the thirsty sands.

On the north, Pyramid Lake Mining District
is 15 miles away. This is a new district, and
said to contain good " prospects." Mud Lake
District, similar in character, is 75 miles due
north from Wadsworth. Black Butte District
on the east side of Wiunemucca Lake, is about
28 miles distant.

The Piute reservation, or rather one of them,
begins about seven miles north of the town.
The reservation house, which is supposed to be
the place where the government officers reside, is
16 miles away. There is another reservation for
these Indians south, on Walker River. They
have some very good land near the lake, and
some of them cultivate the soil, — raising good
crops.

There is considerable good bottom-land on the
Truckee River, between AVadsworth and Pyra-
mid Lake. That which is not included in the
Indian reservation is occupied by stockmen and
farmers, much of it being cultivated and pro-
ducing excellent crops of cereals and vegetables.
The experiments thus far tried in fruit growing
have been successful, and in a few years there
will be a home supply of fruit equal to home
demand.

The arrival at Wadsworth is a great relief to
the tourist weary with the dull, unchanging
monotony of the plains, the desert and bleak
desolation which he has passed. The scenes are
now to change and another miniature world
is to open upon his view. There is to be
variety — beauty, grandeur and sublimity. If
he enters this place at night, the following day
will reveal to him the green fields and magnifi-
cent landscapes of California, and in less than
24 hours, he will be able to feast his greedy eyes
upon a glowing sunset on the Pacific Coast.

Leaving Wadsworth we cross the Truckee
River and gaze with delight upon the trees, the
green meadows, the comfortable farm-house, and
well-tilled fields of the ranche on our left, just
across the bridge. Like everything else lovely
in this world, it soon fades from our vision, as
we rapidly pass into the Truckee Canon. The
mountains now come down on either side as
though they would shake hands across the silver
torrent that divides them. The valley narrows
as if to hasten their cordial grasp, and to remove
all obstacles in their way. Now it widens a
little as though it was not exactly certain
whether these mountains should come together
or not, and wanted to consider the matter. But

SCENES ON THE TRUCKEE RIVER.— BY THOMAS MOBAK.

1.— Truckee Meadows, Sierras in the distance. 2 Pleasant Valley. 3.— Truckee Kiver. near State Line.

4.— Red Bluff, Truc*ee River. 5.— Bridge at Ka»{le Gap. 6.— Truoke«s liiver

204

leaving this question to the more practical
thoughts of our readers, we hasten on, winding
around promontories and in and out of " draws "
and ravines, through rocky cuts, and over high
embankments with the river rolling and tumbling
almost beneath our feet, and the ragged peaks
towering high above us, passing

Salvia, — a simple side track, six miles from
Wadsworth. Now we have something to occupy
our attention ; there are new scenes passing by
at every length of the car, and we have to look
sharp and quick, or many of them will be lost
forever. Soon we make a short turn to the right,
and what the railroad men call " Red Rock " ap-
pears in front, then to our right, and finally over
our heads. It is a huge mountain of lava that
has, sometime, in the ages of the past, been
vomited from the crater of some volcano now
extinct ; or it may have been thrown up by some
mighty convulsion of nature that fairly shook
the rock-ribbed earth till it trembled like an as-
pen leaf, and in which these huge mountain piles
were thrown into their present position. Pres-
ently, amidst the grandeur of these mountains,
a lovely valley bursts upon our view. We have
arrived at the little meadows of the Truckee, at
a station called

Clark's, — 313 miles from San Francisco, with
an elevation of 4,263 feet. This station is named
from a former proprietor of the ranche here. It
is a beautiful place with mountains all around it,
and the only way you can see out, is to look up
toward the heavens. The narrow bottom on
either side of the river is fenced in, producing
excellent crops of vegetables and hay, and afford-
ing excellent grazing for the stock that is kept
here. As we arrive at this station, we pass
through a cut of sand which seems just ready to
become stratified, and which holds itself up in
layers, in the sides of the cut. Occasionally, as
we look over the nearer peaks in front, we can
catch a glimpse of the snow-crowned Sierras in
the distance. Now a creek comes in from a
canon on our left, and through this canon is a
wagon road to Virginia City, and now a butte is
passed between us and the river — the river being
on our left since we crossed it at Wadsworth.
There are a few ranches scattered along its
banks where vegetables for the 10,000 miners at
Virginia City are grown. The mountains we
have passed are full of variegated streaks of clay
or mineral, some white, some red, some yellow,
and some pale green. You will notice them as
you pass

Vista, — 301 miles from San Francisco; ele-
vation, 4,403 feet. We are going up hill again.
At this station we arrive at the Truckee Mead-
ows. It is like an immense amphitheatre, and
the traveler rejoices again in the presence of
farm-houses and cultivated fields — in the scene
of beauty that spreads out before him. Beyond
the level plain, we see in front of us Peavine

Mountain and at the base of the hills to the
farther side of the valley, lies Reno. To our left
Mt. Rose lifts its snow-covered head ; to the left
of Mt. Rose is Slide Mountain.

Letters. — Throughout the Territories and the
Pacific Coast, — letter days, when the Pony Ex-
press, Mail Coaches or Steamer arrived, the local
population was wrought up to its most intense
excitement, and expectation of news. In the Ter-
ritory of Montana letters could not be obtained
from any direction by regular mails, and the in-
habitants depended upon the good offices of
traders, who journeyed at long intervals back
and forth, who brought with them letters and
newspapers, for which, gladly, every receiver
paid $2.50 gold. Letters in California were re-
ceived only by steam via the Isthmus of Pan-
ama, fully 30 days being occupied in the trip
from New York, and fully 90 days' time was
necessary to send a letter from San Francisco
to any point in the East, and receive a reply.
Whenever the semi-monthly steamer arrived at
San Francisco, the event was celebrated by the
firing of guns, and the ringing of bells, and
an immediate rush for the post-office. The let-
ter deliveries from the post-office, were often
from a window opening directly upon the
public street, and a long line of anxious let-
ter-seekers would quickly form — extending oft-
en half a mile in length. Here were gathered
the characteristic classes of California life, the
" gray shirt brigade " of miners, many of whom
in their rugged life had not heard from home
for a full year ; next anxious merchants whose
fate depended upon their letters and invoices, and
on approaching the office, had only a feeling of
dismay at the terrible length of the line, with
little hope of approaching the window for hours.
At last they were compelled to offer sums for pur-
chases of place from some fortunate one ih the
line. It used to take five hours or longer, on or-
dinary occasions, to get to the window, and there
were lots of idlers who had no friends, nor ever
expected a letter, who from pure mischief, took
their places in the line, and then whten near the
window sold out again. From $5 to $20 were
the average prices for fair places, but $50 to
$100 were often paid for a good position near
the window. Prices were in proportion to the
length of the line or the anxiety of the individ-
ual. The expression of countenance of some of
those paying highest rates, when forced to leave
the window without a letter, is beyond descrip-
tion. " Selling out in the line," soon became a
trade, and many a loafer made his $10 to $20 —
three or four times a day. Cases have even
been known, where over-anxious individuals in
search of letters, would take their positions at
the post-office window, one or two days before the
arrival of the expected steamer, often passing
the entire night standing and watching at the
window, and only leaving it when forced to seek

205

food and drink. It often happened that while
temporarily absent from their post a few min-
utes, the steamer's gun would fire, and with a
break-neck race of a few minutes back again,
their disgust was immense to be compelled to
attach themselves to the extreme end of a line,
from one-fourth to one-half a mile in length, so
quickly had it formed.

Ah Ching's Theology: a Belief in the
Devil. — A traveler encountered once Ah Ching,
a Chinese laundryman, at one of the San Fran-
cisco hotels, who spoke some English and had
some intellect, of whom he asked the question,
whether he believed in the devil.

" Hallo, John, do you believe in him?"
"Ah, vflley, Mellica man, me believe him."
" All Chinamen believe in him?"
" Oh, China like Mellica man, some believe him
sahvey, some link him all go*h damn."

Firing off the Devil. — At one of the
Chinese festivals, conducted by the Chinese
priests, a large figure representing the devil was
brought forward, and at the close of the play a
torch was applied to him. The figure, which
was full of fire-crackers, " went off " in brilliant
style till nothing was left, apparently, but the
hideous head and backbone; these, then, shot
upward, like a huge Roman candle, leaving a
trail of blue fire, and exploded, high in the air,
with a loud report followed by a shower of sparks
and insufferable stench, and that was supposed
to be the last of the devil for another year.

The apparent reason for paying so much at-
tention to the devil is contained in the answer
made by one of the worshipers : "If God good,
why pray? 'Tend to the deotl." Hence the cere-
mony of getting rid of him at regular intervals.
Carious Names Given by Miners. —
Placerville was, in 1849, called Hangtown because
it was the first place where any person was
hanged by lynch-law.

Tin Cup was so named, because the first miners
there found the place so rich that they measured
their gold in pint tin cups.

Pine Log is so named because there was once
a pine log across the South Fork of the Stanis-
laus River in such a position as to offer a very
convenient crossing to miners.

The following are among the other oddities
which have, through miners' freaks and fancies,
been used to denote settlements and camps and
diggings, small or large:

Jim Crow Canon, Gridiron Bar,

Red Dog, Hen- Roost Camp,

Jackass Gulch, Lousy Ravine,

Ladies' Canon, Lazy Man's Canon,

Miller's Defeat, Logtown,

Loafer Hill, Git-Up-and-Git,

Rattlesnake Bar, Gopher Flat,

Whisky Bar, Bob Ridley Flat,

Poverty Hill, One Eye,

Greasers' Camp, Push Coach Hill,

Christian Flat,

Rough and Ready,

Ragtown,

Sugar-Loaf Hill,

Paper Flat,

Wild-Cat Bar,

Dead Mule Canon,

Wild Goose Flat,

Brandy Flat,

Yankee Doodle,

Horsetown,

Petticoat Slide,

Chucklehead Diggings, Pike Hill,

Plug Head Gulch, Port Wine,

Ground Hog's Glory,

Bogus Thunder,

Last Chance,

Greenhorn Canon,

Shanghai Hill,

Shirt-Tail Canon,

Skunk Gulch,

Coon Hollow,

Poor Man's Creek,

Humbug Canon,

Quack Hill,

Kigger Hill,

Piety Hill,

Brandy Gulch,

Love-Letter Camp,

Blue Belly Ravine,

Shinbone Peak,

Loafer's Retreat,

Swellhead Diggings,

Poodletown,

Gold Hill,

Centipede Hollow,

Seven-by-Nine Valley,

Gospel Swamp,

Tit for Tat. — When Hepworth Dixon was
leaving California, he asked one of our news-
paper men to write to him occasionally.

" Certainly," replied our knight of the paste-
pot and shears, whom we will call plaiu Smith,
" how shall I address you ? "

" Simply Hepworth Dixon, England," replied
the modest author of " The White Conquest."

" All right, Mr. Dixon," responded Mr. Smith,
choking down his risibilities by a severe effort,
" I trust to have the pleasure of hearing from
you in reply."

" Certainly, Mr. Smith," replied Dixon, " how
shall I address you ? "

" Simply John Smith, America," triumphantly
replied Mr. Smith.

Reno — is 293 miles from San Francisco, sit-
uated in the Truckee Meadows, the junction of
the Virginia & Truckee Railroad, the first point
reached from which there are two daily passenger
trains to San Francisco, and the best point of de-
parture for tourists going west to visit Lake
Tahoe. The Meadows, about 15 miles long and
eight wide, are mostly covered with sage brush.

Puppytown,
Mad Canon,
Happy Valley,
Hell's Delight,
Devil's Basin,
Dead Wood,
Gouge Eye,
Puke Ravine,
Slap-Jack Bar,
Bloomer Hill,
Grizzly Flat,
Rat-Trap Slide,

Snow Point,
Narv Red,
Gas* Hill,
Ladies' Valley,
Graveyard Canon,
Gospel Gulch,
Chicken Thief Flat,
Hungry Camp,
Mud Springs,
Skinflint,
Pepper-Box Flat,
Seventy-Six,
Hog's Diggings,
Liberty Hill,
Paradise,
Sluice Fork,
Seven Up Ravine,
Humpback Slide,
Coyote Hill,
American Hollow,
Pancake Ravine,
Nutcake Camp,
Paint Pot Hill.

206

WINTER FOREST SCENE IN THE SIERRA NEVADAS.

BT THOMAS MOHAN.

207

The numerous boulders which also strew the mead-
ows, are built into fences, and alfalfa seed sown
after digging out the sage brush, and rich pas-
turage results on which sheep thrive. Eight or
ten tons to the acre are cut in a single season,
and farms make handsome returns. The boul-
ders are most numerous along the river.

Reno has an altitude of 4,507 feet, and a
population of 2,000. A severe fire devastated
it lately. It was named after General Reno
the hero of South Mountain — has now 2,000
people, and is a county-seat with a $30,000
court-house, and is (he gate to the West for
all the State, and distributing point for a
large portion of it. It has outrun Truckee
in competing for the trade of California,
east of the Sierras and among the beautiful
and fertile valleys north of the railroad,
for, from November to May, Truckee is shut in
by deep snows, and its roads have steeper grades.

Sierra Valley, the Honey Lake Region, Long
Valley, Camp Bidwell and Goose Lake Region,
Surprise Valley, Indian Valley, Winnemucca
Valley, the Pitt River Country, Tort Warner
and South-eastern Oregon, all derive their sup-
plies, wholly or in part, on wagons from this
point. It is the healthiest place in the State
and has the most stable population, being sur-
rounded with an agricultural region.

It has five churches, Congregational, Metho-
dist, Episcopal, Baptist and Catholic, and ground
will soon be broken here for the erection of a
Young Ladies' Seminary, under the care of
Bishop Whitaker of the Protestant Episcopal
Church, for which $10,000 were contributed by
Miss Wolfe of New York City, $ 5,000 contribu-
ted elsewhere, and Reno has supplied the re-
maining $5,000 needed.

Nevada, by a State law, sets apart one-fourth of
one per cent, of her tax for a building fund, out
of which the Capitol was erected, at Carson
City. About $100,000, since accumulated, has
been spent on a State prison, the completion of
which is yet in the future.

Here are the grounds of the State Agricultural
Society and the finest speed-track in the State,
two banks, one newspaper — the Nevada State
Journal — and several factories, a steam fire de-
partment and a public library.

The benevolent orders are well represented,
the Masons and Odd Fellows meeting in halls
of their own. There are two hotels, the Rail-
road House, which is well kept, and the Lake
House, on the bank of the Truckee River, a
most desirable place for a few days' stay. A
daily stage leaves for Susanville, in "the Califor-
nia portion of the Sierra Nevadas.

The Pea Vine District is nine miles north-
west, and about 1,500 feet above Reno, in which
are valuable mines of dark sulphuret ore — the
basest worked on the coast, and worked success-
fully only of late by the O'Hara process.

Virginia & Truckee Railroad.

Leaving Reno, the Red Mountain District is
seen on the east, and the W'ashoe Range with
Mount Rose, 8,200 feet high, on the west, and
soon the cars pass a flume, 15 miles long, owned
by Flood & O'Brien, running through a long
canon to Evans Creek to convey lumber to
the railroad. Huffaker's is six and one-half
miles from Reno, the terminus of the Pacific
Wood, Lumber and Flume Company's flume.
The next stopping point is called

Brown's, — and is the terminus of the Eldo-
rado Flume, owned by the Virginia & Truckee
Railroad Company. This flume starts in White's
Canon, and is about six miles long. The first
important station is

Steamboat Sjtrings, — 11 miles south of
Reno. They consist of many springs in two dis-
tinct groups, those of each group apparently con-
nected with each other. Their escaping steam
may be seen near the station on the rise to the
right of the road, and the fissures, through which
the water of 212° Fahrenheit gurgles up, vary
from a narrow crack to a foot in width. For-
merly they were more active than now, yet at
times they spout the water to a height of ten feet.
Sulphur abounds in the water, and remarkable
cures of rheumatism and cutaneous diseases have
been effected, but no reliable analysis of the
water has been made.

The hotel is a popular resort, kept in first-
class style with accommodations for fifty guests.

Steamboat Springs are fast becoming famous
for mines of cinnabar and sulphur, of both of
which this region seems to be full. Much of the
sulphur is pure and beautifully crystallized. Cin-
nabar is found between strata of lava.

The railroad crosses Steamboat Creek, the out-
let for Washoe Lake, and then enters Steamboat
Valley, which contains about 6,000 acres of good
soil with some natural meadow at the upper
end.

South of Steamboat Valley is Washoe Valley,
which is entered by passing through a narrow
gorge with large conglomerate rocks, weather-
beaten into castellated form. Emerging from
the canon, one is in

Washoe City, — 5 3-4 miles from Steamboat ;
it has a few dilapidated houses. Mount Rose,
over 8,000 feet high, eternally snow-capped, is di-
rectly opposite the lower end of the valley.

On the left of the track may be seen the ruins
of the old Ophir Mill — whose Superintendent
was honored with a salary of $30,000 per annum,
and a furnished house, while the mill employed
165 men.

On the left, at the foot of the mountains, over-
looking the beautiful lake and valley, is Bower's
Mansion — the favorite resort for picnics from
Carson and Virginia City.

Franlttowii, — 4 1-4 miles from Washoe, is
an old Mormon colony, the terminus of another

208

flume, and was the first place settled in this reg-
ularly formed and picturesque valley, twelve miles
long by seven wide. The long promontories from
the mountain side are denuded of timber, but
numerous ice-cold crystal streams come down
from the mountain side, and the valley produces
considerable grain and fruit, and supports no
little stock.

Mill Station, — 3 miles from Franktown, is
an old mill site at the upper end of the valley,
from which Washoe Lake, ten miles long and six
wide, may be clearly seen. Here is the end of
still another flume for lumber and wood ; next is
Eagle Valley, reached by a short tunnel. At the
summit, or

Lake View, — 2 miles from Mill Station,
commanding the finest view of Washoe Lake,
the railroad crosses the large water pipe which
supplies Virginia City from a lake on the west-
ern summit of the Sierras, above Lake Tahoe.
Washoe and Eagle Valleys almost join, and on
entering the latter, Carson City and the State
Capitol are seen below.

Carson City — is 21 miles from Virginia
City. It was settled in 1858, by Major Ornsby
and others, has a population of 4,OQO, is regu-
larly laid out, the streets coinciding with the
cardinal points of the eompass. Shade trees,
the U. S. Mint, the Capitol, Court-house, and
some neat private residences, four churches
(Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopalian and Cath-
olic), the best school-house in the State, and good
society, make it one of the most desirable places
for residence in Nevada. It has two daily papers,
the Appeal and Tribune. It is the center of a
large trade for all parts of South-western Nevada
and Mono and Inyo Counties of California.

It has three good hotels, the general offices and
workshops of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad.

The railroad from Carson City to Virginia
City, is often spoken of as the Crooked Railroad,
so full is it of curves and windings. There are
many curves on it of 14°, and one of 19°, and on
one portion of it for 16 miles, there is a contin-
uous grade of 90 feet to the mile. This is believed
to be the road of which it is said that an en-
gineer, badly frightened at the approach of a
red light, jumped from his engine and soon saw
that he had been scared by the rear end of his
own train. It is fifty-one and three-quarter miles
long, and has 35 miles of side track. Forty to
fifty trains daily pass over it, and it is probably
the best paying railroad in the country.

Proceeding through Eagle Valley to Virginia,
there may be seen — off to the right, the State
Prison, two and one-half miles from Carson, an
edifice whose architectural appearance is befit-
ting its purpose. Adjoining, as if it was the
same building, are the Carson Warm Springs
and its hotel, one of the choicest spots for
an attractive resort. The great volume of water
boiling from the rocks, supplies a succession

of large plunge baths for a distance of 160
feet.

Stages leave Carson for points in Southern
Nevada and into California as follows : To
Monitor, 46 miles ; Silver Mountain, 54 miles ;
Bixhnp's Creek, 192 miles ; Benton, 150 miles ;
Su'eetwnter, 73 miles ; A urora, 105 miles ; Bodie,
119 miles ; Mariette, 145 miles ; Bi'Uev'dle, 155
miles ; Candelnria, 165 miles ; Columbus, 173
miles ; Silver Peak, 228 miles ; Independence, 234
miles ; Lone Pine, 252 miles ; Cerro Gordo, 274
miles. The usual fare is 15 cents per mile. For
Lake Tahoe, Benton stage line runs to Glen-
brook, and there connects with steamer across
lake, and stages thence to Truckee and Summit.

Near Carson there are a number of points of
special interest. Along the stage line to Lake
Tahoe are some new and wonderful springs of
great mineral value for healing, Soda, etc., —
especially beneficial for rheumatism — also the
little narrow gauge railroad and the flume for
carrying timber.

North of Carson there crosses the railroad
track the Water Syphon for supplying Virginia
City with water. This syphon commences in
the Sierras west of Carson, at a place called
Ball's Creek, then crosses the mountains to a
point 2,10iJ feet above the valley where the rail-
road passes. The flume now changes and the
water pours into a pipe, which descends, passes
across the valley,, is carried to another point
on the other side of the valley 1,540 feet high,
where it is poured out into another flume which
conducts it to Virginia City. Upward of two
million gallons per day of water are thus sup-
plied. Cost $750,000. The Sulro Tunnel one of
the mining wonders of Nevada commences on the
Carson River, not far distant, and bores into the
mountains a passage 14 feet wide and 10 feet
high. The main tunnel is completed 20,000 feet,
reaching directly to the mines at Virginia City,
and affording not only a perfect outlet for the
water of the mines, but giving excellent ventila-
tion and a cheap way of removing the ore.
Probably the greatest venture in risks of any
enterprises in the world, just opened for use.

Several stations beyond Carson attract atten-
tion principally because of quartz mills con-
nected. Lookout, 2} miles ; Empire, \\ miles ;
at Morgan, is the Morgan Mill ; at Brunswick
and Merrimark are others. The road ascends
above the river gradually and just beyond
Eureka is seen the first view of Mount Davidson.

Mound House — is the station for supplies
for Dayton and Sutro. Passenger and freight
now leave here, and pass across Walker Lake by
a steam ferry, and save 45 miles travel around
the head of the Lake. This is now the princi-
pal route to the Columbus and Monte Christo
country.

(fold Hill. — As the traveler approaches, he
sees evidence of mining in every direction —

209

abandoned shafts, puffing engines, smoke issu-
ing from gigantic srucks, huge mounds of earth
dumped from the end of high trestle-work, the
capacious buildings and the posts and stones that
mark the undeveloped claims, or the loaded ore,
need no explanation as to their origin or pur-
pose.

Gold Hill follows the ravine of the same name,
and the street is both steep and crooked. It has
a population of 6,000 and is, in all respects, like
Virginia City. The two are built up so as to be
without marked separation. Gold Hill has a
vigorous daily paper, the " Gold Hill News," a
Catholic, a Methodist, and an Episcopal Church.

a great credit to the city and the land of sil-
ver. Its narrow streets show with what diffi-
culty sites are obtained for buildings, whether
anchored to the rocks or perched in mid-air, and,
while in the city but little of it is visible at a
time, the dwellings are mostly low, and, there-
fore, unstable roofs do less damage when the
Washoe zephyrs blow. It appears small, but is
the most densely packed of all American cities.
One-third its people are underground, where
lighted candles glimmer faintly in subterranean
passages, by day and by night. Bedrooms do
double duty for hundreds or thousands, whose
work never ceases. Miners are shifted every eight

STREET SCENE IN VIRGINIA CITY, NEVADA.

Virginia City and Gold Hill are connected by a
line of omnibusses, making four trips every hour
during the day, while the frequent trains of the
railroad carry also many passengers. By rail
the distance to Virginia City is two miles, in
which several tunnels are passed through.

Virginia City — is one of the most interesting
towns on the coast. One expects streets of gold
and silver, and finds dust or mud. On October
26, 1875, it was almost wholly destroyed by fire,
but the burnt district has been rebuilt more
handsomely than ever. Its population now
exceeds 20,000. A first-class hotel, The In'
ternational, has been erected, in all respects

hours, and the men of two shifts may occupy the
same couch.

On many levels, down 2,000 feet, are thousands
of busy, bustling, narrow streets, over which is
the city proper. Tide-water is 6,205 feet below
the banks, and perhaps it is best that it is no
nearer, for now pumps are constructed to raise
the water to the surface from 3,000 to 5,000 feet
below, only seven of which are capable of raising
4,000 gallons every minute.

Dwellings on the side-hill overlook one another
without any appearance of aristocratic preten-
sions, and steps and foot-ladders are continually
at hand.

210

The streets present a busy appearance with
men of all classes, and occasionally women, watch-
ing the indicator of the San Francisco stock-
market as anxiously as a gambler reduced to the
" bed rock " watches for the playing of the hand
against him.

Saloons are numerous and crowded, and pro-
fanity fearfully prevalent.

It is a city of extremes in prices, speculations,
character, activity, enterprise, debauchery and
home life. The rich and the penniless are side
by side. Every notion and ism is advocated —
every nation represented by the worst and best
of the race — except the horrible Celestial, who is
always called bad, but is even somewhat like
" the Englishman of character and the English-
man of no character to speak of." The lazy
Indians that lounge about the street, rich with a
loaf of bread, a blanket, a string of beads and
some feathers, are no poorer than hundreds who
will have nothing until they sober up, and at the
other end are the owners of wealth incomprehen-
sible by any system of counting — all glittering
and golden-hued in a vast firmament of riches,
as great as the reality of idlest dreams. Here
the world has seen, not one, but at least four,
richer than Croesus ; with lamps, rings and slaves
better than Aladdin's ; four Bonanza kings, each
with a mountain of treasure greater to carry than
the horrible Old Man of the Sea, but which no
modern Siubad would shake off with delight.

One says, " The gods here worshiped are
heathen deities, Mammon, Bacchus and Venus.
The temples are brokers' offices, whisky shops,
gambling hells and brothels. There is wonder-
ful enterprise, much intelligence, some refine-
ment, not a little courtesy, and a sea of sin."

The view from the city is picturesque and
sorrowfully beautiful. Off to the south and east
the eye ranges over a waste of sage brush, and
the face of the whole country appears like the
waves of an angered sea, broken the more be-
cause they can go no farther.

The Carson River can be seen stretching off
toward its sinking place in arid sands, and the
twenty-six mile desert will deceive the unthink-
ing, and add a faint lake-like look to the picture,
of which the Walker and Sweetwater Ranges and
endless mountains' rosy light and heaven's blue
dome, all add their beauty.

But to enjoy the best view, make the ascent of
Mount Davidson, about 2,000 feet above the city,
and nearly 8,000 feet high. One need not climb,
but may ascend it on horseback by following up
the ravine from Gold Canon. When he reaches
what seems from the street to be the top of the
mountain, he sees another summit as far beyond,
but the latter gained the view is magnificent.

Below, on the west, is a beautiful lake two or
three miles in diameter, "glistening like the
silver of the mountains which it covers." Reno,
the Carson Valley, valleys, mountains, rivers,

lakes, and deserts may be seen in every direction
for a hundred miles.

Or, if it is too fatiguing to ascend, whoever is
the fortunate possessor of a note of introduction
to some mining superintendent, may prepare for
a visit to the world below. Donning brogans,
woolen socks and coarse flannels, he will step on
the cage, holding his breath, his heart feeling
gone, and as the water drips around him down
the shaft, his feeble lantern will not remove the
queer sensation of the descent. Once below,
there are cuts, and cross-cuts, drifts, winzes,
stopes and a maze of strange words, sights and
sounds. Here is explained the use of the
squared timbers seen by the car load, passing
from the Sierras to Virginia City. As worthless
rock or treasured ore is removed, the excavation
must be replaced almost as solid as the rock it-
self. The huge timbers are mortised and fitted
to each other with the utmost precision ; ladders
lead from level to level. Cars convey the ore to
the shaft, and up and down the busy cages are
always going. Every minute a loaded car as-
cends from a quarter of a mile below and is re-
placed by another. The engineer tells by an
indicator the precise location of the cage at any
moment, and by varying the signals to him, he
directs the movements for passengers with greatly
decreased speed.

If time permits, ride over to the Sutro Tunnel,
six miles from Virginia City. It once promised
well, may benefit the Comstock Lode more than
its friends have ever dreamed, but from present
appearances the real contest concerning it, was
not in. Congress, nor opposition from the mines
it aims to tap, but has yet to come. As a
specimen of engineering it will repay a visit.
With indomitable energy it is pushed forward,
and has now penetrated nearly three miles.
The average progress is 90 feet per week, and
tunneling was never done elsewhere, more speed-
ily or successfully.

Mines of Virginia City. — The discovery
of the Comstock Lode, was made in 1857, by
men in pursuit of gold placers. They came
upon some mineral new to them, which a Mex-
ican recognized as silver ore. Comstock at an
early day, was a middle-man in the purchase of an
interest in the lode, and his name thus became
attached to it. As explorations were made, very
rich ore was found near the surface, and soon a
great excitement was created, and vigorous oper-
ations commenced, which were crowned with
wonderful success. The Ophir Mine, and the
Gould & Curry, at an early day began to pay
dividends, and continued to do so without inter-
ruption for several years. The Savage and the
Hale & Norcross were later in becoming
known, and their period of prosperity continued
after the others had gone into decline. These
are all Virginia City Mines. The Kentuck,
Crown Point, Yellow Jacket, Chollar Potosi,

211

and Belcher, which have all paid dividends and
others less widely known, are in Gold Hill.
Neither of them became successful as early as
the Ophir and Gould & Curry. The original
discoverers of these mines " located " them, as
miners say, that is, posted upon the property a
notice of claim in writing, of which they filed a
copy with the recorder of the mining district.
The regulations in reference to locating claims
differed slightly in different districts. Usually
not over 2,000 feet along the length of a vein
could be located in one claim, and no one could
claim over 200 feet except the discoverer, he be-
ing usually allowed 300, and sometimes 400 feet.
Under the present United States Mining Law
no single claim for over 1,500 feet can be made,
whatever number of persons join in it, and the
discoverer is accorded no advantage over others.
Feet in length along a vein, are always stated
and understood to carry all its depth, spurs and
angles, that is, its whole breadth and depth be
they miSre or less, for the length claimed. Veins
are usually only a few feet wide, but sometimes
extend miles in length. The Comstock Lode
has been traced for five miles, but its greatest
breadth so far as yet known, is between 300 and
400 feet, and no other silver vein in the State of
Nevada approaches it in breadth, and some are
worked which do not exceed 6 inches. In early
days dealings in mines were by feet, and not by
shares. The Ophir Mine comprised 1,400 feet
for instance, and was sold on the stock-board by
the foot. An owner of 100 feet owned a four-
teenth of the mine. Gradually the selling by
feet was abandoned, and only shares were dealt
in, and those have b?en divided up very small, in
order to bring speculation within the compass of
persons of small means. The Ophir Mine has
been divided so that each original foot is repre-
sented by seventy-two shares. The incorpora-
tions of all the mining companies on the Com-
stock Lode, and their offices have always been in
San Francisco, and the men who live immedi-
ately over and about the mine, cannot buy or sell
stock in them except by letter or telegraph to
" The Bay."

In the development of this mineral lode, three
distinct periods may be marked. For some time
after its discovery, prosperity continually at-
tended operations on it somewhere along its
length, and often at all points. All the mines
named above paid dividends, and very few assess-
ments were made. The ore lying within 800 or
900 feet of the surface was finally exhausted
along the whole vein, and dividends fell off,
assessments became frequent, and great depres-
sion followed. This continued until patient
exploration revealed, several hundred feet deeper,
a rich ore body, in the Crown Point and Belcher
Mines, which produced an amount of bullion
hitherto unexampled in the history of the vein,
dividends amounting to a million a month com-

ing several months in succession. This body of
ore was worked out in time, and depression fol-
lowed again. The total yield of all the mines
of Nevada for the last six years has been
$176,734,150.

The Klg Bonanza Mine. — For more than
a year this mine divided $2,000,000 monthly,
when suddenly came the end. The following
figures, which were furnished at the company's
office, give a fair view of the operations of this
mine. During 1875, and the three first
months of 1876, the bullion receipts of this
company were twenty-four million eight hun-
dftd and fifty thousand, five hundred arid twenty-
four dollars and eighty-four cents, ($24,850,-
524.84).

In March, 1876, were worked 24,991,800-2,000
tons of ore, which produced $3,634,218.92.
The total yield of the two mines Virginia
and California has exceeded ffty million dol-
lars.

The bullion from this mine and others on the
Comstock Lode is very pure, and on an average
is about .045 fine in gold, and .950 in silver, leav-
ing only about .005 of base metal. The propor-
tion of gold to silver varies, and with it the
value of the bullion per pound. A shipment,
which represented a fair average, was of 50 bars
of $186,998 stamped value, and weighing 5,741
Ibs. avoirdupois, thus representing a value of
$32.57 per Ib. Had this been pure silver, it
would have been stamped $18.81 per Ib., and the
excess above that, is for the gold in the bullion.
It may surprise one to be told that silver bullion,
carrying so large a portion of gold, shows no
trace of it. A bar of gold and silver, in equal
proportions, would scarcely differ in color from a
pure silver bar. Its weight would, however, re-
veal the presence of the gold, at once. When
six or seven-tenths are gold, its color begins to
show.

The valuable product obtained from the ore
was over seventy-two per cent, of its assay value
diiring the month reported above. It is not
usual to obtain a better result than this without
roasting the ore before amalgamation. It will
interest one, not familiar with mining, to notice
how small in both bulk and weight the bullion
product is when compared with the amount of
ore handled. During the month referred to, four
hundred and forty-six tons of ore, which would
make a mass 10 feet high, 20 feet wide and 30
feet long, yielded only one ton of bullion, which
could be melted into a solid cube 18 3-5 inches
on a side, or 1,560 cubic feet of ore were worked
to obtain one cubic foot of bullion.

Reduction of the Ores. — The ores at this
place are worked without roasting by the pan
process of American origin, first adopted on the
Comstock Lode. It is suited admirably to ores
which work kindly, requiring little chemical
action or heat to make them part with their

213

precious contents, to be taken up by amalgama-
tion with quicksilver. Though it rarely yields
as close a result as the Mexican patio process,
or the furnace and barrel process of Freiberg,
it is so much more expeditious and economical
of labor, and so capable of being applied on a
large scale, that, on the whole, it is unquestion-
ably preferable. The other processes referred to
have been thoroughly tried in Virginia City, and
found utterly unsuited to the conditions existing
there.

The first part of the process, is wet crushing of
the ore, by stamps in iron mortars, a constant
stream of water carrying off through a brass
wire screen the pulverized portion as fast as re-
duced small enough. The screens are at the
back of the mortar. Five stamps, weighing
about 650 pounds each, are usually placed in a
single mortar, and are lifted and dropped from
five to eight inches about ninety times a minute.
The feeder, standing in front, judges by the
sound when and where to feed in the ore lying
behind him. He is expected to feed two batter-
ies of five stamps each, which are usually placed
in one frame, and run by a single shaft. Some
mills have twelve such batteries or sixty stamps.
The amount crushed by a stamp in twenty-four
hours — for work never stops day or night — varies
with the fineness of the screen, the character of
the ore, and the skill of the feeder, and is from
one to two and a half tons a day. Automatic
machinery for feeding batteries is now introduced
in many mills.

The stream running constantly from the bat-
tery is received in a series of tanks and settled
as much as possible, the deposit from it being
coarse sand at first, and fine sediments at last.
The fine sedimants are called slums, and must
be thoroughly mingled with the coarse sand in
the after process, for though often containing the
richest portion of the ore, the atoms are so im-
palpably fine, and adhere to one another so
closely, as to elude the mechanical agencies em-
ployed to obtain thr, precious metal they bear,
and, if worked by themselves, carry away nearly
all they are worth with them. By mingling
them with the sand in as nearly as possible the
same proportion in which they come from the
stamps, they become broken up, separated and
distributed through the whole mass of pulp, and
are persuaded to give up the most of the silver
they hold. This silver is not in metallic form,
but combined with sulphur, chlorine or antimony
for the most part. Chlorides of silver easily and
sulphurets more reluctantly part from the base
with which they are united, and amalgamate
with quicksilver.

Antimonial silver not only refuses to do this,
but obstructs the process on the part of other
silver compounds with which it may be associ-
ated, and is, therefore, dreaded by all silver mill-
men who do not roast their ores ; but the com-

pounds of silver at Virginia City, are chiefly
chlorides, and antimonial silver ores, though they
occur there, are found in small quantities only.

To effect this amalgamation of the silver in
the ore with mercury, the crushed pulp is now
placed in quantities of one to two tons, some-
times even more, in an iron pan, five or six feet
in diameter and three to four feet deep, and
ground and stirred by a revolving muller, till all
the coarse sand is reduced fine. The muller is
then raised and the grinding ceases, but the agi-
tation is continued, and a large body of quick-
silver is introduced, and steam is also let either
into the body of the pulp, or a false bottom under
the pan, so as to heat the whole mass, the amal-
gamator in charge standing by and testing it with
his finger, thinning it with slums of water, thick-
ening it with coarse sand, shutting off the steam
or letting more on, as his judgment dictates, till
the temperature and consistency suit. This pro-
cess is continued from three to twelve hours, ac-
cording to the richness and the kindly or refract-
ory temper of the ore. Poor ores must be rushed
through, that a large amount may be worked.
Rich ores, after yielding handsomely, may still
obstinately retain more value than some poor
ones ever carried.

The pulp is kept thick enough to float minute
atoms of quicksilver, and is made to roll over and
over by wings on the sides of the pan and on the
muller, until all the amalgamation that can be
effected is accomplished, when the motion is
diminished, and the charge in the pan drawn off
into a large settler on a lower level, where it is
diluted with a large volume of cold water, and
slowly stirred, and the quicksilver atoms uniting,
gather in a body at the bottom and are drawn
off through a syphon. Meantime, a stream of
water running through the settler, carries off
the earthy contents, and finally, when quicksilver
ceases to gather, the settler is drawn off nearly
to the bottom and made ready for the contents of
another pan. It is usual to have one settler for
two pans, and give half the time to settling that
is occupied in grinding and amalgamating.

The silver and gold, so far as they have been
taken up, are now held by the quicksilver. This
is strained through long, deep, conical, canvas
bags, and the tough amalgam obtained is placed
in close iron retorts, the quicksilver distilled out
by fire ; crude bullion results, which is melted in
a crucible and poured into moulds, and when
weighed, assayed and stamped with its value, is
ready for market.

The discharged ore from the settler is called
tailings, and is often caught in large reservoirs,
and after lying months or years, as the case
may be, is worked through the pans and settlers
again, and this process is sometimes repeated
several times, especially if ore becomes scarce.
The practice of different mining companies as to
the disposition of their tailings, varies exceed-

214

ingly. So long as ore is plenty, no pains are
taken to save them. They never have been
worked so closely as not still to carry several
dollars to the ton value in precious metal.

The process employed at Virginia City, is in
use wherever silver is mined on the Pacific Coast,
with such modifications as differences in the char-
acter of the ore demand. Some ores are so re-
fractory as to require roasting. They are first
dried thoroughly, then crushed dry, next roasted
to expel sulphur, antimony, zinc, etc., and then
treated in pans and settlers as if crushed wet with-
out roasting. The process is expensive, but has
some compensation in the closer percentage of
assay value obtained, and smaller waste of quick-
silver. The loss of this metal in amalgamating
un roasted ores, amounts in various ways to from
two to four pounds for each ton worked. Some
of it combines with chlorine in the ore, and is
converted into calomel. This is lost beyond re-
covery. Some of it is volatilized by the heat in
the pans, and some escapes through the joints of
the retorts, and this also is lost finally, and
sometimes hurts workmen exposed to the fumes.
Most of it is lost by not being gathered in the
settler. It goes off in minute atoms, carrying
gold and silver with it. This is partly recovered
by working the tailings, or by running them over
blankets in sluices which entrap enough of it to
pay well for the cost of the process.

Sinks of the Great Nevada Basin. —
One of the most wonderful natural features of
that part of the Continent lying between the
Wahsatch and Sierra Nevada Ranges of Mount-
ains, is the Great Desert and its numerous sinks.
The sink of the Great Salt Lake has already
been alluded to. It is a great natural curiosity
of itself. It receives the waters of an immense
region of country, and, though gradually rising,
is still confined to its banks, and gives off its sur-
plus waters by evaporation. There is no evi-
dence whatever that it has a subterraneous out-
let. Between it and the sinks of the Nevada
Desert, there is an elevated ridge and broken
ranges of mountains, with gaps and valleys be-
tween them. This whole desert has evidently
been a lake, or an inland sea, at some time,
while the mountains have been islands in it.
Passing the ridge, or low divide between the
broken mountains, which separates the Great
Salt Lake fiom the desert beyond, and we ar-
rive at the sinks of the Nevada Basin. The
first is the Ilumboldt Lake, which has been de-
scribed. Then the Humboldt and Carson Sink,
which, unlike the Great Salt Lake, receives the
waters of both the Humboldt River and Lake
and the Carson River and Lake, flowing from
opposite directions ; and, in the hot months of
summer, when evaporation is greatest, is very
nearly dry. On the other hand, in the spring,
when the snows of the mountains melt, or when
heavy rains occur in the winter and spring

months, causing a large flow of water in the
Humboldt and Carson Rivers, these lakes of the
same name nearly always rise together, and the
vast salty plain, in and around the sink, becomes
a lake of great size. There is no evidence of
any subterranean outlet to the waters that flow
into this large sink. On the contrary, those who
have noticed the rapidity with which water dis-
appears from a tub or other vessel exposed to the
sun and air in this region, have no difficulty in be-
lieving, in fact almost seeing, the process of evap-
oration going on, by which the waters are drunk
up and scattered over the earth in clouds, to be
again distilled in rain.

Walker Lake, which receives the flow of
Walker River, is another one of these mysteri-
ous sinks. It is off to the south of Carson
Lake. The river rises in the Sierra Nevadas
and flows in a general easterly direction, till its
waters are swallowed up by the sands of the
desert, or lost through the same process men-
tioned elsewhere. There are also numerous
streams rising in the mountains, assuming large
proportions by the time they reach the valleys,
but the sands of the desert soon drink them dry,
and they are " lost to sight."

North of the Central Pacific, about 20 miles
from Wadsworth, are the sinks of Pyramid
Lake, Winnemucca Lake and Mud Lake, the
latter being a considerable distance north of
Pyramid Lake. These bodies of water at times
quite large, are called fresh water lakes, though
they are brackish and abound in fish. North-
east of Winnemucca Lake is Quin's River, quite
a large stream near its source in the mountains
of Idaho ; but it becomes lost in the desert, on its
way, apparently, to Winnemucca Lake. These
lakes and the desert are the mighty sinks which
drink up the water that is not evaporated, but
sometimes evaporation gets the best of them.
North-west of Mud Lake, over in California, is
Honey Lake, another remarkable body of water.
It is sometimes dry so that teams can be driven
across its bed, and then again it is on the ram-
page. Its waters resemble soap-suds, and are
admirably adapted for washing purposes. When
lashed by the winds, its waters become a rolling
mass of foam, and afford a magnificent specta-
cle to the beholder. If it only had permanent
water of the character alluded to, it would be an
excellent location for a huge laundry.

Staf/e Routes to Lake Tahoe. — A favorite
route to Lake Tahoe is via Carson City. It may
be more easily reached and seen on the west-
ward toiir, than to wait and include it on the
eastward return.

After a visit to Virginia City, the tourist will
return to Carson City, remain over night at a
good comfortable hotel, the Onnsby House, —
whose proprietor considers it " the highest toned
hotel in Nevada," and next morning, at 8.30 A.
M., take Benton's Stage for Tahoe.

215

H >

o §

216

To visit and make the circuit of the lake, and
return to Carson will require at least 18 hours,
but most tourists will find it desirable to stop at
the little hotel on the opposite side of the lake,
and return via Truckee, thus seeing greater
variety of scenery.

Tourists by this route to Virginia City, Carson
and Tahoe, will be obliged to leave the Overland
Western train at Reno, about 11.40 p. M., and a
comfortable night's rest can be enjoyed at the
Railroad Hotel. In the morning a train leaves
at 7.35 A. M., and arrives at Carson at 9.00 ; after
taking one hour for breakfast, the tourist can
either proceed to Virginia City and spend the
day, or take immediate departure for Lake Tahoe.
Private team or special stage can be engaged at
Benton's by any party, for a ride to the Lake at
any special time.

On this route there is the best known of all
California stage-drivers, who have reined kyuse
or mustang horses, — the modest Hank Monk.
His first fame was not on the platform of
Faneuil Hall in oratory, but in the streets of
Boston, with eight horses abreast, well trained
to the voice and whip. He has driven stage in
California and Nevada, since 1852, and made
the distance between Carson and Virginia, 21
miles, in one hour and eight minutes. His ap-
pearance and gait do not indicate much energy,
but he drove Horace Greeley 109 miles in 10
hours, fast enough toward the end of the
journey, and as long as he can wake up his pets
with a strong voice or far reaching whip, he will
not fail to get his passengers through, " on
time." But to the credit of others, it should be
said, that California and Nevada have hundreds
of drivers not less skillful and reliable than the
favorite Monk.

The route to the lake lies first south, through
the Carson Valley, toward Job's Peaks and Silver
Mountain, always beautiful with snow. In the
clear atmosphere, the first will appear only a few
miles away, but it is still more than twenty
miles distant. The stage road turns west, up Clear
Creek Canon, through which comes the Twenty-
one Mile (V shaped) Flume of the Carson & Ta-
hoe Lumber Company, through which 700 cords
of wood, or half a million feet of mining timber
can be daily delivered at Carson City from the
summits of the Sierras. Along the canon are
many towering, sun-burnt rocks, weather-beaten
and worn into weird and fantastic shapes, and
these and the swift-descending timber, splashing
the water up many feet at every turn, to sparkle
in the sunlight, the Carson Valley spread out
below, with the Pine Nut, Walker and Sweet-
water Mountains on one side, and the Sierras
opposite, always attract and delight the lover of
bold mountain scenery.

At the summit, the flume connects with
the Lake Tahoe N. G. Railroad, 9 miles-
long from summit to Glenbrook on shore of

the lake. The distance is but three miles by,
wagon road, 6 miles less than by -the R. R. The
railroad is worked only in the summer months —
after much of it has been sought out and found
with shovels, and is exposed to damage and de-
struction from avalanches of snow or rock which
come thundering down the steep sides with re-
sistless force. Near the summit it has the enor-
mous grade of 180 feet to the mile. This pas-
sage over the eastern summit of the Sierras is
made where the range is depressed and the view,
though beautiful, is far too contracted to fully
gratify the traveler. Below, lies Lake Tahoe,
girt with everlasting pine-clad hills whose snowy
masses and evergreen foliage mingle with the
deep blue of an inland sea, yet only a small por-
tion of its beauty can be seen.

Lake Tahoe. — This great body of fresh
water, 25 miles long, on an average ten wide,
about three-fourths in California, and one-fourth
in Nevada, has an elevation of a mile and a
quarter, and has been sounded to a depth of
3,000 feet. Through glacial action in past ages,
ice must have been piled up in the valley of this
lake 3,400 feet high. It never freezes, is smooth
as glass and clear as crystal, permitting the
trout to be seen or pebbles counted at a depth of
80 feet. Its water changes color to a beautiful
emerald or almost indigo blue according to the
depth, and when disturbed by the fierce mount-
ain winds, its waves lash the shore with foaming
fury.

At Glenbrook. five steamers will be found,
three of which are employed for the mills, and
the others, the " Niagara " and " Stanford " will
convey tourists, not exceeding 200 in number,
around the lake.

Glenbrook is the business center of the whole
region that borders on the lake. It has four
saw-mills with an aggregate capacity of five
million feet per month, running 11 1-2 hours
per day, also a planing mill.

Captain Pray, the oldest settler, is a large
land-owner, and much of the 200 acres in the
ranche on the shores of the lake, is covered with
a beautiful sod of timothy and clover. In the
State there is no finer land, and as the captain
and other mill-owners will rent none for saloon
purposes, Glenbrook, with a summer population
of 500, is a temperance town. The Glenbrook
Hotel, usually kept in first-class style, is usually
open each season, if not, comfortable accommo-
dations can still be found at the Lake Shore
House, for $20 a week, without extra charge for
the use of boats.

Shakespeare Rock, a remarkable curiosity, is
a bold, perpendicular rock on which the profile
of the great poet's face is outlined with great
accuracy.

From Glenbrook there is a charming drive on
the old Placerville Road, past Cave Rock, and
around the head of the lake to Rowlands or

217

Yank's. The road was constructed at great ex-
pense— a single mile near the rock, costing $40,-
000. The only other drive, of note, is from
Tahoe City to Sugar Pine Point.

The whole of the lake is not visible until the
steamer has run out a little distance from the
shore. Then its generic name is rather fitting.
" Tahoe," in the Indian, signifies " big water,"
and is the name for ocean. The shore slopes
gently, in places, for two miles to a depth of
from 30 to 50 feet, then breaks sometimes ab-
ruptly as at the Bluffs of Rubicon or Observa-
tory Point, to a depth of 600 or 800 feet; and off
Sugar Pine Point is the greatest depth yet found.
The water is clear as crystal, and the tempera-
ture in summer, when taken from considerable
depth, very near the freezing point. The fare,
across the lake is $2.50, and around, $5. The
steamer must lie idle half the year, and reasona-
ble fares may seem thus high. Leaving Glen-
brook for a circuit around the head of the lake,
the first object of interest is Cave Rock, three
and one-half miles from Glenbrook, about 400
feet high. This appears in the engraving from
Moran's sketch made from the point just south
of Glenbrook, and looking south and west.

After passing the rock, and looking back, it
resembles the Great South Dome of Yosemite,
split in two, and the cavern, 30 feet in length, is
seen about 100 feet above the ground. The line
of solid masonry and bridge for the road can just
be traced from the point where the artist stood.
Leaving Cave Rock, Zephyr Cove is three miles
south. Beautiful meadows afford fine pasturage,
and being on the east side, the earliest vege-
tables are here grown. The mountain's wall
shows plainly its broken but regular character.
From the main ridge, a cross spur is thrown out,
but this must again be broken into a succession
of small canons and " divides."

Just south of the cave is the old Friday
Ranche, well known by the pioneers who were
"on the way to Washoe" and the Kingsbury
Canon, through which the road crossed the
mountain to Genoa. In other days, the toll re-
ceipts on the Kingsbury grade were $500 a day.

JiowlandSf — 14 miles from Glenbrook, at the
head of the lake, on the Old Placerville Road,
was the first place of resort on the lake and
originally called the Lake House. It has greatly
changed from the day when J. Ross Browne was
a guest, and the host " seemed to be quite worn out
with his run of customers, — from a hundred to
three hundred of a night, and nowhere to stow
'em — all cussin' at him for not keepin' provis-
ions, with but little to drink, except old fash-
ioned tar an tula- juice, warranted to kill at forty
paces." It has now two stores and a post-office,
with accommodations for tourists at moderate

Rrice. Lake Valley appears, from a distance,
ke a large, pine-covered flat. It is 14 miles
long and six wide, partly covered with timber,

and having much grazing land of the best
quality. The stock that pastures in these fertile
valleys of the lake, is all driven out before the
winter snows begin. Between Rowlands and
Yank's, is the terminus of Gardner's Rail-
road, a successful enterprise for lumbering. It
will soon be extended from six to ten miles.

Yank's — is 4 miles from Rowlands, and at
the south-west end of the lake, just west of and
with convenient access to Lake Valley, and is
situated on a grassy sward, in a beautiful grove
of tamaracks interspersed with tall pines and
quaking aspens, with a pebbly beach gently
sloping from Teliae Point, commanding a view
of the whole lake, with convenient access to
Teliae Mountain, and only two miles from Fall-
en Leaf Lake, another beautiful sheet of water,
three miles long and one and one-half wide, at
the head of which are excellent Soda Springs.
Teliae Mountain is easily recognized from its
long, flat summit, and may be ascended via Fall-
en Leaf Lake and a steep canon. The view
from the summit is one of the finest on the Con-
tinent.

To the east, looking across Lake Valley and
the beautiful Tahoe, the eastern summits do not
shut out the country beyond, for Carson Valley
and much of Nevada are in sight. On the west,
are the great valleys of central California, beyond
them the Coast Range, and scattered among the
countless snow and purple peaks of the Sierras,
there nestle thirty-six lakes in sight, varying
from the deep, dark blue of Tahoe to the bril-
liancy of silver beneath a noonday sun. Horses
and boats are always to be had at Yank's.
Twenty dollars per week is the price of board ;
boats are charged for at city prices for carriages.
"Yank" is a. soubriquet to mark the Green Mount-
ain origin of the host, Mr. E. Clement. The
tourist will need no further introduction, but
should be informed that Yank spends his winters
at the lake and sees snow come down the mount-
ains and accumulate around his buildings. Of all
places on the lake, none is more truly beautiful
for situation, than Yank's and it is a favorite
resort.

Leaving Yank's, the steamer heads north and
proceeds four miles to Emerald Bay, passing two
well-rounded peaks at the foot of which is a
beautiful valley, in which lies Cascade Lake.
This, too. is accessible from Yank's and is one of
its attractions. The point just north of the en-
trance to Emerald Bay was long the home of
America's pride among the birds, and is named
Eagle Point.

Emerald Bay — is a gem of beauty — entered
on the south side of a narrow strait, as shown on
our title-page. It is two miles long by about
three-fourths of a mile wide. The entrance is
shoal, but the bay deep. Near the head of the
bay is a little granite island, with a few small
trees and shrubs, and the unfilled tomb of an

218

eccentric tar — Captain Dick — who prepared the
island for his own mausoleum, in which he in-
tended to place himself on the approach of death,
but his drowned body became food for the fishes,
and the lonely cross marked an empty tomb.

This charming bay is owned by Ben Holladay,
Jr. His summer residence is surrounded by a
grove of willows and a stream fed by eternal
snows, pouring down in three successive lofty
•waterfalls, which rival in grace and beauty
some of the smaller in Yosemite, keeps the
grassy sward always green, and plays in a
fountain before the door.

The surrounding hills are so steep that they
can be climbed only with great difficulty. Just
opposite the island, on the north side, there is
the mark of an avalanche of snow, that carried
the tall pines before it like shrubs, and has left
the mountain side completely bare.

Rubicon Point and Bay, and Sugar Pine Point
are next passed, going north on the way to
McKinney's, ten miles from Emerald Bay.

At McKinney's, there is no large house, but
13 cottages and pleasant surroundings. The
road to Tahoe City, gives this the advantage of a
pleasant drive. Board may be had at $20 a
week.

Continuing north, the steamer passes Black-
wood Creek, where some towering rocks are seen
whose height is scarcely comprehended, because
the trees and mountains beyond are on so great
a scale. Small as they seem, they are two hun-
dred and fifty feet high, and the trees at their
base not less than 200 feet.

Ward's Bay lies north of the Creek, and
Bawker's Peak, a sharp, high point, is back in
the mountains.

Tahoe City—\s eight miles from McKinney's,
and one of the loveliest spots on the lake. It is
at the source of the Truckee River, the only outlet
of the lake, and has the " Grand Central," the
largest hotel on the Sierras, with accommodations
for 160 guests, and kept by those excellent hosts,
Bayley & Moody. This is the most con-
venient point of access for tourists from Califor-
nia. The road to Truckee is down the beautiful
canon of the Truckee River, through a noble
forest of pines, invigorating and delightful at
every step. Sail and row-boats of all kinds may
be had at this point, and also carriages ; but the
prices should be agreed upon beforehand. No
boats are kept for the use of the hotel.

Board at the Grand Central may be had, vary-
ing from $3.00 to $4.00 per day, according to
rooms. The view of the lake from Tahoe City
is not excelled, and equalled only at Yank's
and the Hot Springs.

The hotel and other accommodations are supe-
rior to all others on the lake. Besides the Grand
Central, there is the Tahoe House, kept by Cap-
tain Pomin.

Tourists who desire to spend only one day in

visiting the lake, take stages at this point to
Truckee, 12 miles down the river.

Ti'out. — At Tahoe City there is a trout estab-
lishment of much interest; and another, on a
larger scale, on the river half way to Truckee
Station. The water is admitted to a series of
ponds, each pond being appropriated to trout of
a different size. The eggs are taken during April,
May and June, when the fish ascend the river
and the creeks, to spawn. The eggs are stripped
from the female and impregnated by stripping
the male fish into the same vessel in which the
eggs are contained, and then placed on inclined
shelves or tables where about half an inch of
water runs gently, but steadily over them. The
temperature of the water affects the time of hatch-
ing, and the desire is to have the water as cold as
possible at the expense of time to produce the
hardier fish. One trout contains about 7,000
spawn. Twenty-five cents is charged for admis-
sion to the fishery, and the privilege of fishing in
the ponds granted for twenty-five or fifty cents a
fish, according to the size.

The fishing in the lake is done by trolling.
Spoon-hooks are sometimes used, but early in the
season it is necessary to have some shining de-
vice to attract attention besides a minnow on
the hook. The fisheries have been quite success-
ful in hatching fish, but not profitable. At first
nearly all died ; now nearly all are raised. The
young fish are nourished for several days after
birth by a portion of the egg from which they
are hatched remaining attached to them till it is
absorbed, and then are fed on mashed fish, the
yolks of eggs and liver, and the large trout are
fed on suckers and white fish caught in the lakes
with seines. Of course no trout are caught in
seines, for this is contrary to law.

After they have grown to weigh several pounds,
they will increase at the rate of a pound a year.
The quantity caught in a year can not be esti-
mated. Many are never sent to market, and
they are caught in both the lake and the river
as well as in Donner Lake.

From the Truckee River alone, 170,000 pounds
were caught last season, half of which were ship-
ped to Virginia City.

In the lake there are at least four kinds, two
of which are most commonly known. These are
the silver trout and the black trout. The silver
trout are most highly esteemed, are always taken
in deep water, and attain a size of thirty-two
pounds. The silver trout of Donner Lake grow
from eight to ten pounds, and those in the river
are not so large. The black trout run up the
creeks sooner in the spring than the silver, but
the latter can pass over greater obstacles than
the former.

The white fish found in the lake are quite un-
like those of the Great North American Lakes.

While the tourist who merely crosses the lake
from Glenbrook to Tahoe or vice verta^ or who

219

desires to reach the Central Pacific Railroad,
with the loss of one day only will not make the
entire circuit of the lake ; others will visit the
north end, and some may prefer this alone.
Continuing around from Tahoe City, Burton's
or Island Farm is two miles from Tahoe City.
It is a lovely spot, with summer green meadows
and pebbly beach, and accommodates at reason-
able cost, '25 or 30 people. It is a favorite resort
for California clergymen needing rest.

Burton's is connected with Tahoe City by a
carriage road, and is not too far to exercise at
the oars of a small boat.

Passing around the north end of the lake,
there is next, Observatory Point, where the great
telescope of James Lick was expected to be
erected, and beyond this is Carnelian Bay, and
Carnelian Beach, so called from fine specimens
of chalcedony here found. Here is Doctor
Bournes' hygienic establishment.

Beyond this, are Agate bay and then Camp-
bell's Hot Springs, ten miles from Glenbrook.
and on Boundary Point, because it marks the
dividing line between California and Nevada.

The water boils out in several places in great
volume. The hotel is comfortable; the charge
$3 a day ; the entire lake is seen from the house,
and the baths are an advantage to be had no-
where else on the lake. There is a stage from this
point to Truckee, and the stages from Tahoe City
will also carry passengers thence to the springs.

Fishing and boating and driving can be en-
joyed at pleasure, and in the hills there are a few
grouse, quail, deer, and bear, but game is not
plentiful.

The Lumber and Trees of ttte Lake
Region. — The logs which are brought down to
the lake at various points are towed to Glenbrook
in V-shaped booms, from 50 to 70 feet wide at
one end, and about 150 feet long, averaging
200,000 feet of lumber.

The sugar pine is the most valuable, then the
yellow pine. The black, or " bull " pine was
long despised, but is now highly prized for its
strength. It reaches, in California, a diameter
of 15, and height of 200 feet ; about the lake, a
diameter of 10 feet. The leaves are of a dark
green color, but the cones are enormous — some-
times 18 jnches long. The wood is fine grained
and solid, soft and clear.

The yellow pine is not quite so large, seldom
exceeding 10 feet in diameter, and has bark fur-
rowed into plate-like sections, six or eight inches
wide, and from 12 to 20 inches long.

The " bull " pine is a favorite with the wood-
pecker for storing his acorns, not in the hollow
trees, but by drilling holes in the bark, and fit-
ting an acorn into each. Old woodmen say the
bird never makes a misfit, and selects, the first
time, a nut which will exactly fill the hole he
has drilled. In the valleys of California, nearly
all large trees are utilized in this way.

There are two kinds of fir, the white and the
red. The latter called also the Douglass fir, is a
good strong timber ; the former is the least
esteemed in the market.

Other pines of the Sierras are interesting, but
notice of all must be omitted except the Nut or
" Digger " pine, so called from a sweet or oily
seed forming a staple article of food for the
Indians, but it does not grow in the high
Sierras. It is dwarfish and scraggy, without
one main trunk, but dividing up into several.
It is said that this is so liable to " draw " while
seasoning, that miners who were compelled to
use it for building their cabins, were not sur-
prised to see them turn over two or three times
in the course of the summer.

As two daily passenger trains leave Reno for
San Francisco, one arriving via Vallejo in
eleven and a quarter hours, and the other via
Stockton in seventeen and a half hours, from
the time of leaving Truckee, the tourist ecom>
mizing time, will take the former, leaving
Truckee at midnight.

By leaving at 3 A. M., daylight will soon fol-
low in the summer months, and the fine scenery
of the Sierras be more enjoyed.

To see the mountains, the best plan is to stop
at the summit, where there is another of the
first-class hotels of James Cardwell, and gain the
views from the peaks near by, and then descend
the mountain by a freight train, leaving the
summit at 5.30 A. M., and reaching Sacramento
the same evening, at 7.45. For this, one must
be willing to exchange the Palace car for the
caboose, and accept delay in exchange for the
leisurely enjoyment of the most wonderful rail,
road scenery in the world.

The Great Nevada Flume.

A PERILOUS RIDE.
By H. J. Ramsdell, of The N. Y. Tribune.

A 15 mile ride in a flume down the Sierra
Nevada Mountains in 35 minutes, was not one of
the things contemplated on my visit to Virginia
City, and it is entirely within reason to say that
I shall never make the trip again.

The flume cost, with its appurtenances, between
$200,000 and $300,000. It was built by a com-
pany interested in the mines here, principally
owners of the Consolidated Virginia, California,
Hale & Norcross, Gould & Curry, Best & Belcher,
and Utah Mines. The largest stockholders are J.
C. Flood, James G. Fair, John Mackey, and W. S.
O'Brien, who compose, without doubt, the wealth-
iest firm in the United States.

The mines named use 1,000,000 feet of lumber
per month underground, and burn 40,000 cords
of wood per year. Wood here is worth from $10
to $12 a cord, and at market prices, Messrs.

220

Flood & Co., would have to pay for wood alone,
nearly $500,000 per year.

Virginia City is not built in a forest. From
the top of Mount Davidson, which is half a mile
back from the city, there is not a tree in sight,
except a few shade-trees in the city.

Going into the mines the other day, and see-
ing the immense amount of timber used, I asked
Mr. Mackey where all the wood and timber came
from. " It comes," said he, " from our lands in
the Sierras, 40 or 50 miles from here. We own
over 12,000 acres in the vicinity of Washoe Lake,
all of which is heavily timbered."

" How do you get it here ? " I asked.

" It comes," said he, " in our flume down the
mountain, 15 miles, and from our dumping
grounds is brought by the Virginia & Truckee
Railroad to this city, 16 miles. You ought to see
this flume before you go back. It is really a
wonderful thing."

The Journey. — When, therefore, two days
afterward, I was invited to accompany Mr. Flood
and Mr. Fair to the head of the flume, I did not
hesitate to accept their kind offer. We started
at four o'clock in the morning, in two buggies,
the two gentlemen named in one buggy, and Mr.
Hereford, the President and Superintendent of the
company (which is known as the Pacific Wood,
Lumber and Flume Company) and myself in the
other.

The drive through Washoe Valley, and along
the mountains, up and down for 16 miles over a
road which, for picturesqueness, is without an
equal in memory, can not be described. Not a
tree, nor bush, nor any green vegetation was in
sight. Hills and mountains, well defined and
separate in character, were in every direction.
Sage brush and jack rabbits were the only living
things in sight. That beautiful purple atmos-
phere or mist, which has a dreamy, sleepy effect
in the landscape, overspread the mountains and
extended through the valley.

The road we traversed swung round and round
the mountains, now going nearly to the summit,
and now descending to their base.

Both teams employed were of the best, and in
less than an hour and a half we had accom-
plished the first part of our journey, 16 miles.
Here we breakfasted and went to the end of the
flume, a quarter of a mile distant. The men
were running timber 16 inches square and 10
feet long through it. The trestle-work upon
which the flume rested was about 20 feet from
the ground. The velocity of the movement of
the timber could scarcely be credited, for it re-
quires from only twenty-five minutes to half an
hour for it to float the entire length of the flume,
15 miles.

The flume is shaped like the letter V, and is
made of two-inch plank nailed together in the
above shape. Across the top it is about two and
one-half feet in width. The ends are very care-

fully fitted, so that where the planks go together
there may be no unevenness ; for timbers going at
the rate of 15 to 60 miles per hour must have a
clear coast.

In this trough the water runs from Hunter's
Creek, which is situated about 20 miles from the
terminus of the flume.

Some idea of the swiftness with which the
timber runs through the flume, may be had
when it is stated that in the flume there floats
500,000 feet of lumber every day (about ten
hours), or 500 cords of wood.

Near the terminus an iron break is placed in
the trough, slanting toward one side, so that
when the timber comes rushing down, 50 or 100
pieces, one after the other, each piece is turned
toward the side, and the men at the break, with
a dexterous use of the crowbar, send them
bounding to the ground.

I climbed to the top of the trestle-work, be-
fore the timber began to come. It was like the
rushing of a herd of buffalo on a party of hunt-
ers, and I preferred to view the flume, in active
working, from a distance.

We changed teams upon resuming our journey,
taking fresh horses for the mountain ascent.
Horsemen in the East who have never seen the
mountains of Nevada, Colorado and California,
can have no idea of the amount of work a horse
can do, and of the difficult places through which
he will go, and of the load he will carry or draw.

How a pair of horses can pull a buggy and
two men up a grade that seems half-way be-
tween the horizontal and the perpendicular, over
stones and fallen trees, and through underbrush
six feet high and very thick, is a question I can
never hope to solve ; at any rate, we reached the
lower mill of the company, about 18 or 20 miles.
This was several hours before noon.

The mill is situated in the lower belt of tim-
ber, and there are between 400 and 500 men at
work. This number includes those engaged in
cutting trees, hauling logs, and sawing the lum-
ber. How the heavy machinery of the mills,
and the engines which work them were brought
from the city up the mountains and placed in
position, is another mystery which I have not
tried to investigate.

The amount of lumber turned out by *ne
owner of these mills, the upper and the lower, the
former being two and one-half miles farther up
the mountain, is marvellous.

In five minutes' time, a log from two to four
feet in diameter is reduced to lumber, planks,
scantling, boards, and square timber, perhaps all
from the same log, for it is cut in the most ad-
vantageous manner. Sometimes one log will
give three or four different kinds of lumber.
The lower mill is kept running night and day, and
has a capacity of 50,000 feet per day cf small
stuff, and of 70,000 feet when working on large
timber.

221

SUMMITS OF THE SIERRAS.

BT THOMAS MOKAX.

222

The upper mill has less than half the capacity,
being smaller, and being worked only 12 hours
a day.

Tlie Flume. — The flume is a wonderful
piece of engineering work. It is built wholly
upon trestle-work, and stringers ; there is not a
cut in the whole distance, and the grade is so
heavy that there is little danger of a jam.

The trestle-work is very substantial, and is un-
doubtedly strong enough to support a narrow
gauge railway. It runs over foot hills, through
valleys, around mountains, and across canons.

In one place it is 70 feet high. The highest
point of the flume from the plain, is 3,700 feet,
and on an air line, from beginning to end, the
distance is eight miles, the course thus taking
up seven miles in twists and turns. The trestle-
work is thoroughly braced, longitudinally and
across, so that no break can extend farther than a
single box, which is 16 feet ; all the main sup-
ports, which are five feet apart, are firmly set in
mud-sills, and the boxes or troughs rest in brackets
four feet apart. Tkese again rest upon sub-
stantial stringers. The grade of the flume is
between 1,600 and 2,000 feet from the top to
lower end, a distance of 15 miles.

The sharpest fall is three feet in six. There
are two reservoirs from which the flume is fed.
One is 1,100 feet- long, and the other 600 feet. A
ditch, nearly two miles long, takes the water to the
first reservoir, whence it is conveyed 3 1-4 miles to
the flunie through a feeder capable of carrying
450 inches of water.

The whole flume was built in 10 weeks. In
that time all the trestle-work, stringers and boxes
were put in place. About 200 men were employed
on it at one time, being divided into four gangs.
It required 2,000,000 feet of lumber, but the item
which astonished rne most was that there were
28 tons, or 56,000 pounds of nails, used in the
construction of this flume.

To the lower mill, as the road goes, it is about
40 miles from Virginia City. Although I had
already ridden this distance, yet I mounted a
horse and rode two or three miles to the top of
the mountain, where I had one of the finest
valley views that come to the lot of man. Miles
and miles below, the valley was spread out with
spots and squares of green crops growing, and
barren wastes of sand and sage brush reach-
ing in a long stretch to the base of another
spur of the Sierras. The City of Reno occupied
a little spot on the plain — from my mountain it
seemed like a city of toy houses built on Nature's
carpet.

A Ride in the Flume. — Upon my return I
found that Mr. Flood and Mr. Fair had arranged
for a ride in the flume, and I was challenged to
go with them. Indeed, the proposition was put
in the form of a challenge — they dared me to go.

I thought that if men worth $25,000,000 or
$30,000,000 apiece, could afford to risk their lives,

I could afford to risk mine, which was not worth
half as much.

So I accepted the challenge, and two boats
were ordered. These were nothing more than
pig-troughs, with one end knocked out. The
" boat " is built, like the flume, V shaped, and
fits into the flume. It is composed of three
pieces of wood — two two-inch planks, 16 feet
long, and an end board which is nailed about
two and one-half feet across the top.

The forward end of the boat was left open,
the rear end closed with a board — against which
was to come the current of water to propel us.
Two narrow boards were placed in the boat for
seats, and everything was made ready. Mr.
Fair and myself were to go in the first boat, and
Mr. Flood and Mr. Hereford in the other.

Mr. Fair thought that we had better take a
third man with us who knew something about
the flume. There were probably 50 men from
the mill standing in the vicinity waiting to see
us off, and when it was proposed to take a third
man, the question was asked of them if anybody
was willing to go.

Only one man, a red-faced carpenter, who takes
more kindly to whisky than his bench, volun-
teered to go. Finally, everything was arranged.
Two or three stout men held the boat over the
flume, and told us to jump into it the minute it
touched the water, and to " hang on to our hats."

The signal of " all ready " was given, the boat
was launched, and we jumped into it as best we
could, which was not very well, and away we
went like the wind.

One man who helped to launch the boat, fell
into it just as the water struck it, but he scam-
pered out on the trestle, and whether he was
hurt or not, we could not wait to see.

The grade of the flume at the mill is very
heavy, and the water rushes through it at rail-
road speed. The terrors of that ride can never
be blotted from the memory of one of that party.
To ride upon the cow-catcher of an engine down
a steep grade is simply exhilarating, for you
know there is a wide track, regularly laid upon
a firm foundation, that there are wheels grooved
and fitted to the track, that there are trusty men
at the brakes, and better than all, you know that
the power that impels the train can be rendered
powerless in an instant by the driver's light
touch upon his lever. But a flume has no ele-
ment of safety. In the first place the grade can
not be regulated as it can on a railroad ; you can
not go fast or slow at pleasure ; you are wholly at
the mercy of the water. You can not stop ; you
can not lessen your speed ; you have nothing to
hold to; you have only to sifc still, shut your
eyes, say your prayers, take all the water that
comes — filling your boat, wetting your feet,
drenching you like a plunge through the surf, —
and wait for eternity. It is all there is to hope
for after you are launched in a flume-boat. I

223

can not give the reader a better idea of a flume
ride than to compare it to riding down an old
fashioned cave-trough at an angle of 45°, hang-
ing in midair without support of roof or house,
and thus shot a distance of 15 miles.

At the start, we went at the rate of about 20
miles an hour, which is a little less than the av-
erage speed of a railroad train. The reader can
have no idea of the speed we made, until he
compares it to a railroad. The average time we
made was 30 miles per hour — a mile in two min-
utes for the entire distance. This is greater
than the average running time of railroads.

Incidents of the Ride. — The red-faced car-
penter sat in front of our boat on the bottom, as
best he could. Mr. Fair sat on a seat behind
him, and I sat behind Mr. Fair in the stern, and
was of great service to him in keeping the water,
which broke over the end-board, from his back.

There was a great deal of water also shipped
in the bows of the hog-trough, and I know Mr.
Fair's broad shoulders kept me from many a
wetting in that memorable trip.

At the heaviest grade the water came in so
furiously in front, that it was impossible to see
where we were going, or what was ahead of us ;
but, when the grade was light, and we were go-
ing at a three or four-minute pace, the vision was
very delightful, although it was terrible.

In this ride, which fails me to describe, I was
perched up in a boat no wider than a chair, some-
times 20 feet high in the air, and with the
ever varying altitude of the flume, often 70
feet high. When the water would enable me to
look ahead, I would see this trestle here and
there for miles, so small and narrow, and appar-
ently so fragile, that I could only compare it to
a chalk-mark, upon which, high in the air, I was
running at a rate unknown upon railroads.

One circumstance during the trip did more to
show me the terrible rapidity with which we
dashed through the flume, than anything else.
We had been rushing down at a pretty lively
rate of speed, when the boat suddenly struck
something in the bow — a nail, or lodged stick of
wood, which ought not to have been there. What
was the result? The red-faced carpenter was
sent whirling into the flume, 10 feet ahead.
Fair was precipitated on his face, and I found a
soft lodgment on Fair's back.

It seemed to me that in a second's time, Fair,
himself a powerful man, had the carpenter by
the scruff of the neck, and had pulled him into
the boat. I did not know that, at this time,
Fair had his fingers crushed between the boat
and the flume.

But we sped along ; minutes seemed hours. It
seemed an hour before we arrived at the worst
place in the flume, and yet Hereford tells me it
was less than 10 minutes. The flume at the point
alluded to must have very near 45° inclination.

In looking out before we reached it, I thought

the only way to get to the bottom was to fall.
How our boat kept in the track is more than I
know. The wind, the steamboat, the railroad
never went so fast. I have been where the wind
blew at the rate of 80 miles an hour, and yet my
breath was not taken away. In the flume, in the
bad places, it seemed as if I would suffocate.

The first bad place that we reached, and if I
remember right, it was the worst, I got close
against Fair. I did not know that I would sur-
vive the journey, but I wanted to see how fast
we were going. So I lay close to him and placed
my head between his shoulders. The water was
coming into his face, like the breakers of the
ocean. When we went slow, the breakers came
in on my back, but when the heavy grades were
reached, the breakers were in front. In one case
Fair shielded me, and in the other, I shielded
Fair.

In this particularly bad place I allude to, my de-
sire was to form some judgment of the speed we
were making. If the truth must be spoken, I
was really scared almost out of reason ; but if I
was on the way to eternity, I wanted to know
exactly how fast I went; so I huddled close to
Fair, and turned my eyes toward the hills.
Every object I placed my eye on was gone, be-
fore I could clearly see what it was. Mountains
passed like visions and shadows. It was with
difficulty that I could get my breath. I felt that
I did not weigh an hundred pounds, although
I knew, in the sharpness of intellect which one
has at such a moment, that the scales turned at
two hundred.

Mr. Flood and Mr. Hereford, although they
started several minutes later than we, were close
upon us. They were not so heavily loaded, and
they had the full sweep of the water, while we
had it rather at second hand. Their boat
finally struck ours with a terrible crash.

Mr. Flood was thrown upon his face, and the
waters flowed over him, leaving not a dry thread
upon him. What became of Hereford I do not
know, except that when he reached the terminus
of the flume, he was as wet as any of us.

This only remains to be said. We made the
entire distance in less time than a railroad train
would ordinarily make, and a portion of the
time we went faster than a railroad train ever
went.

Fair said we went at least a mile a minute.
Flood said we went at the rate of 100 miles an
hour, and my deliberate belief is that we went
at a rate that annihilated time and space. We
were a wet lot when we reached the terminus of
the flume. Flood said he would not make the
trip again, for the whole Consolidated Virginia
Mine.

Fair said that he should never again place him-
self on an equality with timber and wood, and
Hereford said he was sorry that he ever built the
flume. As for myself, I told the millionaire that

224

I had accepted my last challenge. When \vo left
our boats we were more dead than alive.

We had yet 16 miles to drive to Virginia City.
How we reached home, the reader will never
know. I asked Flood what I was to do with my
spoiled suit of English clothes. He bade me
good night, with the remark that my clothes were
good enough to give away. The next day,
neither Flood nor Fair were able to leave their
bed. For myself, I had only strength enough
left to say, " / have had enough of flumes."

RENO TO SAN FRANCISCO.

Proceeding from Reno, directly to San Fran-
cisco, the line of the railroad is along the
Truckee River.
The meadows
grow narrower,
and the mount-
ains approach on
either side, then
widen again in
Pleasant Valley.

Verdi— is 283
miles east of San
Francisco, has
three stores and a
planing mill ; de-
rives its impor-
tance from the
lumber trade, and
its notoriety from
the robbery o f
the express and
mail cars, of an
overland train.

The scenery is
now becoming
fine; Crystal Peak
may be seen on
the right, and win-
ter moonlight
nights will add
charms to make
the views more
lovely and unique
between this point
and Truckee.
Then the mount-
ains, denuded at
their base of all
timber, and the
shrubs and stumps
buried in deep
snow are of un-
broken, silvery
white, while the
lofty pines, farther up the steep sides or on the
rounding tops, form a veil of green, and above
all irregular, fleecy clouds float fantastically by,
as if a silvery mist in the valleys was rising over
the dark peaks, mingling light of many shades,

SNOW SHEDS ACROSS THE SIERRAS.

while exulting clouds, glide smoothly and silently
along the azure sky.

The Truckee River foams, as its rapid waters
battle with the rocks, and it is crossed and re-
crossed on Howe truss bridges, and the mount-
ains, often precipitous, show their volcanic origin
in masses of basaltic rock.

Essex, — 282 miles from San Francisco, is a
side track at which passenger trains do not stop.
Bronco, — 273 miles from San Francisco, is
a meeting place for trains with a store and a
summer station-agent. Soon after leaving the
station, there will be noticed a post marked
" State Line," standing on the 120th merid-
ian west of Washington D. C., and this passed,

the traveler is in
the Golden State
of California.

Between Bronco
and Boca, at what
was Camp 18, a
flag station has
just been located
and named Dover.
Boca, — a tele-
graph station, is
267 miles from
San Francisco,
with a population
of about 150. It
is at the mouth of
the Little Truckee
River, and is the
Spanish name for
" mouth." The
only business is
that of the Boca
Lumber Mill and
Ice Company, and
the Boca Brewery,
the latter the larg-
est on the Pacific
Coast, and on ac-
count of the equa-
ble temperature,
expected to pro-
duce thebestlager-
beer in the world.
About8,000tonsof
ice are cut yearly
from the pond.
The cold is some-
times severely felt,
the mercury
standing at 22° be-
lowzeroduringthe
winter of 1875-6.
Prosser Creek — is 265 miles from San Fran-
cisco at the mouth of a creek of the same name,
called from a hotel keeper in early days. It is a
flag station, and the terminus of a flume for sev-
eral milling stations, and the ice-field for two

225

companies that supply San Francisco. Continu-
ing west 3.3 miles, we reach

Proctor's, — 2b'2 miles from San Francisco,
but trains do not stop. On the left will be
noticed a large tract of flat land covered with
timber, or stumps, and a ranche or two. Across
this and over the range of hills beyond, lies
Lake Tahoe, but keeping to the river, 3.2 miles
from Proctor's, we reach

Truckee, — 259 miles from San Francisco,
the dividing line between the Truckee and
Sacramento divisions of the railroad, with
a roundhouse for 24 engines. It has a tri-
weekly newspaper, the Republican, and is the
most import-
ant town in
the Sierras, on
account of the
business done,
as a summer
resort, and be-
cause of its
convenience to
other favorite
resorts. It is
the seat of a
large lumber
trade, and
would be ben-
efited by the
establishment
of an exten-
sive fire insur-
ance business.
The town was
burned in
1868, 1869,
twice in 1870,
in 1874, and
"ChinaTowii"
in 1875.

The prevail-
ing winds are
west, and in
summer one
might think
the great width of the street is designed to pre-
vent fires from the locomotive sparks, but in
winter the more probable suggestion is that
it is for the convenience of piling up the snow
when the people shovel out their houses. The
population is about 2,000, nearly one-third of
which are Chinamen. A large number of good
stores are arranged on the north side of the
street, and considerable trade carried on with
Sierra and Pleasant Valleys on the north.

Its hotels are first-class — the " Truckee Hotel,"
where the train stops, and the Cardwell House
across the wide street and a little removed from
the noise of passing trains. Many desiring the
benefit of mountain air, and the convenience of
the railroad, spend their summer months in

GALLEHY IN SNOW SHEDS, C. P. R. B.

Truckee, from which Donner Lake is distant
only two miles, and Tahoe 12.

Stages leave Truckee on Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays for Randolph, 28 miles, time four
hours, and fare $4; Sierraville, 29 miles, time
four and one-fourth hours, fare $4 ; Sierra City,
60 miles, time ten hours, fare $8 ; Downieville,
72 miles, time twelve hours, fare $10; Jamison
City, 55 miles, time ten hours, fare $8, and Eu-
reka Mills, 58 miles, time ten and one-half hours,
fare $8. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
for Loyalton, 30 miles, time five hours, fare $4;
Beckwith, 45 miles, time seven and one-half
hours, fare $5.

The stages
leaving on
Mondays,
Wednesdays
and Fridays,
are also the
stages for
Webber Lake,
16 miles north
of Truckee,
and Independ-
ence Lake,
about the
same distance.
At each of
these is a good
hotel.

Webber
Lake is about
the size of
Donner, en-
circled by
high, s n o w-
capped mount-
ains, but beau-
tified by a
rim of fer-
tile meadow
around its
pebbly beach.
Card well's
stages leave
the summit daily, passing along Donner Lake to
Truckee, thence to Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe.
Fare from the summit to Tahoe, $2.50. Truckee
to Tahoe, f 2 ; John F. Moody, of the Truckee
Hotel, also runs an elegant open coach, of the Kim-
ball Manufacturing Company, between Truckee
and Tahoe City, daily, fare $2 ; and Campbell's
stages leave every morning for Campbell's Hot
Springs on Lake Tahoe.

Truckee was named after General Fremont's
old Indian, who was engaged to guide the un-
fortunate Donner party across the Sierras. It is
full of business and beauty in summer and win-
ter. Here, among good hotels, is the best place in
the Sierras to be snowed in, although twice as
much snow may be seen falling at the summit.

226

A. Snow-Storm at Truckee. — At mid-
night, the mountain peaks stood clear and white,
with deep shadows here and there, and above, a
cloudless sky ; but, at daylight, a foot of new
s;iow lay upon many previous snows.

The one-story houses were hid from view.
While the air was full of falling flakes, busy men
were shoveling off the roofs of their dwellings —
shoveling all the while, and half a hundred
Chinamen were loading cars with snow from the
railroad track to throw it down some steep
mountain side. Men are coming in with their
shoes in hand — not number thirteens, but — thir-
teen feet long, and stand them up against the
wall.

These snow-
shoes are about
six inches wide,
turned up in
front like the
runner of a
skate, and wax-
ed to make
them slip easi-
ly over the
snow. Near the
middle is a
leather that
laces over the
instep (a skele-
ton half -shoe),
and out of
which the foot
will slip in case
of a fall or acci-
dent.

A long pole
is carried like
a rope-dancer's
to preserve a
balance, and to
straddle and sit
upon for a
brake, when
descend ing a
hill. They are
essential to
safety in these
storms.

MARY'S LAKE, MIRROR VIEW.

As I watched the falling snow, nothing could
exceed the beauty. As it curled and shot
through the air, the mountains were shut out
with a gauzy veil and darker mists. Now and
then I caught a glimpse of a clump of pines on
the mountain side, indistinct and gray in shadow,
and as the fitful snow favored the straining eye,
the long white boughs seemed bending as if con-
scious of the enormous weight that threatened
every living thing.

When the clouds broke suddenly away, a flood
of golden light leaped from hill to hill. The tall
pines, partly green, but now like pyramids of

snow, lift their heads above the mountain sides.
But in less than fifteen minutes after the first
sight of the sun, a long stratum of dark cloud
came down the mountain, and the snow falls
thicker and faster than ever. Its hard crystals
were driven so furiously as to make one's cheeks
burn, and give exquisite torture to the eyelids.
I looked upon the rapid river, and around its
snow-capped rocks the water played in foaming
cascades.

The enormous snow-plows at length grappled
with this monster of the elements.

From east and west came reports of ava-
lanches, snow sheds down, trains wrecked and
snow-bound, and soon the telegraph refused to

do its bidding.
The ponder-
ous engines
were throw*
from the rails
in the streets,
before our eyes,
by the hard
crystals which
they crushed
into glacier-like
ice. With five
of them behind
the largest
snow-plow o n
the road, we
started toward
the summit.
The snow flew
and even
the ground
trembled, and
every piece of
the short snow
sheds was wel-
comed with joy
and misgiving.
The blinding
snow, I thought,
will cease to
fly, but suppose
that, when
crushed into ice
like granite, it

lifts the ponderous plow of 30 tons, or that we go
crashing into the shed prostrate beneath twenty
or forty feet of snow ; or that an avalanche has
come down and our way lies through the tangled
trunks of these huge Sierra pines ; five boilers
behind that may soon be on top of us.

Never before did I realize the need of the
snow sheds, but I often rebelled against the shut-
ting out of nature's mountain charms from the
weary or unoccupied traveler.

Let the discontented not forget that five feet
of snow may fall in one day ; that twenty and
thirty feet may lie all over the ground at one

227

TUNNEL NO. 12, BTRONG'8 CANON.

time ; that forty and fif ty feet are sometimes to
be seen, where the road-bed is secure beneath it,
and that the canons often contain a hundred
feet.

These capacious reservoirs are the pledge of
summer fruitfulness. A winter scene in these
Sierras without even the sight of unfriendly
bruin, will beget a fondness for the snow sheds
that the summer tourist cannot imagine, and a
better appreciation of the boldness and daring
o£ the men who brave the hardships of these
mountain storms, and peril their lives at every
step for other's safety. Day and night I saw
the servants of the public, from highest to low-
est, haggard and worn, yet never ceasing in their
battle against the tremendous storm, and was
overwhelmed thinking of our indebtedness to
their energy, skill and endurance, as well as by
viewing the wonderful works of God. "The
feeding of the rivers and the purifying of the
winds are the least of the services appointed to
the hills. To fill the thirst of the human heart
with the beauty of God's working, to startle its
lethargy with the deep and pure agitation of
astonishment are their higher missions."

Snow Sheds. — The snow sheds, so important

to winter travel, are found east of Strong's Canon
Station, and west of Emigrant Gap, wherever
there is no side hill, and the removal of the snow
would be difficult for the plow. Between these
two stations, they are without break, except for
tunnels and bridges. In all, there are about 40
miles of the sheds.

They are of two kinds, the flat roof, built to
hold the weight of 25 or 30 feet of snow, or slide
it down the mountain side, and those with the
pitched or steep roof, and " batter brace." The
massiveness of the huge pine trunks, or sawed
timbers, twelve or sixteen inches on a side, may
be easily seen from the cars. The cost per mile
varied from $8,000 to 810,000, and where it was
necessary to build heavy retaining walls of ma-
sonry, some dry and some cement walls, the cost
was at the rate of $30,000 per mile. Sometimes
the heavy square timbers are bolted to the solid
ledge, that avalanches may be carried by, and
the sheds remain.

At a distance the sheds look small, but they
are high enough to insure the safety of break-
men who pass over the tops of the freight cars.

During the summer months when everything
is sun-scorched, the destruction of the sheds by

228

fire is often imminent, and great loss has been
suffered in this way. To prevent fires, the
greatest precaution is used, and the most
effective measures adopted to extinguish a con-
flagration. At short intervals, both sides and
roof are of corrugated iron to stop the progress of
a fire, and the whole line from Strong's Canon to
Emigrant Gap, provided with automatic fire-
alarms, telegraphing the place of danger, and at
the summit is a train with tanks, and the engine
ready to become instantly a well-equipped fire-
brigade.

Near Truckee the railroad leaves the river
which turns to the south, and it follows Donner
Creek, the outlet of Donner Lake, for a short dis-
tance and then turns up the great and magnifi-
cent canon of Cold Stream Creek, in a direction
nearly south-west. Before leaving Donner
Creek, we are hard by

" Starvation Camp," where in the winter of
1846-7 a company of eighty-two persons, coming
to California, were overtaken by snow, lost their
cattle, and were reduced to such straits that
many survivors fed on the remains of their
starved companions. The company comprised
eighty-two persons, of whom thirty-two were
females, a large proportion of the whole being
children. Thirty-six perished, of whom twenty-
six were males. Of a party of thirteen, who
went out for help, ten perished. Relief was sent
to the company, but it was impossible to save
all. Mrs. Donner, when the alternative was
presented her, early in March, of leaving her
husband, and going away with her children, or
remaining with him and soon perishing, refused
to abandon him, and when, in April, the spot
was visited again, his body was found carefully
dressed and laid out by her. How long she sur-
vived him is not known. The sufferings of this
party were insignificant in amount when com-
pared with the whole aggregate of misery en-
dured in the early peopling of California by the
Overland, the Cape Horn, and the Panama Route,
but no other tale connected with these early days
is so harrowing in its details as this, and no one
thinking of Donner Lake, turns from its quiet
and beauty, to think of this tragedy that gave it
its name, without a shudder.

The old road across the mountains to Sutter's
Fort, followed up the Cold Stream, where snows
no longer forbid a passage across the dangerous
summits.

Along and rounding this Cold Stream Canon
are the finest views on the eastern side of the
Sierras, not shut out by snow sheds from the
traveler by rail. The canon is wide and long,
and far above and across, the road-bed is cut on
the steep mountain side, and then protected by
long snow sheds till at last it enters tunnel No. 13.
Looking up the canon, on the right, soon after
entering, or back, after the Horse-Shoe Curve
has been made, a long line of purple pyramids

and jagged precipices surround the valley, and if
the road is not at the bottom of everything, the
enormous face of the mountain seems to forbid
the most daring attempt to ascend. But upward
— still looking back to the valley of the Truckee
far below, and the train reaches

Strong's Canon, — 252 miles from San Fran-
cisco, which is a side track, telegraph office and
turn-table, for snow-plows, principally. Cold
Stream must not be confounded with Strong's
Canon, for the latter will not be reached till the
train has passed half-way along the lofty wall of
Donner Lake. The station was originally at
Strong's Canon, but was afterward moved to tun-
nel No. 13, the point where the road leaves Cold
Stream Canon.

Donner Lake — the gern of the Sierras, is just
below, and the vigilant eye will be rewarded by
a sight of it through the observation holes in
the snow sheds, and when the train crosses a
bridge in doubling Strong's Canon. After leav-
ing this Canon, the road-bed is cut out of rough,
rugged, granite rocks ; and before the summit is
reached, it has passed through the seventh tun-
nel from Cold Stream. These are almost indis-
tinguishable from the sombre snow sheds, and
Nos. 11 and 12 and likewise 7 and 8, are almost
continuous. The longest are Nos. 13 and 6, the
former 870 feet, and the latter, 1,659 feet, and
the longest on the line of the road. Emerging
from tunnel No. 6, the

Summit, — 244 miles from San Francisco, is
announced, and the train is ready to descend
rapidly to the valley of the Sacramento. It is a
day and night telegraph station, and has an alti-
tude of 7,017 feet— 119.8 feet above Truckee—
and is the highest point on the line of the road.
Many of the surrounding peaks are two and
three thousand feet higher.

The Summit House is the largest hotel along
the line of the road, accommodates 150 guests,
and is one of the most popular in the Sierras.

One who lets the train go by, to climb to
the top of the ridge through which the tunnel
leads, or some higher peak, will never be sorry,
for an enchanting panorama will be unrolled.

Summit Valley, with its bright pastures, and
warm with life, while it touches bleak rocks, and
receives the shade of the inhospitable pine or
the drip of the snow — one of the loveliest val-
leys at such an altitude — lies toward the setting
sun. In the rim that shuts out the south-west
wind, towers the Devil's Peak, a bold cliff rising
from out of wild surroundings; and following
the ridge eastward with the eye, and around
toward the point of vision, there are prominent,
Old Man's Peak, just across the valley, sharp-
ened by the wintry storms of his long life, and
on the main ridge, Mount Lincoln, 9,200 feet high,
and Donner Peak, 2,000 feet above the railroad,
and 3,200 above the lake that sleeps in quiet
beauty at its base; and across the railroad

229

H
w

"S ^

a S
o ^

230

the peak from which Bierstadt sketched the
" Gem " beneath. Then there are a thousand
other charms in the vast heights above, and
vast depths below ; in contrasts of light and
shade, form and color ; in mists hanging over
the lake, and clouds clinging to the peaks ; in
the twilight deepening into darkness, or colossal
pyres, kindled by the coming sun, and going out
in the clear light of the day ; or, in the gloom of
the forest mingled with the living silver "of the
moonlit lake.

The peaks
may be ascend-
ed— some with
difficulty, and
some with mod-
erate exertion —
but persons of
feeble constitu-
tion may enjoy
all the varied
charms.

The lake is of
easy access, and
has on its banks
a hotel for tour-
ists. The dis-
tance to the lake
by the carriage
road is 2 1-2
miles, and
Truckee 9 miles.
The summit di-
vides the waters
that flow east
and sink amid
desert sands,
from those that
flow west into
the Sacramento
river.

S u tn m i t
Valley,— 2 1-2
miles long and
one mile wide,
heads in the
high peaks,
south of the hotel. It has pasturage during the
summer for many cattle, and its springs and
abundance of products, fresh from the dairy,
make it a delightful place for camping out.

Its waters are the source of the South Fork of
the South Yuba River.

The railroad descends to the foot of this val-
ley, keeping the divide on the north to the right,
then, about three miles from the summit, crosses
the mo.st southerly branch of the Yuba. A few
yards before the crossing, is a summer flag sta-
tion, or

Soda Springs Station. — These springs are
situated on the south side of the high ridge that
forms the southern wall of Summit Valley, and

LAKE ANGELINE.

are in the headwaters of the American River.
They are numerous, flow abundantly, and are
highly medicinal. Stages run to them both
from the summit, and from Soda Station, and
the ride is not surpassed, if equaled, by any in
the Sierras north of Yosemite, in the number
and beauty of the fine views it affords.

The hotel at the Springs is not an imposing
structure, but it is kept in first-class style and is
a favorite resort.

The dividing ridge, which the railroad now

follows, is on the
left, and on the
right are great
ridges and can-
ons, which gath-
er more water
for the Yuba.
Their extent
alone impresses
the beholder
with awe, but
the snow sheds
allow no satis-
factory view.

The first reg-
ular station
after leaving the
summit is 5.8
miles west,
called

Cascade, —
239 miles from
San Francisco.
The vertical de-
scent from the
summit to this
point is 498 feet,
and nothing
here will check
one's readiness
to descend far-
ther, for it is.
only a signal
station, and
there are none
to signal, e x -
cept such as are employed on the road.

South of the station are Kidd's Lakes, empty-
ing into the South Branch of the South Yuba
through the Upper and Lower Cascade Ravines.
The bridges over the ravines will be a grateful
but short-lived relief from the restraint of the
snow sheds. The time in passing is too short to
take in the charms of the water-falls in summer,
or the ice-clad rocks in winter, and the extended
view on the right.

Kidd's Lakes are dammed so as to impound the
water during the winter and spring, and when
the dry season approaches, it is let out over the
Cascades into the river and carried, eventually, to
Dutch Flat.

231

SCENERY OF THE SIERRAS, NEAR SUMMIT.

There is a great spur, called " C rockers "
thrown out in this ridge, through which the
road passes in tunnel No. 5, and thence along
Stanford Bluffs to

Tnmarack, — 235 miles from San Francisco,
another signal station. A stop will not be
likely, unless to meet or pass a freight train. A
small saw-mill is in operation during part of the
year. Just below Tamarack, the Yuba has worn
a large gorge, and the bold bluffs, which unfor-
tunately are below the road-bed, have been called
" New Hampshire Rocks," and the name may
well suggest that the Granite State will soon
cease to be regarded as the " Switzerland of
America."

The road continues on the north or Yuba side
of the divide, between the waters of the Yuba
and American Rivers ; and between Tamarack
and Cisco, Red Spur and Trap Spur are passed
by tunnels No. 4 and No. 3. Three and a half
miles from Tamarack is

Cisco, — 231 miles from San Francisco, a day
and night telegraph station, with an elevation
of 5,939 feet. It was named after John J. Cisco,
the sterling, assistant treasurer of the United

States, at New York City, during the late civil
war. Cisco was for a year and a half the ter-
minus of the road, and lively with business for
the construction of the road, and for Nevada.
Jt had a population of 7,000, and some dwellings
erected at a cost of $5,000 ; large warehouses, and
all the intensity of frontier life. After the re-
moval of the terminus to Truckee, the deserted
buildings were either taken down and removed
or went fast to decay, until their destruction was
hastened by a fire that left nothing for the
morning sun to rise upon, but the freight house
with a platform 1,000 feet long, standing alone
amid the ashes and surrounding forests.

From Cisco there is a beautiful view on the
north, with Red Mountain in the distance.
Just back of Red Mountain is the Old Man
Mountain, but hid from view until the train de-
scends a few miles farther.

To detect in this any sharp or remote outline
of the human profile, wrought in colossal propor-
tion by the hand that moulded and chiseled the
infinite shapes of nature, is probably beyond
the keenness of any Yankee.

Leaving Cisco, the railroad continues on the

233

north side of the divide, with the canons of the
many streams that form the Yuba on the right,
and a deep valley near by through hard por-
phyry, passing Black Butte on the left, crossing
Butte Canon, around Hopkins' Bluffs and Mil-
ler's Bluffs, eight and a half miles to

Emit/rant Gap, — 223 miles from San Fran-
cisco, another day and night telegraph station, is
almost one vertical mile above San Francisco,
the altitude being 5,221 feet. Just before
reaching this station, the Yuba turns abruptly
to the north, and just west of the turning place,
with an elevation barely perceptible to one rush-
ing by, Bear River heads in a valley of the
same name, clothed in summer with a delightful
green. At Emigrant Gap the divide is crossed
by maans of a tunnel, and the old Emigrant
Road crossed the Gap here, and is crossed by
the railroad, just a few rods west of the tunnel.
Here the old emigrants let their wagons down
the steep mountain side by ropes, with which a
turn or two were taken around the trees at the
Gap. How much better are iron rails than rug-
ged rocks, and atmospheric brakes than treach-
erous cords !

On the right we have now the headwaters of
the Bear River, but of the valley one can have
only a glimpse except by ascending the rocks
above the railroad.

Once over the divide, there are on the left, the
headwaters of a branch of the North Fork of the
American River, and the road follows Wilson's
Ravine, and the valley of the same name is in
sight for some distance. A number of little ra-
vines may be noticed emptying in Wilson's, the
largest of which, called " Sailor's," is crossed
where the road doubles Lost Camp Spur, from
which one may look across the ravine and see
tunnel No. 1 on Grizzly Hill, and continuing he
will pass along and around Blue Canon.

Slue Canon, — 217 miles from San Fran-
cisco, at the crossing of which, 5.2 miles from
Emigrant Gap, is the hotel, a store, a shipping
point for six saw-mills, and a day and night
telegraph station. The elevation is now 4.693
feet. The snow sheds are unfrequent and shorter,
and the traveler will become more interested in
the scenery now growing most wonderfully, until
it becomes the grandest on the line of the road
across the Continent.

A little mining is carried on in Blue Canon,
but on too small a scale to interest a stranger.

Blue Canon is the limit of the snow which
remains during the winter. It is noted for
the best water on the mountains — water
so esteemed by the railroad men that it is car-
ried to supply their shops at Rocklin and
Sacramento,

Flumes and ditches are almost constantly in
sight. The canon grows deep rapidly and seems
to fall away from the railroad, so that one in-
stinctively wonders how he is to get down so far.

This portion of the railroad has the steepest
grade on the whole line — 116 feet to the mile.

China Ranche. — About two miles west of
Blue Canon, a side track is passed where the
close-tilling Celestial gardened prior to and at
the location of the road — and the fact lingers in
the name, China Ranche. Mountains may be
seen as far as the eye can reach. After passing
the ranche, there is a very deep cut through
Prospect Hill, the name suggesting the loss of
the passenger in the cut. On the west side of
Prospect Hill is Little Blue Canon, where Shady
Run, a pretty little creek, is seen on the left. It
was so named by engineer Guppy at the time
the road was located, an honor of the good camp-
ing ground it afforded.

Shady Run, — 212 miles from San Fran-
cisco, is a side track, but not even a flag-station,
4.7 miles from Blue Canon. Near it the railroad
passes around Trail Spur, and, on the left is one
of the finest views on the line of the road, the
junction of Blue Canon Creek and the North
Fork of the American River; there the great
chasm, worn by glaciers to a depth of about
2,000 feet, extending a mile to the junction of
the South Branch, the precipitoiis sides narrow-
ing to the water's edge and forbidding ascent
even on foot, through the narrow gorge — and
mountain upon mountain, back toward the snow
peaks left an hour and a half ago — and east-
ward for fifty or more miles, till they are min-
gled in the eye as the stars of the milky way, add
to the impressiveness of the view which is en-
chanced by its suddenness.

Just west of Trail Spur, and after passing
Serpentine Ravine, one may look down the Great
American Canon into Green Valley and Giant's
Gap. beyond. The view is sublime, with the
bright emerald green of the pastures ; the ter-
raced and rounded, black, gloomy forests, over-
head, and the frowning approach of the majestic
mountains, stopped where the icy torrent slowly
rent the very frame-work of the Continent.

For a time the tourist will be compelled to
leave the main slope of the American River and
be carried across the ridge or divide at Hog's
Back, across Canon Creek, to

Alfa, — 208 miles from San Francisco ; 3,607
feet elevation. Here are several stores and the
center of considerable lumber trade. Its popu-
lation does not exceed a hundred. It is" a day
telegraph station, 4.8 miles from Shady Run.
At one time soap-root, a bulb, growing like the
stub of a coarse, brown mohair switch, just
emerging from the ground, was gathered by the
Chinamen. It has strong alkaline properties,
and is used for cashing and for genuine hair
mattresses. It has become too scarce to be gath-
ered here with profit by even the keen, moon-
eyed Celestial.

Below Alta we strike the slope of Bear River,
and on this water-shed we travel, winding among

235

hills, until we near Cape Horn. But only 1.9
miles from Alta, we arrive at

Dutch Flat, — 206 miles from San Francisco,
our approach to which is heralded by the unmis-
takable evidences of mining, seen in the up-
turned face of the country.

The water that came down in advance of the
cars from Summit Valley and Kidd's Lakes is now
utilized. It was gathered from the East Fork of
the American River, from Monumental Canon and
Wilson's Ravine, and carried in Bradley's ditch
around Lost Camp Spur and emptied into Blue
Canon, near Blue Canon Station, and taken up
again at the station and carried by ditches and
flumes to Fort Point, where the railroad crosses
it, and soon after one of the spurs is tunneled in
two places to find an easy grade, but it cannot
descend safely as fast as the cars, and at Pros-
pect Hill passes through a tunnel 100 feet above
the railroad, and is then emptied into Canon
Creek, from which it is again taken up and dis-
tributed by flumes or great iron pipes to the
mines we overlook at Dutch Flat and Gold Run.
There are three separate ditches, the " Cedar
Creek," an English company, bringing water
from the American River ; the " Miner's Mining
and Ditch Company," with water from Bear
River, and the "Yuba Ditch Company." The
first two companies own and work mines, and
the latter derives all its revenue from the sale of
water. For hydraulic mining, this is one of the
most important regions in the State.

Dutch Flat, or German Level, has an altitude
of 3,395 feet. It is an old town, the mining
having begun in 1851. It was once more largely
populated than now, yet it boasts 1,500 inhabV
itants. It has a Methodist and a Congregational
Church, and the finest school-house in the in-
terior of the State. It has a tri-weekly stage to
Nevada City, 16 miles, leaving every Monday,
Wednesday and Friday morning. The time is
three hours and the fare f 3.00. The route passes
through the towns of Little York, 2 1-2 miles,
You Bet, 6 miles, and Red Dog, 8 miles from
Dutch Flat. The town is built at the head of
Dutch Flat Canon, and is very irregular and
hilly. It has good stores, hotels and restaurants,
and an enterprising semi-weekly newspaper.

Placer Mining. — Where the earth-carrying
gold could be easily dug, and water was of ready
access, and the diggings were rich enough, the
washing out was done by hand, and this form of
gold hunting was called placer mining. It re-
quired no capital except the simple tools and im-
plements used in digging and washing, with food
enough to keep one till some return from labor
could be obtained. Several hundred million
dollars value of gold were thus washed out of
the surface soil of California in early years. Lit-
tle ground remains that can be made to pay by
this process, and it is almost a thing of the past.
It naturally led, however, to hydraulic mining

which is as flourishing as ever, and promises
to continue so for many years. Placer miners
came occasionally upon ground which, though
carrying gold, was not rich enough to pay if
worked by hand, but would pay handsomely
when handled on a large scale. The device was
soon adopted of providing flumes in place of
cradles and rockers. Into these flumes a stream
was turned and the earth shoveled in. Large
quantities could thus be washed as easily as
small amounts had been before.

The gold in each case, except that portion
which was impalpably fine, and would even float
on water, was detained by riffles on the bottom
of the rocker, or the flume, and gathered up from
time to time. It was found eventually that
large banks sometimes hundreds of feet high,
were rich enough in gold to pay for working,
and the device was next adopted of directing a
stream against them to wash them down. Stiff
beds of cement have been found rich in gold,
but too stiff to yield to any except a mighty
force. Higher heads of water have been sought,
until even 500 feet of head have been employed,
the usual range being from 50 feet to 300, and a
force obtained which nothing can resist. Such
a stream issuing from a six-inch nozzle, comes
out as solidto the touch as ice, the toughest bed of
cement crumbles before it, and boulders weigh-
ing tons are tossed about as lightly as pebbles.
A man struck by such a stream would never
know what hurt him. The strongest iron pipe
is required to carry the water to the nozzle,
through which it is played. No hose can be
made strong enough to bear the pressure, and
the directing of the stream to the point desired
is effected by two iron jointed pipes, moving in
planes at right angles to each other, and thus
securing a sweep in every direction. The
amount of the force exerted by such a stream as
has been described, it, is impossible to estimate
except approximately, but 1,300 pounds to the
inch is not too high. To provide the water re-
quired where " hydraulicking " is done on a large
scale, streams are brought long distances.

The price for selling water is graduated by
the size of the opening through which it is de-
livered, usually under six inches pressure. Prac-
tically it is found that there is in California,
more gold than water, for there are many places
rich in gold, which cannot be worked for lack of
water.

The season varies in length, according to the
situation and the rain-fall, but nowhere is it pos-
sible to work the whole year, and probably on an
average the active season does not exceed seven
or eight months. There is one feature connected
with hydraulic mining which no one can contem-
plate without regret. It leaves desolation be-
hind it in the form of heaps of shapeless gravel
and boulders, which must lie for ages before blos-
soming again with verdure. One of the difficult

236

GIANT'S GAP, AMERICAN RIVER CANON.

BY THOMAS MORAN.

237

problems in hydraulicking is to find room for the
debris which the streams, used in washing down
banks of earth, are constantly carrying along with
them. The beds of streams have been filled up
in some parts of the State so as to increase
greatly the exposure of the cultivated regions be-
low the mining districts to inundation and ruin.
Legislation has been sought by the farmers to
protect their interests, but the effort was opposed
by the miners and a dead-lock followed. The
muddiness which will strike the tourist as
affecting all the mountain streams on the west
slope of the Sierra Nevadas, is the result of this
mining. Once the Sacramento River, the Feather
and the American Rivers were clear as crystal,
but the hunt for gold has made them like the
Missouri River in high flood and even muddier,
and they are not likely, while this generation and
the next are on the stage of life, to resume their
former clearness and purity.

Gold Run, — 204 miles from San Francisco,
another mining town in the famous Blue Lode.
It is a day telegraph station, with an altitude of
3,220 feet. It has a population of 700, with a
large number of stores, and several hotels. A
mile west of Gold Run and to the right, across
Bear River, may be seen You Bet, Red Dog,
Little York, and other mining towns can be
pointed out from the cars by those familiar with
the country ; but Ophir will be seen by every one,
looking out on the right-hand side.

A farmer from Lancaster or Chester County,
Pa., would not be impressed with the worth of
the country ; but the lover of nature, who does
not tire of the variety in the mountain scenery,
will yet feel new interest in the signs of speed-
ily emerging into an open and cultivated coun-
try. Over the Bear River Canon, on the right,
may be traced the thin outline of the basin of
the Sacramento River, and, in a favorable atmos-
phere, the Coast Range beyond is clearly visible.

Once, all the ravines in this vicinity around
it, swarmed with miners. "They went to the
land of Ophir for gold." The placer mines
were very rich, and covered with only from one
to three feet of surface. The days are long past,
but every pioneer has fresh recollections of them.

" Off to the Mines."—" Hallo, Bill ! where
are you off to, on that mule ? " [The boys all
call him Bill, and so do I, but his name is Wil-
liam Graves.] " Wa'al, I guess I'll go'n prospect
a little, " says Bill, as he and his mule lazily
trudge down the canon. I have known Bill
these nine years, and he is a genuine prospector.
I once paid him and a " pard " $5,000 in twenty-
dollar gold pieces for a claim they had worked
on a while. [The " pard " is not an " honest
miner " any longer, but edits a one-horse paper
in a little place out in the desert.] How much
Bill got of the $5,000 I never knew, except that
it did not long keep him from hard fare, camp-
ing out, cooking and washing for himself, and

every once in a while finding a claim to work on,
locate, praise up and try to sell, and then get
sick of and abandon. 1 would like to know how
many fortunes in which his fancy and confident
belief have reveled, have vanished and been for-
gotten, like dreams. He has never struck it rich
since he made his sale to me, and I fear he never
will again, but no use to tell him so. There is
the "Belle Boyden," on which he is keeping up
assessment work, hiring out for a while to earn
something ahead, so as to buy grub and keep
himself going for a few weeks.

It would be cruel to call him back now and
ask him about it, but he would like nothing bet-
ter, and would talk about its dip, and the rock it
lies in, and how much it looks like some vein or
other that has turned out well, — it is astonishing
how many veins run in his head — and how many
feet there are in the claim, and what he values
his feet at, and how much lie wouldn't take for it,
if he only had money to open it, till he and I
were both tired. Bill has gone through too
many tight squeezes, and seen too much of tough
life to be very emotional, but get him going on
about the claim that he now holds and believes
in, and his eyes brighten, and he talks with unc-
tion. He is tall and loosely hung together, and
to hear him drawl out his slow speech and move
draggingly around, one would not think he could
do much, but give him a pick, a drill, and a
sledge-hammer, and set him to running a drift, or
sinking a shaft, and not nia.ny will beat him.
He is cute, too. AVhen I bought his claim he
went off to Frisco and New York, and it was
rich to hear him tell how the sharpers of all
hues and colors were after him, thinking they
never had a better chance at a greenhorn, when
they were never worse mistaken. What he does
not know about holding one's own in a game
with the boys, whether it be at cards or banter
and jokes, is not worth knowing. He is honest
and kind — a whole-souled fellow, true as steel,
and would doubtless take a fine polish, but his
prospect is small of ever getting it. He will go
on walking the mountains, camping here and
there, hunting for ledges while he has grub, and
working when he has not, till his hard life tells
on him, and he breaks down, and it is sad to
know that then he will go quick. Such as he are
the men that prospect the country, penetrating
its canons, exploring its gulches, climbing over
and over its mountain sides, and finding the out-
croppings of its mineral treasures, but hardly
ever are they any the richer for it themselves.

Secnet Town, — and Secret Town Ravine.
There is a side track but it is not now a station,
and the high, curved trestle-work, at first 1,100
feet long will soon be entirely replaced by the
more durable embankment. The ravine was
named from its early history, to mark the efforts
of a party, to conceal their discoveries of rich
claims.

238

About a mile and half below Secret Town,
there is a pretty view, where the railroad is
near the edge of the side hill, and the deep
ravine falls rapidly away to the American
River.

A Chinese Idea of Poker. — "What's usee
play poker ? " remarked an almond-eyed denizen
of Tucson, Nevada, the other day. " Me hold

four klings and ^

a lace ; Melican
man hold all
same time four
laces and a kling;
whole week
washee gone
lik e e wood-
bine."

Cape Horn
Mills — is a side
track, at which
the overland
trains stop on
signal, but the
Virginia City
passenger train
will not stop. It
is 5.9 miles from
Gold Run, and
not far from
Cape Horn. Be-
fore the train
" doubles "the
point or Cape,
Robber's Ravine
will be seen on
the left, deepen-
ing into the great
canon of the
American River.

Cape Horn.
— Around the
Cape, the rail-
road clings to the
precipitous bluff
at a point nearly
2,000 feet above
the river and far
below the sum-
mit, and where
the first foot-hold
for the daring
workman on the
narrow ledge
was gained by men who were let down with ropes
from the summit.

When the Cape is rounded, Rice's Ravine will
be on the left, and Colfax seen on the opposite
side. At the head of Rice's Ravine the railroad
crosses by trestle-work 113 feet high and 878 feet
long, on the summit of the divide between Long's
Ravine and Rice's Ravine —the waters from
Long's going first northward to the Bear River,

SECEET TOWN, TRESTLE-WORK.

and those in Rice's Ravine southward into the
American. At the foot of the trestle-work, and
climbing up both ravines to Colfax, its terminus,
on a grade of 113 feet to the mile, may be seen
the narrow gauge railroad just opened to Grass
Valley and Nevada City — the former 16.74 and
the latter 22 1-2 miles from Colfax.

At the bottom of the deep gorge around Cape

Horn, and on the

^\ mountain side
across the stu-
pendous chasm,
may be seen the
stage road to
Iowa Hill, a
mining to wn
across the river.
The railroad
here is an
achievement of
engineering
skill, genius and
daring on the
part of its bold
projectors, t r i -
umphing over
natural wonders
and obstacles of
which ever to be
proud. The
view is magnifi-
cent. N o o n e
passing can af-
ford to miss it,
or he will die
poorer and worse
for the loss. Un-
less it be the
view at Giant's
Gap, there is no
railroad view to
surpass it. The
wonderful chasm
is almost fright-
ful to behold.
The houses and
even fields in the
valley beneath
are little things,
and thebut-
tresses to the
deep water-gate
are so enormous
that large canons are as indistinct as the lines of
masonry, and as the defying mountains open
wild galleries back among the higher peaks, the
mountain sculpture grows grander and grander
until the rugged, but dimly outlined forms stretch
away in a vast sea of pine, peak and snow,

" Though inland far we be."
The road-bed, to one looking down is appar-

239

ently scooped out of perpendicular rock and
overhanging the great abyss ; and, to one looking
up, is like a long skein of gray thread wound
around the cliff.

Colfax and the descending railroad, and the
less pretentious narrow gauge toiling up to meet
each other, are clearly seen across Rice's Ravine.

Skillful Cookery. — Americans who dine
with the Chinese, are surprised at the perfection
to which they carry their cooking. During a
recent Chinese banquet in San Francisco, an
orange was laid at the plate of each guest. The
orange itself seemed like any other orange, but
on being cut open, was found to contain within
the rind five kinds of delicate jellies. One was
at first puzzled to explain how the jellies got in,
and giving up that train of reflection, was in a
worse quandary to know how the pulpy part of
the orange got out. Colored eggs were also
served, in the inside of which were found nuts,
jellies, meats and confectionery. When one of
the Americans present, asked the interpreter to
explain this legerdemain of cookery, he expanded
his mouth in a hearty laugh, and shook his head
and said, " AJelican man heap smart ; why he not
find him out ? "

Moonlight Scenery of the Sierras. —
Travelers going westward have often the pleas-
ure of a delightful ride by moonlight across the
famous scenes of the Sierras. Just at evening,
when the sun casts it's last glorious rays across
the mountains, and lights up the peaks and
snowy summits with splendor — the train arrives
at Cape Horn, and the thrill of interest of the
excited tourist, will never be forgotten. Take a
good look from the point, westward down the
grand canon of the American River. Step
toward the edge of the cut, and look down the
fearful precipice, which is often broken ere it
reaches the lowest descent of 2,000 feet. It is a
scene more famous in railroad pleasure travel,
than any yet known. A few miles beyond, near
Shady Run, there suddenly opens on the gaze of
the expectant traveler, just before the sunlight
has quite disappeared, and the evening shades
come on, the vision of

The Great American Canon, — by far
the finest canon of the entire Pacific Railroad.
The suddenness of approach, and the grandeur
of scene are so overpowering, that no pen, pic-
ture or language can give to it adequate descrip-
tion. Two thousand feet below, flow the quiet
waters of the Americin River. Westward is
seen the chasm, where height and peak and
summit hang loftily over the little vale. South-
ward is a sea, yea an ocean of mountains — and
the observer, seemingly upon the same level, is
bewildered at the immensity of Nature's lavish
display of mountain wonders ; night comes on,
and the heights catch the soft light of the moon,
as it shines and twinkles across and among the
tops of the pines, lighting up the open canons, and

rendering still more deep the contrast with the
shady glens — the snow fields, cold, white and
chilling, with ever changing turns of the rail-
road, make the evening ride, beyond a doubt,
the most pleasurable that ever falls to the lot of
the sight-seer. The tourist must stay up long —
see for yourself all the beauties of the Sierras,
while there is the least possible light — Emigrant
Gap, Summit, Donner Lake, Blue Canon — all
are delightful, and the lover of scene pleasures
must not forsake his window or the platform, till
the midnight hour finds him at Truckee. Trav-
elers eastward will bear in mind that from Cape
Horn to Summit, the best scenes are on south
side of the train, the American River Canon on
the right hand, or south side, and the Bear and
the Yuba River Valleys on the north side ; but
from the Summit the scene changes, and the ob-
server must find his pleasures on the north, until
he reaches Truckee.

East of Truckee, the scene is again renewed,
and the river and best views are mainly on the
south.

Colfax, — 193 miles from San Francisco. It
was named in honor of the late Vice-President,
has an altitude of 2,422 feet, is a day telegraph
station, and the breakfast and supper station for
the overland trains. Seventy-five cents, coin,
are charged for meals, arid 25 minutes allowed
for eating them.

The old settlement was Illinoistown, but with
the opening of the station, the old town was
" finished." Colfax has a population of 1,000,
two churches, Methodist Episcopal, and Congre-
gational, three hotels and stores to indicate that
it is the center of trade for a population of
several thousand.

Nevada County Harrow Gauge Hail-
road. — From Colfax starts a small narrow
gauge railroad twenty-two and one-half miles
long, passing through scenery of the most
exciting character. The tourist should spend
one day over it.

Grass Valley — is 16.74 miles distant, has a
population of 7,000. It is the center of the best
gold quartz mining region of the State, and has
the largest Protestant Church (Methodist Epis-
copal) in the Sierra Mountains. It has also a
Congregational Church, Roman Catholic, Epis-
copal and Christian or Campbellite. Until re-
cently, it had two banks, but at present has none.
It is the center of large lumber, fruit and min-
ing interests, has a daily paper, the " Union"
and one weekly, the " Foothill Tidings."

This city as well as Nevada, is reached from
Colfax by the narrow gauge railroad, on which
two trains connect daily with the trains of the
Central Pacific. The fare to Grass Valley is
$7.07, and to Nevada City $2.25, the maximum
allowed by the law of the State.

Nevada — has a population of 4,500, and is
the county-seat of Nevada County. The people

CAPE HORN.

1.— View looking down the American River. 2.— View • >f Cape Horn and American River Canon, looking East.

3. — Point of Cape Horn.

241

of Truckee are compelled to attend court in this
city. It is in the same mining region as Grass
Valley, and was for many years the largest town
in the mining regions. From an area of six
miles, not less than $75,000,000 have been taken,
and $ 2,000,000 are now produced annually. Slight
snows fall in the winter. The route of the nar-
row gauge railroad lies through the valley of the
Bear River, over which one looks in descending
the Sierras. At the crossing of Bear River,
where it joins the Elkhorn, there is some fine
scenery, and although in the distance of 22 1-2
miles there are 16 stopping places, there are no
towns or villages except at the termini and at
Grass Valley. San Juan North, Comptonville,
and Downieville, Sierraville, Lake City, Bloom-
field, Moore's Flat and Eureka South, and
Marysville are all connected with Grass Valley
or Nevada by stage.

In passing along near Colfax, and in all the
foot hills, the manzanita is seen, but the bushes
are smaller here than in many other parts of
California. It is a .queer shrub, and like the
madrona tree does not shed its leaf, but sheds its
bark. Its small, red berry ripens in the fall and
is gathered and eaten by the Indians. Crooked
canes made from its wood are much esteemed.
The bark is very delicate until varnished and
dried, and great care should be taken in trans-
porting them when first cut.

The foot hills are partly covered with chapar-
ral, a low evergreen oak, which, in early days,
afforded hiding places for Mexican robbers, and
now accommodates, with cheap lodgings, many a
" road agent " when supplied by a raid on Wells,
Fargo & Go's treasure boxes or the coin and
watches of stage-passengers. White blossoms
load the air with fragrance in April and May.

On the right, the valley of the Sacramento is
coming faster into sight, and the Coast Range
growing more distinct. The next station, 5.1
miles west of Colfax, is

New England Mitts, — at the west end of a
plateau where there is no grade for three miles.
Lumbering in the vicinity has declined, and the
trains do not stop. The roadway continues on
the south side of the divide between the Bear
and American rivers, but this has so widened
that the cars seem to be winding around among
small hills far away from either river.

Water taken from Bear River, near Colfax, is
quite near the railroad, on the right, for a num-
ber of miles, and will be seen crossing over at
Clipper Gap.

Below New England Mills there is an opening
called George's Gap, named from an early resi-
dent, George Giesendorfer, and farther west is
Star House Gap, called from an old hotel ; then
signs of farming are again seen in Bahney's
Ranche, at the foot of Bahney's Hill, and Wild-
Cat Ranche farther west, where Wild-Cat Sum-
mit is crossed by a tunnel 693 feet long, and

Clipper Ravine is then found on the left-hand
side.

This tunnel was made in 1873, to straighten
the road, and the ends are built of solid ma-
sonry.

Across Clipper Gap Ravine, the stage road
from Auburn to Georgetown may be seen wind-
ing up the mountain side.

About half-way between New England Mills
and Clipper Gap, there is a side track and day
telegraph station, called Applegates, for the run-
ning of trains and a point for shipping lime ; but
passenger trains run, without stopping, from
Colfax 11 1-3 miles, to

Clipper Gap, — 182 miles from San Fran-
cisco. The few buildings have a store and a
hotel among them. It was the terminus of the
road for three or four months, and then a lively
place.

Hare and mountain quail abound in these foot
hills. The latter roost, not on the ground, but
in trees, never utter the " Bob White," so famil-
iar to sportsmen, and fly swifter than the east-
ern quail.

Auburn, — 175 miles from San Francisco, is
a day telegraph station, 6.6 miles from Clipper
Gap, with an elevation of 1,360 feet.

From Auburn Station a daily stage runs 22
miles to Forest Hill on arrival of the train from
the east, fare $4.00, and to Michigan Bluffs, 30
miles, fare $6.00, and another runs daily, except
Sunday, to Greenwood, 16 miles, fare $2.50, and
Georgetown, 21 miles, fare $3.00, Pilot Hill, 11
miles, fare $1.50, Colma, 21 miles, fare $2.50, and
Placerville, 32 miles, fare $4.00. Alabaster Cave
on the route of the latter, six miles from
Auburn, is an opening in a limestone formation,
and the seat of the kilns in which the best lime
of California is made. What little beauty the
cave once possessed has been invaded and it has
now no attraction for the tourist.

The town of Auburn proper is situated below
the station. It has a population of 1,000, two
churches, good schools, fine orchards, and is the
county-seat of Placer County. It is one of the
oldest towns in the State. It has three hotels,
one of which is the Railroad House. Many of
its buildings are constructed of brick or stone,
and grapes are extensively grown in the vicinity,
and with great success. The Placer Herald is a
weekly Democratic paper, and the Argus, a
weekly Republican paper.

From the point where the locomotive stands,
the Sacramento River can be seen on the left, as
also from other points as the train continues
westward. Soon after leaving the station, the
railroad crosses Dutch Ravine, at the head of
which is Bloomer Cut, where the train passes
through an interesting conglomerate, showing a
well-exposed strata of boulders, sand and coarse
gravel. The trestle work at Newcastle Gap
Bridge is 528 feet long and 60 feet high.

242

A VISION OF THE GOLDEN COUNTRY.

BY THOMAS MORAN.

243

As the train nears Newcastle, the Marysville
Buttes, rough, ragged peaks, are easily discerned.
They are about 12 miles above the city of
Marysville, and the town near the railroad,
but clinging to a side hill opposite, is the
decayed town of Ophir.

From the trestle work, just before reaching
and also after passing Newcastle, there are fine
panoramas of
the Sacramento
Valley, on both
the right hand
and the left.
Mount Diablo
may be seen on
the left.

Neivcastle, —
170 miles from
San Francisco,
is a day tele-
graph station,
five miles from
Auburn, 956 feet
above the sea.
It has a hotel and
several stores,
every man in
the place a Good
Templar, and
some promising
quartz mines in
the vicinity. It
was named after
an old resident
and hotel-keep-
er called Castle.
An earnest of
what may be
seen in the lovely
valley, that has
such unlimited
extent before the
traveler, may be
seen in a flour-
ishing orange
tree, growing in
the open air, in
a garden only a
few yards from
the railroad
track. BLOOMER CUT.

Almost every one will have noticed an ever-
green of attractive hue, a shrub and a vine,
always trifoliated. It is the poison oak or
poison ivy, and unless one knows that he can-
not be affected by it, he should avoid an inti-
mate acquaintance.

Below Newcastle about a mile, the railroad
leaves Dutch Ravine, along which it has kept its
way from Auburn, and enters Antelope Ravine,
by which it descends the plain.

Penryn — is a side track near a valuable

granite quarry. The rock is susceptible of a
high polish — probably unsurpassed in the State,
and was used for building the dry dock of the
U. S. Navy Yard, at Mare Island, and other pub-
lic buildings. In summer, 200 men are employed
in the quarries.

Pino, — 164 miles from San Francisco, is about
where the limit of the pines is found, in a coun-

_ =!=m= try full of huge

boulders, with
JJL\ quarries of gran-
i ite, slightly soft-
•I er than that of
Penryn.

Rocklin — is
162 miles from
San Francisco,
a day and night
telegraph sta-
tion, with 249
feet of elevation,
and is the point
at which east-
bound trains
take an extra
locomotive to
ascend the
mountain. The
roundhouse of
the railroad com-
pany, with 28
stalls, situated
here is a most
substantial
structure, made
from the granite
quarries near
the station.
From these quar-
ries, many of
the streets of
San Francisco
are paved, pub-
lic and private
buildings erect-
ed, and here
were cut the im-
mense blocks
used for the
pavements of the
Palace Hotel.

Junction — is 157 miles from San Francisco.
It is a day telegraph station, and 163 feet above
the sea. The town is called Roseville, in honor
of the belle of the country who joined an excur-
sion here during the early history of the road,
and will probably be known as Roseville Junc-
tion.

Here the Oregon division of the Central Pa-
cific leaves the main line. On the left may be
seen the abandoned grade of a road that was
built to this point from Folsom on the American

244

River. By this road, Lincoln, Wheatland, Ma-
rysville, Chico, Tehama, Red Bluff, Redding, and
intermediate points are reached. One hundred
fifty-one and a half miles have been built from
the junction northward. Passengers going north
may use their tickets to San Francisco for pas-
sage over this division, and at Redding take
stage for Portland, Or. See page 300 for full
description of Railroad.

Antelope, — a side track at which passenger
trains do not stop, and 6.6 miles farther on, a
place of about equal importance called

Arcade. — The soil is light, much of it grav-
elly, but it produces considerable grass, and an
abundance of wild flowers. Prominent among
the latter are the Lupin and the Eschscholtzia,
or California Poppy. The long fence will inter-
est the Eastern farmer, for here is a specimen of
a Mexican grant. It is the Norris Ranche, now
owned by Messrs. Haggin, Tevis and others, and
nearly ten miles long. When California was
first settled, these plains were covei-ed with tall,
wild oats, sometimes concealing the horseback
rider, and wild oats are now seen along the side of
the track. No stop is made, except for passing
trains, until the American River bridge is
reached.

About four miles from Sacramento we reach
the American River. It has none of the loveli-
ness that charmed us when we saw it winding
along the mountains. The whole river-bed has
filled up, and in summer, when the water is al-
most wholly diverted to mining camps or for
irrigation, it seems to be rather a swamp. It is
approached by a long and high trestle work.
After crossing the bridge, on the right, you will
notice some thrifty vineyards and productive
Chinese gardens in the rich deposits of the river.
On the left you will obtain a fine view of the
State Capitol; also you get a fine view of the
grounds of the State Agricultural Society. Its
speed-track, a mile in length, is unexcelled.
Its advantages, including the climate of the
State, make it the best training track in the
United States. It was here that Occident trot-
ted in 2.16 3-4, and is said to have made a record
of 2.15 1-4 in a private trial. The grand stand
was erected at a cost of $15,000.

Should you pass through the city in Septem-
ber or October, do not fail to see for yourself the
Agricultural Park and the Pavilion, and test the
marvellous stories about the beets and the pump-
kins, and secure some of the beautiful and de-
licious fruit that is grown in the foot hills.

On the left you will also see the hospital of
the Central Pacific Railroad. It contains all
modern improvements for lighting, heating, ven-
tilation and drainage, and a library of 1,200
volumes. It can accommodate 200 patients, and
cost the company $65,000. Fifty cents a month
is deducted from the pay of all employes for
maintaining the institution. No other railroad

has made such generous provision for its faith-
ful employes.

Railroad Works. — North of the city there
•was a sheet of water known as " Sutler's Lake "
and " The Slough," and a succession of high
knolls. The lake was granted to the city by the
State, and to the railroad company by the'city.
Its stagnant waters have given place, at great
cost, to most important industries. The high
knolls have been levelled, and are also owned, in
part, by the railroad company. Not less than fifty
acres of land are thus made useful for side tracks
and fruitful in manufactures. Six and a half
acres of it are covered by the railroad shops.
Twelve hundred men are constantly employed.

These are the chief shops of the railroad.
Some you saw at Ogden, Terrace, Carlin,
Wadsworth, Truckee and Rocklin, and you
will find others at Lathrop and Oakland Point,
and at Tulare and Caliente on the Visalia
Division. At Oakland Point, 150 men are em-
ployed, but all these shops and even those of the
California Pacific Road at Vallejo center here.
These are the largest and best shops west of the
Mississippi River, and form the most extensive
manufacturing industry of the city.

The best locomotives, and the most elegant and
comfortable passenger cars on the coast are built,
and a large portion of the repairs for the whole
road is done here. All the castings of iron and
brass, and every fitting of freight and passenger
cars, except the goods used in upholstering, is
here produced ; boilers for steamers put up, the
heaviest engine shafts forged, telegraph instru-
ments made, silver plating done, and 12,000
car wheels made every month. All the latest
and best labor-saving tools and machinery used
in wood, iron and brass work can here be seen
in operation.

The capacity of the shops is six box-freight,
and six flat cars per day, and two passenger, and
one sleeping car per month. Twelve years ago,
the work of the company at this point, was all
done in a little wooden building 24 by 100 feet,
and with less men than there are now build-
ings or departments.

Last year a million and a half dollars was paid
out for labor in these shops alone, and 4,000 tons
of iron consumed. Some of the buildings, like
the roundhouse, are of brick. This has 29 pits
each 60 feet long, with a circumference of 600
feet. Some of the buildings have roofs or sides
of corrugated iron. Seven large under-ground
tanks, 1,600 gallons each, are used for oil and
2,000 gallons of coal oil, and 400 of sperm con-
sumed every month.

In connection with the shops, is a regularly
organized and well-equipped fire-brigade, and in
two minutes the water of two steam fire-engines
can be directed to any point in the buildings.

Soon a rolling mill will be erected, and upon
the location but lately pestilential. The whole

246

coast will be laid under further tribute to these
shops for the facilities of travel and commerce.

Just before entering the depot you will cross
the track of the California Pacific Railroad, and
see the Sacramento River on the right.

Sacramento. — Trains stop twenty minutes
in the depot. This affords ample time to get
a lunch at the Palace Saloon in the depot,
or to visit the City and Capitol. Take one
of the "free busses" for the Capitol, Golden
Eagle, Grand or Orleans Hotel, all first-class,
comfortable and well patronized; or the street-
cars will convey you near any of these. A
new railroad depot will be finished this year,
the finest in California, four hundred and six-
teen feet long, and seventy feet wide, with
another adjoining, thirty-five by one hundred
and sixty feet.

The population of the city is about 22,000.
The streets are regularly laid out, and beginning
at the river or depot, with Front or First, are
numbered to Thirty-first, and the cross-streets
are lettered, beginning with A on the north side
of the city. The stores are chiefly of brick, and
residences of wood. The broad streets are
shaded by trees of heavy foliage, the elm, wal-
nut, poplar and sycamore prevailing, and in sum-
mer are almost embowered by these walls of
verdure, that are ready to combat the spread of
fires. It is a city of beautiful homes. Lovely
cottages are surrounded by flowers, fruits and
vines, while some of the most elegant mansions
in the State are in the midst of grassy lawns or
gardens filled with the rarest flowers. The
orange, fig, lime and palm flourish, and the air is
often laden with nature's choice perfumes. It is
lighted with gas, and has water from the Sacra-
mento River, supplied by the Holly system. Two
million gallons are pumped up daily.

The climate is warm in summer, but the heat
is tempered by the sea breeze which ascends
the river, and the nights are always pleasantly
cool. Notwithstanding its swampy surroundings
and the luxuriance of its semi-tropical vegeta-
tion, statistics establish the fact that it is one of
the healthiest cities in the State.

Among the more prominent buildings are the
Court-house, Odd Fellows', Masonic, Good Tem-
plars' and Pioneer Halls ; the Christian Brothers'
College, the Churches, Schools and the Capitol.
The grammar school building is a credit to the
educational structures of the State, and attracts
attention from visitors second only to the Capitol.

The Pioneers are an association of Califor-
nians who arrived prior to January, 1850. Their
hall has an antiquarian value — especially in a
yeiy accurate register of important events extend-
ing back to A. D. 1650. "Another association,
the Sons of the. Pioneers, will become the heirs
of these valuable archives, and perpetuate the
association. The annual business of the city
exceeds twenty-Jive mi/lion dollars.

The State Capitol. — This is the most
attractive object to visitors. It cost nearly
$2,500,000. It stands at the west and thrice ter-
raced end of a beautiful park of eight blocks,
extending from L to N street, and from Tenth
to Fourteenth street. Back of the Capitol, but
within the limits of the park and its beautiful
landscape gardening, are the State Printing
Office and the State Armory.

The main entrance to the Capitol is opposite
M street. The edifice was modeled after the
old Capitol at Washington and has the same
massiveness, combined with admirable propor-
tions, and rare architectural perfection and
beauty. Its front is 320 feet and height 80 feet,
above which the lofty dome rises to 220 feet, and
is then surmounted by the Temple of Liberty,
and Powers' bronze statue of California. The
lower story is of granite, the other two of
brick.

Ascending by granite steps, which extend 80
feet across the front, we reach the portico with
ten massive columns. Passing through this, we
stand in the lofty rotunda, 72 feet in diameter.
The chambers and galleries are finished and fur-
nished in richness and elegance befitting the
Golden State. The doors are of walnut and
California laurel, massive and elegant. The
State library has 35,000 volumes. The great
dome is of iron, supported by 24 fluted Corin-
thian columns and 24 pilasters. Rising above
this is a smaller dome supported by 12 fluted
Corinthian pillars.

The beauty of the whole is equaled in but
few of the public buildings in the country, and
the California laurel with its high polish adds no
little to the charm. The steps leading to the top
of the outer dome are easy, except for persons of
delicate health, and the view to be gained on a
clear day, will amply repay any exertion. The
extended landscape is incomparably lovely.
You are in the center of the great Sacramento
Valley, nearly 450 miles long by 40 wide, where
fertile soil and pleasant clime have contributed
to make one of the loveliest pictures to be seen
from any capitol in the world.

Just beneath lies a city with many beautiful
residences, half concealed in the luxuriant ver-
dure of semi-tropical trees. Lovely gardens
enlarged into highly cultivated farms — then,
wide extended plains, on which feed thousands
of cattle and sheep, groves of evergreen oak,
long, winding rivers, and landlocked bays, white
with the sails of commerce, and along the east-
ern horizon stretch the rugged Sierras, with
their lines of arid foot hills, perpetual verdure,
and snowy summits, shining like white sum-
mer clouds in a clear blue sky.

On the west the Coast Range limits the vision
with its indistinct and hazy lines, out of which
the round top of Mount Diablo is quite dis-
tinct. Southward, the eye takes in the valley of

247

the San Joaquin, (pronounced, Wah-keen), with
its rapidly populating plains.

In 1850, a fire left only one house standing,
where are now 21 of the principal business
blocks, and in 1851, a second fire nearly de-
stroyed the city, after which lumber was scarce
at $500 a thousand.

In the winter of 1851-2, a flood covered the
whole city, and led to the construction of levees,
which were afterward enlarged. Part of the
city, too, was raised above high-water mark.
Ten years later a flood occurred, with from
eight to ten feet of water in all the parts of the
city not raised, and flooding the first stories of
all houses and stores. In the winter of 1875-6,
the river was three inches higher than ever be-
fore known, yet the city was perfectly safe.

As a distributing point, the commercial ad-
vantages of the city are second only to San
Francisco. Freight by the Overland route is
here started north or south. Merchants of Ne-
vada, Northern California and Utah secure their
freight from this point with less charges and
greater despatch than from San Francisco, and
all shipments to the mountains or beyond, must
go through this gate. Fruit from the foot hills,
of choicer flavor than that grown in the warmer
valleys, and vegetables, enormous and abundant,
from the rich alluvial soil of the rivers, concen-
trate here to supply the dwellers from the Sierras
eastward. During the summer of 1875 the aver-
age weekly shipment, of fruit alone, to the East,
was 400 tons.

The industries that already give the city
prominence, and not directly connected with 'the
railroad, are more than can be mentioned.
Among them are the Capital Woolen Mills, sev-
eral carriage, wagon and furniture factories,
several flouring-mills, one of which, the Pioneer,
is the largest in the State, with capacity for pro-
ducing 600 barrels of flour and 950 tons of barley
per day, boiler, general iron and brass works.
Wineries are permanently established and pro-
ductive.

Beet Sugar — is manufactured about three
miles from the city. The works were erected at
a cost of $275,000, and 1,450 acres of land are in
use for the factory. Ninety tons of beets can be
used, per day, yielding about 13 1-2 per cent, of
saccharine matter, while the refuse is mixed
with other feed and used to fatten cattle.

This promises to become one of the chief in-
dustries of California, and the only occasion
where the descriptive powers of Mr. Nordhoff
seem to have failed him, was in the presence
of the machinery of the Johnson process used in
this manufacture.

The sugar-beet does not grow to enormous
size, but the mangel-wurzel continues to grow,
summer and winter, until it attains enormous
size. Southern California is said to have pro-
duced one of 1,100 pounds, and a farmer of So-

noma County, had one (not considering the top),
three feet above the ground. We believe he
fenced around it, lest a cow should get inside of
it and eat out the heart.

The city has a paid Fire Department, and
five newspapers — the Daily and Weekly Record-
Union, the Daily and Weekly Bee, The Sacramento
Valley Agriculturalist (weekly), Sacramento Jour-
nal (German tri-weekly), and The Weekly Res-
cue, the organ of the I. O. G. T.

Sacramento is also an important railroad cen-
ter, second only to San Francisco. Here is the
practical terminus of the California and Oregon
Railroad, which uses the main track of the Cen-
tral Pacific Railroad to Roseville, and is com-
pleted 170 miles north, to Redding. At Redding,
daily stage connection is made for Roseburg, Or.,
275 miles, and thence, by the Oregon and Cali-
fornia Railroad, 200 miles to Portland. Time,
four days ; Fare, $55.00, gold.

The California Pacific runs to Vallejo, 60
miles, at the head of San Pablo Bay, immedi-
ately north of, and connected with San Fran-
cisco Bay. At Vallejo, steamers connect, twice
a day, for San Francisco. The whole distance
is 83 miles. Davisville, Woodland, Knight's
Landing, Vacaville and the Napa Valley, are
reached by this road.

Here, too, is the terminus of the Sacramento
Valley Railroad, the oldest in the State. The
river, also, affords a pleasant route, either to
Northern California, or to San Francisco.

On the upper Sacramento, steamers of light
draft ascend 240 miles to Red Bluff, or by the
Feather River, from its junction with the Sacra-
mento, 65 miles to Marysville, at the confluence
of the Yuba and Feather Rivers.

Below the city an active trade is carried on
with steamers and sloops. The California Steam
Navigation Company have a daily line of steam-
ers leaving Sacramento at ten o'clock A. M., and
reaching San Francisco about six p. M. The
distance is 108 miles. The river does not pre-
sent the picturesque scenery of the Hudson, but
the tourist will be interested at every point,
whether as he looks out over the rich lands
awaiting reclamation, or the thriving villages
and fertile fields on either side, or the islands
well protected by high and broad levees. The
spacious bays — Suisun, San Pablo, and San
Francisco — afford a series of views, in which
the interest is like a good novel, increasing to
the end. Mount Diablo is nearly always in
view. You pass the United States Arsenal at
Benicia, once the rival of San Francisco, and
through the Straits of Carquinez. The United
States Navy Yard, on Mare Island, overlooked by
the town of Vallejo, and the beauty of the ap-
proach to San Francisco, noticed more at length
in connection with the California Pacific Rail-
road, will amply compensate for the difference in
time between the all-rail route via Stockton and

REPRESENTATIVE MEN OF CALIFORNIA.

1.— Senator Sargent. 2.— R. B. Woodward. 3.- Senator Hharon, (Nevada.) 4.— D. O Mills.
6.— James C. Flood. 6.— W. C. Ralston. 7.— M. S. Latham. 8.— Gov. Irwin.

249

the river. The river-boats, however, are not run
with the regularity of the trains, nor are they as
large and comfortable as they were a few years
ago.

Leaving Sacramento on the Central Pacific
Railroad, formerly the Western Pacific, we
reach

BrigMon, — 134 miles from San Francisco,
where the Sacramento Valley Railroad leaves
the main track. This road extends to Folsom,
22 miles, where it connects with the Sacramento
Valley and Placerville Railroad, to Shingle
Springs 26 miles, whence daily stages leave for
Placerville, 58 miles from Sacramento. The old
town of Brighton was on the Sacramento River
opposite the present station, and on the old
Placerville road.

California Wind-Mills. — As you pass
along you notice numerous windmills, of various
sizes and styles, whirling away to fill reservoirs for
household wants, or irrigate the vineyards or
orchards and gardens, if any there be. They are
common in all the valleys and plains of Cali-
fornia, and numerous in the cities. The sobri-
quet of Stockton is the " Windmill City."

About California farms there is usually no
garden. Perhaps a few vegetables are raised
during the winter. In some localities certain
fruits or vegetables do not grow well, and the
farmer who has twenty or a hundred head of
horses, before his gang-plows, or harvesting his
wheat or barley, has no time for gardening and
prefers to depend upon the daily visits of the
vegetable wagon as well as the butcher. And
among our cosmopolitan people, the only class we
lack is the farming women of the Mohawk Val-
ley, or the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Florin — is 131 miles from San Francisco,
a flag station — side track, store and post-office.
The hard pan is near the surface, and therefore
but little moisture retained from the most
copious winter rains. Trees cannot send down
their roots until this hard pan is broken through
for them.

Elk Grove, — 123 miles from San Francisco.
In early days the hunter here could find large
game without visiting Shasta, Tulare Lake or
the mountains. At the old hotel the sign of the
elk horns invited the traveler, suggesting him a
dish that even then was seldom seen. Beyond,
on the right hand, is some of the best soil in the
State in the low lands, comprising rhe delta of
the Sacramento, Mokelumne and San Joaquin
Rivers. There are Presbyterian and Methodist
Episcopal Churches in the village.

M.cConttett'8, — 119 miles from San Fran-
cisco, on the banks of the Cosumne River, a
stream like all others in California, turbid in
winter, and an empty channel in summer.

In California the name "ranche" (a contrac-
tion of the Spanish rancho, which is primarily
the rude lodging-place of herdsmen, or an estab-

lishment for raising horses and cattle), has
almost superseded the "hacienda," or farm. Mc-
Connell's Ranche is, however, devoted largely to
stock raising, and on it are kept the finest
imported thorough-bred merino sheep. Sheep
raising is among the most profitable pursuits in
the State, and the woolen manufactures of Cali-
fornia are unequaled in whatever line they have
hitherto sought to excel.

Gait — is 112 miles from San Francisco. The
Central Pacific Company are now building a
branch road to the coal mines at lone City,
called

THE AMADORE BRANCH RAIL-
ROAD.

lone City — is in a prosperous mining and
farming region, and has recently received new
life from the development of large coal fields.

Sutter Creek, — on this stage route, is 31
miles from Gait, and ranks next to Grass Valley
in Nevada County, as a quartz mining locality.
Here is the famous Amador or Hayward Mine,
where the excavations are now made several hun-
dred feet below the level of the sea. It has been
one of the richest mines in the State, and pro-
duces about $700,000 annually. With irrigation,
fruit growing and agriculture succeed well.

Jackson — was formerly rich in placer mines,
but the prosperous mining interests of today
are in quartz. The soil and climate combine to
produce fruit unexcelled in the State, and large
quantities of wine and brandy are made.

Mokelumne Hill — is 41 miles from Gait, and
was the county-seat of Calaveras County until
1867. It was one of the earliest mining settle-
ments. The Gwin and other quartz mines are
now successfully worked. This route to the
Big Trees is traveled but little, except by those
who desire to visit the towns between them and
Gait. The tourist will, undoubtedly, proceed to
Stockton or Lathrop.

Acamjto, — only a flag station.

Lodi, — formerly called Mokelumne. A daily
stage leaves Lodi at 2.20 P. M., for Mokelumne
Hill, 37 miles distant ; fare $5.

Just before reaching the village, the Mokel-
umne River is crossed. Lodi is one of a flour-
ishing trio of villages.

Woodbridge — is 2 miles north-west, and

Lockford, — 4 miles north. This is one of the
best portions of the great valley, across which
one now passes. The soil is a rich sandy loam,
producing abundantly, and the intelligent, ener-
getic people are surrounded with all the neces-
sary appendages of first-class farms. The ever-
green trees have given their name " Live Oaks,"
to a large region in this part of the valley.

Castle — is 97 miles from San Francisco — a
flag station. The Calaveras River is crossed be-
fore reaching Stockton, but except in winter is
only an empty channel. On either side of the

250

road will be seen abundant crops, or unmistak-
able promise of them. Much of the land is so
level that the large fields of 100 or more acres
can be completely submerged from either of
their sides.

On the right, entering the town of Stockton,
stands one of the

Insane Asylums — of the State. The other,
recently opened, is located at Napa. The
grounds at this place comprise 130 acres, all
under a high state of cultivation. There are
about 1,300 inmates. The first building passed
is the largest and most imposing, has every
modern convenience, and is occupied by female
inmates. The male inmates occupy the other
buildings.

Stockton — is 91 miles from San Francisco,
and has a population of 13,000. It is 23 feet
above the sea, and the county-seat of San Joa-
quin County. It was laid out in 1848 by Captain
Webber, who named it to commemorate Commo-
dore Stockton's part in the conquest of Califor-
nia. It is two miles from the San Joaquin River,
at the head of Stockton Slough, which is navi-
gable at all seasons for vessels of 250 tons.

The heart of the town was destroyed by fire
in 1849 and again in 1851. It is laid out with
broad streets at right angles, and has street-cars
from the depot to the principal hotels and the
Insane Asylum. "Free busses" also convey
passengers to the Yosemite, Mansion, Grand or
Central, all first-class hotels. The city was once
the exclusive base of supply for a large mining
and agricultural trade which is now diverted, yet
the development of the country has caused a
steady increase of its volume of business. It is
admirably situated to control the trade of the
whole San Joaquin Valley, but needs a ship
canal that will enable ocean vessels to load at its
wharves.

The water supply is from an artesian well,
1,002 feet deep, flowing 300,000 gallons of pure
water daily, the water rising 11 feet above the
surface of the ground. The city is lighted with
gas and has an efficient volunteer fire department.
Two daily and weekly papers, the Stockton In-
dependent and Evening Herald, four banks and
large woolen, leather, wood, iron and paper fac-
tories, wholesale and retail stores, and an exten-
sive grain business are the foundations and
measures of the prosperity of the city. The
leather tanned here is considered equal to the
best French, and commands as high a price.

The proximity of iron and coal should make
this city the Pittsburg of the Pacific. It has
fourteen organized churches, some of which
have built houses of worship — Roman Catholics,
Methodists, North and South, German and Col-
ored, Episcopalians, Congregationalists, Baptists,
white and colored Christians (Disciples), and
Jews. Passing in the cars, nothing is seen of
the better residences, of which there are many,

provided with every convenience and comfort.
Excellent public and private schools are the
boast of the people, for, if Californians ever
boast (which they never do), they do not forget
to speak of their schools. Masons, Odd Fellows,
Red Men, Knights of Pythias, Hibernians, Pio-
neers and other societies represent social and be-
nevolent progress. Near the depot, on the left,
may be seen the grounds of the San Joaquin
Valley Agricultural Society.

Heat. — The city has the best climate of the val-
ley. The hot air of the interior is usually tem-
pered by the sea breeze, and the nights are always
cool. The hot and sickly places of California are
never reached by the traveler. In Sacramento
it is said to be hot in Marysville, and in Marys-
ville, one is referred to Oroville for heat, and in
Stockton, men say it is hot at Merced. The sim-
ple fact is that all parts of the Great Central
Basin of California are subject to occasional
north winds — the dread, at once, of man and
beast. They usually lull at night, but continue,
at least, three successive days. The wind hav-
ing swept over hundreds of miles of dry and
scorching plains, breathes as from a furnace, the
mercury marking 110° to 120° in the shade.
One may fancy himself in Egypt or Barbary,
withered and fainting under blasts from the Sa-
hara Desert.

The origin of the name, California, is said to
be from two Spanish words, " caliente fornalo"
meaning a " heated furnace." This seems plau-
sible. The extreme dryness of the climate, how-
ever, enables men and animals to endure this
heat surprisingly. Sunstrokes are unknown.
Rapid evaporation keeps the pores open, no
perspiration accumulates, the skin is dry and cool,
and a heat 20 to 30 degrees above what would
mark an intensely heated term, in the moister
atmosphere of the Eastern States, produces little
exhaustion in the dry atmosphere of this central
basin. Horses travel frequently 50 to 60 miles a
day without injury, the thermometer marking
100° or over. Stockton has not yet attained
the importance as a railroad center, to which her
position entitles her. A narrow gauge road to
lone City was commenced, but there is no pros-
pect of its early completion. The Stockton and
Copperopolis Railroad extends easterly into Cala-
veras and Stanislaus Counties, the main branch
30 miles to Milton, with a branch at Peters, 15
miles from Stockton, to Oakdale, 34 miles from
Stockton.

To the Big Trees, Calm-eras Group. —
The best route to the Calaveras Grove of Big
Trees is via Stockton and Milton. There is
another grove of big trees at Mariposa, which is
best reached from Lathrop and Merced. The
comparative inducements to visit one or the
other, will be stated hereafter, and here will be de-
scribed only the route from Stockton to the Cala-
veras Grove. Cars leave Stockton at 12.35 P. M.,

1 -Grizzly Giant. MariPo<a Grove. 2.-Three Graces. Calaveras Group. S.-Seenes in Mariposa Grove.
4._Trunk of Big Tree, Majiposa Grove. 5.-Natural Arch, Big Tree, Mariposa Grove. e.-Calaveras Group, Bi* Trees.

252

for Milton ; stages leave Milton at 2.45 p. M., and
reach Murphy's at 7 P. M., where the first night
is spent.

The Grove, 15 miles from Murphy's, is reached
the next day at 11 A. M., and those who desire
can leave at 3 P. M. the same day, and return to
Murphy's for the second night. On the following
day one may reach San Francisco, or go to Gar-
rote, 45 miles from the Yosemite Valley. To
visit the Calaveras Grove and Yosemite Valley
by this route requires 145 miles of staging. This
route to the Yosemite Valley via Milton, is called
the Big Oak Flat, or Hutching's Route, the
former name from a local point on the road, and
the latter after the man who in past years did
more than any other to make the Yosemite Valley
known, and by whose untiring energy the stage
road to it was opened. It is one of three routes
by which the valley is reached without horseback
riding. It is the shortest route from Stockton or
San Francisco, but it requires more staging than
the other two. To go directly to the valley by
this route, one leaves Stockton lor Milton at 12.35
p. M., and spends the night at Chinese Camp, 23
miles from Milton, reaching the valley the second
day after, at 2 p. M. For the other three routes
to the valley, see Lathrop, the next station. The
decision whether to visit the Calaveras or the
Mariposa Grove of Big Trees, substantially de-
termines the route taken to and from the valley.
The considerations that enter into this decision
are as follows : There are seven known groves
of big trees. Of these only the Calaveras and
Mariposa have accommodations for tourists, are
easily accessible and convenient to other points
so as to be visited in comparatively little time
and without large expense. It is true, that the
Tuolumne and Merced Groves are directly on
different routes to the valley, but the number of
trees in these is small, and their size is not great.
In the Tuolumne there are but ten, the largest
only 24 feet in diameter. In both the Calaveras
and Mariposa Groves are prostrate trunks one-
sixth larger than the largest living trees, which
enable one to realize, as cannot be done by look-
ing at and walking round living trees, the enor-
mous size of these forest giants. As the tourist
will probably see one of these two groves it may
be well to note for him that

In the In the
Calaveras GroTe. Maripona Grove.

Number of trees 93 600

Diameter of largest, 33 feet. 33 feet.
Circumference of largest living tree,

six feet above the ground. 6t feet. 90 feet.
No. of living trees between 80 and

90 feet in circumference, 0 1

No. between 70 and 80 feet, 0 6

No. between 60 and 70 feet, 1 2

The largest tree yet known in any of the
groves is on King's River, 40 miles from Visalia,
and is 44 feet in diameter.

The Calaveras Grove was the first discovered,
the first opened to tourists, has been Ions; and

well known, has a first-class hotel directly at the
edge of the grove, where a summer vacation may
be pleasantly passed; the trees all the while
growing on the visitor in size and beauty, as Ni-
agara does on him who tarries there.

Private teams for either the big trees or the
valley, or both, may be had at Stockton, Milton,
or Merced, but unless one's time is absolutely un-
limited, the public conveyance is to be chosen.
By relays of horses these hurry one over the dry
plains, and once in the midst of the charming
scenery of the foot hills, one can tarry at pleasure.

The most notable trees in the Calaveras group
are:

The Father of the Forest, which measures 435 feet in
length, 110 feet in circumference.

Mother of the Forest,— 321 feet high, 90 feet in circumfer-
ence.

Hercules, 320 feet high, 95 feet circumference.

Hermit 318 feet high, 60 feet circumference.

Ptide of the Forest, . 276 feet high, 60 feet circumference.
Three Graces, . . . 295 feet high, 92 feet circumference.
Husband and Wife, . 252 feet high, 60 feet circumference.
Burnt Tree, .... 330 feet long, 97 feet circumference.
" Old Maid," " Old Bachelor," " Siamese Twins," " Mother
and Sons," " Two Guardians."

Lathrop, 82.8 miles from San Francisco, is
the junction of the San Joaquin Valley Branch,
or " Visalia Division " of the Central Pacific.
It extends from Lathrop to Goshen. 117 miles,
where it intersects the main line of

The Soutlwn Pacific Railroad

(For full description of which gee page 279.)

San Joaquin Valley. — This great valley
has the Sierra Nevada on the east, and the Coast
Range on the west, is about 250 miles long, and
from 20 to 150 miles wide. The area is 25,000
square miles. The greater portion of the land is
a sandy loam, easily tilled. There are but a few
trees, but the farmers have begun to plant exten-
sively. Frequent patches of the black, tenacious,
alluvial soil, called adobe are found, in which the
sun cracks, visible during summer, faintly sug-
gest earthquakes. A hundred miles of wheat
fields may be seen in the valley, broken only by
roads and fences.

This immense valley, with a surrounding belt
of timber for lumber and fuel, coal, iron, and the
precious metals bordering it, adapted for grow-
ing the grains and fruits of two zones, is des-
tined to have a teeming population and fabulous
wealth. Irrigation will supply the lack of sum-
mer rains when needed. The summer tourist
will be struck with the absence of all sod, and
long for the refreshing sight of it once more.
As it exists in the Eastern States, it is unknown
in California, except where carefully nurtured.
The beautiful mantle of green that covers the
earth, in winter and spring, is here turned to
hay without any artificial process. The juices
of the grass are stored, the seeds ripened, and
the roots die, and seeds sprout again.

253

Alfalfa, a species of clover is however, an ex-
ception. Its roots, sometimes an inch in di-
ameter, penetrate to a depth of 12 or more feet,
and draw moisture from unseen springs. Several
crops of hay may be cut from it in one season,
and the quantity produced from an acre is almost
fabulous. Ten years ago not a head of wheat
was produced in Stanislaus County, one of the
counties of this valley, and now it is the chief
wheat-producing county in the State.

Wonders of California Farming
and Gardening.

California is a paradise of gardens, farms and
flowers, as well as of mines, scenery and health
resorts. During the spring months, from April
to June, the country is aglow with rural beauty.
Immense patches of flowers of intensely scarlet,
blue and yellow, pink colors, grow all over the
valleys and sides of the hills, and the plains and
valleys seem an immense garden of wild flower
bloom. For days in succession the traveler will
pass as through a wild garden.

California would not be equal to itself were it
not able to give sights to the traveler to tran-
scend the sights of other portions of the coun-
try. Not only is the entire country a succession
of beauty in the spring, but in the summer,
when all the flowers have gone, comes the im-
mense grain harvest, when the whole country is
golden from the mountains to the ocean. The
fields are yellow as gold with the great wheat
crop, and one seems to be riding in a land whose
very air smells of gold, and the eye sees gold
everywhere. The gardens and farms of Cali-
fornia are extremely rich and productive; the
results are of such an astonishing size as to be-
wilder Eastern heads used to more moderate
calculations. We have personally seen a Gera-
nium bush with over 1,000 blossoms at one time
opened, filling a mound over six feet in height
and diameter. Another geranium bush clambered
up the side of a garden fence, four feet high,
and gracefully swung on the other side half way
to the ground, and aglow with intensely red
flowers. A large fence, 20 feet high and 60 feet
long, we have seen filled with a few geraniums
which had grown to that height in less than one
year.

In a garden near Oakland we have seen a
Fuchsia vine of less than three years growth,
fill the piazza of a house 70 feet in length, reach
to the second stoiy, and filling the entire roof,
clamber to the third. In a little garden at Los
Angeles we have seen a fuchsia bend with 3,000
blossoms. In a garden near Sonoma, we have
seen growing in loving company the fruit trees
of both the tropics and the northern temperate
zone, — the apple, peach, pear, orange, lemon,
olive, hot-house grape vines, wild grape vines,
crab apples, cactus, palm trees and others, as

widely different as possible. California farms
are of immense size, a farm of 30,000 acres is
very modest, a vineyard is nothing unless it has
ll)0,000 vines. If a grower has a fruit farm his
fruit must be of huge size to attract attention.
Upon the grounds of one grower near Oakland,
the following is recorded as a modest fact :

Currants were half an inch in diameter, cherries
one inch in diameter, and three inches around, car-
rots were 35 pounds each, cabbages 75 pounds,
onions five pounds, water melons 95 pounds, pears
3^ pounds each, beets 200 pounds.

In the San Joaquin Valley,, crops have been
raised which are perfectly astonishing. Five
crops of Alfalfa, and 40 tons per acre per year.
Pumpkin*, 250 pounds ; potatoes, each 15 pounds.

In Santa Rosa is a rose bush which produces
15,000 to 25.000 roses yearly. In Los Angeles is
an orange orchard, whose crop of ten yields $1,500
per acre each year — worth nearly $100,OCO. Near
San Diego, pumpkins of 350 pounds are com-
mon— one vine, from one seed, one season yielded
1,400 pounds. At San Gabriel is the largest
orange orchard in California, — 500 acres owned
by L. J. Rose ; at the San Gabriel Mission are
growing over 200 varieties of cactus.

These are but a few of the productions of
such a wonderful state.

Chinese Names. — Although these are be-
coming somewhat familiar from their signs at
their wash-houses in our Eastern cities, the fol-
lowing list of Chinese letters advertised for a
single week in San Francisco, will give a better
idea of them. A correspondent says :

Ah Coon is Mr. Coon, Ah being merely a title
of respect. Chinamen who have three names
are of a higher rank, I am told, than those who
have two only. Some of our nicknames, as
Sam, Jake, Nat, etc., are very common Chinese
names.

Ah Coon,
Ah Chung Wo,
Ah Hung,
Ah Lee,
Chang Sing,
Ching Chung,
Choy Sum & Co.,
Chung Wo Tong,
Chong Ga,
Do Foo,
Eh Da Loro,
Tong Kee,
Fung Lung,
Gee Tang Hong,
Gee Wo Sang,
Gum Go In,
Heng Wa Hong,
HiLo,
Hong Faut,
Hung Song Lung,
•Take Lung,
Kee Hien,

Kong Chong Ling,
Quong Chung Wang,
Quong On,
Quong Son Wa,
Quong Ton Sing,
Nat Lee,
Lee Dew & Co.,
Low Hing Kee,
Sam Kiam Wo,
Sing Cow Wo,
Sing Quong On,
Si Wo Luny,
Soon Sing,
San Wah,
See Wo Lung,
Sen Sing,
Tun San,
Way Sum Gow,
Wong Ung,
Yee Ching Lung,
Yen Wah Hong,
Ye Wah Sung,

SCENES IN THE TOSEMITE VALLEY.
1.— Bridal Veil Fall. 2.— Mirror Lake.

255

Kong Chieng, Yen Wah Co.,

Koung Yuue Ling, Young The Keow.

California Customs. — The stage-coach
from Milton was about to leave Tuttletown after
changing horses. Every seat, both inside and
out, was full, except one which was occupied by
a tourist wrapped in his supercilious dignity and
a heavy linen-duster. A resident of Tuttletown,
wishing to ride to Sonora, approached the stage
and inquired for a seat. " All full inside,"
growled the tourist spreading himself to the full
extent of his dignity and duster. " But you are
occupying two seats," argued the man from
Jackson Hill. "I ain't going to be crowded. I
pay for my comfort, and intend to keep it."
" Did you pay for two seats ? " " I've only
secured one seat ; but there is no room for
another in this coach, sir ! " And the tourist
settled himself back, while the other passengers
grunted their disgust in tones not particularly
vociferous, but exceedingly deep. " You are not
acting as a gentleman should, sir — not exactly in
accordance with the etiquette of our rude Cali-
fornia soeiety," calmly replied the man on the
outside, smiling in spite of his annoyance at the
dog-in-the-manger-style of this boor. " I don't
hold myself accountable to the society of Cali-
fornia. I pay my way and ask odds of nobody ;
and your inference that I am not a gentleman
might be termed, where I came from, an indica-
tion that you wish to fight." " We don't fight
in this country," calmly replied the man from
Tuttletown. "You don't? Then I must have
been misinformed. Pray, what do you do when
a man insults you ? " And a sort of triumph
gleamed in the eye of a stranger. " Do ? Why,
we shoot him on the spot, and that is the end of it !
We don't waste time after we start in. By the
way, I think I can squeeze in alongside of you there,
can't I ? " " Don't know but you can ! " And
a full half seat appeared beside the dignified
fool, as if by magic.

San Joaquin Bridge, — 79 miles from San
Francisco, is a station at the railroad crossing of
the San Joaquin River. The channel is on the
west side, and in high water the country is over-
flowed for miles up and down the river, reaching
back from it almost to Bantas, the next station.

Santas, — 74 miles from San Francisco, and
30 feet above tide-water, is named for an old
family resident here. Stages leave at 10.50 A.
M., for San Joaquin City, 10 miles, Grayson, 20
miles, Mahoney's, 35 miles, and Hill's Ferry, 40
miles. Through fare, $3.50. To the right of
Bantas, down the San Joaquin River, or the
branch called " Old River " is a vast extent of
lowland, overflowed in June, by the melting
snows of the Sierra Nevadas, and during most
of the rainy season.

After the water passes off, flowers spring up,
and the button willow blooms, affording excel-
lent bee-pasture. From the first of July to the

first of November, a single swarm of bees will
often gather 1UO Ibs. of honey. Those who take
care of the bees also take quinine with the
honey to cure the " chills." This is believed to
be the extent of their acquaintance with " Bit-
ter-sweet." Hundreds of acres of floating land
here rise and fall with the water.

Tracy Junction.— Here is the junction of
the two routes, the Old Overland and the New.
For description of the New Route see page 297,
and the following is the description of the

Old Overland Route.

Ellis, — 69 miles from San Francisco, and 76
feet elevation, another village which bustles in
the midst of vast wheat fields, during seasons
following a wet winter, and sleeps under vast
disappointments during other years.

This " West Side " of the San Joaquin River,
was supposed, for many years, to be worthless.
The old Spaniards left it out of their ranches
except when a few square miles or leagues were
taken in for the sake of securing a convenient
"lorna" as a landmark. In 1849-50, as the
gold-digger urged his mule, well laden with
tent, bedding, pan and rocker, and three
months' provisions, his heart full of expectation
of a " pile " to be speedily dug from the placers
of the " Southern Mines," his eyes were often
gladdened by a lake of bright water near the
" trail " only a mile ahead. He saw white sails,
waves chasing each other, and trees on the shores
reflected from their bosom. He expected soon
to camp in the grateful shade, and slake his
burning thirst with the cool water. The white
sails bounded away, antelope-like, across the
burning plains, for alas ! it was only a mirage —
an embletn of his expected wealth. Even now
many are deluded in seeing the distant water
and green trees beyond.

The soil of this once desert region, now pro-
duces the best of wheat, when the rains are
abundant, but from its peculiar position on the
north-east of the Coast Range, the necessary
rain is often wanting. A local adage is " every
seven years a crop " — worse than ancient Egypt's
famine. But the land-owners are moving to
construct a ditch 60 feet wide and 300 miles
long, to irrigate the entire valley on the west
side of the river, and serve for transporting the
produce to the tide-water of Suisun Bay. Once
accomplished this almost desert land, will easily
support a population of 3,000,000.

Fourteen miles south-west from this station is
Corral Hollow or Pass, in the mountain range, at
the head of which are extensive coal mines, to-
ward which a branch railroad extends five miles.
Here an extra engine is taken to overcome the
steep grade of the Livermore Pass, in the Mount
Diablo Range.

Medway. — The train now runs around hills,

256

VERNAL FALLS, YOSEMITE.

BY THOMAS MOHAN.

257

high embankments, and through deep cuts, the
engine often seen from the car window like the
fiery head of a huge serpent.

The soil is coarse sand and gravel, the finer
particles of which, and vegetation, too, it seems,
have been blown away by the trade-winds, which,
pent up by the long range, rush with concentrated
fury over the summit of the pass, and sweep
down with devastating force into the vacuum 011
the heated plains.

Suddenly the train enters a tunnel, 1,116 feet
long, the only one between Sacramento and San
Francisco, and is in total darkness for two
minutes. Emerging, it soon arrives at

Altamont, — west of the summit of the Mount
Diablo Range, 56 miles from San Francisco,
and 740 feet above the level of the sea. The
traveler will see numerous gray squirrels stand-
ing erect at the entrance to their homes. They
are about as large as the fox-squirrel of the East-
ern States, live in villages of their own, are the
pest of the farmer, have increased since the land
has been cultivated, and lay the grain fields
under a tribute far heavier than the rent. It is
a remarkable fact that both birds and squirrels
have increased in variety and numbers all over
the cultivated regions of the State since 1850.
As the train descends into Livermore Valley, a
truly picturesque scene is presented. The level
valley, in form a square 12 miles across, with
many narrow extensions far into the mountains,
is spread out before one in full view, with rolling
hills on all sides, except the west, where rises an
abrupt, tree-clad mountain.

On the right, across the low hills, green with
live oaks, may now be seen Mt. Diablo, not as
before, a blue dome, but a real mountain, with
deep gorges in its sides, covered with chaparral,
and capped usually with gray mists.

It is an Indian legend that this country, west
of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, was once cov-
ered with water, and the top of this mountain
then a little island. At that period, says the
legend, the devil was there imprisoned by the
waters for a long time, and, therefore, great pros-
perity and quiet resulted to mankind; hence
his name was given to it. However the name
may have been first given, it now clings to it in
Spanish form.

The western portion of this valley contains
hundreds of acres of the best land in the State,
much of it moist, vegetable land, in the midst of
which is a lake of fresh water, near which are
natural flowing wells. From these the creek de-
rives its name " Lns Posi-as " — z'. e., little wells.

Much of the eastern part of the valley is cov-
ered, to a great depth, with small, angular stones,
mixed with clay, and the region was thought to
be useless, but it now produces the finest of
wheat.

From Altamont, it is 8.1 miles to

Livermore, — 47 miles from San Francisco.

This is a live town, 485 feet above tide-water,
with 1,000 inhabitants, a seminary of learning,
beautifully nestled amid sturdy oaks, a Presby-
terian and a Catholic church, a steam mill, news-
paper, saloons, stores, and several large ware-
houses. Nine miles south, and at the head of
Corral Hollow, are five veins of good coal yield-
ing 100 tons per day, and six miles from the town
another vein has been opened. These are prob-
ably an extension of the Mount Diablo Coal
fields which have been worked for many years.
Six and one-tenth miles down the valley is

ffeasantoti, — 41 miles from San Francisco,
353 feet above the sea, a village of 300 inhab-
itants, with several stores, a large warehouse, an
abundance of good water, and a rich, beautiful
country on the north connecting with other val-
leys, and extending to Martinez at the head of
the Straits of Carquinez. This region, now Liv-
ermore Valley, was formerly called Amador Val-
ley, from its original owner, and was an inland
sea. In 1836, Mr. Livermore found the bones of
a whale on the surface of the ground, near the
town which bears his name. The vertebrae lay
in order with the ribs scattered about like the
rails of a " worm " fence. Abalone shells are
also found in quantities near the old ranche
house. Beautiful variegated wild pansies, the
lupin and California poppy have taken the place
of sea weeds.

In June may be seen, near Pleasanton, high
above the grain, the yellow blossoms of the black
mustard. In former years it stood 12 feet high,
and so thick that it was difficult to force one's
way through it. To

Siinol, — (Sun-yole) 36 miles from San Fran-
cisco, the train dashes down the narrow valley of
the Alasal Creek, 5.2 miles, amid pleasing scen-
ery, and relics of the Mexican and Indian civili-
zation oi California. On the right is the Contra
Costa Range of Coast Mountains, so called be-
cause opposite the Coast Range, near and north
of San Francisco. It is only a few miles across
to the San Jose (San Ho-zay) Valley, where the
train will pass in an opposite direction. Sunol
Valley, a mile wide and three miles long, is south
of this station. Seven miles above this is the
Calaveras Valley, containing 1,500 acres — the
proposed site of a vast reservoir to supply San
Francisco with water in future years. The
mountains about these valleys are extensive
sheep and cow pastures, covered with wild oats.

The road passes down the canon of the Ala-
meda Creek and over three fine bridges, yet
winding with the canon, steep mountains on
both sides, dressed in green or parched with sum-
mer heat; the bracing sea breezes, and the
knowledge that in an hour and a half the cars
will reach the bay, revive the spirits of the
traveler. Soon a scene of wide extended
beauty is to burst on his vision — the San Jose
Valley, the Bay of San Francisco, the Serrated

258

Mountains that turn back the ocean tides of
8,000 miles travel, and all around him, as he
hurries on to the great city, a garden spot more
and more variegated with the choicest fruits and
flowers, and abundant in homes of luxury and
ease. From Sunol it is 6.4 miles to

Niles, — 30 miles from San Francisco, 88 feet
above tide-water. Here are a store, hotel, ware-
house and mill. A stage runs from all trains to
Centreville, three miles distant. Here is the
junction of the San Jose Branch of the Central
Pacific Railroad. This branch passes through
Washington Corners, the seat of a flourishing
college, under Rev. S. S. Harmon, and a pleasant
village overlooking the bay, and near the old
Mission de San Jose.

Three miles farther are the Warm Springs, in
the midst of oak and other trees near the Aqua
Caliente (hot water) Creek. The minerals that
increase the value of the heated water are lime,
sulphur, magnesia and iron. They were for-
merly a popular resort, but are now the property
of Governor Stanford. When his designs of
building and beautifying are completed, it will
be one of the most attractive of the summer
resorts.

Near Niles the Alameda Creek is turned into
a ditch 30 feet wide, and distributed over the
valley for irrigation, for although both the land
and climate are moist, irrigation promotes the

frowth of fruits and vegetables called for by the
an Francisco market.

Adjoining the south-east end of this bay, are
20,000 acres of salt marsh, now hi process of
reclamation by dikes and ditches.

Through this a narrow gauge railroad has been
built from deep water, at Dunbarton Point, via
Newai'k to Alviso, and will run thence through
Santa Clara to Santa Cruz.

Along the east side of the bay are numerous
salt ponds, the sea water being let in at high tide
upon a large tract of land, when the rainy sea-
son is over, and this repeated several times. The
concentrated brine is then drawn off in a planked
reservoir, where it slowly crystallizes.

As the train passes down 2.8 miles to Decoto,
the eye is pleased, in April and May, by the
mountain on the right — round, green, shaven,
like a lawn, or its sides rich with fields of grain ;
or yellow with large patches of buttercups, blue
with lupin, or deep orange with the Eschscholt-
zia, or California wild poppy, gathered, no doubt,
far east of this point, for many a sentimental
nosegay, in honor of the traveler's acquaintance.
It is a flower peculiar to the north-west coast of
America. Wild flowers are so numerous in Cal-
ifornia that often from twenty to a hundred va-
rieties may be gathered from one spot.

On the left, the trees mark the Alameda Creek,
flowing down to the salt land. Beyond this lies
the Old San Jose Road, and the richest and best
cultivated portion of the valley. At Centreville,

half -hidden in the distance, is an Alden fruit fac-
tory, convenient to large orchards, and, near by,
on the farm of Rev. W. W. Brier, stands the tree
from which originated the thousands of acres of
Brier's Languedoc Almond, the soft-shelled al-
mond, that no traveler has ever seen excelled in
flavor.

The hill-sides from one to 500 feet above the
valleys, are best adapted to its culture, because
the warm air from the lowlands prevents in j ury
from frost. At

Decoto, — 27 miles from San Francisco, may
be seen the Blue Gum Tree. Under favorable
circumstances it will grow, in five years from the
seed, to a height of 70 feet, with a circumference
of four feet. The green wood splits readily, but
the dry is as hard as the lignum-vitse. They
are highly prized for a supposed tendency to
counteract malaria, and their cultivation is rap-
idly extending.

Soon after leaving Decoto, Alvarado may be
seen. It was once the county-seat of Alameda
County. The valley land in this vicinity sells
for $150 to $250 per acre, and the mountain land
from $10 to $30. It is a peculiarity of Califor-
nia, that the value of land is always stated sep-
arately from improvements.

Haywards, — 21 miles from San Francisco,
is 6.3 miles from Decoto. The town is seen a
mile to the right, on the hill, at the outlet of
Castro Valley — rich, rolling and beautiful, and
well watered, four miles long by two wide. Cas-
tro Valley is named in honor of the original
owner of the ranche, and Hayward's Hotel is a
well-known resort.

On the hill, to the right, is seen a forest — that
may be mistaken for evidence that these hills
have been recently denuded of their timber. It
is a forest of the Blue Gum Tree — 200 acres,
planted by James T. Stratton.

The town has churches, public schools, and
the hotel, still kept by Mr. Hayward, is a popular
place of resort for those who seek a good and
quiet home without removing from business in
the city. Stages leave this station for Alvarado
at 9.20 A. M., and 4.20 P. M. ; for Danville and
Walnut Creek at 4.20 P. M., and from all trains
to Haywards. The railroad company intend
using the Eucalyptus to plant the entire length
of their road.

Lorenzo, — 18 miles from San Francisco, is
near San Lorenzo Creek, and surrounded by a
well improved country. It is a pleasant village,
and contains an extensive establishment for
drying fruit on the Alden process, a store, a neat
church edifice and the usual places to " take a
drink." The land is worth $600 per acre. The
large building to the right on the mountain side,
is the Poorhouse of Alameda County, with which
there is a farm connected. The golden sands of
California and the absence of severe winters do
not keep poverty and age from every door, nor

259

does a generous hospitality make public charity
unnecessary.

This section of country is noted for its
cherries and currants, but nearly every variety of
fruit is extensively cultivated. One of the fine
orchards on the right before reaching the sta-
tion, has 100 acres of Almonds, and 200 acres of
other fruits. The owner, Mr. William Meek, has
constructed private water-works at an expense
of 8 15,000.

San Leandro, — 15 miles from San Fran-
cisco, was formerly a county-seat. It has a
population of 1,000, a large factory for wagons
and gang-plows, a Presbyterian, a Catholic and
a Methodist Church, stores and saloons. In the
mountains opposite, and on a creek of the same
name, is located the reservoir of the Oakland
water-works. The water is collected from the
winter floods and is 65 feet deep.

Mcli'Ofte — is 11 miles from San Francisco. Be-
fore reaching the station and after crossing the
San Leandro Creek, there may be seen on the
right, nestled in a beautiful vale at the foot of
the mountains, the largest and best apportioned
Protestant Seminary for girls of the Pacific
Coast, Mills Seminary. The buildings were
erected at a cost of about $100,000, $30,000 of
which was contributed by public-spirited indi-
viduals. The 65 surrounding acres, with their
oaks, sycamores, alders, willows, and laurel or
bay tree ; the orchards, lawns and flower-beds, the
inspiring views, combining the fruitful plain,
the water and the mountains beyond ; a climate,
always stimulating to mental effort — in short, the
correspondence of attractions and advantages,
without and within, make this a point of inter-
est to all who desire to see the progress of edu-
cation in one of nature's most gifted spots.

Near the race-track on the left, are several
buildings with large, square chimneys, used to
smelt and refine gold and silver, while on the right
is a fuse factory. The town of Alameda is seen
on the left, almost hidden by live oaks. A
branch railroad connects it with this station, and
the " local " trains of Oakland.

Between Melrose and the next station, we pass
Fruit Vale, a station on the Alameda Road,
and a spot of surpassing loveliness. The elegant
lawns, and beautiful mansions are almost wholly
concealed by the luxuriant foliage, and amid the
strapping of shawls and gathering of valises,
there will be no time to waste, where only a
glimpse of the beauty may be had, and

Brooklyn — will be announced 2.3 miles
from Melrose, and 9 miles from San Francisco.
Here is the point of departure for the " local "
trains that will be seen again at the Oakland
wharf. It is now East Oakland, a delightful
suburb of San Francisco.

The land rises gently toward the foot hills,
almost from the water's edge. Since it has
become a corporate part of the City of Oak-

land, it has made rapid improvement in the
opening of new and well macadamized streets
and the erection of fine residences. At this
point there is a " local " train that passes directly
through Oakland to Oakland Point. Before
reaching the next station the train will cross the
track of the Alameda Branch. This track is for
the accommodation of local travel, and connects
Alameda and Fruit Vale with Oakland and San
Francisco. From the abundance of the ever-
green oaks, one may quickly conclude that pleas-
ure parties will find there a balmy retreat
whether beneath the clear sky, or sheltered from
the afternoon winds, and it has always been a
popular picnic resort. On Sunday, the boats
and trains are crowded with thousands seeking
recreation and enjoyment there. Brooklyn is a
splendid home resort for travelers ; the comforts
of so nice a hotel as Tubb's are worthy of appre-
ciation.

Oaklantl — is 2 miles from Brooklyn. The
train halts at the foot of Market Street, where
many through passengers leave it, Oakland be-
ing really a suburb of the larger city near at
hand, and the chosen residence of hundreds who
do all their business and spend most of their
daytime over there. It if beautiful for situa-
tion, and boasts a climate much preferred to
that of San Francisco ; the trade-winds from
the Pacific, which are fierce and cold, and often
heavy with fog there, being much softened in
crossing the bay. This has attracted many to
make it their residence, though obliged to do
business in San Francisco, and about 10,000
passengers daily cross on the half-hourly and
splendid ferry-boats, and the number of trips
will be increased before long. The population
of the city increases rapidly, and, in 1879,
was 47,000. As measures of its enterprise and
prosperity it may be stated that 2,000 new
buildings are to be erected in 1879, and a quar-
ter of a million dollars expended in building a
court-house and county jail. There are three sav-
ings banks, two national gold banks, four lines of
horse-cars, three flouring and four planing mills,
an iron and a brass foundry, two potteries, one
patent marble works, a jute bag factory, three
tanneries and other establishments employing
many mechanics. On the public schools, of
which Oakland is justly very proud, nearly
$6,000 are monthly expended, and nearly a
quarter of a million dollars value in property is
owned by the department. The State Univer-
sity is within the city limits. Its site, which has
been named Berkley, is on the northern border
of the city and has a direct ferry to San Fran-
cisco, and many families are planting themselves
there, attracted by its natural beauty and the ed-
ucational and social advantages which cluster
around it. The University is open to students
of both sexes, and tuition is free. The number
of students exceeds 200. By special law, the

260

sale of intoxicating liquors is
forbidden, within two miles of
this University.

There are 20 churches in
Oakland, of which 16 own
houses of worship. Some of
them are elegant and costly ;
the First Presbyterian Church
has recently dedicated a new
church building which cost
them over $60,000. Seven
newspapers are published,
three daily, the rest
weekly.

The rides in and around
Oakland, for variety of at-
tractive features, are rarely
equaled. Many come over
from San Francisco, in the
morning, expressly to enjoy
this pleasure. Lake Merritt,
a beautiful sheet of water,
Tubb's Hotel and the Grand
Central Hotel, both spacious
and admirably kept, are
among the attractions which
none fail to visit, and with
which thousands have bright
and happy memories associa-
ted.

Though incorporated as a
city, Oakland is thoroughly
rural. A very small portion
of the business part around
the chief railroad station is
built up solidly, but every-
where else the houses stand
detached and usually sur-
rounded by a liberal expanse
of gardens, grass-plat, and
shrubbery which remind one
of an eastern village. Live
oaks abound, and show by
their leaning over toward
the east, the constancy and
strength of the summer trade-
winds. Geraniums, roses,
fuchsias, caljas, verbenas, and
many tropical plants and
flowers grow luxuriantly,
never suffering from outdoor
winter exposure, and finding
a soil of surpassing richness
and fertility. Fruit trees de-
velop into bearing in a third
or half the time usually re-
quired on the Atlantic Coast.
The city is favored with one
rare advantage. The rail-
road company charge no fare
on their local trains, between
stations within the city limits.

261

These trains are half-hourly, most of the day,
and there are nearly five miles of railroad, and
eight stations within the city limits. The con-
venience of thus riding freely at all hours, can
hardly be understood by those who have not ex-
perienced it. The line of the local road is
directly through the city, and only local trains
run upon it, all other passenger trains, and all
freight trains taking the main road close to the
water's edge. Of all the suburbs of San Fran-
cisco, Oakland is the most popular. Its growth
exceeds that of San Francisco. The time re-
quired to reach it from California Street, is less
than is required to get up-town from Wall
Street in New York, and once reached, the
merchant, weary with the cares of the busy day,
may find a home with a more tropical luxuriance
of fruit and flowers, almost the same in summer
and winter, and scenery scarcely less picturesque
than the banks of the Hudson afford.

Oakland Point — is the last station before
reaching the ferry. The stop is made to pass over
the long trestle work with a light engine. Here
the railroad company own about 125 acres of
land, and have extensive buildings and repair
shops. On their dock they remodel, or build
their ferry-boats, the boats of the California
Steam Navigation Company, and here the
Western Development Company build all the
bridges and frame all hotels, warehouses, and
other buildings for the Central, California, and
Southern Pacific Railroads. About 300 men are
constantly employed. There is a roundhouse
for 21 engines, and tracks for the extra pas-
senger cars needed at this important terminus.

A channel has been dredged out from this yard
to the bay, which shows plainly from the cars
on the left hand. The train now runs out on
the trestle work, which is built out into sea water
farther than any other in the world, and is
the largest in waters of this depth, and also the
best built wooden pier in the world. It was
built five years ago, and when examined a year
since, a few teredo were found in piles without
bark ; but the strength of the pier was not appre-
ciably impaired. It is 2.8 miles long.

To protect it from fire, all the engines em-
ployed on it are fitted with force pumps, and
can be used as steam fire engines at a moment's
notice. There are three slips and four piers, and
the aggregate width of the latter is 396 feet, and
over these an immense freight and passenger
business is done.

Eight sea-going ships can be loaded with grain
simultaneously. Nearly all the lumber for the
whole treeless region in Southern California, now
reached by the railroad, is loaded from vessels
at this wharf. Wagons and carriages crossing
between Oakland and San Francisco come over
one of these piers to the ferry-boat at present;
but it involves risk to horses, vehicles, and their
passengers, and the company are building ferry-

boats to run by San Antonio Creek directly to
Oakland, by which all teams will be ferried be-
tween the two cities, and the increasing passen-
fer traffic have the additional tracks now needed,
'reight cars cross from this wharf to the im-
mense freight depot at the foot of Fourth Street
in San Francisco, and a boat is building to carry
at once 20 loaded freight cars and 20 car loads
of cattle.

There is fine angling, chiefly for smelt, from
these wharves. Four or five of these fish may be
caught at a single cast. Within two years, east-
ern salmon have been placed in these waters, and
occasionally these are caught. California salmon
do not take the hook, because people and fish are
sharp on this side of the Continent.

At Oakland wharf, passengers and baggage
are transferred to the spacious and elegant ferry-
boats, on which hackmen and hotel-runners will
be sure to speak for themselves.

The distance from the end of the wharf across
the water to the ferry-house in San Francisco is 3.4
miles, and is ordinarily made in fifteen minutes.
When the wind is blowing, none but the most
rugged persons should venture to stand outside
the cabin ; but if it is practicable to gain the
view, there are many points of great interest.
At night, the city itself with long rows of lights
extending over hills, more than " seven," or its
wide extent by day, produces at once an impres-
sion of its greatness.

Ha?/ of Sail Francisco. — The bay is large
enough to float the navies of the world, and
beautified by a rare combination of island,
mountain, city and plain. On the right, pass-
ing to San Francisco, and near the wharf, is
Goat Island, a military reservation, and the sub-
ject of considerable agitation in Congress. The
quarters of the officers and men are seen on the
east side, and on the south end is a fog-bell and
whistle that are often called into requisition.
The Golden Gate proper is north, or to the right
of the city — five miles long and about a mile
wide.

It is strongly fortified at various points. Al-
catraz, a naval station, is an island at the end of
the gate and entrance to the bay, and commands
the whole passage from the ocean.

Angel Island, north of Alcatraz, is another
military reservation, well fortified. North-west
of this may be seen the towering peak of Mount
Tamalpais, the highest near the city. On the
right, one may look north to the San Pablo Bay,
and behind him see classic Berkley, Oakland,
and Alameda, with the Coast Hills in the back-
ground. South, the view extends over the bay
toward San Jose, and everywhere, except where
the city stands and through the Golden Gate,
it is shut in by mountains.

The trade-winds and fogs are shut out from
California by the Coast Range, the fogs not ris-
ing above 1,000 feet, and when they sweep down

262

the coast, drive through the Golden Gate with
pent-up fury. The heated interior makes a fun-
nel of this passage and creates a demand for the
lace shawl and seal-skin sacque on the same day.

The ferry-house where the trip across the Con-
tinent ends, is well arranged and provided with
everything necessary for the accommodation of
the throngs of passengers passing through it.
The baggage department of the railroad is here,
and is connected by telegraph with every station
on the road, giving all possible facilities for
tracing stray baggage. The loss of baggage by
this railroad company is almost an unknown in-
cident, and the Pacific Transfer Company is
equally reliable.

Sau Francisco. — The ferry-boat lands at
the foot of Market Street, which is fast becoming
the leading business artery of the city. Every
horse-car line, except one, either runs in or crosses
it, and by direct communication or transfer, all
connect with the ferry at its foot. By these cars,
or by carriages in waiting, the hotels which are
about a half mile away are easily reached. The
Grand and the Palace Hotels are on Market, at
the corner of New Montgomery Street, the Lick
on Montgomery, a few steps from Market Street,
the Occidental and the Russ near at hand on the
same street, and the Cosmopolitan at the corner
of Bush and Sansome Streets, close to Market.
As to their respective merits, we must decline to
make comparisons or give free advertisements.
Hotel coaches charge uniformly $1.00 gold for
transfer of each passenger and baggage from
ferry to hotel. The Transfer Company will carry
baggage alone for 50 cents. Whether the over-
land traveler resorts to a hotel or to the home of
friends, the change from a week in the railroad
cars to hospitable quarters and richly spread
tables will be so grateful as at first to dispel all
consciousness of fatigue; but tired nature will
assert herself, and the first night especially, as
the arrival is at evening, will be given to rest.

Perhaps the luxury of a Turkish bath should be
had at the earliest moment. " The Hammam,"
erected by Senator Jones on Dupont Street, near
Market, at a cost of nearly $200,000, is in truly
Oriental style. The building is an ornament to
the city, and in it dusty travelers will experience
mingled wonder and delight at its Mohamme-
dan architecture, perfect appointments, and com-
plete adaptation to restore a sense of cleanliness
and give solid refreshment to both body and
spirit.

Thus refreshed and looking about next morn-
ing, there confronts the traveler a city, the growth
of twenty-seven years, which counts 300,000 in-
habitants, and covers a territory of 42 square
miles. On its eastern front it extends along the
bay, whose name it bears, is bounded on the
north by the Golden Gate, and on the west wash-
ed by the Pacific Ocean along a beach extending-
five or six miles. From the Golden Gate on the

north, to the city and county-line on the south, is
a distance of about seven miles, and the same
from the bay across to the ocean. The surface
is varied by hills, several of which have been
built upon, and from whose summit command-
ing views may be obtained. Telegraph Hill
looks down on the point where the Golden Gate
leads into the bay and harbor. Clay Street Hill
is farther south and west, and may be ascended
in cars drawn up its steep-graded sides by an
endless rope running just below the surface.
This hill extends some distance southward, and
makes the streets crossing Montgomery to the
west, steep, and some almost impracticable for
wheeled vehicles. Along its heights some of the
railroad directors and others have erected, or are
erecting, princely dwellings. That of Governor
Stanford is perhaps unsurpassed in almost every
respect. Rincon Hill is in the southern part of
the city, and slopes down to the water's edge.
Until a recent period, it was noted for elegant
private dwellings and grounds ; but these are
now found in all directions, more clustering, how-
ever, around Clay Street Hill, perhaps, than else-
where. The growth of the city is rather toward
the west than the south.

Russian Hill is west and north of Telegraph
Hill, and looks down toward the Golden Gate and
what is called the North Beach, a portion of
the city less in favor of late years than formerly.
Smelting works, woolen factories, potteries, ar-
tificial stone-works and establishments of this
general character, have clustered here.

San Francisco is very regularly laid out.
There are two systems of streets, between which
Market Street is the dividing line. North of
Market the streets are mostly 70 feet wide, cross
at right angles and run almost north and south,
east and west, and the blocks are 150 varas or
"275 feet wide, and 150 varas or 412 1-2 feet long,
the length being east and west. Market Street
runs about north-east and southwest. South of
it the streets for over a mile from the city front,
run parallel with it or at right angles. At about a
mile from the city front these parallel streets grad-
ually curve toward the south till they run almost
north and south. This change of course was caus-
ed by the low Mission Hills there lifting them-
selves, and by the tendency of travel along the nar-
row peninsula toward the country beyond it. The
streets south of Market are some of them very
broad, and some quite narrow. This portion of
the city was laid out originally with very wide
streets and in blocks 200 varas or 550 feet wide,
and 300 varas or 825 feet long, but these proved
too large and it became necessary to cut them up
by intervening sti'eets, which have no element of
regularity except parallelism with the others. The
streets are all numbered from the city front, or from
Market Street, one hundred numbers being al-
lowed to each block after the first, to which only
99 are assigned, the even numbers always on the

263

right hand as the numbers run. It is thus easy
to locate any street and number. There are a
few avenues, but with the exception of Van Ness,
which is 125 feet wide, and built up handsomely,
and Montgomery Avenue, which is laid out to
provide easy access to the North Beach portion

SAJf FKANCISCO MINT.

of the city, they are usually short and narrow,
or in the most newly laid out portion of the city,
not yet built up.

Th.3 heavy wholesale business of the city is
done along the water front and, mostly north of
Market Street, extending back three or four
streets from the front to where banks, brokers,
insurance companies and office business generally
have become established, the same territory
south of this street being occupied by lumber
merchants, planing mills, foundries, and machine
shops. Retail business of all kinds is done
along Kearney, the southern part of Montgom-
ery, the upper part of Market, and along Third
and Fourth Streets. Markets are scattered
through the city. The Central is near Kearney
to the west on Sutter Street, and the California!!
between Kearney and Montgomery Streets ex-
tending through from Pine to California. Both
are worth visiting, and display everything in the
market line in rich profusion and perfect neat-
ness and order. California Street and Mont-
gomery at their junctions, are the great resort of
the crowd dealing in stocks. All sorts of men
may be seen there, between 9 A. M. and 6 p. M.,
hovering around quotations displayed on various
brokers' bulletin-boards, and talking mines, for
speculation centers in mining shares. Kearney
Street and the southern part of Montgomery are
the favorite promenade of ladies, and especially
on Saturday afternoons, the Hebrew holiday,
when a profusion of them, richly dressed and
bejeweled, may be met there.

The theaters are all near this region. Two of
them are quite new. Wade's Opera House
boasts the finest chandelier on earth, and Bald-
win's Academy of Music is claimed to be unsur-

passed on this Continent, in beauty of interior
decoration and finish.

Sidewalks throughout the city are wide and
good. Most are of plank, many of asphaltum,
which is well suited to the climate, the heat
rarely being sufficient to soften it. A few are of
cut stone or artificial stone. The last material
is fast coming into favor for many uses. Streets
are paved with cobbles, Russ pavement and plank,
and off from lines of heavy business teaming, are
macadamized. Wooden pavements are retained
in many, but are not approved. The Nicholson
pavement cannot be long kept down. It shrinks
during the long dry summer, and with the first
heavy rains swells and is thrown hopelessly out
of place. Good paving material is not abundant,
and the question is yet unanswered, what shall
be the pavement of San Francisco in the future ?

The water supply comes chiefly from reservoirs
in the Coast Range Mountains south of the city,
and is controlled by the Spring Valley Water
Company. The rates are double and treble
those charged in New York City, and are due
monthly in advance. Many families pay more
for their water than for their bread. It should be
borne in mind, however, that some families use
much more water for irrigating gardens and
grass-plats, than for all household purposes.

The only government building in San Fran-
cisco that is finished and in use, and worth visit-
ing, is the United States Mint, on Fifth Street,
near Market. The machinery here is believed
to be unapproached in perfection and efficiency.
Visitors are admitted between 10 and 12 A. M.

BANK OF CALIFORNIA.

A Custom House is in process of erection, and
a City Hall ; but both are far from completion.

There are many fine buildings erected for
business purposes. A number of new blocks of
stores, on Kearney and Market Streets, combine
spaciousness, solidity and elegance. The Ne-

PUBLIC BUILDINGS OF SAN FRANCISCO.

:U— City Park. 2.— New City Hall. 3.— General View of City, looking towards the Bay.
4.— Merchants' Exchange. 5.— View on Market Street

265

vada Block, the Safe Deposit Building, the
Anglo California!! and the California Bank, the
Mercantile Library and Merchants' Exchange,
all combine pleasing and impressive features,
and are thoroughly built and costly erections.
The building, corner of California and Mont-
gomery Streets, occupied by Wells, Fargo & Go's
Express, was the first substantial erection in the
city. It was imported from China, where the
stone was all cut and fitted, ready for its place.

One feature of San Francisco architecture is
bay-windows. Few private houses are without

proportion of the population live in lodgings and
go out for their meals. The tendency to a more
settled mode of life, however, increases, and a
great number of private dwellings have been
erected by individuals and building associations,
of late years. The Real Estate Associates build
and sell on an average a house a day, and have
done so for three years past. They build by
day's work, in thorough style, chiefly houses of
six and eight rooms, and sell them for one-fifth
cash, and the remainder in 72 monthly install-
ments, based on 9 per cent, interest for the de-

' HOODLUMS."

them, and the last built hotels, the Grand, the
Palace, and Baldwin's, have their whole surface
studded with them, to the great comfort of their
guests, and equal defacement of their external
appearance. San Francisco is called the Bay
City. It might well be named the "bay-win-
dow city." The mildness of the climate and the
instinctive craving for sunshine, are considera-
tions which will always make bay-windows a
desirable and a favorite feature here.

A stranger will observe here the great number
of restaurants and furnished lodgings. A large

ferred payment. Most of the uniformly built
blocks of detached houses in the city, were built
by them. They always built detached houses,
which are safer in case of fires.

A great conflagration may overtake any city,
but this is more secure than its wooden appear-
ance indicates. Owing to the dampness from
summer fogs and winter rains, and the liability
of injury by earthquakes, wood is the only desir-
able material for dwellings. Nearly all used is
the sequoia, or redwood, so abundant in the
Coast Range. It burns very slowly, compared

SCENES IN THE HARBOR OF SAN FRANCISCO.

267

with eastern woods, and the city has a very effi-
cient steam fire department.

The city cemeteries are yet west of the best
residences, but agitation has already commenced
looking to an end of interments within city lim-
its. Lone Mountain, an isolated mound with-
in the Roman Catholic Cemetery and .surmounted
by a large cross, lately blown down, has long been
a noted landmark and gives its name to the re-
gion adjoining, which is devoted to burying
grounds.

South from Lone Mountain lies the Golden
Gate Park, in which the city justly takes great
pride, and which is destined to become one of
the most beautiful of city pleasure grounds in
the United States. It was a waste of sand only
five or six years since, but, by careful planting
of the yellow lupin, the sand is subdued, and
by irrigation, grass-plats have been created, and
a forest of trees brought rapidly forward. The
drives are fine, and, on pleasant days, thousands
of carriages resort here. Driving is a Californi-
an's weak point, and more money is expended by
him on livery and private stables in proportion
to his means and other expenditures, than by his
brother-citizens of the " States." It is a natural
result of plentiful money, long distances and few
railroads. Racing is also much in vogue, and a
fine race-track is laid out, near Lone Mountain,
in full view from the Park.

All the religious denominations are well repre-
sented, and there are some fine buildings for
worship, among which the Synagogue, on Sutter,
the First Congregational Church, on Post, and
St. Patrick's Cathedral, on Mission Street, are
most notable.

Benevolent mutual societies and secret orders
are very numerous. Particulars concerning them
and the churches, may be found in the city direc-
tory. The free schools of the city are a just
source of pride. They are provided for with a
liberality, and conducted with a skill which- make
them of incalculable value to the city in all its
interests.

The Mercantile Library, the Mechanic's and
the Odd Fellows,' are large and valuable, and
the use of them may be obtained on easy terms.
Roman's bookstore, on Montgomery, and Ban-
croft's, on Market Street, are prominent among
many good ones. Books are generally sold at
publisher's prices, in gold. Bancroft is a large
publisher of law books, and has erected a build-
ing in which are carried on all departments of
book-making.

Excursions. — For sight-seeing in San Fran-
cisco, no plan will suit the convenience of every
one, but the best for a few days is the following :

Let the morning be spent in a ride to the
Cliff House, where a good breakfast may be
obtained, if not had sooner. The Cliff House
toll-road has been the favorite route and is un-
surpassed as a drive. The shell-road of New

Orleans is no better. But the road through the
Golden Gate Park, is splendidly macadamized,
and should be traveled either going or returning.
A drive should be taken along the beach to
" Ocean House," and a return made to the city,
through and over the hills. Coming into the
city by this road, there bursts into view, one of
the most magnificent sights on the coast. The
city, the bay, Oakland and a vast extent of
mountain, valley, loveliness of nature and art,
are spread out below. If the Park can be re-
served for a separate drive, go by the Cliff
House Road, if not, go by the Park/ The Cliff
House may be reached also, by two lines of
street-cars and omnibusses. The cost of a
carriage for four persons will be SI 0.00 for the
trip — -by omnibus and cars, one dollar for each
person. The trip should be made as early as
possible to avoid the wind and fog.

The afternoon may be spent at Woodward's
Gardens, making sure of the feeding of sea-lions
at 1 or 3.30 o'clock. The aquarium is unique,
suggested by one in Berlin, and has nothing like
it in America. Birds, animals of various kinds,
fruits, flowers, museum, art gallery and many
other objects of attraction, make these gardens
one of the chief attractions to tourists. They
represent the Pacific Coast in its animals and
curiosities, better than any other collection.

Another morning, go up Clay Street Hill in
the cars, and ride to the end of the route. Fine
views will be seen of the city and bay, from many
points, and some handsome residences will be
passed. On descending, climb Telegraph Hill on
foot, the only way in which it can be done, and
enjoy the view in all directions. After lunch take
the Market Street cars, and ride to Twenty-first
Street. At Sixteenth Street, one will be near the
old Mission Church, an adobe building dedicated
in 1776. Having reached Twenty-first Street, cross
to Folsom, and return in the North Beach &
Mission cars to the city, leaving them where they
cross Market, or at the end of their route, corner
of California and Montgomery. These rides will
take one through the portion of the city rapidly
growing and extending toward the south-west.
There will be time after returning, to walk about
Kearney and Montgomery Streets, near Market,
also up and down Market, and see the finest re-
tail stores, and look at new buildings, or even to
climb up California Street to Highland Terrace,
and see some of the finect private residences in
the city, among which D. D. Colton's and Gov-
ernor Stanford's are specially notable, the former
on the north side of California Street, the latter
fronting on Powell at the corner of California.

A pleasant place to visit is also the Mercantile
Library on Bush Street, opposite the Cosmopoli-
tan Hotel. Strangers, properly introduced, are
granted the privilege of the library and reading-
room free for a month, and odd hours can be put
in there very pleasantly, especially in the read-

ing-room, which is light, cheerful, and supplied
with the best papers, magazines and reviews of
this and other lauds.

Another day one can go to Oakland early, take
a carriage at Broadway Station and ride to Berk-
ley, Piedmont, and through Brooklyn, or East
Oakland, along Lake Merritt, up and down streets
and around the city at pleasure. Fine houses,
beautiful grounds, good roads, flowers, shade trees
and pleasant sights are everywhere. Return-
ing to the city in season for the 4 p. M. boat up
the Sacramento River, one can take it as far as
Martinez, a 2 1-2 or 3 hours' ride, and see the
northern part of San Francisco Bay, San Pablo
Bay, Benicia and Suisun Bay, leaving the boat
at Martinez and there spending the night. Early
next morning a stage will take one to Mount
Diablo, and three hours can be spent on its sum-
mit enjoying as fine a view as there is anywhere
in California, after which the boat can be reached
in season to be in San Francisco for the night,
or one can stay for the night at a good hotel
near the summit, see the sun rise, and return to
San Francisco the next night. The fare for this
round trip is ten dollars.

Most of San Francisco has now been seen. It
would be well to ride through Van Ness Avenue
and see the fine residences there ; but one will
begin to think of San Jose, Santa Cruz, the Gey-
sers, &c. Another forenoon can be spent pleas-
antly in the city by taking the Central line of
horse-cars (cars with white dashers) through the
fast-growing western addition to the city, to the
end of the route at Laurel Hill Cemetery, and
walking about there for an hour. Returning by
the same line in season to get off near the United
States Mint, at corner of 5th and Market Streets,
by 11 A. M., one can visit that institution, which is
daily open for visitors until noon. In the after-
noon, at 3.25, one may go to San Jose. The
route leads through beautiful villages, some of
which have been selected for the residence, most,
if not all the year, of wealthy gentlemen of San
Francisco. San Jose will be reached in season
for a walk or ride about the city. The Auzerais
House is a first-class hotel, and carriages can be
obtained there at reasonable rates. The Court-
House and State Normal School are the chief
public buildings. General Naglee's grounds, which
are open to visitors, except on Sunday, are well
worth a visit.

If time allows, one may, by taking a private
carriage, go to the New Almaden Quicksilver
Mines, enjoy a fine ride, gaze upon a wide-spread-
ing view upon the summit of the hill, in which
the mines are situated, see the whole under-
ground process of mining, provided the superin-
tendent will grant a permit to enter them, which
is not likely, and return to San Jose the same
day, or if not able to afford time for this, can go
over to Santa Clara by horse-car, through the
shady Alameda, three miles long, laid out and

planted, in 1799, by the Padres of the mission,
visit the two colleges there, one Methodist, the
other Roman Catholic, and return in season for
the morning train to Gilroy, Watsonville, etc.,
and reach Santa Cruz the same night ; or, if time
will not allow of doing this, he may spend a lifc-
tie more time at San Jose and Santa Clara, ride
out to Alum Rock Springs, through the Shaded
Avenue, the prettiest drive in the State, and,
taking the afternoon train, reach San Francisco
at 5.35 P. M.

AVhoever goes to Santa Cruz will want to stay
there two nights and a day, at least, and there
are so many charming rides and resorts near this
watering-place of the Pacific Coast, that many
days can be spent there very agreeably. The
trip back to the city, unless made by steamboat
at night, which can be done sometimes, and is a
pleasant variety for those who are not afraid of
a short exposure to ocean weaves and tossing, will
occupy an entire day, and the arrival is at about
5.30 P. M.

The next trip will naturally be to the Geysers
and Calistoga, the Petrified Forest, "White Sul-
phur Springs at St. Helena, etc., all of which are
passed in the round trip. One may go by Cal-
istoga, or return that way, as he prefers. Steam-
boats start at 7 A. M. for Vallejo, and at 8 for
Donahue Landing. By the first route, one con-
nects with cars for Calistoga, and by the second,
for Cloverdale, and from each place stages take
one to the Geysers the same day. After seeing
the Geysers, travelers usually go on so as to re-
turn to San Francisco over the route they did
not take coming to them, two days being required
for the round trip, if one does not go to the
White Sulphur Springs, which is a delightful
place to spend a half-day, nor to the Petrified
Forest, which is reached by a pleasant ride by
private conveyance from Calistoga, and is a very
interesting and romantic spot, and also requires
a half day. To visit these one must take three
days for the round trip. The fare for this trip,
not including the carriage to the Petrified Forest,
is sixteen dollars.

As the time of tourists is variously limited, it
is well to say that the time required for all the
trips above described, is twelve days, allowing
one day at Santa Cruz, and one day for return-
ing from there to the city. Not all persons have
so much time to spend. By omitting the visit
to Santa Cruz, the Petrified Forest and White
Sulphur Springs, one may save four days, and
by omitting, also, the trip to Mt. Diablo, the
western addition to the city, and the United
States Mint, one may save three days more, start-
ing for the Geysers, after spending three days in
the city and seeing the Cliff House, Golden Gate
Park, Woodward's Gardens, climbing Telegraph
Hill and Clay Street Hill, seeing the Mission
and south-western part of the city, and passing
most of a day in Oakland. Should one do this,

270

it would be well to fill out the day begun in
Oakland, by going through Van Ness Avenue,
which is, and long will be, the finest street for
private residences in the city. Two days more
will enable one to visit the Geysers, and thus, in
five days, all that is most notable in and about
San Francisco, will have been seen.

Tourists who have time enough for it will find
a trip to Pescadero, very pleasant. The route is
by stage from San Mateo or Redwood City, on
the Southern Pacific Railroad, across the Contra
Costa Range, a ride very well paying of itself
for the whole cost of the trip. Pescadero is in a
narrow valley, about three miles from the
famous Pebble Beach, about 100 yards long,
which gives it its chief attraction. Most home-
like quarters and delightful cooking are found

Rain falls only in the winter half of the year,
and does not much exceed one-half of the amount
in the same latitude on the Atlantic shore, and
the number of rainy days is very small, since it
is apt to rain hard if it rains at all. The atmos-
phere in winter is quite moist, and though it is
seemingly dry in summer, during the long ab-
sence of rain, pianos and furniture, and wood-
work generally do not shrink as in many places,
owing, doubtless, to the prevailing cool winds
from the ocean. It is rarely cold enough for
frost ; plumber's work needs no protection, and
hot days are equally rare, occurring only when
the summer ocean winds yield for two, or at most
three days, to winds from over parched and heated
plains to the north. The air is rarely clear so as
to reveal distinctly the outlines of hill and shore

THE OLD ONE EYED

MAN

THEBEST GRINDER
IN THE CITY

STREET SCENE IN SAN FRANCISCO.

at Swanton's, and one will be taken to the beach
and brought back from it at hours of his own
choosing. At this beach one will linger and
linger, picking up finely-polished pebbles, many
of which are fit to be set as jewels. Pescadero
may be reached also by stage from Santa Cruz,
and the ride along the coast is wild, interesting,
unique and full of interest. The time required
is a day, whether coming from San Francisco or
Santa Cruz, and the same to return, and no one
will spend less than a day there, so that to see
Pescadero means three days, and there are few
more enjoyable ways to spend so much time.

Climate. — The climate of San Francisco is
peculiar, and can not be described in a few
words. It is equable on the whole, there being
no great range of temperature, and the diffei-ence
between that of winter and summer being smalL

across the bay, a misty haze like that of eastern
Indian summer, usually prevailing. After rains,
and notably after frosts, and during the preva-
lence of winds from the north this sometimes
vanishes, and a crystal clearness of atmosphere
succeeds, in which Mount Diablo and the hills of
Contra Costa and Alameda stand out mellow and
clear as though just at hand. At such times,
which are not frequent, and at others, more often,
when it is sunshiny and the air is calm, and
the haze thin, there is a spring and vitality and
exhilaration in the air, and beauty in all out-
door nature not often surpassed. Something of
this is realized in the early part of most summer
days, if fog does not hang over the city. As the
day advances, the wind from the ocean rises and
pours in mightily, cold and fierce — a bane and a
blessing at once ; a bane because it destroys all

271

enjoyment of out-door existence, but a blessing
because bearing away noxious exhalations, and
securing health even to the most crowded and
neglected quarters and thoroughfares.

There are few days in San Francisco when it
is safe to dispense with outer wrappings, and
when a fire is not needed morning and evening,
both for health and comfort, and fewer yet when
a room with the sun shining into it is not amply
warm enough while it shines. Sunshine is
therefore earnestly coveted, and many are the
regrets of those who do not enjoy it. It is rare
for persons to seek the shady side of the street,
instinct suggests the contrary. Rooms are ad-
vertised as sunny, and many are so described
which are sunny only a small part of the day.
But whether the sun shines or not, it is never
safe to sit by open windows or on door-steps
without shawls, hats, or overcoats. Strangers do
it sometimes, but never do it very long. San
Francisco is not the place for out-door pleasur-
ing. Bright and sunshiny and beautiful as it
often is without doors, one prefers to look upon
it from within, and if deciding to go out must
wrap up almost as for a winter ride or walk in
the older States.

San Francisco has few pleasure resorts. Seal
Rocks, at the mouth of the Golden Gate, attract
many to ride to the Cliff House, and gaze at sea-
lions gamboling and snorting and basking on its
sides. It is a beautiful ride thence south on the
beach a couple of miles to the Ocean House, and
thenoe back to the city by Lake Merced.
Golden Gate Park is, however, the chief resort
for pleasure. It is new, and its charms and
beauty are still in the future, but much has
been done already, and the promise for time to
come is ample. The reclamation of sand wastes
and dunes by planting yellow lupin and their
conversion into beautiful grass-plots is a notable
feature of the success already attained, which
elicits the admiration of all who contrast what
they see in the park with the proof of what it
was once, shown in the still shifting sands
around it. The park embraces about 1,100 acres,
and when the thousands and ten thousands of
trees planted in it have gained their growth,
which they are doing almost too fast for belief,
and other improvements in progress are carried
out, it will rank among the most attractive and
admired city parks oil the Continent. It is
reached by several streets leading west from Mar-
ket, but most of the many drivers and riders
who resort there find their way either by Turk,
Tyler or McAllister Streets.

A favorite resort is also Woodward's Gardens.
They are private property, and a quarter of a dollar
is charged for entrance. It is a pleasant place
to pass a half day visiting the collection of
various living animals and birds, among which
are camels born in the garden, and sea-lions
caught in the Pacific, and paid for at the rate

of seventy-five cents a pound. One big fellow, a
captive for seven years, has grown to weigh over
a ton. Sea-lions can be better studied at Wood-
ward's than at Seal Rock, especially at the hour
they are fed, when they do some fearful leaping
and splashing. There are fine collections also of
stuffed birds, and other curiosities, hot-houses
with tropical plants, aquaria not surpassed on
this Continent, a skating rink, and many other
attractive features. The grounds are spacious
and well sheltered, and a pleasanter spot cannot
be found within the city limits for whiling away
a few hours. The city line of horse-cars leads
to the gardens from Market Street Ferry by two
routes for part of the distance, both joining on
Mission Street, on which the gardens front.
They cover over six acres, and almost every
taste can be suited somewhere in them. The
active and jolly can resort to the play-ground
and gymnasium, and those who like quiet, will
find shady nooks and walks ; those fond of sights
and curiosities can spend hours in the various
cabinets, and those who like to study mankind,
can gaze on the groups standing around, and
streaming passers-by. Through the whole sea-
son, from April to November, it is always genial
and sunny, and enjoyable there.

Pleasure Resorts of California.

Mineral Springs. — California possesses an
abundance of hot and mineral springs. Those
most numerous are sulphur, both hot and cold.
Of hot springs, the most frequented are Paso
Robles in S. Luis Obispo Co., 143 miles by rail-
road and 99 by stage from San Francisco, Gil-
roy Hot Springs, 14 miles from the town of Gil-
roy, 81 miles south from San Francisco on the
Southern Pacific Railroad, and Calistoga, at the
terminus of the Napa Branch of the California
Pacific Railroad, 66 miles north from San Fran-
cisco. Their waters are much used, both for
drinking and bathing, with good repute for cura-
tive results. What are called mud baths are
taken at Calistoga and Paso Robles, and many
other places. There is nothing so muddy about
them as one w«_\ild fancy from the name, except
at Paso Robles. They are simply baths taken
in the spring itself just as it bubbles out of the
ground, holding all its peculiar virtues unim-
paired. At Paso Robles the mud baths are a
literal plunging in thick mud. The waters of
these springs, and of many others, must be used
while retaining their original heat, and cannot
be bottled to any purpose. The San Jose Warm
Springs are only two hours from the city, but are
not open to tourists.

There are three noted springs which are re-
sorted to by health and pleasure seekers, whose
waters are bottled in large quantities. These
are the Napa Soda Springs, near Napa, and the
Pacific Congress Springs, in the Coast Range, 10
miles from Santa Clara. They have been long

273

known, and are very freely used on this coast,
especially during the summer months. They
are bottled by machinery, so as to carry their
natural volume of gas, and are highly recom-
mended by the medical faculty. The last named
is on account of its natural attractions and its
accessibility, being only 4 hours' ride from San
Francisco, a very favorite summer retreat from
the city. The water is said to resemble very
closely that of the far-famed Saratoga Springs,
after which it is named, and contains a larger
proportion of mineral contents than either of the
others. The last of these, not yet named, is that
of the Litton Seltzer Springs, near Healdsburg,
not long introduced to the public, but coming
fast into favor, and claimed, not only to equal,
but even excel the far-famed Congress water.

The analysis of these waters gives the follow-
ing results :

NAPA SODA.

Bicarbonate Soda,
Carbonate Magnesia,
Carbonate Lime.
Chloride Sodium,
Sub-Carbon Iron,
Sulphate Sod*, .
Siliaious Acid, .
Alumina, . . .
Loss, ....

GRAINS
IN A

GALLON.
13.12
26.12
10.88
520
7.84
1.84
0.68
0.60
2.48

68.76
PACIFIC CONGRESS.

Chloride Sodium, 119.159

Sulphate So<la, . 12.140

Carbonate Soda, 123.351

" Iron, 14.0.SO

" Lime, 17.295

Silica Alumina and

GRAINS
LITTON SELTZER. IN A

GALLON.

Carbo'ic Acid (comb.) 42.76

Chlorine 78.38

Sulphate Acid, . . 2.36

Silicic Acid, . . . 2.02

Oxide Iron, . . . 2.85

Lime, • 4.41

Magnesia, 5.24

Soda 62.19

Alumina.
Ammonia,

trace Magnesia,

49.882

Potash,
LithiH,

Borar.ic Acid,
Organic matter,

27.38

227.59

The quantity of free carbonic acid in the Lit-
ton Seltzer, which escapes on standing, is 383.75
grains per gallon. This large quantity of gas
is very pleasant to the taste, and tests severely
the strength of bottles, which sometimes explode
even in a cool place.

The Paso Roble Springs (the name means
Pass of Oaks) most used, have been analyzed
with the following result :

MAIN HOT SULPHUR SPRING. MUD SPRING.

Temperature 1 to, 122 degrees.

One imperial gallon con-
tains, Sulphurated Hy-
drogen Gas 4.55 3.28 inches.

Free Carbonic Acid, . . 10.50 47.84 "

Sulphate Lime 3.21 17.90 grains.

Sulphate Potash, ... 88 traces.

Sulphate Soda, .... 7.85 41.11

Perox Iron 36

Alumina, 22

Silicia 44 1.11

Bicarbonate Magnesia, . 92 Carbon. Mag., 3 10

Bicarbonate Soda, . . . 50.74 Carboii. Soda, fi.2l

Chloride Sodium, . . . 27.18 96.48

lodi'e and Bromide tracV.

Organic Matter, .... 64 3.47

Total solid contents, . 93.44 168.38

The Mud Spring contains also alumina and
protoxide of iron. There are also three cold sul-

phur springs and three other hot springs, the hot-
test of the temperature of 140 degrees. There is,
also, a chalybeate spring. Paso Robles is re-
sorted to with good results by persons suffering
from rheumatism, cutaneous diseases, and some
constitutional disorders. They are no place for
consumptives.

There are many other springs besides those
named. Near Lake Tahoe, are Soda Springs.
Near Vallejo and at St. Helena, are White Sul-
phur Springs. In Sonoma County, are Skaggs
Hot Springs, and at Santa Barbara are springs
much resembling those at Paso Robles. The
Bartlett Springs are a delightful resort, and will
amply pay for the time and cost going to them.
They are reached by stage from Calistoga on the
arrival of the morning train from San Francisco,
going on 35 miles to Clear Lake, which is crossed
by steamer, and a ride of six miles then brings
one at evening to the springs. The ride is one
of the most beautiful in California.

The Geysers. — Tourists will find the trip to
the Geysers, the most interesting and easy of
all the short excursions iu the State. It is well
to go by one route and return via another. The
North Pacific Railroad via steamer by Donahue
City, will give a delightful sail through the bay.
Neat cars will convey the passengers to Clover-
dale, where stages are taken for the Geysers.
The ride to the Geysers is over a splendid road,
amid beautiful mountain scenery, and occasion-
ally there are examples of fine driving of the
stage-teams. One day at the Geysers is usually
enough, and the visitor will find it absolutely
necessary to rise as early as 5 or 6 A. M., to see
the finest display of steam from the Geysers.

The ground literally boils and bubbles under
the feet. There are devil's inkstands, and cal-
drons, and tea-kettles, and whistles enough to
overwhelm eyes, ears, smell, taste and touch with
horrid reminiscences. Yet so great is the curios-
ity it should not be missed. Neither must the
traveler omit the enjoyment of the natural
steam bath, the sensation on emerging from
which is most delicious. From the Geysers to
Calistoga, the celebrated Foss drives a crack
stage, and usually has his spanking team of six-
in-hand. Reports are strong as to his fearless
driving, but a glance at the way he beautifully
manages his leaders and wheelers, gives no one any
anxiety as to safety. The stage route is over
very great heights, up the side of long mount-
ains, from the summits of which the views are
glorious, probably to many, more enjoyable than
the Geysers.

The tourist must not fail, as he returns to San
Francisco, to stop at Calistoga and visit the Pet-
rified Forest — the best collection we know ; and
even a few days' tour to Lake County and the
famous soda and borax deposits will be well
spent. From Calistoga to Vallejo, stop at Napa
and take stage to the famous vineyards of So-

274

noma, and see grape raising in perfection ; also
visit the Spout Farm and the Soda Springs.
From Vallejo, go to Benicia, 8 miles and visit
the fort, where often there are seen charming
displays of flowers. Then cross to Martinez, by
ferry, and visit the fruit orchards of Dr. Strentzel,
where oranges and pears and peaches and ap-
ples grow side by side, and twine their branches
together, — probably the choicest fruit orchard in
the State. From here ascend Mount Diablo
and remain over night, witnessing the sunrise
scene on all the great valleys and the bay spread
out so grandly before you. Descending, the
traveler will return to Vallejo, and thence by
steam through the bay to San Francisco. The
cost of this trip will be, for round trip ticket, $16
to Geysers and return. Extra for trip to Mount
Diablo, about «f 8. Board per day, in absence, $3
gold. Time for whole trip, about one week.

Hints to -TttvaJif/s.— California has been
the scene of many remarkable recoveries of
health, and of many sore disappointments to in-
valids who thought that coming to this coast
would insure them a new lease of life. There
is no doubt that a judicious availing of its pecu-
liar climatic features is highly useful in many
cases, and it is equally certain that an arbitrary
resort to them may even hasten the end which
one seeks to avert.

A consumptive patient should never come to
San Francisco expecting benefit from its climate.
Cold winds from the Pacific, often loaded with
fog, prevail eight or nine months in the year, for
a good part of the day, and make warm wrap-
pings necessary for well persons. When these
trade-winds cease, the rainy season then commen-
ces, variable and uncertain, often very damp and
chilly, the sky sometimes clouded for days in
succession. In the interval between rains and
summer winds, both spring and autumn, there is
a period of variable duration, when the sky is
often clear, the air balmy, the sun genial, and
everything in the outer world is charming and
exhilarating ; but this period is not sufficiently
fixed to be counted on, and is liable to be inhos-
pitably broken upon by raw winds, and chilly,
foggy days.

The cause which thus unfavorably affects the
climate of San Francisco in so marked a degree,
spread out as it is along the Golden Gate, the
only interruption for hundreds of miles to the
lofty Coast Range, erected as a barrier between
the cold, foggy ocean on one hand, and the
spreading central basin, gleaming bright and hot
with sunshine on the other, affects in some de-
gree many other places along the sea-coast. At a
sufficient distance inland, the ocean breezes are
tempered, and there are places near the sea-shore
where the trend of the coast and outjutting
headlands break the force of the trade-winds,
and give delightful shelter from them. It is this
circumstance which gives to Santa Barbara its

celebrity. It lies on a bay facing to the south,
the usual coast-line facing south-west, and is in
the lee of Point Conception, a bold headland
which turns away from it most of the cold ocean
winds. San Rafael, near San Francisco, nestles
under the lee of Tamalpais and adjacent hills,
and is also sheltered. In a direct line, it is not
over six or seven miles from San Francisco, and
yet, when it is foggy or unutterably windy in
the city, it is often warm, clear and still there.

The consumptive patient should carefully avoid
exposure to the trade-winds by seeking some
resort sheltered from them, or which they reach
after being thoroughly tempered by inland travel.
Neglect to heed this caution is the reason of
many fatal disappointments experienced by Cali-
fornia visitors seeking health.

In the summer season, beyond the range of the
ocean trade-winds, the choice between locations
for invalids in California will be governed as
much by other, as their climatic advantages.
Ease of access, hotel and boarding-house accom-
modations, social advantages, sources for amuse-
ment, comparative expense, are the considerations
that will chiefly weigh in deciding the question.
Sunshine will be found everywhere ; the days,
however hot, are always followed by cool nights ;
there are no storms, no sudden changes, the air
is dry and clear and life-inspiring.

In winter it is desirable to go well south, where
there is little rain and little cold weather, though
even at San Diego, almost at the Mexican line,
a fire is very comfortable sometimes, as the wri-
ter experienced one 10th of January, much to
the surprise of some eastern invalids who arrived
there with him. It will be wise for invalids to
consult the physician best acquainted with the
place they may choose, and carefully heed his ad-
vice about exposure, clothing, wrappings and the
like. Every place has climatic features of its own,
knowledge of which is gained only by experience
and is of great value.

The following places are known as health re-
sorts, and each has attractive and valuable fea-
tures of its own : San Rafael near San Fran-
cisco, and Stockton in the San Joaquin Valley,
Santa Barbara and San Diego on the southern
coast, Paso Robles north from Santa Barbara,
and back from the coast, a beautiful spot noted
for sulphur baths; San Bernardino north-east
from San Diego, and some distance from the
coast, and fast coming into favor as it becomes
more accessible and better known. Gilroy Hot
Springs, 14 miles from Gilroy, on the Southern
Pacific Railroad, 30 miles south of San Jose, is
a favorite resort. It is in the hills of the Coast
Range, and has good accommodations for vis-
itors. Calistoga, at the terminus of the Xapa
Branch of the California Pacific Railroad, at
the foot of Mount St. Helena, abounds in hot
springs, and is resorted to for its baths of various
kinds. On the railroad going to Calistoga the

275

White Sulphur Springs are passed at a distance
of two miles. They are much frequented, but
rather by visitors seeking summer recreation
than by health seekers.

The best place for the consumptive patient is
regarded by some good judges to be on an eleva-
tion among the hills of the Coast Range in sum-
mer, where the change of temperature will be
only a few degrees, and in Southern California,
a little back from the coast in winter. In such
an equable climate, the patient can camp out,
and keep in the open air, which is the best pos-
sible restorative.

The climate of San Francisco, which induces
no perspiration, and by dampness aggravates
rheumatic and neuralgic affections, is the most
favorable in the world for mental invigoration
and work.

Malaria is found in all the lowlands, and
often among the foot hills, but elevated places
are entirely free from it.

In short, there is such a variety of climate
within a day's reach of San Francisco that the
invalid may be sure of finding, somewhere on
the Pacific Coast, whatever natural advantage
will be most beneficial to his case.

California Pacific Railroad.

On the California Pacific/ Railroad two trains
leave Sacramento daily for San Francisco, one
at 6.30 A. M., and one 4 p. M. This is the short-
est and favorite route between the capital and
metropolis, and will no doubt ere long be the
principal line over which the Overland Express
Train will pass.

The train crosses the river by means of a "Y"
and the Sacramento & Yolo bridge. Directly op-
posite Sacramento is the village of Washington,
protected by a high levee, but retarded in growth
by the toll for crossing the river. Along the river
bank is a narrow strip of land sufficiently elevated
for farming — but the train is soon beyond
this on trestle-work, or a high embankment
crossing the tules. On this narrow strip the
ubiquitous pea-nut and chickory grow to perfec-
tion. Xo pea-nut surpasses these in size or flavor,
and the chickory commands a price equal to the
German. Coffee men consider it of superior
quality, and the traveler will find it abundant
in the pure coffee of all the hotels in the interior.

The tnle land is the richest in the State — a fine
vegetable mold and deposit from the winter
floods. Many square miles of it up and down
the river await reclamation, 'and much has been
reclaimed. It will be difficult to reclaim the
great extent of it now before the eye, because on
the right of the railroad and several miles up the
river, the waters of Cache Creek spread out and
sink, and on the left the waters of Putah Creek
are also emptied, and high levees would be re-
quired to carry off so much water. These tules
are the temporary abode of some, and the perma-

nent abode of other varieties of wild fowl, and
the happy hunting grounds for many a Nimrod.
After the first rains come, the geese arrive, the
white brant coming first and in largest numbers.
Three varieties are common, the white and
speckled breasted brant, and the hawnker. Acres
of the ground, where the dry tule has been burned
off and the young grass has sprouted are covered
with the geese, and sometimes they are like a
great cloud in the air, and their noise heard
for a mile or more.

The varieties of the duck are many, but the
mallard, sprig tail, canvas-back, and teal are
most esteemed. It is an easy and pleasant task
for one acquainted with the flight of the ducks
to bring down from twenty to a hundred in a
single day, besides more geese than he is willing
to " pack." About five miles from Sacramento
is an island (of a hundred acres, dry and grassy)
where two or three days camping may be en-
joyed by a lover of the sport.

When the Sacramento overflows its banks and
the creeks are high, the tules are hidden by the
water, and if the wind blows, this region is like
an open sea. Frequently the road-bed has been
washed away, and now it is protected by an
inclined breakwater and young willows. It ha.*
been generally but erroneously supposed tha;
hogs and the Chinamen feed on the tule roots.

The bulbous root they eat is called by the
Chinese " Foo tau," and is imported largely from
China, where it grows to a greater size than in
this country. Across the tules at Swingle's
Ranche is a side track and flag station.

Dfirisril/e — is 13 miles nearly due west of
Sacramento, has a population of 300, all gath-
ered since the building of the railroad, and
has two stores, a dozen saloons, four restaurants.
and a Presbyterian, a Methodist Episcopal, and
a Roman Catholic Church. About the same pro-
portion of saloons to the population holds good
over California, but that of churches does not.
But " Davisville is not an immoral place, for the
liquor is all sold to non-residenta."

In 1862 land was worth from 86 to 810 per
acre, and now sells at 875 to $100.

Xear Davisville are large orchards, " Brigg's "
covering 400 acres, and the " Silk Ranche " or-
chard 250 acres, but in dry seasons the quantity
and quality of the fruit, is greatly impaired by
the want of irrigation.

The failure of siik culture was largely owing
to the hot winds from the north, killing the
worms. Attention to fruit culture, has demon-
strated the necessity of allowing nothing to grow
between the trees. Nor are the trees trimmed
so high up as in the Eastern States. Alfalfa
has yielded in one season, §55 worth of hay to
the acre.

At Davisville the railroad to San Francisco,
turns directly to the south, and a branch runs
north to Woodland and Knight's Landing.

276

Woodland is a town of 1,000 inhabitants, and
9 miles from Davisville. Near Woodland the
road branches to the northern part of the valley
of the Sacramento, but is not yet opened for
business.

Knight's Landing is on the Sacramento River,
and this railroad formerly continued on north-
ward to Marysville, until the flood of 1872 de-
stroyed the embankment for miles.

Continuing south from Davisville, Putah
Creek is crossed near Davisville, a dry channel
in summer, and a torrent in winter ; and 4 miles
south is

Foster, — a side track, and 4.17 miles farther,

Dixoit — is reached. It has a large grain
trade from the surrounding country, a Congre-
gational, a Methodist and a Baptist Church ;
several hotels and a block or two of good stores.
Since the completion of the railroad the town
of Silveyville, about three miles distant, has
been moved bodily to Dixou. Farther south
3.27 miles, is

Batavia, — a village in a promising region,
with a large grain trade, a hotel and several
stores, and next south 4.83 miles, is

Elmira, — formerly called Vaca Junction, the
junction of the Elmira and Vacaville Railroad, ex-
tending to Vacaville five miles, and Winters 17
miles. Fare to Vacaville 50 cents, and Winters
$1.70. South from Elmira 3.96 miles is

Cannon's, — a large ranche, and 6.55 miles
farther is

Fairfield and Suisun City. — The former
is on the right-hand side of the road, and the
other on the left. Fairfield is the county-seat
of Solano County, and Suisun the post-office and
business center. Fairfield has a Methodist Epis-
copal Church, and Suisun a Protestant Episcopal,
a Cumberland Presbyterian and a Methodist
Episcopal. Suisun is at the head of Sui-
sun Slough, navigable for small sloops and
steamers, and on the edge of a large tract of tule
land. Its streets are subject to a slight overflow
during heavy rains, when its adobe soil 'is a
very tenacious friend to one's feet. The hills
which have been approaching closer and closer
since we left Sacramento — one of the numerous
ridges of the Coast Range are now not far off, and
to avoid the grades in crossing them, a new road
will soon be built along the edge of the " swamp
and overflowed " land to Benicia, on the straits of
Carquinez, and crossing these will continue
along the east side of the San Pablo Bay and
Bay of San Francisco, to Oakland Wharf and
form part of the Overland Route.

Before reaching the next station, a small spur
of the Suscol Hills is tunneled, and to the right
from

Bridgeport,— £.45 miles from Suisun/ and
other points, may be seen fertile valleys in which
the earliest fruits of the State are grown. In
Green Valley — one of these, sheltered from

wind and free from fog, fruits and vegetables
ripen sooner than in the paradise of Los Angeles,
about 400 miles south.

The tourist will be struck with the rolling
character of the farming land, when he sees the
highest hill-tops covered with golden grain or
thick stubble. The soil is the rich adobe, the
best adapted to dry seasons, and rarely found cov-
ering such hills. The crops are brought off on
sleds.

Creston, — the summit, is 3.84 miles from
Bridgeport, and simply a flag station. Soon
after passing it, the Napa Valley lies below on
the right, but almost before one is aware of it,

Napa Junction, — 3.65 miles from Creston,
is announced.

Napa Valley.

Here the road branches through Napa Valley,
one of the loveliest and most fruitful of the
State. It is enclosed between two ridges of the
Coast Range, one of which separates it from the
Sacramento and the other from the Sonoma
Valley. Above Calistoga, Mount Saint Helena
stands like a great sentinel across the head of
the valley. The land is among the best in the
State, and fruit growing extensively and success-
fully practiced.

The climate is well tempered and the season
rare when crops fail. This branch is a part of
one of the chief routes to the Geysers and other
popular resorts.

The first station north from the Junction is
called

Thompson ,-r-from the owner of the ranche
and orchard, which will strike the observer as
closely related to the perfect arrangement and
culture of the farms in Chester or Cumberland
Valley of Pennsylvania, and a closer inspection
would reveal one of the most convenient and
complete farm-houses in the country. Suscol,
a landing-place and ferry on the Napa River, is
near by. The next station is 4.49 miles farther
north, and called

Napa. — A town of great loveliness, with a
population of 5,000, set in homes embosomed in
fruits and flowers — a town not surpassed for
beauty of situation in the State, and rivaled by
San Jose only. It is at the head of navigation
for steamers of light draft on the Napa River,
and near it is located the new Branch Insane
Asylum, erected at a cost of more than a million
of dollars. The public schools rank high, and
there are also four colleges and seminaries of
high order. The Register is a daily and weekly
newspaper, and the Reporter, a weekly. It has
two good hotels, the " United States," and The
Palace, many stores of high order, and good bank-
ing facilities. In no portion of the State is soci-
ety more stable and cultivated. The churches
are imposing and well attended. The Presbyte-
rians have the largest, most convenient and taste-

277

ful house of worship outside of San Francisco
and Oakland, and the Methodists, Baptists and
Roman Catholics have good houses also. Daily
stages connect with the morning train for So-
noma. Above Napa, 5.45 miles, is

Oak Knoll, — near which is hidden in a park
of evergreen oaks, the pleasant residence of R. B.
Woodward, Esq., one of the most enterprising
and public-spirited men of California, near which
may be seen his orchard, one of the largest and
best in the county.

YonntviUe — is 3.45 miles farther north, a vil-
lage with about 300 inhabitants, called after one
of the early settlers. Near the depot is a large
vinery. On the hill-sides are numerous vineyards,
and in the village a Baptist and a Congregational
Church.

St. Helena — is a village of about 500 inhab-
itants, surrounded with ranches where people of
culture live in luxury, and two miles distant
are the White Sulphur Springs. Stages for the
Springs connect wicli every train, and for Knox-
ville in Lake County, with every morning train
from San Francisco. Presbyterians, Baptists,
and Methodists have churches here. The valley
grows narrower until

Calistof/a — is reached, with a population
of about 500, and two hot 3ls — one the " Hot
Springs."

Here are hot and mud baths, and from Calis-
toga are numerous pleasant drives, especially to
the Petrified Forest, five miles distant, on the top
of the ridge lying toward the ocean, and in a
sunken part of the high table-land where there
was evidently a lake after trees had attained
an enormous growth, and long after this the
waters of the lake discharged by some sudden
rupture of the surrounding wall. The mountain
views, hunting, fishing and other attractions,
make Calistoga a popular resort, and the recent
discovery of many quicksilver and silver mines has
given a fresh impetus to the business of the town.

The population is about 700, but varies with
the summer freighting to Lake County. Foss's
line of stages leaves every morning during the
summer for the Geysers, and stages leave daily
on arrival of morning train from San Francisco
for Bartlett's and other resorts of Lake County,
continuing toward San Francisco 011 the main
line.

Vallejo. — The pronunciation of this Spanish
word is Val-yay-ho, and the town was named in
honor of an old family still residing there.

Just before approaching the town, the " Or-
phans' Home," set upon a hill, and under the
auspices of the I. O. Good Templars, attracts at-
tention. It is on the left-hand side, and the town
on the right.

At the depot, street-cars connect with all the
trains, and carriages to any part of the city may
be had for " four bits ; " the " bit " being equiv-
alent to the old New York shilling.

The station for the town is called North
Vallejo, to distinguish it from the new town that
has grown around the railroad terminus, one mile
south.

Vallejo was for a while the capital of the State.
It has now a population of about 5,000, and de-
rives much of its business from the United States
Navy Yard on Mare Island.

It has a Methodist, a Presbyterian, a Baptist
and a Roman Catholic Church, and South Vallejo
has also a Congregational Church. Vallejo has a
stage to Benicia, eight miles, and the steamer
Parthenius runs daily to San Francisco, in ad-
dition to the steamers that connect twice a day
with the trains on the California Pacific Rail-
road.

Its wharves are in deep water, and at them
the immense quantities of grain brought from
the valleys north, are loaded direct for Liver-
pool and other parts. A large elevator — the
only one tried on the coast, was blown down
during a south-east gale. The town has two
newspapers, the Chronicle, a weekly, and the
Independent, a daily. At

South Vallejo, — 24 miles from San Fran-
cisco, passengers are transferred to a steamer,
and by it transported to the foot of Market
Street, in San Francisco.

On board the steamer a good meal may be
secured, for one dollar coin; and a trip to San
Francisco, for which an hour and a half, or two
hours will be necessary, according to steam and
tide, will be delightfully occupied with the
attractions of the bay and the bordering hills.
As the steamer leaves the wharf, the view of the
Navy Yard is fine, and when it doubles the island,
the straits of Carquinez, through which the
Sacramento River empties, are immediately on
the left, and when fairly out on the San Pablo
Bay. by looking to the north, the town of Vallejo on
the hill, and the Navy Yard on the island, appear
to be one city. West of Vallejo may be traced
the Napa Valley, and farther west, the Sonoma
Valley, so famous for its wines, and far off to
the north-west the Petaluma Creek, which forms
an opening to the Russian River Valley, through
which the North Pacific Railroad runs to Clover-
dale, and forms a pleasant route to the Geysers.
These valleys are parallel to each other but
separated by Itffty ridges of the Coast Range.

After making this general survey of the north-
ern end of the bay and then having breakfast or
dinner, one will be in sight of the western me-
tropolis. The city comes into view as the steam-
er turns to the south-east, around a point of land,
off which are the " Two Brothers," corresponding
to the " Two Sisters " on the west side, and
enters the Bay of San Francisco. On one of the
Brothers is a light-house of the fifth order, and
just below is Red Rock, a bold and pretty land-
mark. Off to the right is Mt. Tamalpais, with a
shoot for lumber, that looks like a swift road to

278

travel, and at the foot of the mountain, nestled
in a deep little cove, and overlooking the sheltered
waters near by, is San Rafael, the home of some
merchant princes of San Francisco, and the resort
of many invalids, who are seeking a new lease of
life in its genial clime. On the point of land just
south of San Rafael, is San Queutin, where the
State has a large boarding-house and workshop
filled with unwilling inmates.

Farther south-east is Angel Island — separated
from the promontory of the coast main-land by
Raccoon Straits, through which one may look
into the Golden Gate.

The island is a military reservation, fortified
strongly on the south and south-west parts, with
a road running around the entire island.

Passing the island, the Golden Gate is directly

on the right, and Alcatraz, a naval station, mid-
way across it, and directly in front, the hills of
San Francisco, that ought to have been terraced.

On the east, beginning farther north are Berk-
ley, with the buildings of the State University ;
and Oakland, the city of residences and gardens ;
Alameda, of like character, but of less extent,
and more live oaks ; and in the bay the Oakland
Wharf and Goat Island.

Never, except during severe winter storms, or
the prevalence of heavy fog, is the navigation
of the bay unpleasant, and on a calm morning
when the waters are placid, the skies Italian, and
the mind free from anxious care, the bay from
Vallejo to San Francisco will make some of the
brightest and most lasting impressions of the
Golden State.

New Routes of

By the completion of many new local rail-
roads, so many new and delightful pleasure
routes have been opened, and made easily acces-
sible, that the tourist should not fail to visit
some of the following :

Santa Cruz. — One of the most enjoyable of
seaside resorts, and abounding in garden bloom
and floral beauty, is now reached by three routes
of travel, by steamer from San Francisco, usually
taking a few hours or a day at utmost; by
The Southern Pacific Railroad to Pajaro, and
thence by Watsonville and Narrow Gauge Railroad
along the coast, and lastly by the new South Pa-
cific Coast Narrow Gauge Railro'td via San Jose
and over the Coast Range of Mountains. The
last named is a new road of exceeding beauty.
Probably there is no finer ride of a day's length
equal to this. The tourist must not omit it.

Santa Barbara — is beyond question, the
gem city of the Pacific Coast as a resort for
tourists and invalids. It may be reached by the
Southern Pacific Railroad and a stage ride of
one day, or by steamer of two days. It is a city
of most attractive nature embowered among
gardens, fruit trees, flowers, and wonderful lux-
uriance of semi-tropical vegetation. This place
is full of admirable conveniences of hotel life,
and invalids and tourists reside the year round,
in enjoyment of its balmy air. For a home res-
idence, probably no place on the Pacific Coast is
its equal in all advantages of climate, health
and social privileges. It has hitherto been dif-
ficult of access, owing to prolonged stage riding
or seasickness by steamer journey, — but these
lessen each year by the nearer approach of the
Southern Pacific Railroad. In the spring-time,
when the country is in bloom, the finest route is
by stage from Soledad. The country is then
a paradise of floral loveliness the entire dis-
tance.

Paraiso Springs — are a new resort near
Soleda/i, eight miles distant whose springs are of

Pleasure Travel.

iron, soda, white sulphur, excellent for rheuma-
tism, asthma and various skin and blood dis-
eases.

Riverside — is a new resort near Colton, a
beautiful place of residence, and a home for
asthmatics, combining mountain air with tropi-
cal gardening, and soft balmy sunny breezes ; an
asthmatic'* paradise.

San Bernardino — has become more popu-
lar both as a place of resort and residence, and
also because of the value of the Waterman Hot
Springs, six miles north. These are said to be
a sure cure for rheumatism. Stages lour miles
from Colton now reach it.

Lake County — possesses many new min-
eral springs. The Geysers have been made
more attractive tharf ever ; the hotel has been
thoroughly refitted and made desirable for resi-
dences. The trip to the Geysers and return can
now be made in 36 hours, with time to see all
the marvelous wonder of nature. Round trip
tickets now cost but $13.00. Tourists will do
well to extend their tour to Clear Lake, after
visiting the Geysers, ascend over the mountains
by the new route from Cloverdale. The scenery
is delightful. The steamer ride on Clear Lake is
well worth a visit. The mountain ride approach-
ing Calistoga is thrilling.

Head Waters of the Sacramento — have
b^en brought nearer to the public by a reduction
of fares to all points as far north as So'la Springs
and Sixxons. Round trip tickets are now sold
from San Francisco to Soda Springs for §33.80,
and to Sissons for $35.40, and the U. S. Fishery
on McCloud River, $24.50. The best hunting
and fishing in the state for tourists is to be had
in this region. At Sissona, Upper and Loicrr
S'iffa Spring* guides and horses are provided for
excursionists to the summit of Mt. Shasta, and
to the salmon and trout fishing stations and
" Deer Lick " on the head waters of the McCloud
and Sacramento Rivers.

^mxtJK££tt ^mitw |

RAILROAD TRAVEL IN CALIFORNIA.

NEXT to the Central Pacific, the Southern Pa-
cific is the great railroad enterprise of the Pacific
coast. The whole length of the road (June,
1878) is 713.09 miles. It is leased, except the
Northern Division, to the Central Pacific, and, in
connection with the Central Pacific and its other
leased roads and branches, forms one great system
extending for 3150.24 miles, with 688 miles ad-
ditional of steamer routes.

This harmonious system is one of the most im-
portant and successful railroad enterprises of the
continent or the age. By it the whole transcon-
tinental traffic must be performed for many years
to come. And the difficulties encountered, the
country opened, the wealth developed, and the
wonders and curiosities of nature made accessible
— all are marvelous.

From San Francisco, this giant enterprise is
stretching down into the wheat-fields of the San
Joaquin and the coast valleys and the orange
groves of the South, and laying a fast hold on
the untold mineral wealth of Arizona, New Mexi-
co, and other lands. It was built without the aid
of government bonds, when railway contractors
in the East were idle and railway shops silent ;
and built so rapidly that 351 miles of track over
desert lands and through long tunnels were com-
pleted in the one year 1876.

In its vigorous prosecution, at enormous cost,
San Francisco and the coast have already reaped
many a substantial blessing. The last rail con-
necting San Francisco and Los Angeles was laid
September 3d, 1876, and the road was opened to
Fort Yuma,»ia the Central Pacific to Lathrop and
Goshen, on May 5th, 1877.

When completed to an Eastern connection, it
will be the shortest line from San Francisco to
New Orleans and the country bordering the Gulf
of Mexico, and the highway for the grain of
Southern California to the European markets.

In the Southern Pacific Railroad are consoli-
dated numerous local roads built or projected.
These were the San Francisco and San Jose Rail-
road, incorporated August 18th, 1860, and built
between these two cities ; the Santa Clara and
Pajaro Valley Railroad, incorporated January 3d,
1868 ; and the California Southern, incorporated
January 22d, 1870. All these were consolidated
October 12th, 1870, into the

Southern Pacific Railroad Co.

The Southern Pacific Branch Railroad Company
was incorporated December 23d, 1872, and con-
solidated with the Southern Pacific August 19th,
1873.

The Los Angeles and San Pedro Railrcad Com-
pany was incorporated February 18th, 1868, built
between Los Angeles and Wilmington, and con-
solidated with the Southern Pacific December
18th, 1874.

The Northern Division. — This extends
southward from the corner of Fourth and Town-
send streets, San Francisco, to San Jose", Car-
nadero Junction, and Tres Pinos. From Car-
nadero Junction there is a branch to Soledad.
The route has been surveyed from Tres Pinos
across the coast mountains via the Panoche
Pass to Huron, from which point 40 miles are
built to Goshen, where a junction is formed with
the Visalia Division of the Central Pacific and the
Tulare Division of the Southern Pacific. The 40
miles between Huron and Goshen are not trav-
eled at present in going from San Francisco to
Los Angeles, but are operated as, and called, the
Goshen Division of the Southern Pacific Railroad.
The branch via Soledad continues from Carna-
dero to the Pajaro (pronounced Pil-M-ro) Valley,
thence through the Salinas Valley, and is sur-
veyed from Soledad across the coast range via the
Polonio Pass to Posa, on the main line of the
Southern Pacific, 53 miles south of Goshen.

From San Francisco Southward.

This Northern Division is the only railroad run-
ning its cars into San Francisco without the use of
a ferry, the line being on the peninsula between
the southern part of the Bay of San Francisco
and the Pacific Ocean. It is, therefore, the most
desirable line for country residences ; and when
to this is added the salubrity of climate found on
this peninsula in an hour's travel from the city,it is
readily understood why Milbrae, San Mateo, Bel-
mont, Redwood City, Fair Oaks, Menlo Park,
etc., are chosen for the palaces of bonanza kings,
senators, governors, railroad and bank presi-
dents, and other men of culture and money who

280

choose their locations where cost is scarcely ever
considered. To these delightful country resi-
dences there are five trains each way daily, and
to San Jose1 three trains ; and the tourist desiring
to see the fairest and best improved portion of
California must not fail to take one or more of
these trains and extend his visit at least to San
Jos<5.

Leaving San Francisco, you see the immense
freight depots of the Central Pacific and Southern
roads, and a large area of land reclaimed from
Mission Bay, at a cost of nearly $400,000, owned
jointly by the two companies for railroad pur-
poses. A few minutes' ride brings you to the ma-
chine-shops of the road, and in the southern part
of the city the train stops at

Valencia Street crossing, 3.4 miles, where
connection is made with the horse-cars of the
Market Street passenger railway.

The road will eventually skirt the bay from the
Fourth Street depot, but the tourist will be
pleased if he can ascend the steep grade from
Valencia Street depot and thereby gain a bird's-
eye view of a large part of the city. The care-
fully-cultivated gardens to be noticed along the
road are almost exclusively in the hands of Italians
and Chinamen.

Bernal, 4.6 miles, is a station at which some
trains do not stop. On the right, after leaving
the station, are the grounds of the House of Ref-
uge, 130 acres, with the imposing edifices of the
Industrial School and the House of Correction.

San Miguel, 6. 9 miles, is also a small station,
near which, on the left, is St. Mary's College, a
large educational institution of the Roman Catho-
lic Church. On the right may be seen Lake Mer-
ced, used by the Spring Valley Water Company
to supply the city in part ; and across the hills is
the long surf -line of the great Pacific Ocean, bat-
tling with the shifting but unyielding sand ; and
still beyond is the bosom of the great deep. In
a clear atmosphere, this is a magnificent view,
taking in many a sail and showing the Fan-alone
Islands and Point Reyes, north of the Golden
Gate.

Col ma, 9.2 miles, is a side track, at which
some trains do not stop.

Baden, 12.2 miles, is of like importance.
The " Twelve Mile Farm" is the residence of
Charles Lux, Esq., of the firm of Lux & Miller,
cattle-dealers. The firm own many and vast
tracts of land in different parts of the State.

San Bruno, 14.3 miles, is on the edge of
the marsh land which surrounds the bay, and the
point to which the new road to avoid the hills
will extend. This is the resort for more gunners
than any other station in California. During the
season for ducks, eighty and sometimes a hun-
dred guns are checked to this point from San
Francisco by a single train.

Targets for rifle-shooting at ranges of 200, 500,

800, and 1000 yards are erected here, and most uf
the practice between various military companies
and societies is here enjoyed.

MUbrae, 17 miles, has the large dairy of the
same name, and on the right the beautiful resi-
dence of D. O. Mills, Esq., formerly President of
the Bank of California, an engraving of which
may be seen on page 245.

Oak Grove, 19.2 miles, is a small station,
the name indicating the change of climate.

San Mateo, 21.1 miles, is a flourishing
town of nearly 2000 people, containing three
churches and the elegant grounds and residences
of Alvinza Hayward, the late George H. Howard,
and others.

St. Matthew's Military School, for boys, under
Rev. A. L. Brewer, is one of the best in the State,
and about two miles from the town is Laurel In-
stitute, for young ladies, a worthy and flourishing
school. Daily stages leave for Pescadero on the
arrival of the 8.30 train from San Francisco, fol-
lowing the lovely canon of the San Mateo Creek
through the hills four miles to Crystal Springs,
and thence crossing the Sierra Morena spur of
the coast range to Half-Moon Bay, or Spanish-
town, 12 miles. The views are grand, overlook-
ing on the east the Bay of San Francisco, the
mountains and valleys of Alameda and Contra
Costa counties, with Mt. Diablo rising over all,
while near at hand are the smiling valleys of
Santa Clara and San Andreas, and the lovely
Canada del Ramundo ; and overlooking on the
west the thousand peaks of the Santa Cruz
Mountaiiis and the deep blue sea.

JPiirissitna is 23 miles from San Mateo, and
Pescadero 30 miles. This is a favorite resort on
account of its pebble beach, delightful drives, sea-
bathing, picturesque hills, trout streams, forests
abounding in game, and mild, bracing climate.

At Pescadero stages connect for Santa Cruz, 36
miles south, passing Pigeon Point, where the
lighthouse has a Fresnel light of the first order,
with a national history. It shone out from Cape
Hatteras until, during the late war, it was packed
ready for shipping to the interior by the rebels,
but seized by the government and sent to this
coast. This route continues mostly along the
coast, passing Scott's Creek and Laurel Grove,
choice resorts for fishermen and camping parties.
The stages leave Pescadero Tuesdays, Thursdays,
and Saturdays, and return on alternate days.
Fare, $3.

Belmonf, 25.1 miles, is a favorite picnic re-
sort ; and near the station, but hidden from view,
is the residence of the late William C. Ralston,
now owned by Senator Sharon.

Tfedtvood City, 28.6 miles, is the county
seat of San Mateo Coiinty, and has a population
of 2000, with four churches. Boats from the bay
come up a small creek, and return with cargoes
of redwood from the coast mountains on the west.

281

An artesian well supplies the city with water,
and two weekly papers, the Times and Gazette,
supply the local news.

A daily stage leaves for Pescadero, 30 miles,
passing Searsville, 7 miles, and La Honda, 16
miles. Fare, $3.

Fair Oaks, 30.9 miles, is in the most
charming portion of the Santa Clara Valley,
where the damp, chilly air of the ocean and bay
is just sufficiently tempered by the heat of the
interior to produce the balmy loveliness of Men-
tone'.

The whole region is divided into beautiful gar-
dens, luscious orchards, and spacious parks, and
set with charming homes. Among them are the
country seats of Colonel Eyre, Faxon D. Atherton,
and others.

There are twelve species of oak found in Cali-
fornia, but this region is named from the number
and beauty of the white oak; and on the trees the
long Spanish moss will remind one of the forests
in the far South. The mistletoe is also abun-
dant.

Menlo Park, 32.1 miles, is a continuation
of the attractive features of the valley. On the
left, immediately after passing the station, is the
residence of ex-Governor M. S. Latham, adorned
with exquisite works of art and rare taste. In
the park, visible from the cars, may be seen a
band of California (black tailed) deer.

Further on, and on the right, is Palo Alto, the
country seat of Governor Stanford, named in
honor of the original name of the Spanish grant.
This was Rancho Palo Alto San Francuquita,
charmingly situated, but neglected when it came
into the governor's hands. It is now one of
the most beautiful spots in California. The race-
track and breeding-farm, where Occident is at
home, is perfect in its apportionments, and has
also the advantage of the salubrity of climate
that best produces a high development of the
physical man and the horse. We may well look
to this quarter, therefore, to produce some of the
best stock in the world.

May field, 34.9 miles, has about 1000 people
and three churches, and is situated in the midst
of fertile wheat-fields, and is a favorite point of
departure for sportsmen seeking deer, quail, bear,
and wild-cats, in the coast mountains on the
right.

Mountain View, 39.1 miles, is a flourish-
ing town of about 500 people. The original town
is a quiet, unpretentious hamlet in a charming lit-
tle spot a mile west of the station and present
town.

The Santa Cruz range is nearer than before,
and the Contra Costa grows more distant. Par-
ties frequently start from this place to hunt deer
or catch trout in the mountains on the west.

Murphy's, 41.9 miles, is named from the
grant on which the side track is laid — a fair

specimen of the manner in which the best parts
of California were divided up in "leagues of
land" and granted by the Mexican Government.
As the bay receded and disappeared on the left,
one must not forget that the choice, arable land
is increased in extent, and around Alviso, now
opposite, are numerous gardens from which
twenty tons of berries have been shipped in a sin-

Lawrence's, 43.9 miles, is a station where
the name of an old resident is perpetuated.

Santa Clara, 47.4 miles, is a beautiful
town of nearly 4000 people. It is embowered in
the most luxuriant shrubbery and surrounded
with prolific orchards of choicest fruits. It is
one of the oldest and most delightfully located
towns in the State.

The mission was founded by Father Thomas de
la Pinya in 1777, and now the imposing buildings
of the large (Catholic) Santa Clara College and
St. Mary's Academy will attract the first atten-
tion of the tourist. These make it a collegiate
town. Two weekly papers are published here,
the Index and News. A stage connects with the
train at 3.30 P.M. from San Francisco on the
Southern Pacific Railroad for the Pacific Congress
Springs, 10 miles south-west, a fashionable and
pleasant resort, with mineral waters resembling
those of the famous Congress Spring at Saratoga,
N. Y. Another stage line extends via Saratoga,
Congress Springs, to Santa Cruz, and supplies a
daily mail along the route. Owing to distance
it is not a favorite for through travel, but on no
other route crossing the mountains between San
Francisco and San Luis Obispo is the scenery
equal to this, and scarcely any view in California
surpasses the one from the summit, looking to
San Francisco, San Jos6, and the Sierras.

On approaching the station, the train stops be-
fore crossing the track of the South Pacific Coast
(narrow gauge) Railroad. This road forms a
parallel line to San Jose", and is in operation from
San Francisco and Alameda via Newark and Al-
viso to Los Gatos, where stage connection is
made for Santa Cruz.

Santa Clara has a bank, four churches, and
many beautiful homes, but no first-class hotel.
The Alameda, a wide and beautifully-shaded
avenue, connects Santa Clara with San Jose".
The poplars and willows that meet overhead
were set out in 1799 by direction of the early
Catholic missionaries. A line of horse-cars runs
on the avenue between the two towns, and about
midway on the road is the University of the Paci-
fic, the College of the M. E. Church, and con-
nected with this is a seminary for young ladies.
Beautiful residences have so increased that the
whole Alameda is now a fashionable avenue,
lined with elegant homes.

San Jo8& (San Ho-zay), 50 miles from San
Francisco, is the loveliest inland city of California.

282

Its population is about 20,000. It contends with
Sacramento for the honor of being the third city
in the State. It was settled in 1777 by the Cath-
olic missionaries, and was for a brief period the
capital of the State. Without the advantages
of Sacramento for wholesale trade, it commands
the trade of a large portion of the State, and has
a climate superior to that of the capital city. Its
gardens of semi-tropical fruits and shrubs ; its
abundance, variety, and gracefulness of shade-
trees ; its well-macadamized streets ; its numerous
and well-supported churches, representing the Ro-
man Catholic and every important Protestant de-
nomination ; its pure water from artesian wells
and the coast mountains ; its gas-works, and nu-
merous manufactories, give it a people of the
highest intelligence and industry, and ought to
attract to it every tourist who desires to see what
cultivation will produce in this rich and fruitful
State. The city has four incorporated banks,
none with a capital of less than half a million.
It has a large woolen-mill, canning factories,
wholesale houses, and machine-shops.

Its principal hotels are the A-userais, St. James,
New York Exchange, Hensley House, and Lick
House ; and outside of San Francisco, no one in
the State is more popular than the Auzerais.

The city has four routes to San Francisco : (1)
the Southern Pacific, over which goes four fifths
of the travel ; (2) a branch road connecting with
the Central Pacific at Niles ; (3) the South Paci-
fic Coast (narrow gauge) ; and (4) a stage to
Alviso, connecting with a steamer on the bay for
San Francisco.

It has a daily stage via Santa Clara for Sarato-
ga and Santa Cruz, and a daily evening stage for
the new Ahnaden Quicksilver Mines, ten miles dis-
tant, on Bache Mountain. The tourist visiting
these should take a private carriage, or he will
be compelled to spend a night at a hotel without
all the comforts he may seek. These mines are
open to visitors on Thursdays only. They were
discovered in 1845, sought out from seeing the
painted faces of the Indians, and have been ex-
ceedingly productive. Visitors may purchase
specimens of the ore.

Near the Almaden mines is the Vichy Spring,
celebrated for its curative properties. Its waters
are bottled and sold in San Francisco, and said to
be equal to those imported from France.

The Guadaloupe Quicksilver Mines are on the
opposite side of a spur of the same mountains.
The road to it branches westward from the road
to the new Almaden mines, at a point about 7
miles from San Jos6. The two mines are only
about two miles apart. But the Almaden are the
most noted for their productiveness and extent,
and have yielded more than any other quicksil-
ver mine in this country. A new drive has been
made by the city, extending to the foot-hills on
the east to Alum Rock Springs. This road is not

surpassed in the State outside of Sr.n Francisco
and Oakland. It is of unusual width, and for
the whole distance, 6 miles, it is planted on both
sides with two rows of shade-trees, and will even-
tually surpass the noted Alameda.

These springs with 160 acres of ground have
been set apart for a public park.

This same road forms part of that to Mt. Ham-
ilton, constructed by Santa Clara County, to se-
cure the location of the magnificent observatory
provided for in the will of the late James Lick
by a gift of $700,000. Mt. Hamilton is the
highest peak in the southern part of the coast
range, having an altitude of 4500 feet. The road
to it ascends the hills east of San Jose", and may
be seen from the city for a long distance ; but it
descends again to Smith's Creek, a lovely camp-
ing spot, before the ascent of the mountain ac-
tually begins. The grade is only five feet in a
hundred, and it is one of the best mountain
roads in California, and will be surpassed only
by the new road to the Yosemite Valley from
Madera Station.

The distance to Mt. Hamilton is 22 miles. To
it there is no public conveyance, but this want
will doubtless be supplied as soon as the Lick
Observatory is completed.

San Jose" has three daily newspapers, the Mer-
cury, Patriot, and Argus. The Mercury and Ar-
gus have also weekly editions.

The Court House is a beautiful structure, and from
its dome can be had a magnificent view — a pano-
rama of the whole Santa Clara Valley, with the
mountains on the east and west. The State Nor-
mal School is located in the center of the city in
a park of six squares, and is also a large and im-
posing structure. San Jose Institute and Business
College is well supported, and the Convent or
Academy of Notre Dame, under the auspices of
the Catholic Sisters, is a large and flourishing in-
stitution, and the Home Seminary (for girls) de-
servedly esteemed.

Fourth Street station is a mile from the
principal depot, and at it all trains running
south of San Jose' stop for the accommodation of
the residents in the southern part of the city.

Eden Vale, 57. 3 miles,

Coyote, 62.8 miles, and

Perry' st 65.8 miles, are unimportant be-
cause near San Jos6, or else the foot-hills ap-
proach on either side, until the road passes into
the valley in which Gilroy is found, and the
country is best adapted for grazing purposes.

Buildings to accommodate the workmen of the
Almaden mines are plainly seen on the right,
high up on the side of the mountain.

Madrone^ 68. 8 miles, and

Tennant's, 72.8 miles, are stations having
no especial attraction for the tourist.

Gilroy , 80.3 miles, is an important town of
2000 inhabitants. It has six churches and a

283

weekly newspaper, the Ailnwtt?. It is the only
eating-station on the line of the road, and good
meals are neatly served from the abundance of
the farms and dairies, at 50 cents each.

The Southern Pacifa and Williams are good ho-
tels. The climate is wanner than that of San Jose.
Stages leave daily for San Felipe, 10 miles east,
Los Baiios, 48 miles east, and Firebaugh's Ferry
on the San Joaquin River, 80 miles. The fare
averages 10 cents a mile.

Stages also run every day during the summer
to Gilroy Hot Springs, 15 miles east. The waters
have proved beneficial in rheumatic affections,
the hotel and cottages are attractive, and the wild
mountain scenery, pine-scented air, wild game and
trout-fishing have made it a favorite resort.

Old Gilroy is 3 miles south-east, and has grown
none since the building of the railroad. Near
the town, and on the left of the railroad, may be
seen a swampy tract, which is the edge of Soap
Lake, several miles long, around which are nu-
merous fields of tobacco, and in which are found
large numbers of .wild ducks and geese. The
lake is so called because soapwort is abundant,
and its saponine principle so largely imparted to
the water that many perform their washing with-
out soap.

At Carnadero, 82.5 miles, and 2.2 miles
south of Gilroy, the railroad branches ; the line to
Soledad being the most important, and operated
as the main branch.

At Gilroy passengers change cars for Hollister
and Tres Pinos.

Hollister, 14 miles from Gilroy, is the coun-
ty seat of Benito County, and has 1500 inhabit-
ants. It is situated in a rich fanning region, and
owes its rapid growth and prosperity to the divi-
sion and sale of a large land -grant owned by Col-
onel Hollister.

The ranch was originally 12 leagues, or about
70,000 acres, and purchased from the grantee for
$20,000. The part east of the river is owned by
Flint, Bixby & Co., and $60 per acre is now a fair
average price for the portion divided and sold.

Tres Pinos, 20.2 miles from Gilroy, is the
present terminus of this division, and the entre-
pot for freight to the New Idria and other quick-
silver mines near the New Idria, San Carlos, and
Cerro Benito peaks, from 70 to 120 miles south.

A tri-weekly stage runs through this country to
San Bruno, 25 miles, and New Idria, 75 miles.
Fare, about 10 cents a mile. Long's, Peach-Tree,
Brown's, and Bitter Water valleys, and Slack's
Canon, are supplied partly from Tres Pinos and
partly from Soledad.

North and south of Gilroy, if you find doubt as
to the ownership of the land (and "grant titles "
arc proverbially uncertain), you may call it one of
Miller & Lux's'farms. They are so numerous that
cattle driven to San Francisco are pastured every
night on their own land.

One of the firm, Mr. Miller, resides on the
Bloomfield Ranch, a tract of several thousand
acres. But to gain a better idea of the extent of
the farming of this firm, see under Merced, on the
Visalia Division of the Central Pacific.

Branch from, Carnadero to Sole-
dad.

Sargent's, on this branch, and 86.5 miles
from San Francisco, is named from J. P. Sargent,
owner of the ranch a mile north. It is the sta-
tion for stage to San Juan (pronounced San Wan),
South. It is across the Pajaro (pronounced Pah-
ha-ro) River, and six miles distant. Fare, 75
cents. San Juan South, is an old Spanish town,
the seat of a mission located in 1787, and second
best in the State in point of preservation. The
town may be seen on the left a few minutes after
passing the station.

The railroad now follows the course of the
river, and turns westward, then crosses it from
Santa Cruz to San Benito County, and then, to
shorten the distance, passes through a tunnel 950
feet long and into the Pajaro Valley, 9 miles long
and 5 miles wide.

On the right are the Santa Cruz (Const Range)
Mountains, and in the canons lingering traces of
the beautiful Redwoods.

Vega, 96.5 miles, is a signal station; but

Pajaro, 99.4 miles, is an important station,
receiving the freight of the valley in which it is
situated, and being the junction of the Santa
Cruz (narrow gauge) Railroad.

This forms an all-rail route to the most fre-
quented seaside resort on the coast, for which
see the " Santa Cruz Railroad."

Watsonvitte, across the Pajaro River from
the station, and a mile distant, has a population
of 3500, a good hotel — the Lewis House — four
churches, a bank, and two weekly papers, the
Pajaronian and the Transcript.

The river empties into the ocean, but furnishes
no landing for vessels. Formerly there was a
landing-place, " The Embarcadero, " about a mile
north of the river, but the wharf is now neglected
and the town receives its freight either by the
Southern Pacific Railroad or via Santa Cruz.

Watsonvitte Landing, on Elkhorn Slough,
is about three miles south of the town, and to
this point freight was formerly brought by a
small stern-wheel lighter from Moss Landing, on
the coast of Monterey Bay, about two miles south
of the mouth of the Salinas River, and twelve
miles from Watsonville.

The course of the railroad from Pajaro is now
parallel with the general line of the coast, and
crosses the tide-lands that skirt the eastern shore
of Monterey Bay. The Santa Cruz Mountains

284

are now behind to the left, and on the right are
the Gabilan Mountains, which extend from the
Pajaro River through the entire county. The
range increases in height as we go south, and
contains immense deposits of limestone and some
quicksilver. The climate from Watsonville to
Salinas is like that of San Francisco, modified
because further south, and the ocean winds are
less severe.

Castroville, 109.7 miles, is 4 miles from
Moss Landing, and has a population of 500.
The average yield of wheat in this vicinity now
reaches 30 bushels to the acre, and of barley 50
bushels, although 100 bushels of the latter have
been raised to the acre. Owing to the fogs and
damp winds, corn and potatoes are grown in this
region. Considerable game is shipped during
the winter, the salt marsh affording water-fowl,
and the Gabilan Mountains quail and deer.

Salinas, 117.6 miles, is the county town of
Monterey County, and has a population of 3000.
There are eight church organizations and about
as many lodges and benevolent orders. It is the
center of trade, wealth, and commerce for Mon-
terey County, and has banks, machine-shops,
foundries, flouring-mills, and factories.

I is the point of junction for the Monterey and
Salinas Valley Railroad, for which (and the town
of Monterey) see under the appropriate head-
ing.

There is a fine hotel, the Abbott House ; two
papers are published weekly, the Index and the
Democrat. Stages leave daily for Natividad, a
pleasant little town at the foot of the Gabilan

Mountains, six miles north-east of Salinas, and
for New Republic, three miles east.

Chualar, 128.5 miles, is a new town in the
Salinas Valley, where a large business is done in
raising cattle and sheep.

Gonzales, 134.5 miles, is another new and
small but promising town.

Soledad, 142.9 miles, is the present termi-
nus of this division, and derives its chief import-
ance from this fact. Until the completion of the
road to Los Angeles, the mails to Southern Cali-
fornia went to Soledad by rail, and now overland
passengers for San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles
Hot Springs here take stages of the coast line for
these points. These stages of this line run to
Lowe's, 28 miles ; Solon, 40 miles; Paso Roblcs
Hot Springs, 80 miles ; San Luis Obispo, 110
miles ; Arroyo Grande, 125 miles ; Guadaloupe,
140 miles ; Santa Barbara, 220 miles ; and there
connect with stages for San Buena Ventura, 30
miles, and Newhall, 80 miles. The fare is about
8 cents a mile.

Another stage leaves daily for Paradiso Springs,
eight miles south-west of Soledad. They are in
a horseshoe-shaped plateau about 1500 feet above
the level of the valley, affording a charming land-
scape, and with curative powers becoming quite
celebrated. The four springs are of soda, sul-
phur, chalybeate of iron, and chloride of potassi-
um, and vary from cold to 118° Fahrenheit.
Game is abundant, the table is ivell supplied, the
cottages neat, and every thing combines to make
this as popular as the well-known and justly-cele-
brated Paso Roblea.

To Southern California, Los Angeles, and Arizona

VIA THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILEOAD THROUGH THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.

The Visalia Division of the Central Pacific is
operated in connection with the Southern Pacific
from Goshen to Los Angeles, and forms the
through line from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
The train leaves San Francisco at 4 p. M., via Mar-
' tinez and Antioch, reaching Lathrop for supper.
At this point the Visalia Division begins, and ex-
tends southward up the San Joaquin Valley.

Morrano, 88.3 miles from San Francisco,
is a side track and warehouse for shipping grain.

llipon, 93 miles, is another side track and
small station, near which the Stanislaus River is
crossed.

Salida, 96 miles, is a similar station ; and

Modesto, 102.8 miles, is the county seat of
Stanislaus (pronounced Stan-is-law) County. In
1870, when the town was laid out, it was pro-
posed to name it after the late Wm. C. Ralston,
but his modesty forbade ; hence the name, the
Spanish for modesty. It has a population of
1500, and is situated near the Tuolumne River.

Ceres, 107.4 miles,

Turlock, 115.9 miles,

Cressey, 126 miles, and

A.twater, 182.7 miles, are side tracks for
shipping grain.

Between Turlock and Cressey the Merced
River is crossed, flowing down and out of the
Yosemite Valley.

Merced, 140.2 miles, was located through
the exertion of Mr. C. H. Hoffman, a prominent
land-owner, soon after the railroad was built, and
has now become the county seat of Merced Coun-
ty, and the point of departure for the Yosemite
Valley via Coulterville or Mariposa. See "Stage
Routes to the Yosemite and Big Trees" for all
information concerning travel to the valley.

The large hotel on the left of the road — the El
Capitan — was erected by the railroad company
to provide for the greater comfort of tourists. It
is one of the most commodious structures for the
purpose outside of San Francisco. The Court

285

House is a credit to the town and county. It
cost $75,000, and is the best in the San Joaquin
Valley.

Artesian wells are numerous. In one of Mr.
Hoffman's the water rises to within ten feet of
the surface and is then pumped by steam, dis-
charging at the rate of 30,000 gallons every
hour.

There are two weekly papers, the San Joaquin.
Valley Argus and the Merced Express. The
plain, especially toward the river, ten miles dis-
tant, abounds with hare, or the " jackass rabbit "
(Lepus Calif ornicus), and Merced is the starting-
point of numerous coursing matches.

Much of the land is owned in large tracts.
One of the farms of Miller & Lux is near this
place. It is ninety-seven miles long, with an
average width of fifteen miles.

In two years they built on it 780 miles of
fence, costing $800 a mile. On this ranch are
kept 150 saddle-horses ; and two oxen, besides
calves, hogs, and sheep, are killed every other
day for the workmen. It is said they can begin
to drive cattle at Los Angeles and stop on their
own land every night until they reach San Fran-
cisco. They send to the city 1800 oxen every
month.

Leaving Merced, we cross a large number of
sloughs and creeks, but all decrease in size as they
go toward the river, and finally spread out over
the plain or sink.

Plainsburg, 150,1 miles, is a small station
on Deadman's Creek.

Minium, 156.5 miles, is another small sta-
tion, not far from Ash Slough.

Xterenda, 166 miles, is also a new railroad
town. Soon after leaving this place the Fresno
River is crossed.

Madera, 173.5 miles, is a new town,
started in 1876, and has a population of 400. It
is the terminus of a V-shaped flume, 53 miles
long, by which lumber is brought along the Fres-
no River from the immediate vicinity of the
Fresno groves of Big Trees. It is owned by the
California Lumber and Flume Company. The
company have a planing-mill at Madera. The
Fresno River supplies water also for extensive ir-
rigation, and the ditches may be seen on the
right of the railroad.

Madera will soon become known all over the
world, because from it nearly all tourists will
make their start for the Yosemite Valley. (See
" Stage Routes to the Yosemite and Big Trees.")
At this point a sleeping-car is detached from the
train leaving San Francisco at 4 p. M., and re-
mains upon a side track until morning, thus in-
suring a full night's rest and refreshment.

Borden, 176.3 miles, is a town of 200 peo-
ple ; the surrounding country having the benefit
of the water brought from the Fresno River. Cot-
tonwood Creek may be noticed when filled by

the winter rains. It is crossed after leaving the
station.

Sycamore, 185.3 miles, is a side track, but
marks the crossing of the San Joaquin River, at
the head of navigation for steamers during the
high water of the winter season.

Fresno, 195.1 miles, is tho county seat of
Fresno County, with a population of nearly 1000.
The Court House is the largest building, and cost
$60,000. The soil is mostly good, but crops can
be secured only by irrigation. A stage runs to
Centerville, in the foot-hills, 17 miles «ast.

Two weekly newspapers are published here,
the Fresno Expositor and the Republican.

The town has a bank, and does a large business
with the surrounding country. One firm sells
$120,000 per year, and the receipts for passen-
gers and freight are $70, 000 a month.

The town is located on a rich, alluvial, sandy
plain, between the King and San Joaquin rivers,
and the abundance of water for irrigation and
the canals built and projected destine this to be
one of the most fruitful portions of the whole
State. There are five hotels, the principal being
the Henry House.

The Central California Colony is located on
these rich lands, where the growth of trees,
shrubs, and alfalfa is astonishing. The lots are
40 acres each and are sold on small installments,
and are worthy the attention of settlers with
small means.

Fowler, 204.7 miles,

Kingsbury, 215.2 miles, and

Cross Creek, 223. 3 miles, are small stations.

King's River, which is crossed between Kings-
bury and Cross Creek, rises in the high Sierras.
The course of the railroad being parallel to
the axis of the Sierras, the traveler has a succes-
sion of magnificent and ever-changing views.

Goshen, 229.1 miles, is where the Southern
Pacific Hailroad connects with the Visalia branch
of the Central. The northern terminus of this
part of the Southern Pacific is not at Goshen but
at Huron, 40 miles west of Goshen. These 40
miles are the Goshen Division of the Southern Pa-
cific.

On the GOSHEN division,

Hanford is 12.9 miles from Goshen, in what
is called the Mussel Slough country, a region on
the north of Tulare Lake, embracing one of the
richest portions of the State. Five crops of al-
falfa may be cut during the year. Corn grows
to a height of twelve to eighteen feet, but the
yield does not exceed sixty or seventy bushels to
the acre. Pumpkins are immense.

Lemoore, 20. 9 miles from Goshen, is a new and
promising village.

Heinlen is 22.5 miles from Goshen, and

Huron 40 miles. All these are in the Mus-
sel Slough country. Huron is the terminus at
present.

286

At Qoshen there is another branch railroad to
Visalia. It is only seven miles long, and was
built by the people of Visalia, the principal and
county town of Tulare County.

This Visalia Railroad is wholly independent of
the Central and Southern Pacific roads, the presi-
dent and manager being R. E. Hyde, Esq., of
Visalia.

Visalia is an old town, laid out shortly after
the occupation of the country by the Americans.
It has a population of about 2000 ; one of the
best court houses in the San Joaquin Valley
south of Stockton ; six hotels, three churches, a
substantial bank, several mills, gas and water
works, and three weekly papers — the Delta,
Times, and Iron Age. A United States land of-
fice is located here.

Soon after leaving Goshen, there is a tangent
to Lerdo — 50 miles — the longest piece of straight
track on the road.

Tulare, 239.6 miles from San Francisco, has
a population of nearly 1000, and a round-house
for the Tulare Division of the Southern Pacific
Railroad.

It is an important point for shipping wood and
wool. The eucalyptus-tree may be seen growing
luxuriantly wherever planted.

This part of the great San Joaquin Valley is of-
ten called the Tulare Valley. It is only 327 feet
above the sea-level, and is well timbered. The
groves of beautiful oaks are like natural parks in-
viting occupancy.

Tulare Lake lies south-west, is nearly circular
in form, 30 miles long, and covers an area of 700
square miles. It abounds in fish and water-fowl.
After leaving Tulare, the railroad crosses Tulare
River, a narrow channel, and reaches

Tipton, 250 miles from San Francisco,
where the character of the land changes, the
groves disappearing.

Alila, 2(52 miles,

Delano, 270.3 miles, and

Posa, 282 1 miles, are small stations on the
great plain ; and

Lerdo, 290.1 miles, is a station of the same
character, but the shipping-point for the Buena
Vista Oil Works, about 40 miles south-west. The
oil region does not bid fair to rival Pennsylva-
nia's, but Californians are always looking for
new and rich developments. Lerdo is the pro-
posed point of junction with the branch of the
Northern Division, now built to Soledad, to be
extended through the Polonio Pass.

Near the next station the railroad crosses
King's River, flowing from the high Sierras and
the glaciers of Mounts Tyndall and Whitney, and
running south in these high Sierras from these
peaks directly east of Visalia until east of Suiu-
ner. After flowing a long distance to the west,
the river turns to the north and flows into Tulare .
Lake.

Where the Kern River leaves the mountains
and turns toward the plain is Walker's Pass
(through the Sierras), thence a road north to
Owen's Lake, into which a river of the same
name flows. The lake is about 20 miles long and
10 wide.

bumner, 302.5 miles, is a busy point, with
a population of about 300. It is the depot for
Bakerxfteld, the principal town in what is called
the Kern Valley, and county town of Kern County.
Kern Valley, like Tulare, is a part qf the San Jo-
aquin. The land is a rich sedimentary deposit.
In this valley are the most extensive irrigat-
ing canals and ditches to be found in the State.
Some are 40 miles long and 275 feet wide and 8
feet deep. A system has also been adopted to
reclaim swamp lands in the valley, by which
65,000 acres will be brought into market. On all
these lands water is abundant, and two crops can
be raised each year. Sweet potatoes are found
weighing 24 pounds each, alfalfa producing
seven crops of from one to two tons each to the
acre, and corn producing from 60 to 120 bushels
per acre ; and the growth of cotton has been suc-
cessfully tried, producing 400 pounds to the acre.

On one of the farms of Mr. H. P. Livermore, of
San Francisco, two artesian wells, 260 and 300
feet deep, send water 12 feet above the surface of
the ground, and discharge each through a seven-
inch pipe from 3000 to 4000 gallons per hour ;
3500 acres are in alfalfa. Mr. Livermore has a
dairy of 300 cows, a large apiary, and 4000 stock
cattle, besides horses, mules, sheep, and hogs.

One of the plows used, the " Great Western,"
is the largest in the world, and requires eighty
oxen with a ton of chains and a ton of ox yokes
to use it, and cuts a furrow five feet wide, and, if
necessary, three feet deep, at the rate of eight
miles a day. Another plow, " Sampson," a lit-
tle smaller, requires from 30 to 40 mules for use
in ditching.

Messrs. Carr & Haggin, of San Francisco, have
a number of ranches in this valley, and on them
40,000 sheep.

One man raised 18,000 Ibs. of sweet potatoes —
350 bushels — to the acre. One half acre of sweet
potatoes yielded $150.

One man moved on 40 acres of land April 26th,
1877, and on November 1st, 1877, had grown and
sold $2000 worth of corn, beans, and pumpkins.
But it is said to be hot and malarious about Bakers-
field, the mercury standing at 110° and 120° for
days in succession.

The town of Bakersfield has a population of
about 1000, good public buildings, a bank, two
weekly papers, the Courier- Cali/ornian and the
Gazette.

At Sumner the grade begins for ascending the
Sierras, but just before reaching Pampa there is a
descent of about 80 feet to cross Basin Creek (so
named from Walker's Basin on the east), after

287

which the ascent 'is resumed and the road soon
follows Caliente Creek, crossing and recrossing
it a number of times.

f ainpci, 317.5 miles, is a small station.

Caliente, 324.8 miles, has an elevation of 1290
feet. It is at the junction of the Caliente and
Tehachapi creeks. The axis of the Sierras runs
south-west about 20 miles from Caliente to Te-
jon (Tay-hone) Pass. Caliente was long the
southern terminus of the Tulare Division, and
stages ran from this point to the railroad 20
miles north of Los Angeles. It is now the ship-
ping-point for considerable freight.

Stages leave daily for Havilah, 25 miles, and
Kernville, 45 miles, both in Kern County and
north-east of this station. The population is
only 10U.

Tehachapi Pass.

The Tehachapi Creek flows down the mountain
from the south-east, and at Caliente one can look
directly up the Tehachapi Canon for some dis-
tance.

As one approached the station, he saw the rail-
road on the right only a short distance away ; and
on leaving the station, the train bends around the
few houses and goes down the creek, but it con-
tinues and increases its steep and wonderful climb.
For twenty miles the grade, including curvature,
is 116 feet to the mile. So accurately and con-
stantly are the grades and curvatures adjusted
to one another, with reference to obtaining a uni-
form traction, that the whole is a piece of work
not only unique in plan but unsurpassed in exe--
cution. A writer of world-wide travel calls it a
remarkable triumph of engineering science, and
says, ' ' I know of nothing like it, unless it be the
road over the Styrian Alps from Vienna to Trieste ;
and even there, if I remember rightly, the track
does not literally cross itself." Prof. George
Davidson, of the United States Coast Survey,
says it is not equaled by any railroad engineer-
ing he has seen in America or Europe. It is a
marvel of genius and perfection that will give
lasting honor to Colonel George E. Gray, the Chief
Engineer of the road, and to his efficient assist-
ant, William Hood, Esq., by whom all plans,
suggestions, and directions were faithfully car-
ried out.

Cape Horn, on the Central Pacific, presented
no difficulty to be compared with the Tehachapi.
To overcome the former was an act of courage,
but requiring far less ingenuity and skill than to
build. successfully and economically in this defile.

But the tourist will prefer to see for himself,
and his attention will be divided between the
work and the scenery of the canon. The latter
is not majestic, like that on the American River,
but quite picturesque and often grand.

Leaving Caliente, the Tehachapi Creek is lost
sight of, and the road winds around among the
hills.

Bealeville, 330.1 miles,is a small station, honor-
ing General Beale. When approaching and at it,
a pretty view may be had of the rugged hills on
the left beyond Caliente. Under the morning
sun on the numerous ridges and valleys, coming
down from the long mountain chain, there are
ever-varying lines of light and shade.

After leaving Bealeville the road passes around
Clear Creek Canon, one of the most formidable
pieces of work on the mountain, having in it tun-
nels 3, 4, 5, and 6 ; and as you enter the canon,
you see on the left the road ascending the oppo-
site wall of the canon more than a hundred feet
above, and it is only three or four hundred
yards across the canon !

The tunnels are numerous, there being seventeen
between Caliente and the summit. The short-
est is No. 11, 158.8 feet, and the longest, No.
5, 1156.3 feet. The aggregate length of the sev-
enteen is 7683.9 feet.

On emerging from tunnel No. 6, six miles from.
Caliente, the Tehachapi creek and canon are
seen below, and Caliente itself only a mile away,
but about six hundred feet below the train !

The old road to Havilah and Kernville appears
like a trail on the hills beyond Caliente, and the
new road may be seen following up the canon of
Caliente Creek.

Oaks are now becoming more numerous and
beautifying the hillsides. The old stage-road to
Los Angeles is seen far away and above on the
right. And now there begins to appear the ' ' Span-
ish-bayonet " (Yucca Glorio&a), one of the love-
liest flowers that adorns the land. When it blos-
soms in early spring, it will attract and enthuse
every one. On the top of its tall, straight, sin-
gle stem is a great panicle of snow-white blos-
soms, and the whole air is richly laden with their
most delicious fragrance. It partakes somewhat
of the character of the night-blooming cereus,
for the fullest bloom and sweetest fragrance are
in the night. Twelve hundred blossoms may be
counted on a single stalk, and in the vicinity of
Los Angeles, where the stalk grows fifteen feet
high, six thousand blossoms have been found.

The scenery now grows wilder ; the rocks in
the canon are sharper and more forbidding, and
piled higher and higher. In the narrow canon
there are rocks frowning from above, and rising
up from the crooked defile of the creek 700 feet
below.

On passing through Tunnel 8, one may notice
how rapidly the bed of the creek is rising. The
heavy cuts also indicate the difficult character of
the work. The rock is granitoid, yet. solid and
safe as the tunnels through it seem, the fearful may
take courage, for assurance is doubly sure, all
the tunnels being lined with the cedars of Oregon.

288

An occasional pine is now seen, and as the al-
titude increases they will become more numer-
ous.

As one looks back down the canon, he may see
the top of Breckenbridge Mountain. It was hid
at Caliente, but has now crawled up into view.
The old stage-road is crossed and recrossed, and
at length the railroad crosses the Tehachapi
Creek itself. Off to the right we have a pretty
view of Bear Mountain, a peak of the Sierras.
It is snow-crowned late in the spring.

The track then curves, making the " Twitty
Creek Bend," from which, in clear atmosphere,
one may look out over the wide expanse of the
San Joaquin Valley, off hundreds of miles to-
wards San Francisco.

We recross the Tehachapi Creek, just as we
approach

Kecne, 338 miles. It is a small station.
Around it there are many points of interest in
the mountain scenery, but the view is not exten-
sive or sublime. On the right of Keene is that
familiar friend, Bear Mountain, heavily timbered.
It appeared often along the road, and at Caliente
'seemed as near as it now does.

Then crossing and almost immediately recross-
ing the creek, the road makes a long curve to
the right, turns again sharply to the left to pass
through tunnel 9 and pass around the Loop.

The road-bed is no longer far above the creek,
and how to ascend without expending millions
for long tunnels was the problem the Loop solved.
Here the canon of the Tehachapi has widened,
and in it there is a conical-shaped hill. Beneath
this the train goes through tunnel 9, and emerg-
ing it curves to the left and climbs this same hill
and crosses the track, with a difference in eleva-
tion of 77.46 feet. Tunnel 9 is 426.2 feet long ;
the loop-line is 3794.7 feet ; the curvature, 300°
52' ; the limit of curvature, 10° ; and the radius,
573.7 feet. Then, by a fill of 150,000 cubic yards,
the road passes from the peak around which it
curved over to the wall of the canon, and is
again far above the bed of the creek. Or sup-
pose one starts with the civil engineer to go down
the mountain. He can not descend as rapidly as
the creek tumbles over the rocks, and he reaches
the narrow part of the canon, but can not get
down where his road can follow it. So he drops
it down by means of the loop, and for saving
money " there's millions in it."

In curving around the hill, after passing
through tunnel 9, and on the north-east side of
the hill, there is a heavy cut that required much
blasting, and here were used the largest blasts
exploded on the line of the road, and larger than
any used on the Central Pacific.

The best view of the Loop is had just before
entering tunnel 10, by looking back down the
canon. Five lines of railroad are crossing and
recrossing the canon. Between tunnels 10 and

11, and just before entering tunnel 11, one may
see on the right the top of a lofty peak, covered
with brush, but without trees. Call it after your-
self, or the " enterprising newsboy," or what you
choose, for it has no name.

After passing tunnel 1 1 the train has reached

Girard, 343.8 miles. It is a small station.
The old stage-road comes near, but it is down
in the bottom of the canon. It looks as if the
summit was close at hand, but it is nearly nine
miles away. The open country is an indication
of its approach, but numerous spurs of trouble-
some rock must yet be pierced with tunnels ; and
these too have all been timbered with the cedars
of Oregon.

Tunnels 12 and 13 are almost continuous, and
14 only far enough distant to open your guide-
book, and so you continue to alternate in light
and darkness, on the solid rock and deep ravines.
The creek below is gradually approaching. It is
crossed and recrossed, once on a high trestle. In
the tunnels and rocks and ravines we still have a
country as rugged as any railroad builders need
care to face.

At length the tunnels are all passed and the
canon begins to widen, showing the near ap-
proach of the summit. The road is no longer in
Tehachapi Canon, but in Tehachapi Valley.

The stage and rail road are side by side. "When
the hot sun of summer has burned up every thing
else, here may be seen prettily-colored patches of
vegetation. It is the tar-weed, and will stick to
one's boots as it does to the noses of the cattle.

At last the station called

Tehachapi Summit, 350.2 miles, is reach-
ed, but the highest point, or the summit, is about
two miles beyond, or south. This station is the
nearest one to the summit. About two miles to
the right is the old town of Tehachapi, with about
twenty houses. It is on the old stage-road, but
the new town will eventually outrival it.

On the broad top of the range and down the
sides sheep find nutritious pasture. About five
miles away is a marble quarry, and on this ridge
there is also a little placer-mining.

The summit appears like a broad plain. The
highest elevation is 4026 feet. On the broad pla-
teau and on the right of the road there is a small
lake, and it would not be worth mentioning if it
was not salt. Digging down a few inches around
its shores reaches rock salt.

The water has never been known to flow out of
this lake and off the summit. White Rock Creek,
erroneously laid down on some maps as flowing
out on the plains near Mojave, empties when
flowing at all into this lake.

From the little "divide," crossed just south
of the lake, the road descends toward Cameron's
Canon, and follows this out of the mountain.

Cameron, 359.4 miles, is a small station.
About half a mile from this the road enters the

289

canon, with walls from 500 to 700 feet high on the
south and very much higher on the north.

This canon is of peculiar interest, being an
earthquake crack more than five miles long.
Stopping to examine minutely the general slope
of the mountains, the strata, or the walls would
be inconvenient, but repay one who can do so.
After crossing the Mojave Plains near Alpine an-
other earthquake crack, and of recent origin, is
unmistakably recorded. The Spanish-bayonet is
abundant in the canon.

Kadeau, 364.6 miles, is a small station in the
canon. A stream of water runs down the canon,
and it appears as if the winter rains would carry
off the road-bed, but it is 10 or 12 feet above high
water.

On leaving the canon, the water channel con-
tinues to the left of the road a mile or two and
there sinks, leaving when dry white patches of
alkali and salt. Leaving the canon, the road
curves to the right and approaches the first sta-
tion on the plains.

Here a new object of interest appears in the
Yucca Draconis. It is peculiar to these plains,
and for miles along the road will attract atten-
tion. It is palm-like, and often called a " palm"
and " cactus," but it is neither. It is a yucca,
and a remarkable tree. It is exogenous, and
grows from ten to twenty feet high, has a trunk
18 or 20 inches in diameter, and terminates in
stumpy branches, each having at the extreme end
a tuft of dagger-shaped leaves. Out of each
bunch of foliage grows a panicle of blossoms with
greenish petals bearing large seed-vessels, but not
remarkable for either beauty or fragrance. How
often each tree blossoms is not known, but not
every year, and some say once in four years.
The trunk has numerous layers of fibers, which
run spirally, and each layer is at an angle to the
next.

^he bark is removed, and the trunk used for
making paper. It is crushed into a pulp at Ra-
venna, a station in the Soledad Canon, and the
pulp taken to a mill near San Jos6 and manufac-
tured. Experts have pronounced it adapted for
making a superior class of bank-note paper of
great durability.

Mojave, 370.2 miles, and the terminus of the
Tulare and also the Mojave Division. It is the
only eating-station between the San Joaquin Val-
ley and Los Angeles, and butter, milk, and all
provisions must be transported over the moun-
tains, and the water is carried in pipes from a
spring near Cameron station, ten miles away.

Besides the hotel, there are several stores,
some shops and residences. The railroad com-
pany has a round-house for fifteen engines, a ma-
chine-shop, and a large freight warehouse.
Freight wagons are always on hand to unload
bullion and carry supplies to Darwin, 100 miles,
Lone Pine, Cerro Gordo, and. Independence, 168
19

miles, directly north in Inyo County. The Cerro
Gordo Freighting Company alone employ 700
head of horses.

Stages leave Mojave every other day for Dar-
win, 106 miles, Cerro Gordo, 135 miles, Lone
Pine, 145 miles, and Independence, 164 miles.
Stage fare, about 20 cents a mile. These plains
extend eastward as far as the eye can reach,
and on the west there is a semicircle of moun-
tains. The heated sand causes the wind to rush
furiously, and early in the history of the road
" Mojave zephyr" was a well-fixed term. From
Mojave it is only about 75 miles to Colton via the
Cajon Pass. Mojave is the point of divergence
of the proposed Thirty-fifth Parallel road, sur-
veyed to the Colorado River at " The Needles,"
254 miles east.

This survey crossed the sink of the Mojave
River at an altitude of 960 feet, and crossed the
Providence Mountains via Granite Pass at an ele-
vation of 3935 feet.

The Atlantic and Pacific, Railroad Company had
also a charter from San Francisco to the Colo-
rado, following the coast to the mouth of the
Santa Clara River, thence east to Soledad Pass,
and across the desert to the Colorado.

The course to be now followed from Mojave is
nearly south. The Yucca Draconis is more
abundant. Numerous buttes, hundreds of feet
high, are seen. They are of soft granite and
sandstone rock, showing that the country is not
volcanic. The highest are on the right. It is
quite probable that these are the peaks of a sub-
merged mountain chain.

Gloster, 376.8 miles, is named a station, but
there is neither house nor side-track ; and

Sand Creek, 384 miles, is also dreary. But
water is only a few feet below the surface, and
this peculiarity extends over nearly all the plains,
and promises well for future development. Now
the plains furnish a valuable stock-range, as they
abound with bunch and other nutritious grasses.
In the spring of the year these plains are a vast
and most beautiful flower-bed, perhaps un-
equaled by any other gathering of colors to be
found in California.

Between Sand Creek and Lancaster the road
begins to ascend, the lowest elevation being 2300
feet, about six miles south of Sand Creek station.

Off to the left there seems to be an ocean ; it
is sand and alkali, and the well-known "mirage
of the desert."

Lancaster, 395 miles, is only a side track.

About half a mile north of the next station,
the road passes through a cut of chalky-looking
rock, and after the cut comes a fill of the same
material.

This is the wave of an earthquake made in
1868, and the wave may be traced lor miles. In
places juniper-trees may be found half buried yet
erect.

290

The Yucca Gloriosa, which disappeared in Ca-
meron's Canon, now reappears and is seen nearly
all the way to Los Angeles.

Alpine, 405.9 miles, a side track, brings us
face to face with the San Gabriel Mountains.
This range directly ahead is between nine and
ten thousand feet high, and the other side of
these mountains will be seen from Los Angeles.
This range is the Sierra Madre, or San Gabriel,
Mountains, and on the west the range connects
with the San Fernando Mountains at the San
Fernando Pass. Ascending from Alpine to the
summit, and looking back and to the left, there is
a beautiful view of the Mojave Plains and the
mountains we crossed.

The maximum grade is 116 feet. The sum-
mit of Soledad Pass has an elevation of 3211
feet.

Acton, 415.6 miles, is a side track. The road
follows the Santa Clara, an open valley from the
summit nearly to Ravenna, where the valley nar-
rows and continues as the Soledad Canon to and
beyond Lang. The Soledad is a wild and rug-
ged canon, a " Robber's Roost," but was never
the home of that notorious outlaw, Tiburcio Vas-
quez. This murderous chief had his head-quarters
near Elizabeth Lake, about 25 miles north-west
of Alpine, and he ranged all over the mountains
of Southern California.

Ravenna, 419.3 miles, a small station and
cluster of houses ocupied by Mexicans. Here is
the mill in which the Yucca Draconis is crushed
to a pulp preparatory to its shipment to a paper-
mill near San Jos6. No one will be likely to
travel long in California and not see the California-
quail (Lophortyx Californicus) ; but if any one
has failed, he may surely see them in this canon,
for they find a secure home in these impenetrable
thickets. The plume, or crest, has from three to
six feathers, about an inch and a half long, and
will probably be erect, though it is often low-
ered, falling over the bill. This quail always
roosts on trees.

The plumed or "mountain quail" (Oreortyx
Pictus), with a crest of two feathers three and a
half inches long, is never found south of the
Tejon (Tay-hone) Pass.

Deer and bear are also plentiful in these moun-
tains. Before leaving Ravenna, the side hills on
the right may be seen honeycombed with tun-
nels, built during a brief but wild mining ex-
citement. There is a little placer-mining carried
on by the Mexicans, who farm on a small scale
during the summer, and mine on the same scale
during the wet season.

Between Ravenna and Lang are tunnels 18 and
19, the walls of the canon 900 feet high, the
mountains much higher, and some of the crooked-
est and most picturesque country on the road. It
was in this region, half a mile east of Lang,
where the " last spike" was driven, September

5th, 1876, which completed the line between San
Francisco and Los Angeles.

Langt 427.8 miles, is a small station.

The valley grows wider, and we soon find a
" stock country." As we reach Newhall, the
road leaves the main Santa Clara Valley, and
turns up the south fork of the Santa Clara
River and follows this nearly to Andrews.

Newhall, 437.9 miles, is a stage station where
stages connect daily for San Buena Ventura, 50
miles ; Santa Barbara, 80 miles, and there con-
necting with the coast line of stages for San Luis
Obispo, Pass Robles, and Soledad. Local fares,
about 10 cents a mile.

This station is in the midst of a fine grazing
country.

Andrews, 441.5 miles, a small station. Here
are two refineries for crude petroleum, which is
found in paying quantities a few miles distant.
The oil region of California may be traced in a
line almost straight from Watsonville, in Mon-
terey County, through Santa Barbara and Ventura
counties into Los Angeles County at San Fer-
nando, and thence on to San Bernardino. The
road now leaves the south fork of the river and
turns up the canon, in which the north portal of
the San Fernando Tunnel is situated.

The Sierra de San Fernando Mountains are now
directly ahead. There was no practicable pass,
hence one of the longest tunnels in America —
6967 feet — in which the lamps will be needed to
keep away gloomy thoughts, for nine minutes are
spent by all trains in passing through it. The
Hoosac is the only tunnel in America of greater
length. This tunnel is approached on a maxi-
mum grade of 116 feet, and at the north end has
an elevation of 1479 feet. In the tunnel the
grade is 37 feet, descending southward. It is
timbered from end to end, although cut through
rock. At the south mouth of the tunnel we find
the station called

San Fernando Tunnel, 444.4 miles.

The descending grade now increases, and we
drop down as we go south 116 feet per mile for
about five miles, down the San Fernando Creek,
and the country opens into the San Fernando
Valley.

San Fernando, 449.6 miles. Two miles
east is the old mission of the same name, one of
the most interesting in the State. It is well pre-
served, and its gardens beautifully kept. The
building is locked, but the keys are under the
care of the Catholic clergy in Los Angeles. The
groves of orange and lemon trees are like an oasis
to one who rides on horseback over the country.

Interesting specimens of cactus are on all sides.
It is one of the Opuntias, sometimes called the
pad cactus, and grows twenty feet high. Near
San Fernando, at the Tehunga Wash, are beauti-
ful specimens of the Agave Americana, the most
remarkable of all the agaves. It is the magruay

291

of the Mexicans, commonly called the American
aloe, or century-plant. It is frequently seen in
the gardens of California, but here may be seen
the fleshy spiny -toothed leaves, above the Ceano-
thus brevifolia of the region. The flower-stalk
shoots up from 20 to 30 feet.

Petroleum is found in Rice Canon, not far
away, and there is supposed to be a general diffu-
sion of oil underlying all this San Fernando dis-
trict.

Srpulveda, 462.1 miles, is a side track on the
bank of the Los Angeles River, which the road
crosses near the depot.

Los Angeles, 470.7 miles. Here are lo-
cated, near the depot, the shops of the rail-
road company — quite a town of themselves.
It is the metropolitan city of Southern Cali-
fornia, with a population of about 16, 000, banks,
wholesale and retail stores, shops and fac-
tories, and hotels. Of the latter the Pico and
the St. Charles are first class. It has many impos-
ing edifices and blocks of fine buildings, and four
daily and seven weekly papers. The dailies —
the Star, Express, Herald, and Republican — circu-
late over all of Southern California.

The city was founded September 4th, 1781 ; is
situated on the Los Angeles River, 30 miles from
its mouth, and in a large valley that fronts on
the Pacific Ocean ; and has two rival harbors,
Wilmington and Santa Monica. The area of the
city embraces six square miles. The full name
of the city is Pueblo de la Seina de los Angeles
(" Town of the Queen of the Angels"). From
every point of the city the panorama is grand,
especially when the Sierra Madre Mountains are
in the background. It is the railroad center of
Southern California, and has already roads ex-
tending in five directions.

It is the seat of a Roman Catholic bishop, and
has a cathedral which is the finest church build-
ing outside of San Francisco. The several prom-
inent Protestant denominations have organiza-
tions, including the Methodist, Presbyterian, and
Episcopal. The Roman Catholics have a college
located here, and the Sisters of Charity a female
seminary ; and besides these there is an academic
institute and good public schools.

There is also a public library, an organized fire
department, and the city is supplied with gas and
water, and has street railroads extending from the
center in every direction. It was made a city
and the capital of California by the Mexican Con-
gress in 1836, and captured by the United States
forces under Commodore Stockton and General
Kearney in 1846.

It is celebrated for a mild and equable climate,
fertile soil, the luxuriant growth of semi-tropical
fruits and flowers, and the abundant products of
its vineyards and orange groves.

Leaving Los Angeles for Arizona, about a mile
south of the depot, the road turns east and re-

crosses the Los Angeles River and goes into the
San Gabriel Valley, and on east to San Gorgonio
Pass, Pasadena.

San Gabriel is 9.2 miles from Los Angeles,
and the station for San Gabriel Valley, which lies
to the right and is watered by the San Gabriel
River. It is the seat of an old mission of the
same name founded September 8th, 1771. This
is now dilapidated, as are all these old Spanish
missions, but the ancient bells still hang in their
belfry. It has the oldest orange orchard in the
State.

Near this station is an orchard of 500 acres, the
largest in the State — that of Mr. L. J. Rose. It
has oranges, lemons, olives, figs, limes, walnuts,
almonds, bananas, pineapples, and almost every
variety of tropical and semi-tropical nuts and
fruits.

The Sierra Madre Villa is a lovely spot, where
stands a hotel well appointed and kept, 1800
feet above the sea, overlooking the thousands of
groves in the Los Angeles Valley.

The choicest of all the " Los Angeles orange
groves" are in this valley.

John Muir says : " The sun valley of San Ga-
briel is one of the brightest spots to be found in
all our bright land, and most of its brightness is
wild ness — wild, south sunshine in a basin rimmed
about with mountains and hills."

And Dr. Congar, his friend, says to him : " I
have rambled ever since we left college, tasting
innumerable climates, and trying the advantages
offered by nearly every new State and Territory.
Here I have made my home, and here I shall stay
while I live. The geographical position is exact-
ly right, soil and climate perfect, and every thing
that heart can wish comes for our efforts — flowers,
fruits, milk and honey, and plenty of money."

Mr. Muir also says persons suffering from
advanced pulmonary disease are not benefited
here, and too many seek these delightful regions
too late and only to die.

After passing the old mission of San Gabriel,
and crossing the river of the same name, the road
follows a tributary of the river known as the San
Josg Creek to the plains in the direction of San
Bernardino.

Savanna, 11.7 miles from Los Angeles, is a
small station with fruitful fields of corn and
grain, and beautiful groves of oranges and lem-
ons, and large vineyards around it. The San
Gabriel Valley is still on the right.

Monte, 13.1 miles, is the old town of El
Monte, a thriving place in a perfect garden-spot.
It is almost impossible to keep the weeds from
choking the corn ; but for all that, the corn is
not stunted. Much of the corn is fed to hogs
without being shipped.

Ptiente, 19.3 miles from Los Angeles, is a sig-
nal station, around which Mexicans are numerous
— as, in fact, they are in all Southern California,

292

constituting about one fourth of the whole
people.

Spadra, 29.3 miles, is just 500 miles from
San Francisco, and a town of a few houses.

Pomona. 32.8 miles, is a pretty town of 500
people, with luxurious vegetation. Artesian wells
supply water for the town and for irrigation. A
reservoir holding 3,000,000 gallons is connected
with the works.

Cucamonga, 42.3 miles, is only a signal sta-
tion, near a ranch of the same name famed for its
wines.

Rincon settlement is ten miles south, irrigated
by the Santa Ana River. This river rises in the
San Bernardino Mountains, and is sometimes
called the San Bernardino River. Its waters
irrigate numerous colonies, among them River-
side, Santa Ana, Orange, and Anaheim.

Cotton, 57.5 miles, is named after General
D. D. Colton, the vice-president of the road.
Trains going east stop here for supper, and com-
ing west stop for breakfast. It has only 200
people, but a busy set, for it is the depot for San
Bernardino on the north and Riverside on the
south, and is itself the seat of a promising col-
ony. Owing to the nature of the soil, it is free
from all malarial influences, and has probably
as desirable a climate for invalids as any place on
the coast.

Colton is the seat of a new and promising col-
ony, one having 20,000 acres of land divided
into farms of 10 acres and upward. Another,
the Slova Mountain Colony, adjoins the town,
and has fine soil and pure water from Mix's Ranch.

The railroad company has large warehouses to
accommodate the freight from San Bernardino
and Riverside. Stages connect with all trains
for these two towns. Fare to San Bernardino, 50
cents ; to Riverside, 75 cents. Near the station
on the left is Slova Mountain, from which marble
is obtained.

Hiverside is 7 miles south-west of Colton. It
has 2000 people, three churches, and good
schools, and 8000 acres of choice agricultural
land supplied with abundant water for irrigation.
It has all the advantages of climate that are found
in the San Bernardino Valley, and its dry air
gives it a claim to be called the " Asthmatic's
Paradise. ' ' With mountains on nearly every side,
its situation is beautiful.

Twenty miles south-west are the Temescal
Warm Springs, on a plateau of Temescal Moun-
tain, 1500 feet above a valley of the same name.
Frost is not known at this place, owing to a belt
of warm air in which the springs are found.

San Bernardino, 4 miles north of Colton, is the
county town of San Bernardino County, and has
a population of 6000, two banks, four churches,
good hotels, two daily and two weekly news-
papers. Nordhoff says it has a climate in winter
preferable to that of Los Angeles, and no hotter

in summer. Two hundred artesian wells spout
out pure cold water that ripples through beauti-
ful streets, orchards, and orange groves. The
valley contains 2500 square miles, with variety of
climate as you ascend the mountain. It is free
from the fogs of the coast, and strawberries may
be picked in winter as well as summer.

Old San Bernardino is also a town in this valley
near the railroad. It was the first settlement,
the home of the Mormons who located in 1847.
All now remaining are " Josephites. " Here are
the oldest orange groves in the valley, and the
fruit of this region and Riverside surpasses that
of San Gabriel or any part of the coast in sweet-
ness and appearance. It is free from the black
saline rust that covers so much of the golden
color nearer the coast.

Crafton's Retreat, Arrowhead, and Waterman's
Mineral Springs are places of resort in this vicin-
ity, and all the valleys and mountains abcund with
game. Quail, deer, and rabbits are especially
plentiful.

Soon after leaving Colton, the road crosses the
Santa Ana River, and continues an easterly course
through Old San Bernardino, and up the San
Miguel Creek to the San Gorgonio Pass, where the
San Bernardino and San Jacinto ranges unite.

Mound City, 60.9 miles,

El Casco, 72 miles, and

San Gorgonio, 80.6 miles, are all signal
stations.

There is nothing inviting in the character of
the soil, and but little for the tourist to miss
while he sleeps as the train ascends to the San
Gorgonio Pass, 2592 feet above the sea. Here
the descent begins, the road passing down the
broad open valley without following any defined
watercourse until it reaches White Water River,
a durable stream of water flowing out of the San
Bernardino range. At this point the valley grows
broader, and finally opens out into what is known
as Cabazon Valley, down which the road con-
tinues to Indio.

Sunning, 86.8 miles, is a signal station, and

Cabazon, 92.7, a telegraph station. Wood
from the San Jacinto Mountains on the south is
brought down to the railroad at this point.

Named from the Indians.

White Water, 101.2 miles, named from the
creek, signifying its great importance in a dry
and thirsty land. It is in the midst of the cacti,
many varieties being found here. The cactus
grows only in gravelly land, and the zone of it
will disappear and reappear again near Mammoth
Tank. There are many forms of the Mamillaria,
Echinocactus, and several of the Opuntia, but
none of the Cereus.

The Opuntias are with both cylindrical and
elliptical stems. The spinose Opuntia the Mex-
icans call Choya.
The gigantic "nigger-head" (Echinocactus Cy-

lindraceus) lifts its bristling trunk sometimes four
feet, and is three feet in diameter, covered with
fish-hooks. The Mexicans call it bisnaga. It can
be roasted to secure a drink that will collect in a
central cavity, and its fruit can be eaten in small
quantities.

Sandstorms are a noteworthy characteristic of
this desert, and especially between White Water
and Walters. They occur during the winter and
spring. The winds come principally from the
north-west, raising and carrying before them great
clouds of pulverized sand and dust. The ap-
proach of the storm may be seen when it is dis-
tant several hours. The fine dust will penetrate
every thing. No garments are protection against
it. Tnese storms last generally one day, some-
times three days.

Seven Palms, 108.7 miles, a signal station.

Between Seven Palms and Indio there may be
seen on the north and east occasional groves of
palm-trees, along the foot-slopes of the San Ber-
nardino Mountains. This is the only opportunity
to see palm-trees on all the road, and a good pic-
ture of them will be more satisfactory. These
distant ones (Brahia Mexicana) are like the pal-
metto of South Carolina except in the extreme
roughness of the serration of the leaf -stalk. They
grow to a height of 60 feet. These are also the
only kind of palm-trees to be found on the desert.

The numerous forms of the cereus, and one of
which, the candelabra, called by the Mexicans
saghuard, sometimes two and a half feet thick,
and fifty feet high, are found only east of the
Colorado River.

Emigrants crossing the desert from the east
hailed these groves with joy, for water could be
had either in springs or near the surface, wher-
ever the palm-tree grows. About three or four
miles west of Indio, the road goes below sea-
level, and continues below for about 61 miles !

Indio, 129.5 miles, is a signal station, 20 feet
below sea-level !

Sagebrush is nowhere found on this desert, and
but little of it on the Mojave Plains. Here we
find two of the species of the inesquite-tree (1)
the flat pod (Algarobia Glandulosa), and (2) the
screw-bean (Sirorribocarpa, Pubescent!). The flat pod
is the largest, most abundant, and most valuable.
The long, bean-shaped pod is greedily devoured
by cattle, and highly nutritious. A gum exudes
from the tree which closely resembles gum arabic
in its chemical characters. The trees grow 15
or 20 feet high. The screw-bean mesquite is a
smaller tree than the flat pod, in some localities
much rarer,' and is less valuable for food.

Walters, 142.8 miles, is where passenger trains
meet. It is 135 feet below the sea-level. Eleven
miles east of Walters is the lowest point reached,
the minus elevation being 266^ feet ! The low-
est point of the valley is 287£ feet, and the whole
depression is about 100 miles long and from 10

to 50 miles wide. In the lowest levels is found
an immense deposit of rock salt, destined to be a
source of great industry.

Dos Palmos, 160.2 miles, is a telegraph sta-
tion, and the only place between Colton and
Yuma at which there is local traffic.

Stages leave this point on alternate days for
Ehrenberg, 109 miles, Wickenberg, 236 miles,
and Prescott, 297 miles. Fare, about 20 cents a
mile— to Ehrenberg, $20.

Dos Palmos is about 7 miles from an old stage-
station where two palm-trees grew by the side of
a large spring — hence its name.

f rink's Spring, 171.1 miles, a signal sta-
tion. Depression, 260 feet.

Five miles south are mud springs, covering
many miles. Some look like craters. Mr. Hood,
who has visited and examined them, is of the
opinion that the hot water dissolves and carries
off the mud about the mouth, and thereby causes
the ground to cave. Gases and steam issue from
some of these, although no geyser action has
been noticed there so extensive as Major Heintzel-
man reported, in November, 1852, from another
locality about 4.5 miles south-west of Yuma.

Between this station and Flowing Well are
some new and striking forms of vegetation that
will grow more abundant. Among them are the
"paloverde," the " ocotilla" (oc-co-tee'-yah),
" iron- wood " tree, and the " galleta" (gah-yee'
tay) grass. Palo verde is the Mexican for green
pole. This (Cercidium Floridum) resembles the
willow slightly, and flowers in May. It is then
almost covered with beautiful, sweet trumpet-
shaped flowers. In fruit it bears ail abundance
of beans.

From Dos Palmos to a point between Frink's
Spring and Flowing Well there is no brush —
nothing but complete waste and utter desolation.

Flowing Well, 188.8 miles, with an elevation
of 5 feet above sea-level. Here an artesian well
was bored, and at 160 feet obtained a fine flow of
water, but it was " marah" — too salt to use. All
the stations to Yuma are now only signal stations
— i. <>., the train runs 884 miles — we may almost
say from Colton, 191 miles — without local traffic.

Between Flowing Well and the Colorado River
there is an abundance of the creasote-bush
(Larrea Mexicana). It is often included in the
vague term ' ' grease-wood. ' ' Between Mammoth
Tank and Yuma it is the prevailing underbrush.
The leaf is waxy-like, th3 bark very dark brown,
almost black, and it grows about breast high.
Having risen from below the level of the sea, from
this point to the Colorado River bottom there may
be found again the desert growths some of which
were noticed at White Water and Indio.

Tortuga, 194.8 miles, has an altitude of 183
feet.

Mammoth Tank, 200.9 miles, named from a
natural tank, 3^ miles from the station, with a ca-

294

pacity of 10,000 gallons. Such wells are called
by the Mexicans tinajas. Some are formed in
gullies and arroyos on the sides of the mountains
by dams composed of fragments of rock and sand,
or worn out of the solid rock where the water falls
down upon it. Between this station and Yuma
may be seen the most striking plant on these
wastes. The Mexicans call it ocotilla (oc-co-
tee'yah) — the Fouquieria Splendens. It grows in
clumps consisting of from twelve to twenty long
wand-like branches, which spring from the main
stem close to the ground, and rise to a height of
from 10 to 15 feet. The stems are beset with rows
of spines from the axils of which grow small
fascicles of leaves. The whole stem is finally
covered with bright green, and beneath this
vivid cover are hid piercing thorns. The flower
is on the top of the stem, six or eight inches long,
and consists of many dark purple blossoms.
Good fences are made of these poles. They
continue green for years after being set in the
ground. It is said they never flower if the tops
are once cut off. In the bark is a green layer of
chlorophyl, and through this wonderful provision
of nature we have a green tree without leaves !
Sometimes it looks like a dry thorny stick, but
after a rain it becomes greener, and if the rain is
sufficient the green leaves will appear in bunches.
Sometimes it flowers without putting out a leaf !
A single growth is also marked by rings around
the stem.

Here also are large bunches of grass (aristida),
called by the Mexicans galleta (gah-yee'-tay)
grass.

Here is found also the desert willow (Chilopsis
Lineasis), with beautiful willow-like foliage and
delicate pink and white trumpet-shaped flowers.
Here is also the iron-wood (Olneya Tesota), re-
sembling the locust, especially in its blossom,
which is pink or purple and abundant, covering
the whole tree in May. The beans when roasted
are quite edible — much like peanuts. This is the
most common tree between Mammoth Tank and
Yuma.

Mesquite, 211.9 miles.

Cactus, 225.7 miles. This station was named
from the abundance of the Ocotilla, which was
supposed by many to be cactus.

From Mammoth Tank the road has been
ascending, and here the elevation is 396 feet.
The summit is near the station, and 897 feet ele-
vation. Adding to this the depression of 266
feet, and the whole rise is nearly equal to that in
the Livermore Pass. From this point the road
descends to the Colorado River, Yuma City hav-
ing an elevation of 140 feet.

To the left will be noticed a prominent peak,
yellowish in appearance. It has not yet been
named except in the local dialect, " Cargo Mu-
chacho."

Pilot Knob, 239.3 miles, is only a mile from a
peak of the same name, seen on the right.

In the vicinity of Yuma, in the bottom of the
Colorado River, are found both kinds of mesquite,
and the arrow-weed (Tessaria Borealis), consisting
of straight shoots from 4 to 8 feet high, with a
silvery pubescence on the leaves. It is the princi-
pal growth of the Colorado River bottoms.

Before crossing the river, the road runs near
Fort Yuma, a military post established in 1852.
It is situated on a bluff, with a commanding view.
Tne garrison is small, and with the advance of
civilization promises to be withdrawn before
many years.

The fort is on a butte rising about 200 feet above
the river bottom, and along the river is a bold
cliff of the same height. The river is about 300
yards wide at this point, and near it the Colorado
and the Gila unite.

From the bluff there is a commanding view of
the town across the river, of mesas, valleys, and
mountains.

The Castle Dome Mountains are on the north
and east, and north of this range and west are the
" Purple Hills, " and between these and the Castle
Dome is the channel of the Colorado.

Cargo Muchaco is south-west.

Yuma, 248.7 miles from Los Angeles, and
719.4 from San Francisco, i& approached by a
five-span Howe truss bridge. It is an oasis to the
traveler, but Colonel Hinton describes the out-
ward aspect of the scene thus :

"Sand-hills to right of them,
Sand-hills to left of them,
Sand-hills in front of them.'

There are 1500 people and one principal street
in the town. This is the point of departure for
nearly all towns and mining districts in Arizona,
and many in Mexico and New Mexico.

The buildings are only a story high, of sod or
adobe, with walls often four feet thick, and flat
roofs made of poles covered with willows, cloth,
or raw hide, and one or two feet of dirt on top.
Verandas from ten to twenty feet wide surround
the houses on all sides.

The climate is excessively hot, the mercury
standing for days at 120° in the shade. Some-
times it reaches 127° in the shade, and 160° in the
sun. The natives wear less clothing than the
negroes of the far South, and the people need no
blankets for sleeping in the open air.

Visitors will notice many peculiarities. High
fences, surround most of the huts, made of
rawhides and stakes of irregular heights. The
people sleep on the roofs of their huts eight
months of the year. The only church is the
Roman Catholic. The Sentinel, weekly, the only
paper.

295

Southern Pacific Railroad of Arizona.

During the winter and spring of 1878 and
1879 the Southern Pacific Railroad of Arizona
•was pushed eastward from Yutna to Casa Grande
182 miles.giving a continuous line from San Fran-
cisco of 913 miles, 18 more miles than the dis-
tance from San Francisco to Ogden.

The general course is east to Maricopa, through
the Gila Valley.

Leaving Yuma, we find Castle Dome Peak
and range on the left hand or north of the river.
Its outline suggested its name. On the south
side of the Gila river is the Sonora mesa — an
extensive, hard, gravelly plain, and in about an
hour's travel, one reaches the Pass where the
bluffs of the Gila range, cut by the river, de-
termined the location of the road near the
water. The work on the road-bed through this
range was the most difficult encountered be-
tween Yuma and the present terminus at Casa
Grande.

Across the river may be seen Boot Mountain,
and east of this, or to the right of it, is the con-
tinuation of the Gila range, Los Floros, and
farther to the right and east of Gila City, Mug-
gin's range.

The mountains of all this region are groups
of volcanic peaks, lying along an obscure axis.
There seems to be an opening directly ahead of
the traveler, but when he reaches it, one of these
rounded or irregular mountains is again in front
of him and he must wind about on long curves.

The opening made by the valley of the Gila
river is of the utmost importance for a trans-
continental railroad. For nearly 2.000 miles of
mountain after mountain, from north to south,
it is the only highway prepared by nature from
east to west, to connect the basin of the Missis-
sippi and the Pacific ocean.

Gila City, 15.7 miles from Yuma, has an
elevation of 149 feet. One must wonder how
such an imposing name could ever have been
given unless in mockery, for there is not even a
side-track. But once it had a thousand miners
who carried sacks of gold from their " dry dig-
gings " to wash it in the river.

The scarcity of water that strewed the terri-
tory with countless skeletons of animals and men,
was encountered in the construction of the rail-
road, the only supply being from the river. To
avoid the fate of others it was transported from
the rear, like the iron and the ties. Here there
is now a steam-pump that supplies a large tank
for railroad purposes.

Leaving Gila City, the road runs more south-
erly for a few miles, and then turns eastward.

The soil of the valley is the sediment that has
been washed down from the surrounding mount-
ains and is exceedingly fertile. This silt, or fine
sand, clay and earth covers volcanic rock, mostly
basalt.

The mountains are usually masses of granite ;
but many of them are only sand and lava.

To the forms of vegetation that are local and
remarkable — such as have been noticed before
reaching Yuma, we must add new forms of
cactus and especially rhe cactus candelabra
(cereus gigantcus), called by the Mexicans,
sahuaro (soo-war-row) and by the Indians
" harsee." It has a pale green, prickly trunk,
20 or 30 and sometimes even 6i> feet high, with
a diameter occasionally of three feet. The
prickers are in regular rows. Often it is with-
out a single branch, standing like a pillar in the
desert, but sometimes gigantic branches shoot
out laterally from the trunk, and then turn up-
ward, elbow-like, and ascend parallel to the
parent stock. It is the great giant of the plains
and the most interesting cactus in the world.
The trunk is a mass of ribs one or two inches
wide and about the same distance apart, extend-
ing from the root to the top. AVhen green the
interstices between these ribs and the hollow
cavity of the trunk is filled with a dark green
succulent substance somewhat like a melon.
The bark is easily ignited and in a strong wind
the fire will flash quickly to the very top, but
without injuring the vitality of the plant. By
these fires the Apache gave their signals in time
of war. The growth is slow, only a few inches
a year. When the tree dies, the whole of the
succulent interior dries up, and is blown away
like an impalpable powder. The stiong and
elastic ribs are then used for covering adobe
houses, and many other purposes. The flower is
seen in May, is of a pale yellow, appears at the
extremity of both branch and trunk. The fruit
appears in June and is shaped like a small pear.
It is gathered by the Indians who use for the
purpose a fork on a long pole, or else is found
where it falls when the birds detach it in seeking
to open the outer covering to secure the dark
red pulp within — a pulp sweet and delicate and
rivalling any gooseberry. It is highly prized
by both Indians and whites. From it the Mexi-
cans make a syrup and agreeable preserves.

Distributed over the whole territory, there is
the common prickly pear cactus, producing dif-
ferent colored flowers and a fruit of a pleasant
slightly acid taste. As many as 1,000 it is said
grow on a single bush.

One of the most usefi'l and important plants
is the celebrated Indian maguay — an agave —
with a bulbous root, like a lily partly above
ground, and varying in size from that of a man's
head to a camel's hump. It is full of sacchar-
ine matter and delicious when tasted. The
juice of the plant is boiled down into a good
syrup, and by distillation a favorite liquor is
made from the plant — the strong drink of the
Mexicans. The fibre of the leaves is strong and

206

much used by the Indians and Mexicans for
ropes.

Much gramma grass will be seen — valuable
food for horses.

About 40 miles from Yuma, Poso Butte is
opposite on the right hand or south, and on the
north an old stage station called Antelope. The
river is from four to ten miles distant most of
the way to Gila Bend.

Mohawk Summit, 56.1 miles from Yuma,
has an elevation of 540 feet. This has been
overcome at a grade not exceeding one foot in a
100, and the descent eastward is on the same
easy scale. The Mohawk range runs north and
south, and though broken may be traced on both
sides of the river. Before reaching

Texas Hill, 63.7 miles from Yuma, where
trains meet at noon, the road has descended to
the level of the mesa, nearly two miles from the
gap. Here water is again pumped from the
river the last supply to be had until the engine
reaches Gila Bend.

Stanwix is 85 miles from Yuma. At this
point, one is in the midst of the great lava beds,
and all around is ashes and desolation, but an
intensely interesting field, both as to the past
and the future. " In the rectangle contained by
parallels 32 deg., 45 min., and 34 deg., 20 min.,
and the meridians 107 deg., 30 min., and 110 deg.,
more than nine-tenths of the surface is of vol-
canic material ; and from this main body there
stretch two chief arms — the one going northeast
80 miles to Mt. Taylor, find the other west-
northwest 175 miles in Arizona to the San Fran-
cisco group of volcanoes."

Sentinel, 89.6 miles from Yuma is a so-called
station, with nothing that is not common to many
miles of the road.

fainted Itock, 103.5 miles from Yuma, is
no more important as a station, but as the name
implies has much interest for the archaeologist
and the curious. Ic calls to mind the old stage
station of the same name along the river, where
rude hieroglyphics made upon the rocks have
baffled so far all efforts to decipher them more
effectually than the cuneiform inscriptions of
the Assyrian kingdom or the picture-writing
of ancient Egypt. These " Pe.dros Pintados "
or painted rocks, are north of the railroad along
the old stage road, and consist of huge boulders
piled 40 or 50 feet high, and isolated in the great
plain. How they came there is as unknown as
the meaning of their grotesque carvings or paint-
ings. It is probable that they were gathered
without any direct agency of man. They are
covered with rude representations of men,
beasts, birds, reptiles and things imaginary and
real, and some of the representations express
events in human life. It is supposed that they
record the battles between the Yurnas, Cocopahs,
Maricopas and Pinas, or that councils were here
held and recorded. The majority of those who

have viewed them consider them as of recent
origin, dating no farther back than the begin-
ning of the seventeenth century, and there are
those who ascribe them to the Aztec and even
Toltec civilizations.

The range of mountains noticed on the north
side of the railroad is the Sierra Colorado.

Gila Hend, 119.3 miles from Yuma, is where
water is again pumped from the river to supply
the engines on the road, and named from the
bend of the river to the north. The distance by
the river to Maricopa is 150 miles, and by the
railroad only 45 ! The raiige of hills crossed by
the road, and which has pushed the river off to
the north, making the Gila Bend, is crossed at
an elevation of 1,520 feet, and after crossing it
the Maricopa desert extends off to the north,
and on the south is bordered by high broken
mountains.

Estrella, 138 1 miles from Yuma is of no
importance unless it be to mark the Sierra Es-
trella range, on the north or left hand side

Maricopa, 156.3 miles from Yuma, is the
first point of importance reached after leaving
the Colorado river. It is situated on a curve in
the road five miles long, with a radius of six and
a half miles 1 The elevation is 1,182 feet. Six
miles north is the old stage station of Maricopa
Wells, two miles further north the Gila River.
This is destined to become of great importance
in Arizona. The Santa Cruz Valley, running
north and south, and lying east of this station,
has in it good land covered with a thick growth
of sage brush, and added to the arable land
along the Gila will form an extensive agricul-
tural country centering around Maricopa. Water
is abundant and is supplied for the railroad and
temporarily for the town, from a well 60 feet
deep. In digging this well at 4<> feet there was
encountered a strata of lava two feet thick, then
a few feet of sand and then again a strata of
lava and beneath this a copious supply of water.
About five miles from Maricopa and a quarter
of a mile above the plain there is a large spring
that will no doubt be utilized to supply water to
the new town.

Much of the importance of the place will be
derived from its being the base of supply for the
Salt River Valley — a rich agricultural Valley
from five to ten miles wide, and lying along the
river, more than 100 miles long. The river flows
through an immense salt bed, but the water is
nevertheless used successfully for irrigation. In
this valley Phoenix is the centre of business and
has a population of about 2,000. Around it are
10.000 acres of land under cultivation, mostly in
farms of 160 acres. It is 30 miles from Mari-
copa— fare, $5.

Northwest of Phoenix and 90 miles from Mari-
copa is Wickenburg just south of the line divid-
ing Maricopa and Yavapai counties. It is a
town of about 300 inhabitants. The capital of

297

the territory is at Prescott, 130 miles north of
Maricopa (fare $25 00, time 24 hours) and is the
centre of trade for the most populous region of
the territory, and has about 5,000 inhabitants.
It has excellent schools and churches, a promis-
ing library association and a larger volume of
business than any other town in the territory,
but must look to her laurels since the extension
of the railroad promises many revolutions. The
town was named in honor of the historian who
has best studied and written the early history of
the country. Leaving Mariccpa, the general
course of the road is southeast toward Tucson
(Too-song) and the present terminus is at

Casa Grande, 182 miles from Yutna, and
913 miles from San Francisco. It is 22 miles
from Florence and about 100 from Tucson. At
the end of the long curve, the road strikes a
tangent toward Tucson about 50 miles long, the
longest part of the road without curve between
Turn a and this point.

Casa Grande is named from the extensive ruins

of an ancient civilization. Irrigating ditches,
fragments of broken pottery, crumbling walls,
even yet two and three stories in height, and all
only a fragment of what was seen by the first
Spanish explorers, attest the greatness of what
is now so mysterious. Here is the point of de-
parture for Florence on the northeast and Tucson
in the direction in which the road is to be ex-
tended.

Florence is the county seat of Final county,
and like all the Arizona towns is in the centre
of important mines. It is surrounded, too, by
rich agricultural land, and has water running
through its streets like Salt Lake City. The
population is nearly 2,000. All the buildings
are of adobe, owing to the high price of timber.

Tuscon, 100 miles southeast is reached in 20
hours by stage, and connection made for Santa
Fe, Texas and the East.

Casa Grande is also the point of departure by
stage for Guyamas, 350 miles from Tucson.
Fare to Guyamas from Tucson is $28.00.

New Route of the Overland Pacific Trains,

VIA MARTINEZ AND SAN PABLO.

All Overland Pacific trains now leave the for-
mer line at Tracy Junction, and turning towards
the river and the bay, pass over two short rail-
roads which form a very important new connect-
ing link in the Overland Route. Both are leaded
by the Central Pacific Railroad Company. The
first is The San Pablo and Tulare Railroad, which
is in operation from Tracy Junction to near Mar-
tinez. Here connection is made with The North-
ern Railroad, which runs from West Oakland to
Benicia. It thus forms a continuous line from
Tracy Junction to San Francisco, with a maximum
grade of 10.5 feet to the mile, and avoids the
heavy grades and curves at the Livermore Pass.
The " Overland " and Los Angeles trains all use
this level road, and for the accommodation of lo-
cal travel a train leaves Lathrop for San Francisco
after the Overland passes it going west. Passen-
gers on the Overland, therefore, going to San
Jose, Hay ward's, or any point on the main line,
should change cars at Lathrop.

Tracy Junction is 3 miles west of Bantas,
and 83 miles from San Francisco. The route
from the junction is north-west to Antioch. On
the left are the high hills of the Coast Range and
Mt. Diablo, around three sides of which the road
goes. On the right are the low lands of the San
Joaquin River.

Bethany, 76.6 miles from San Francisco, ia
a small station at Wickland on Old River.

Byron, 67.8 miles from San Francisco, is
near another landing on Old River.

Brentivoofl, 62.7 miles from San Francisco,
is a small station on the Marsh (or Los Meganos)

Ranch. The surrounding land is very fertile,
and up in the foot-hills are large coal deposits,
the quality being fair.

Antioch, 54 miles from San Francisco, is on
the San Joaquin River. It is a pleasant little
village of 3i»0 people, and has a sprightly weekly
paper, the Ledger. At Antioch, ocean vessels
have taken their cargoes.

Near Antioch is the confluence of the Sacra-
mento and San Joaquin rivers. From Antioch the
road skirts the south side of Suisun Bay to Mar-
tinez, near the head of the Straits of Carquin^z.

The town of Antioch may be seen about a
mile distant on the right or north. Soon after
leaving the station the cars pass beneath the
track of the Antioch railroad, a freight road to
convey coal from Mt. Diablo to tide-water ; and
soon beneath a similar road from Somerville to
Pittsburg landing, and soon again, beneath a
third road of like character from Nortonville to
New York landing. At the latter is the station
of Cornwall, etc., as reported May 20th.

Cornwall, 49.9 miles from San Francisco a
station on the " New York ranch" This large
tract is one of the Spanish grants, covering so
much of California and called Lo» Medanos.

Ban I'oint 42.2 miles from San Francisco is
the nearest approach to Mi. Diablo. Suisun Bay
is close at hand opposite the mountains. This
point is a favorite resort for shooting wild ducks
and geese. Near Bay Point our road crosses a
freight railroad from the coal mines of Mt.
Diablo at Somerville to Pittsburgh Landing at
tide water. Both Bay Point and

298

Avon, 39.1 miles are small stations at which
express trains do not stop.

Near Martinez the San Pablo and Tulare Hail-
road connects with the Northern Railway. This
Northern Railway will cross the bay to Benicia,
and continue north to Suisun. A gap from
Suisun to Woodland in Yolo County is supplied
by the California Pacific Railroad. From a
point on this last named road near Woodland, the
Northern Railway is now built and operated to
Willowa in Colusa County. This is the quickest
and most favorite route to Cooks, Aliens and
Bartlett's Springs in Lake County.

Martinez, 35.6 miles from San Francisco, is
a pretty little town of 800 people, the county
town of Contra Costa County, and the best point
to take stages or carriages to ascend Mt. Diablo.
The distance from Martinez is 21 miles, and Mr.
Wm. Bennett's stages are of the most approved
pattern. The ascent can be made by leaving San
Francisco in the morning and remaining over-
night on the mountain, and returning to the city
at noon the next day. Sunset or sunrise or both
may thus be had from the summit, and in but
little more than twenty-four hours. It is the best
view near the city, commanding the Sierras from
Lassen's Butts on the north to the High Sierras on
the south, and looking over the Coast Range out
on the broad Pacific — surveying at once an area of
32,01)0 square miles, greatly diversified with
ocean, river, city, mountain, garden, and desert.

Benicia is nearly opposite, with the United
States Arsenal above the town. The road passes
along the south side of the Straits of Carquinez
to the San Pablo Bay.

Ctirqainez, 32.2 miles from San Francisco
is so named from the straits. At this point is a
ferry connecting with Benicia, and here the over-
land passengers from Sacramento via the Cali-
fornia Pacific Railroad to Suisun, and thence via
the Northern Railway to Benicia are crossed
over on a monster ferry boat to skirt the edge of
the bay to Oakland. Through this narrow strait
all the waters from Mount Shasta on the north,
to Tej'tn Pass on the south about 500 miles, and
from the Sierras on the east to the Coast Range
on the west forces its way to the ocean.

While skirting the bay of San Pablo, one may
see Vallfjo and Mare Island on the extreme
north of the bay. (See page 277.)

Valona, 29.6 miles opposite Vallejo and Mara
Island and Towney 26.7 miles from San Fran-
cisco are small stations for local travel. Just
beyond Valona is a tunnel past which there
bursts upon the traveler a glorious vision of
beauty of the San Pablo Bay.

finale, (pronounced Pin-o-lay), is a small
station, a landing place on San Pablo Bay, 24
miles from San Francisco.

Sobrante, 20.8 miles from San Francisco,
is a station at which express trains do not stop.

San Pablo, 17.6 miles from San Francisco,

is a mile distant from a village beautifully situ-
ated, and a promising suburb of San Francisco.
It is an old Spanish town, with a population of
about 300, and with Catholic and Presbyterian
churches. Its prosperity has been greatly re-
tarded by the unsettled condition of the land
titles involved in the San Pablo grant. The
long history of litigation in this vicinity should
make every stranger careful about making his
home too hastily on Spanish grarts.

BARRETT, 16.1 miles from San Francisco.

STEGE, 13.9 « "

POINT ISABEL, 12.8 "

HIGHLAND, 11.7 "

DELAWARE STKEET, 10.4 and

STOCK YARDS, 8.7

Are stations for local trains.

Nearing Oakland, one will find on his left,
prominently situated near the foot of the Contra
Costa range, the State University at Berkeley. It
is controlled by regents appointed by the state,
and furnishes opportunity for all who desire to
obtain classical, or scientific education of the
highest grade at the public expense.

On the right, across the bay, may be seen San
Rafael, charmingly nestled in a deep nook, near
the foot of Mt. Tamalpais, easily recognized by
the long gulch washed out by the winter rains
and looking like a huge shoot for logs ; and
further south, may be seen the Golden Gate, with
Alcatraz Island, across its eastern end. Alcatraz
is a naval station.

Oakland, 65 miles from San Francisco, is a
station at 16th street, in West Oakland. At
this point passengers may take carriages for any
point in Oakland or Brooklyn. Or, if any one
prefers, he may continue on to Oakland wharf,
passing without stopping.

(For Oakland, see pages 259-262.)

West Oakland, 5.8 miles from San Fran-
cisco the terminus of the Northern Railway and
its junction with the Central Pacific. It is on the
edge of the bay, and at this point the cars go to
sea on a pier nearly two miles long and reach.

The New Ferry Boat, now building at
Benicia to accommodate the transfer of railroad
trains is the largest in the world. Its length is
425 feet, width 116 feet. It will accommodate
four tracks wide, and 24 passenger cars or twice
that number of freight cars. The boat has a
double end and rudder. Its boilers alone weigh
168 tons, or eight boilers of 21 tons each. The
entire cost of boat, etc., is $350.000.

Distances from San Francisco. — All
distances from San Francisco, over roads now
described in this Guide are now rated by the
Old Overland Route via Lathrop to Sacramento
and Ogden. The present distance to Tracy
Junction is 83.2 miles, via New Route, and 71.7
via Old Route, an increase of 11| miles. This
must be added to present estimates in this Guide
until further changes are announced.

299

The Steamers of the Colorado
Steam Navigation Company

Leave Yuma weekly from January 1st to Novem-
ber 1st, and during November and December
every alternate Saturday.

Stages leave for Camp Mojave every fifth
Wednesday from January 16th, 1878, aud con-
tinue to El Dorado Canon from May 1st to Novem-
ber 1st if the water permits.

Yuma to Castle Dome, 35 miles, $5 ; Ehren-
berg, 125 miles, $15 ; Aubrys, 220 miles, $28.
Camp Mojave, 300 miles, $35 ; Hardyville, 312
miles, $35 ; El Dorado Canon, 365 miles, $45.

All these points are on the Colorado River,
1200 miles long. For 600 miles, in Arizona, it
flows through deep canons, and receives more
than 20 tributaries and falls about 3000 feet. The
descent of its canons was accomplished with peril
by Colonel Powell, U.S.A., in 1869 and 1871.
For more extended information on Arizona, see
" Handbook to Arizona," by Richard J. Hinton.

Los Angeles and Independence
^Railroad.

LEASED TO THE CEXTKAL PACIFIC.

This road was built by Senator Jones, and
opened December 10th, 1875. It connects Los
Angeles and Santa Monica, giving this southern
metropolis its best seaport, and affording it and
the city of San Francisco an all-rail connection
with the " Long Branch " of the Pacific Coast.
It was projected towards Independence, and to
connect with the Utah Southern, or Union
Pacific. Considerable tunnel-work was done at
Cajon Pass. In 1877 the franchise and work
were purchased from the original owners and
leased to the Southern Pacific.

Trains leave Los Angeles for Santa Monica
daily at 10 A.M. and 3.45 P.M. ; Santa Monica for
Los'Angeles daily at 8 A.M. and 2.25 P.M.

After leaving Los Angeles, the road passes
through the beautiful orange groves in the
vicinity, and soon turns directly toward the
coast. There are no important stations on the line
of the road, but the San Fernando Mountains in
the north, and many pleasant homes, and corn
growing to maturity without rain or irrigation,
may be seen from the cars.

Santa Monica is a new town, begun in 1875,
and has now about 100<> residents. The town
site is a mile square, and has a park of five acres.
It is supplied with water from the San Vincente
Springs, three miles distant, and has a weekly
paper, the Santa Monica Outlook. There are two
churches and a good school-house, and one of the

best hotels on the coast, the " Santa Monica
House." It has ample accommodations for 200
guests.

The situation of the town is charming. It is
on a horseshoe bend in the coast, that gives it a
land-locked advantage for vessels, and the best
surf of the ocean for bathing. From Point Dum6
on the north to Point Vincent on the south is 28
miles, and a line drawn across from point to
point would be ten miles from Santa Monica.
But the shelter of the harbor is increased by a
group of outlying islands which add picturesque-
ness to the lovely view from the commanding
town. Point Dumas is 13 miles north-west, Point
Vincent 20 miles south-west. Anacapa, S»nta
Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel are all islands
in a line west of Point Dum€ — the continuation
of the Santa Monica range of mountains. Santa
Rosa is 91 miles west, and San Miguel hidden be-
hind it. On the south-west is Santa Barbara, 25
miles, and San Nicholas, 37 miles, and 40 miles
south is Santa Catalina. On the north there is a
beautiful background in the " saw teeth " of the
San Madre ran.ee. The natural barriers of the
harbor afford the best shelter on the southern
coast north of San Diego, and make the gently
sloping, hard sandy beach entirely free fiom un-
dertow. That requisite of good bathing in the
temperature is about perfect at this place.

Dr. Trask furnishes the writer various tables
of temperature, out of which is taken a month
too cool for bathing on the New Jersey coast —
that of November.

TEMPERATURE OF Ara.

7 A.M. 12P.M. 7 P.M. 12A.M.

Lowest... ..46 69 60 50

Highest 61 74 69 62

Average 546 71-4 63-4 56-5

Totul average, 61-3.

TEMPERATURE op WATER.
7 A.M. 12 P.M. 7 P.M. • 12 A.M.

Lowest 59 60 59 59

Highest 63 62

Average 60-8 61-2 61-2 60-9

Total average, 61.

The average mean temperature of the air from
September, 1875, to August, 1876, inclusive, was
61.8°. In December, 1875, it was 58°. In
August, 1876, the air averaged 64°, and the water
61°.

Added to these natural advantages, the bathing-
house on the beach has every convenience, with
fresh or salt and hot or cold water, and plunge,
steam, and private baths.

The air, as modified in this region, is most
agreeable and invigorating, and has proved
worthy the highest praise as a resort for many
persons troubled with asthma.

Besides its railroad connection with Los
Angeles, it is connected with the coast toyns

300

and San Francisco by steamers. A solid and sub-
stantial wharf, 1475 feet long, is regularly visited
by the steamers of the Pacific Coast Steamship
Company.

The roads are peculiarly good, and in the
canons of the mountains there are many beautiful
camping and picnic grounds. In the vicinity on
the south are ducks, geese, and all sea-fowl in
great abundance, and in the mountains on the
north quail and larger game, and the ocean
affords fine fishing for mackerel and smelts.

In short, Santa Monica has the climate, scenery,
natural advantages, and conveniences that make
it unequaled as a seaside resort.

Wilmington Division, Southern
Pacific Hailroad.

On this division two trains are run daily be-
tween Los Angeles and Wilmington. Leaving
Los Angeles, one travels through a succession of
orange groves and fruit orchards to

Florence, 6 miles from Los Angeles. This is
the point of divergence of the Los Angeles and
San Diego Railroad.

Cornet on, 11 miles from Los Angeles, is in a
fertile and well-cultivated region, and is the most
important settlement on the line of the road.

JDoininguez and

Cerritoa are small stations.

Wilmington, 22 miles from Los Angeles, is
the terminus. It has a population of only 500,
and is not so favorably situated as to insure its
rapid growth. Until Santa Monica became its
rival as the port of Los Angeles, it had a lively
aspect at times, and it derived considerable im-
portance from the presence of the army when it
was the head-quarters of the Department of
Southern California and Arizona.

The harbor is not accessible to large vessels,
and these are compelled to discharge by means of
lighters from San Pedro, two miles below. The
erection of a breakwater is in progress, and in it
the government has already spent more than half
a mil lion dollars. The breakwater will be 6700
feet long. The jetty so far as completed is very
strong and solid, and apparently impregnable to
all assaults of the water. By confining the channel
it deepens itself. Now there is only 12 feet of
water at the wharf, and this gradually deepens to
22 feet at the bar. Eventually there will be at
least one safe refuge for all kinds of vessels in
all kinds of weather between San Diego and San
Francisco, and Los Angeles will have such a har-
bor as its commercial importance deserves.

Firmin Point is the most prominent point on
the west, and has a lighthouse on it with a light
of the first order. A number of islands lie near
the* coast. Rattlesnake in front, Deadman's, a-

rocky peak, at the end of the breakwater, and
Santa Catalina 20 miles distant.

Wilmington looks like a deserted place, and
changes its appearance very frequently with the
sand-storrns that are common to the region, often
piling sand like snow in immense drifts.

The Los Angeles and San Diego
Hailroad.

The company which owns and has constructed
this road in part was incorporated October 10th,
1876. The road is built from Florence, six miles
west of Los Angeles, to Santa Ana, a distance of
twenty-seven miles, and will be extended to San
Diego. The Los Angeles River is crossed near
Florence.

Downey, 12 miles from Los Angeles, is a small
town of 500 people, but prosperous. Irrigation
is essential in all this part of the State, but with
abundant water, good grain, fruits, and vegetables
are assured. Here there is a supply from the San
Gabriel River, the river crossed soon after leav-
ing the station.

Norwalk, 17 miles, and

Costa, 28 miles, are both small stations.

Anaheim, 26 miles from Los Angeles, is one
of the most important towns of Southern Cali-
fornia. It was settled by a colony of Germans,
and their thrift is quite apparent on every hand.
Water from the Santa Ana River is used for irri-
gation, and along the ditches are dense rows of
willows, poplars, eucalyptus, pepper, acacia, and
other beautiful trees. The population is about
1500. The town has a weekly paper, the Anaheim
Gazette, two good hotels, and many buildings
quite creditable to the young and rising place.

A few miles distant is the Westminster colony,
water for which is had from artesian wells and
is quite abundant. It is one of the most flour-
ishing colonies of the State. Anaheim was the
first of these colonies on a large scale, deriving
its water from the river, and Westminster the
first deriving its water from artesian wells. Both,
as well as others started since, have been emi-
nently successful. Crops are assured without
reference to seasons, and the desert lands of a few
years ago are filled with plenty.

All this great valley of Southern California,
near the geographical center of which Anaheim
is situated, possesses a mild equable climate,
and the nature of the soil — rich, sandy loam —
insures freedom from malaria. Anaheim has a
landing on the ocean about ten miles from the
town, and to this the steamers of the Pacific
Coast Steamship Company make regular trips.

Orange, 31 miles from Loa Angeles, is another
flourishing colony, obtaining water from the

301

Santa Ana River. The road crosses the river on a
long bridge just before reaching the town of

Santa Ana, — 33 miles from Los Angeles.
This, too, is one of the colonies in the great val-
ley, where cactus land worth $5 an acre rises to
$'j')0 or $300 an acre soon after water has been
turned upon it. Santa Ana has derived consid-
erable importance from being the terminus of the
railroad, and now has daily stages for San Juan
Capisti*ano, 24 miles south-east (fare, $2.50) ; San
Luis Rey, 65 miles (fare, $5) ; and San Diego,
10' > miles (fare, $10).

Sun Diej/0, — the objective point of this road,
is the oldest town in California, and well known
in all lands. Its history, beautiful situation, nat-
ural advantages, and remarkable climate, which
Agassiz said was " its capital " — all make it in-
teresting and important.

It is the oldest settlement in the State, the
mission having been founded in 1769. It is des-
ignated as the western terminus of the Texas and
Pacific Railroad, and with its prospects and prob-
abilities in this direction corner lots have gone
up and down like a jumping-jack.

It is situated on San Diego Bay, about 12 miles
long and 2 wide, with 30 feet of water at low
tide, and good anchorage. It is one of the love-
liest of harbors, and greatly resembles that of
Liverpool. Excepting the Bay of Sail Francisco,

there is nothing like it between the Isthmus and
Puget Sound.

For miles along the bay the land rises gently
toward the interior, making a location for a city
unexcelled in all the world.

Its climate has long been noted, and its reputa-
tion as a sanitarium is deservedly great Tlie
mercury never falls below 40° in winter, nor rises
above 80° in summer. The sea-bathing is fine,
the drives charming, and the vegetation luxuri-
ant.

It has a population of about 5,000, is the county
town of San Diego County, and has a large num-
ber of good buildings. The Horton House, a
hotel erected at a cost of $175,000, is not sur-
passed by any house outside of San Francisco.

But with all her natural advantages and beau-
tiful situation, others will never concede to her
the importance she claims, and she will never
be satisfied unless she realizes her hopes in be-
coming the terminus of a transcontinental rail-
road, and a chief gate in the highway of the
nations.

San Diego is reached by the steamers of the
Pacific Coast Steamship Company, and will no
doubt be more largely patronized by health
and pleasure seekers whenever the city enjoys
railroad commuuicatiou with the rest of the
world.

To Australia via San Francisco.

The tour of the world is now the lot of many
who of necessity must enter the Golden Gate.
But some, starting from England, must decide
whether they will visit Australia via the Suez
Canal or San Francisco. It is more expensive
to go from London via New York and San Fran-
cisco, but it has been clearly demonstrated that
this is the quickest route and best adapted for
the mails.

It is also the pleasantest route. By it one
from England has the advantages of seeing the
length and breadth of the American continent
while he is en route, and the privilege of stop-
ping where he pleases ; and if he desires, he can
turn aside and see at a trifling additional expense
the great wonders of Colorado and California
and the Hawaiian Islands. His journey is pleas-
antly broken up by having cars for a part of it,

and he will find the ocean ride from San Fran-
cisco to either Melbourne or Sydney long
enough. There can be no question as to choice
of route unless it should be in the winter season,
and even then this route ought to be preferable ;
for while it breaks up a long sea voyage, the
only danger of interruption from snows has
proven to be comparatively little. Sometimes
both Union and Central Pacific Railroads are
wholly unobstructed during all the winter, and
the occasional blockades are never of long dura-
tion. Passengers of this class are allowed 250
Ibs. of baggage each, and leave San Francisco
every four weeks, reckoning from June 10th or
July 8th, 1878. The price of cabin passage from
San Francisco to Auckland and Sidney via Hon-
olulu is $200, and berths in the upper saloon are
$10 extra.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, ANI> WASHINGTON TERRITORY.

Some of the finest scenery on the continent is
to be found in Oregon and Washington Territory.
The tourist en route to this from San Francisco
may take a steamer of the Pacific Coast Steam-
ship Company, or the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company, or the Oregon Steamship Company.
There are two or three steamers a week at all
seasons.

Or, if one desire to see the country and avoid
the ocean, let him take the Central Pacific Rail-
road to Redding, and the stages of the California
and Oregon Stage Company to Roseburg. The
whole 275 miles of stage route is through the
most beautiful, wild, and sublime scenery. The
road follows the valley of the Sacramento River
to its head-waters at the foot of Mt. Shasta, 14,-
444 feet high, and passes along the base of this
lofty, snow-capped and glacier-clad butte. (See
" Head- waters of the Sacramento and Mt. Shas-
ta.") It then crosses the Siskiyou and Rogue
River Mountains, and passes over either high
mountains on easy grades or through canons and
narrow valleys for its entire length.

At Roseburg the stage connects with the cars
of the Oregon and California Railroad, 200 miles
from Portland. The route is thence to and
through the Willamette Valley — 50 miles by 150
— the " garden of the north-west," pronounced by
ex-Vice-President Coif ax " as charming a land-
scape as ever painter's brush placed upon can-
vas."

En route to Portland one may visit Salem, the
capital, and other thriving towns in the Wil-
lamette Valley, and the beautiful Falls of the
Willamette at Oregon City ; and from Portland
go to Puget Sound and British Columbia up the
canon of the Fraser River from Victoria ; or from
Portland or Victoria to Alaska ; or to Astoria,
near the mouth of the Columbia River ; or up the
Columbia to the Dalles and Wallula, and there
either take rail 30 miles to Walla Walla, or pro-
ceed up the Columbia to Priest's Rapids, or up
the Snake River to Lewiston in Idaho, the head
of navigation.

Portland is beautifully situated on the Willam-
ette, the site sloping back to hills from which can
be seen Mounts Hood, Adams, Rauier, and St.
Helens, and four magnificent domes.

Mt. Hood is the great central figure of Oregon;

rearing his lofty head as a snow-white pyramid,
and forming a pleasant background to many a
charming view.

The Columbia River, the second largest vol-
ume of fresh water in the world, is mighty and
beautiful in itself and its distant surroundings.
No one who sees can ever forget the lands that
lie at its entrance to the sea. The beauty goes
far to compensate for passing over one of the
roughest bars in the world. All is grand be-
tween Astoria and Portland, and from Portland
to the Cascades the whole route is without any
thing to equal it. From the Dalles to Celilo, it
loses its beautiful green, and, although barren,
it is perfectly grand.

Away up in British Columbia, near the head of
navigation, it is confined within high canons, and
presents a constant succession of bold and strik-
ing views. The upper Snake, toward Lewiston
in Idaho, is of the same majestic character.

The distance from Portland to the Dalles is 121
miles, and from Dalles to Wallulu 121 miles, and
from Wallula to Lewiston 161 miles.

Steamers leave Portland daily for the Dalles at
5 A.M., and for Wallula Mondays and Fridays at
5 A.M., connecting with 30 miles of railroad for
Walla Walla. The fare from Portland to the
Dalles is $5 ; to Wallulu. $12 ; and from Wallula
to Walla Walla, $3.

Puget Sound.

The route to " The Sound " is by the boats of
the Oregon Steam Navigation Company from
Portland to Kalama, thence by the Northern Pa-
cific Railroad to Tacoma, 105 miles, and thence
by steamer for all points on the sound.

" The Sound " is a most beautiful sheet of
water — a succession of bays with enchanting
shores on two and sometimes, apparently, on all
sides, sloping up to hills and well-timbered
mountains. Seattle and Olympia are the largest
towns of general interest. Port Townsend and
other places are extensive lumber-mills.

Victoria, in British America, is a beautiful,
quiet place of 5000 people.

303

Passengers can leave Portland daily at 6 A.M.
(except Sunday) for all points on the Sound, and
for Victoria on Wednesday and Saturday at the
same hour. From Portland to Kalama the fare
is $1 ; to Tacoma, $7 ; and to Victoria, $13.

During the summer season, the tourist may
•wish to see " Clatsop Beach," the great water-
ing-place of Oregon — her boast, and the envy of
California. It is a long, wide, splendid beach
from Fort Stevens, at the mouth of Columbia
River, to Tilamook on the south, a distance of 20
miles. The route is ma Astoria by the steamers
of the Oregon Steam Navigation Company, and
thence across a promontory to the ocean. Be-
sides the splendid beach, the place has all the
usual attractions of mountain, sea, and sand —
meadow, grove, and stream.

Oregon, like Northern California, is a sort of ,

sportsman's paradise. Its streams, which are
everywhere, abound in trout, and the large rivers
in salmon. Deer, grouse, quail, ducks, and
geese, bear, elk, mountain-sheep, and cougars
are in all sections of the State, although civiliza-
tion has drawn the elk, mountain-sheep, and bear
from the great valleys. Deer are plentiful, con-
venient to points reached by railroad and steam-
ers, and grouse are found in all the valleys. The
sportsman and tourist can not go amiss in any
section of Oregon, Washington Territory, or
Idaho.

To the emigrant its broad, unoccupied, fertile
plains present a great attraction. Emigrants will
find information furnished by the Oregon State
Board of Immigration, or the Land Department
ol' the Oregon and California Railroad, 504 Bat-
tery Street, San Francisco.

Oregon Division of the Central Pacific Railroad, Northern Cali-
fornia Railroad.

All trains over the Oregon Division going north
are made up at Sacramento, and leave the main
line of the Central Pacific at Roseville Junction,
18.2 miles east.

The general direction of the road is north,
through a grazing and wheat-growing section to
the foot-hills at the head of the Sacramento Val-
ley.

Whitney's is a signal station ; and

Lincoln, 28.7 miles from Sacramento, has a
coal deposit near the village of 300 people, which
supplies fuel for manufacturing purposes. The
manufacture of pottery and sewer-pipe from clay
convenient to the railroad is also an important
industry.

The Marysville Buttes, 2030 feet high, are a
landmark in every portion of the upper Sacra-
mento Valley, and are always seen when going
north, on the left-hand side of the road.

Ewinfl is a signal station, and

Sheriff an a little village near Bear River.
The soil on the south side is mostly light, and
the land used for pasturing sheep and cattle.

Bear River Channel has been entirely filled with
dil>ris from the mines above; and from this
source a great contest has arisen in the State be-
tween the agricultural and mining interests, and
it is yet undecided.

Wheatland, 39.6 miles, has a population of
about 800. and a weekly newspaper, the Recorder.
The principal trade is in wheat and flour.

Heed's and

Ynbn are both signal stations.

As the road approaches Marysville, it crosses the
Yuba River. Like Bear River, the channel has
been filled up many feet in places, and high

levees are required on each side, especially dur-
ing the winter rains.

Marysville, 52.4 miles from Sacramento, is
at the confluence of the Yuba and Feather riv-
ers, is the county town of Yuba County, has a
population of 5000, wide and regular streets, is
the home of the Roman Catholic bishop, has large
Catholic educational institutions and good Prot-
estant schools, is lighted with gas, has water from
an artesian well 300 feet deep, has six churches,
banks, foundries, machine-shops, wholesale and
retail stores, and numerous hotels. The Western
Hotel is one of the best outside of San Francisco.
There is one daily paper, the Mart/grille Appeal.
Oranges and lemons grow well in and around the
city, and the private residences are usually sur-
rounded by choice fruit or shade trees and a rare
wealth of roses and flowers. The prosperity of
Marysville was very great when there was no rail-
road extending northward and the mines were
yielding well, and now the city is building up
again, and building solidly on the trade of the sur-
rounding country, and especially on that of Sutter
County, across the Feather River.

It has two stage-lines daily to Colusa, 28 miles
west, and also stages to Grass Valley, 35 miles ;
North San Juan, 38 miles ; La Porte, 65 miles ;
and Downieville, 67 miles.

Marysville has been flooded several times, but
is now surrounded by high and strong levees, and
considered safe against any floods. Just across
the Feather River is Yiiba City, the county town
of Sutter County, with a population of 800. It
is at the head of steamboat navigation ; has one
weekly newspaper, the Stttter Banner. About
eight miles below the city is the " Hock Farm,"

304

the old home of General Sutter, so renowned for
hospitality in the Pioneer days of California.

At Marysville passengers going north take
supper, and going south take breakfast, and pas-
sengers for Orville (distance 28 miles), change
cars, taking at the depot of the Central Pacific
road those of THE NORTHERN CALI-
FORNIA RAILROAD, which connects closely
with the Central Pacific and reaches the follow-
ing stations.

Honcut is its only station, and an unimport-
ant one.

Oroville, the northern terminus, has a popu-
lation of 1500, and is the county seat of Butte
County. Its placer-mines, once fabulously rich,
are now worked chiefly by Chinamen, but the
mining interests in the foot-hills make Oroville
the seat of a considerable trade. It has stages to
Cherokee Flat, 12 miles ; La Porte, 45 miles ;
Susanville, 85 miles ; Chico, 25 miles ; and Bigg's
Station, 12 miles. Oroville has one church — a
union church. During the summer nearlj all
the families desert the place and take themselves
to the mountains to escape the intense heat.

After leaving Marysville,on the Central Pacific,
the Feather River is crossed, about two miles
from the depot.

Lomo and Live Oak are flag stations ; and

Gridley and Biggs are both new and flour-
ishing towns, named from the owners of large
ranches. From Biggs there is a stage to Oroville,
12 miles (fare, $1). Biggs has a weekly paper, the
Register, and a population of about 1000.

All this upper Sacramento Valley is a vast
wheat-field, and evidences of its productiveness
are on every hand.

North of Biggs the road crosses the canal of
the Cherokee Flat Mining Company, 18 miles
long and 400 feet wide, but filled up like the
channels of the rivers, and extending its smooth
sediment over the acres on either side.

Nelson and Durham are small stations, but
in a rich section.

Chico, 95.7 miles, is one of the best and most
prosperous towns of California. Its population
is 5000. It has five churches, is lighted with
gas, supplied with pure water from Chico Creek,
has several banks and hotels (the principal one
the Chico House), has one daily paper, the
Record, and one weekly, the Enterprise. The
Sierra Flume and Lumber Company have con-
structed several V-shaped flumes from the Sierra
Nevada Mountains on the east to different points
on the railroad. One of these flumes terminates
at Chico, and is 35 miles long.

The beautiful home of General Bidwell, who
came to California prior to the "gold fever,"
and who has always been one of her most enter-
prising citizens, is just north of the town. His
orchard is filled with oranges, lemons, figs,
almonds, walnuts, and the choicest of other

fruits, and his vegetable and flower gardens are
unsurpassed in Northern California. He has
32,000 acres of the choicest land in one tract.

Chico has a daily stage to Oroville, 25 miles ;
Greenville, 60 miles ; and Big Meadows, Plurnas
County, 65 miles ; Big Valley, Lasson County, 80
miles ; Dayton, Butler County, 6 miles ; Jacinto,
14 miles ; Germantown, 13 miles ; Willows, 56
miles ; and Colusa, 40 miles — connecting at
Colusa for Williams on the Northern Railway,
and for Allen and Bartlett's Springs.

Stages run Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
to St. John, 10 miles ; Orland, 23 miles ; Const
Range, 35 miles ; and Newville, 40 miles. The
fare is from ten to fifteen cents a mile.

jYorrf, Anit<i, Cana, Soto, Vina, and
Sesma are all small stations, but in a fertile
country.

The Sacramento River is crossed on a bridge
near

Tehama, 122.8 miles from Sacramento. The
population of the town is nearly 1000, and the
people have a daily paper, the Tocsin. The
place was first called "Hall's Crossing." It is
the terminus of a flume 40 miles long, belonging
to the Sierra Flume and Lumber Company. Las-
sen's Peak, with an altitude, according to Prof.
George Davidson, of the United Slates Coast
Survey, of 10,650 feet, may be seen in the north-
west.

Red Bluff, 134.9 miles, is the county seat of
Tehama County, with 200 inhabitants. It is at
the head of river navigation in the midst of rich
land, and is the terminus of another flume of the
Sierra Flume and Lumber Company. It has two
weekly newspapers, the Sentinel and People's
Cause. Mt. Shasta may be seen in fair weather,
far away to the north.

Hooker and Buckeye are signal stations ;
and

Cottomvood, 151.9 miles, on Cottonwood
Creek, is a small village of 300 people ; and

Anderson's is a village of 200 people, 158.6
miles from Sacramento ; and

Clear Creek, a small station near

Redding, the present terminus of the road.
The population of Redding is about 500. It is
169.7 miles from Sacramento.

Stages leave Redding daily for Shasta, Scott's
Valley, Weaverville, and Yreka, and for Camp-
bell's Soda Springs, 69 miles ; Sisson's, at the
foot of Mt. Shasta, 77 miles ; Yreka, 114 miles ;
Jacksonville, 174 miles, and Roseburg, Oregon,
275 miles. The fare is fifteen cents a mile.
Through fare from San Francisco to Portland,
$40.

During the summer season the stage leaves
Redding about midnight on arrival of the train,
and runs on fast time to Roseburg. During the
winter it leaves at 6 A.M.

At Roseburg connection is made with the

305

Oregon and California Railroad for Portland,
200 miles. On this overland route to Oregon the
tourist will find one of the most attractive
regions in the world, in the

Head-waters of the Sacramento
and Mount Shasta.

From Redding to the Black Butte, more than
80 miles, the stage-route follows the general
course of the river, leaving it occasionally and
crossing it five times. At Redding the broad,
fertile Sacramento Valley ends, and the foot-
hills, with numerous little valleys between them,
begin. The stage ride from Redding north is
through these, and then across the mountains
that confine the waters of the 1'itt and McCloud
rivers. These are the main tributaries of the
Upper Sacramento. The Pitt is fed by the eter-
nal snows of Lassen's Peak, the central and lofti-
est figure in a line of ancient volcanoes, and the
northern extremity of the Sierra Nevada range.
The McCloud is a rapid stream, rushing along
at from ten to twenty miles an hour, with high
canon walls on either side, and water cold as ice
and clear as crystal. It bursts from the ground
in a great volume, and is probably the outlet of
Mud Creek, which rises from a glacier on the east
side of Mt. Shasta and then sinks in the earth.

Near the crossing of the McCloud is the United
States fish-hatching establishment. All these
rivers abound in trout and salmon, but the best
place on them for trout-fishing is the upper
waters of the McCloud. The valley of the Sac-
ramento grows narrower as one goes northward,
and at last is almost a canon. Just beyond Camp-
bell's Soda Springs, 69 miles north of Redding,
the road ascends from the river to an extensive
mountain basin, walled in by yet loftier moun-
tains— a sort of semicircular wall from Scott's
Mountain on the north to Trinity on the west and
Castle Rock on the south-east. On the east side
of the road, and in this great basin, Mt. Shasta
rears its lofty head into the dark, deep blue of
heaven.

This delightful region is of easy access ; and
while the Yosemits Valley is reckoned the most
wonderful attraction of nature in California, it
is surpassed in many respects by Mt. Shasta.
Shasta has an elevation of 14,444 feet, according
to Professor Whitney, and that of Mt. Blanc is
but 15,739 feet. Mt.* Whitney is the only moun-
tain in the United States known to be higher —
and that by only 500 feet. But Mt. Whitney is
flanked by numerous other mountains nearly as
high, while Shasta rises about 11,000 feet above
the surrounding country on every side.

Mt. Whitney and Mt. Lyell have glaciers of
feeble vitality, but Shasta has three, each living
and accessible. It is the only mountain in Amer-
20

ica where glacial phenomena may be carefully
studied with trifling exertion.

Mt. Shasta has two peaks, one called the Cra-
ter Peak, although both were active volcanoes at
a former day. The Crater Peak, Professor Whit-
ney said in 1865, was " believed by many to be
quite inaccessible. Its sides appear to be covered
with loose volcanic materials, probably ashes,
lying at the highest angle possible without slid-
ing down." Now it is frequently climbed, its
sides being covered ^vith blocks of trachyte of
all sizes, which have broken from the crater
walls above. They slip down and retard the
climbing, but the footing is secure in the steepest
places. Only a few feet below the summit on
the main peak, and above glaciers and ice-fields,
there are springs of boiling water and juts of
constantly escaping steam, all strongly impreg-
nated with sulphur. It was these that kept
John Muir and his guide, Jerome Fay, from per-
ishing when a storm overtook them on the sum-
mit and compelled them to spend a night there.
They froze on one side and roasted on the other.
The panorama from the summit is beyond de-
scription. The view takes in the whole of Cal-
ifornia from the Coast Range to the Sierra
Nevadas, and from the Bay of San Francisco far
beyond the Oregon boundary — not less than 450
miles. It is probably unsurpassed in the world.
Once the writer stood upon the summit in July,
and there lay around him 100 square miles of
snow. Often rolling masses of fleecy clouds shut
out all below, and one is left as in the very cham-
ber of heaven. As one climbs the mountain he
will hear the water gurgling through the loose
rocks, fed by the melting shows, but no stream
flows directly from the Butte. A journey of 100
miles around the cone may be made without
crossing a stream or finding a spring.

The ascent of Shasta is full of interest to every
lover of nature. The flora is remarkable, and has
attracted to it in person such eminent scientists
as Sir Joseph Hooker and Asa Gray. The ascent of
the mountain is always made from Sisson's, a
charming hotel in Strawberry Valley, Siskiyou
County, California, one of the best and cheapest
places of resort in the State. Horses, guides,
blankets, and provisions are furnished. If there
are three in the party the cost will be $15 each,
and $20 if only one. The trip requires 36 hours.
The first night is spent camping at the upper
edge of the pinus flexilis and the lower edge of
the snow, at an elevation of about 10,000 feet. La-
dies have occasionally made the ascent, and any
strong able-bodied man or woman can do so. It
is difficult, but not dangerous.

Besides Mt. Shasta there are hundreds of inter-
esting places to visit or to see. The Black Butte,
called the Black Cone by the Geological Survey,
is a sugar-loaf mass of trachyte more than 6000
feet above the sea, with an outline in the horizon

306

as regular as it would seetn an axe could hew it.
It is in striking contrast with the deep blue azure
and the bright green of Strawberry Valley.

Castle Rock — seen from the stage-road — is a
wonderful uplift of granite, perhaps surpassing
every thing of the kind outside of Yosemite
Valley, and strongly resembling the Sentinel
Dome.

Castle Lake, Picayune Lake, the Big Spring,
" The Falls" on the banks of the Sacramento
River, and the Falls of the McCloud River are all
sources of surpassing interest. No region of
California is so varied in its attractions. Yosem-
ite is a place to see, Mt. Shasta is a place to
stay.

The hunting and fishing are unsurpassed in
California. The waters are filled with trout and
salmon. On the McCloud River the trout weigh
from half a pound to three pounds, and the Dolly
Varden species, with bright red spots on the side,
weigh from one pound to twelve pounds. The
McCloud is a glacial stream, and the Dolly Var-
dens are found only in such. Castle Lake and
this river are the best trout and salmon fly-fishing
places in the State.

The hunting is no less attractive than the fish-
ing. Grizzly bears are not found in the region,
but the black, the brown, and the cinnamon are
numerous. The puma or cougar is sometimes

found, and the lynx and two other species of
wild-cats.

Deer are so numerous that a crack shot need
have no difficulty in bringing down at least one
every day. There are three varieties, the mule,
black-tailed, and white-tailed. Grouse, mountain-
quail, and squirrels are numerous, and mountain
sheep and antelope are found at no great distance.
Parties provided with guns can be fitted out for
hunting elk, antelope, deer, or mountain-sheep
in Oregon, and provided with competent guides
by Sisson. The region is full of mineral springs,
there being several in the vicinity of Sisson's, and
one of the best at Campbell's — formerly Fry's — on
the stage-road, 8 miles south of Sisson's. The wa-
ter is ice cold, strongly effervescent, and charged
with soda, iron, and salt. Campbell's hotel
is excellent. Parties are fitted out for fishing in
either the McCloud River or Castle Lake at both
Campbell's and Sisson's, but at Sisson's only are
guides to be had. Board is $10 a week at both
places, saddle-horses $2 a day, and guides, with
horse, $5 a day.

Those who desire a more detailed account of
this wonderful region should consult Clarence
King's " Mountaineering in the High Sierras,"
or " Calif ornian Pictures, by Benjamin Parke
Avery," or " Health and Pleasure Resorts of the
Pacific Coast."

North Pacific Coast Railroad,

(NARROW GAUGE.)

This road is now completed from Saucelito, its
southern terminus, in Marin County, to the north
side of the Russian River, 80J miles in length,
with a branch from San Quentin to the " Junc-
tion," 17 miles from San Francisco. Nearly all
passengers take the route via San Quentin and San
Rafael, on the spacious, elegant, and fast steam-
ers "San Rafael" and "Saucelito," from the
foot of Market Street. These popular boats are
owned by the railroad company.

The railroad company own barges on which
they transport all their freight cars to and from
San Francisco without breaking bulk, but pas-
sengers by this route take the boats of the
Saucelito Land and Ferry Company. These
boats also leave the foot of Market Street.

Nearly all passengers go via San Quentin and
San Rafael.

The road passes through Marin and into
Sonoma County, and the trip over it is more di-
versified than any other of equal length in Cali-
fornia. From the beauty of the Golden Gate and
the Bay of San Francisco, the road skirts the base
of Mt. Tamalpais, and passes through a wild,
picturesque mountain region, down a beautiful
canon filled with trees, babbling water, and.

trout, through rolling hills, the great dairy re-
gion of the coast, along the shores of Tomales
Bay, through fertile grain fields, and at last ends
in the dark forests of the red-woods, where the
Russian River has broken asunder the coast
mountains and forced its way to the ocean.

During the summer two through trains are run
daily, and during the winter one train, Sundays
excepted. In summer a Sunday excursion train
leaves San Francisco via Saucelito, and returns
in the evening.

Between San Francisco and San Rafael eight
round trips are made daily.

Leaving San Francisco via San Rafael, one
passes under the guns of Alcatraz Island, which
stand a sentinel at the Golden Gate, and rounds
Angel Island, which is separated from the main-
land by Raccoon Straits, and takes in on a clear
day, while passing, the cities of Oakland and
Berkeley and the Contra Costa hills beyond them,
and more than the eye can hold, until he reaches

San Quentin, 11.5 miles from San Francis-
co. It is situated on a point of the same name
on the west shore of San Pablo Bay, a division of
the Bay of San Francisco. Its chief importance
is derived from the fact of its being the residence

307

of the Lieutenant-Governor of the State, who ex-
officlo has charge of the State's convicts. There
are usually from 800 to 1500 of these persons kept
here at hard labor. The work-shops and other
buildings are on the left of the railroad ; and
on the left, and directly ahead, is Mt. Tamalpais,
the loftiest peak in this region. A wash-out near
the summit looks like a shute for logs.

Here passengers exchange the steamers for the
cars, neat and comfortable, but not so commo-
dious as those of a broad-gauge road. lu a few
minutes' ride one will be at the town of

man Rafael (San Ra-fell), 14 miles from San
Francisco.

It is the county-seat of Marin County, and
situated in a valley of the same name, about a
mile in width and four in length. It is built
upon the former site of the old Jesuitical mission
of San Rafael, founded in 1824. The town-site
is elevated, and on gently rolling ground, thus
assuring fine views of the bay on the east and a
favorable sewerage. As the soil is a loose gravel
or sandy loam, there is no malarial influence such
as renders many other favored localities unheal-
thy. It is completely sheltered from the ocean
winds and fogs by the surrounding mountains,
and the climate is mild and even, the mercury
rarely falling below 40° in winter or rising above
90° in summer. The water brought from Lagu-
nitas Creek, 750 feet above the town, on Mt.
Tamalpais, is pure and soft. For location,
climatic influences, and picturesque scenery, no
place in this part of the State can equal it. It is
quite a sanitarium for many in San Francisco
who suffer from the cold winds and damp fogs.

Many of the residences are elegant and costly.
The Court House was erected at an expense of
$60, 000. Two weekly newspapers are published,
the Journal and Herald. The town is supplied
with gas, and the roads in the vicinity are good
and afford most charming drives.

This is the best point from which to make the

Ascent of Mt. Tamalpais.

It is nearer than Saucelito, the trail is better,
and the variety of views greater. Horses may be
procured at $2.50 and $3 per day. The start
should be made as near daylight as possible, and
the whole trip may be accomplished in about
eight hours. The height of the western summit,
the highest point, is 2606 feet. The view em-
braces the ocean, the Golden Gate, the bay, San
Francisco, Oakland, and many other towns, and
is in some respects more diversified and prettier
than the view from Mt. Diablo. The latter is far
more extensive.

San Rafael will also be the terminus of the San
Francisco and North Pacific Railroed, now in
operation from Donahue to Cloverdale.

Junction, 17 miles from San Francisco.

Here the branch unites with the mam road cut
Saucelito. The distance from San Francisco is
17 miles by either route.

Saucelito is six miles from San Francisco.
The stations between Saucelito and Junction
are the " shops" of the company, Lyford's,
Summit, Corte, Madera, and Tamalpais. The
latter is at the foot of Mt. Tamalpais, but is
merely an accommodation station, without a
building near except the beautiful residence of
Mr. Kent, a retired merchant of Chicago. A
trail leads to the summit of the mountain from
his house. It was constructed at his own ex-
pense, and is not open to the public.

Fairfax, 18.5 miles, is a popular picnic re-
sort. Leaving these grounds, the road curves to
the right and begins ascending to reach the sum-
mit of White's Hill. The grade is from 80 to
120 feet to the mile, and the curves in some
places 20 degrees. At one point the road
doubles back upon itself, so that, after traversing
three quarters of a mile, the tracks are not a
hundred yards apart. At no place so near San
Francisco can there be had as good an idea of
the mountainous regions of California as in cross-
ing this hill and descending to tide-water on the
west. The crookedness of the road as it curves
around one and another of the ravines is ex-
tremely interesting.

The railroad ascends on the north side of Ross
Valley, and as one climbs up he may see on the
left, far above him, the wagon-road from San
Rafael to Olema, and directly under this wagon-
road the cars pass through a tunnel 400 feet long
with an altitude of 565 feet.

At the summit the road descends into the val-
ley of San Geronimo Creek to a station of the
same name, 3 miles from which is Nicasio, a
small village in a dairy region. Lagunitas,
another small station, marks a creek of the same
name flowing from the north-west side of Mt.
Tamalpais. The valley has a large variety of
wild flowers in the spring, and at all seasons an
abundance of California shrubbery, such as the
Ceanothus, Manzanita, Madrona, Oaks, Buckeyes,
and some Red-woods, but none of the Douglass
spruce or firs peculiar to high altitudes.

As the canon narrows the scenery becomes

wilder, and the road follows "Paper Mill"

Creek, as it is called, from the " Pioneer Paper

Mill," the first mill of the kind on the Coast, at

Taylorville, 31J miles from San Francisco.

The creek abounds in trout. Near Taylorville

is a favorite camping-ground to which hundreds

go every season to exchange their close walls in

the city for the freedom of the hills and woods

and brooks.

Tocaloma (Grove), 33.5 miles, is a small
station in a dairy region two miles from the town
of Olema. A stage runs from the town to the
trains. The creek is crossed and recrossed, and

308

one embankment is 1830 feet long ; but these are
soon passed, and one can look to the left and a
little behind him, as the road is fairly in the val-
ley, and see the town of

Oletna, 38J miles from San Francisco. On
the platform will be seen a large number of butter-
boxes. In winter passenger trains stop for dinner.
Tri-weekly stages leave for Bolinas, 13 miles south.

The general course of the road is now more
northerly, to Tomales Bay, and one quickly
changes from the trout streams of the mountains
to enjoy a " breath of the salt sea gale."

The road passes along the northern side of the
bay for about 13 miles, part of the time on the
shore and part on piles. The bay is only about
a mile wide, and 20 miles long, and very shallow.

Oysters have been planted in it, but the water
has proved too salt for their successful cul-
tivation. The bay supplies a large number of
fish, and in it are found an abundance of smooth,
hard-shell clams, the only source of this variety
of shell-fish for the San Francisco market. All
kinds of sea fowl are abundant during the sea-
son. Along the bay are several small stations —
Wharf Point, Millerton, Marshall's, and Hamlet
— from which butter, fish, and game are shipped.

After passing Hamlet, the road curves to the
right, crossing an arm of the bay, or Tomales
Creek, and follows up the west bank of this and
winds around the hills to

Tomales, 55| miles.

The town has a population of only 150, but the
country is thickly settled by intelligent dairy-
and ranch men. For a year and a half this was
the northern terminus of the road, further pro-
gress being delayed by the wall of solid rock
seen in the hills to the north. Here the company
have a large warehouse for storing grain and
freight. In clear weather Mt. St. Helena can be
seen in the north-east, and east and south-east are
the snow-capped Sierras.

Soon after leaving this station, the road passes
through the longest tunnel on the road, 1700
feet in length, reaches Clark Summit, and, de-
scending, crosses the Estero Americano, on a
high trestle, and enters Sonoma County.

Valley Ford, 62J miles, is a pretty little
village of about 300 people. Since the comple-
tion of the railroad a stage has run to Petaluma,
to fulfill a contract for carrying the mails. It
will probably be discontinued at an early day.
Valley Ford was so named from the crossing of
the old Spanish trail from the interior ranches to
Tomales Bay and the coast. Up to 1857 the In-
dians made two or three trips a year, to procure
shell-fish for eating and shells for the manufac-
ture of money. It is a well-accredited fact that
on this town site there were grown in 1854 one
hundred bushels of oats to the acre.

Bodega Roads, 65 miles, is the depot for
Bodega Corners on a portion of the tract formed

by the Russians, and in the midst of the potato-
growing regions.

Freestone, 66.5 miles, was settled first under
direction of General Vallejo to check the ad-
vance of the Russians. It is in the midst of a
fertile valley and rich dairy lands.

Just beyond Freestone the road enters the
belt of Red- woods (Sequoia Sempervirens), and as-
cends Salmon Creek toward the summit, where
the waters flow north into Russian River and
south into Bodega Bay.

On this ascent the road crosses one of the
highest bridges west of the Mississippi River.
The bridge crosses Brown Canon, has two spans
of Howe truss, each 150 feet long, and is at the
giddy height of 137 feet above the canon. The
central pier is 110 feet high, of the kind called a
cluster pier, and is a splendid piece of mechanism.

At Howard's, 70£ miles, the road is at the
summit and fairly in the red-wood country. To
reach this timber was the first great aim of the
road, and more than 200,000 feet of lumber are
now shipped daily from the mills at the Russian
River and along the line of the road.

The stations — Streeten's Mills, Tyrone Mills,
Russian River, Moscow Mills, and Duncan's Mills
— alike show the business of the country.

Duncan's Mills, the terminus, is 80£ miles
from San Francisco. The timber-land is usually
held in large tracts. The Russian River Land
and Lumber Company, of which ex-Governor M.
S. Latham is president, owns 10,000 acres in a
body, and around the terminus of this road it is
estimated there are 600,000,000 feet of lumber —
enough for ten years' cutting.

At the terminus of the road is Julian's Hotel,
one of the best in the State. Austin Creek
empties into Russian River near this point. It is
one of the best streams for trout near the city.
The hills abound with quail and rabbits, while
deer and grouse, and even bears and wild-cats,
may be occasionally found at no great distance.

In the river salmon can be caught or speared,
and at the mouth of the river, only six miles dis-
tant, a variety of sea-fishing may be had. Con-
sidering the unequaled variety of beautiful
scenery on the line of so short a road, and the
charming picturesque region in which the road
terminates, the climate, game, and amusements
to be had in the vicinity, no spot deserves to be
more favored by the tourist who has not enough
time to acquaint himself with the hunting and
fishing grounds of Northern California.

The Northern Coast stages leave daily for Fort
Ross, 16 miles ; Henry's, 16 miles ; Timber Cove,
20 miles ; Salt Point, 25 miles ; Fisk's Mills, 30
miles ; Stewart's Point, 34 miles ; Gualala, 44
miles ; Fish Rock, 50 miles ; Point Arena, 60
miles ; Manchester, 66 miles ; Cuffey's Cove, 80
miles ; Navarro Ridge, 86 miles ; and Mendocino
City, 96 miles. Fare, about 12£ cents a mile.

309

San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad.

This road was built mainly by the president,
Mr. Donahue, and has rapidly developed a rich
section of country, and is the great highway for
nearly all of Sonoma County. The road extends
from Donahue to Cloverdale, and is connected
with San Francisco by a ferry of thirty - four
miles.

The first steamer, "James M. Donahue,"
leaves the Washington Street wharf, San Fran-
cisco, every day to connect with the cars at
Donahue, and in summer makes two trips daily.
An extension of the road from near Petaluma
southward is nearly completed. This will make
the southern terminus at San Rafael, San Quen-
tin, or some point on the bay near San Francisco,
and greatly shortens the time between the towns
of the interior and the metropolis.

Donahue, 34 miles from San Francisco, is
on Petaluma Creek, and is simply a place for
the transfer of passengers and freight from cars
to steamer or vice versa.

The route from San Francisco to Donahue is
north and north-east, the steamer taking the
course to Vallejo or the Sacramento River until
Red Rock is passed, then heading for the north-
east corner of San Pablo Bay.

Lakeville, 35 miles from San Francisco, is a
small station at which passengers for Sonoma
are transferred to stages. The distance is seven
miles, and the fare $1.50. Sonoma Valley is
celebrated for its wines and delightful climate.

Sonoma, an Indian word, means " Valley of
the Moon."

The Sonoma Valley is about 25 miles long, and
forms but a small part of the country. The mis-
sion of Sonoma was planted July 4th, 1823, near
the present Catholic church, and was destroyed
by the Indians in 1826, and rebuilt in the follow-
ing year. The present town was laid out by
General Vallejo in 1834, and the struggle against
the Russians for possession of the country was
carried on from this point for some years. Here
a company of thirty-three Americans from Sut-
ter's Fort made a prisoner of General Vallejo,
the Spanish commander of California, and raised
the Bear Flag, the standard of the pioneer soci-
eties of the State. Among those stationed at
Sonoma prior to 1851 were Lieutenant Derby, Gen-
erals Hooker, Stoneman, and Sherman. This
great historic town has only about 600 inhab-
itants.

The Sonoma Creek runs through the valley, and
a small steamer runs from its mouth to San Fran-
cisco. A Narrow Gtiar/e Railway connects the
town of Sonoma with the bay near the mouth
of the creek.

Petaluma, 42 miles from San Francisco, was
long the largest and principal city in the county.
Its name is of Indian origin but doubtful sig-

nification. It is built on undulating ground,
which affords good drainage and a fine view of
the valley and mountains beyond it. Mt. St.
Helena and the Geyser Peak are visible from the
town. The climate is mild and pleasant, and the
town one of the healthiest in the State. It was
laid out in 1852, and has been the general ship-
ping-point for the produce of Sonoma and Men-
docino counties. It has a steamer running di-
rectly to the city, from a point on the creek a
short distance below the city, and stages to So-
noma via Lakeville. It has water-works, gas,
good schools, six churches, three banks, and
two weekly papers.

Leaving Petaluma, the course of the road is
northward through Petaluma Valley, which
opens into Santa Rosa, and this into Russian
River Valley. The three valleys are in fact one
great valley.

Ely's, Penn's Grove, Goodwin's, Page's,
Cotate Ranch, and Oak Grove are all small
stations in a rich agricultural region.

Penn's Grove is near the low divide where the
waters flow south into Petaluma Creek, and north
into Russian River. The Cotate Ranch is four
leagues in extent.

Santa liosa, 57 miles from San Francisco,
is one of the most beautifully situated towns of
the State, and its inhabitants, whether natives of
New Jersey or not, consider it superior to every
city in the State. Its recent progress has been
more rapid than any other interior town. It has
a population of about 7000, is the county seat of
Sonoma County, and has a street railroad, sixty
miles of streets, water-works, gas, a daily and two
weekly newspapers, two banks, eight churches,
two colleges, Prof. Jones' academy for boys,
Miss Chase's school for girls, and other private
and public schools. One of the colleges — the
Pacific Methodist — is under the control of the
Methodist Episcopal Church South. The build-
ings and grounds are valued at $30,000. The
other — the Christian College — is under the con-
trol of the Christian Church, and is valued at
$35,000.

Much of the prosperity of Santa Rosa is due to
these two colleges. Several hundred young of
both sexes are brought by them to study in the
town, and many parents, retiring from active
business, make Santa Rosa their home on account
of its educational advantages. Two and a half
miles west of Santa Rosa are the White Sulphur
Springs, a pleasant resort, and nine miles to the
north-east on the road to Calistoga, ria the Petri-
fied Forest, are the Mark West Springs, beauti-
fully located in a bend of the Mark West
Creek.

Quite a romantic history is connected with the
name of the creek, town, and valley. In brief,

310

Friar Amorosa, a zealous Catholic missionary,
made an excursion north-east from San Rafael in
1829 and captured an Indian maiden of the
Cainemeros tribe, and baptized her in the river
Chocoalomi, and gave her the name of Santa
Rosa, because the day of the baptism was the
day of the feast of Santa Rosa de Lima. He was
attacked by the natives and driven back, but the
name remains and is honored to-day.

The climate of Santa Rosa is mild and pleas-
ant, a grateful mean between the cold of the
coast and the heat of the interior valleys.

Santa Rosa boasts of its exuberant vegetation,
and especially its mammoth rose-bush. This is
in front of the Grand Hotel, and is of the La
Marque variety, with a pure white blossom. The
stem measures 24 inches in circumference at the
base, and grows to a height of 12 feet without
branches, and in all 27 feet high, with a width
of 22 feet. It was planted in 1858, and has had
4000 roses in full bloom at one time, with twice
as many opening buds.

Of several good hotels in Santa Rosa, the Occi-
dental is the best.

Falton^ 61 miles from San Francisco, is the
point of divergence of the Fulton and Guerne-
ville Branch, leading to the red-wood forests on
the Russian River. The stations on this branch
are Meacham's, Laguna, Forestville, Green Val-
ley, Korbel's, and Guerneville. The length of this
branch is 16 miles.

At Korbel's some of the enormous trees are pre-
served from cutting or injury and the grounds
tastefully fitted up for picnics. Guerneville is on
the Russian River, only a few miles above Dun-
can's Mills, the terminus of the North Pacific
Coast (narrow gauge) Railroad.

A visit to the region of the red- woods will re-
pay the tourist, for these (Sequoia Sempervirens)
are peculiar to the coast mountains. None are
found in Oregon, Washington Territory, Mexico,
or the Sierra Nevadas. It is the chief material for
the lumber of the State. It was used for ties for
the Central Pacific Railroad, and lasts for many
years in the ground. No other wood splits so
true to the grain. Some of the trees are said to
grow to a diameter of twenty-five feet, the larg-
est being in Mendocino and Humboldt counties.
An acre of these trees near Guerneville, on the
"Big Bottom," yields 800,000 feet of lumber.
The largest tree cut there was 18 feet in diame-
ter, and made 180,000 feet of lumber. The tall-
est tree was 344| feet in height, taller than any
one of the " Big Trees" (Sequoia Gigantea) now
standing.

There are three large saw-mills near Guerne-
ville, and others on the line of the road. In the
red-wood forests there is also found an abundance
of the chestnut oak (Qutrcus Densiflora), the bark
of which is used for tanning, and brings from
$15 to $17 a cord in San Francisco.

Mark West, Windsor, and Grant's

are small stations ; and

Heahtsburg, 72 miles from San Francisco,
is beautifully located on the west bank of the
Russian River, with Dry Creek and its valley
west of the town. Near the town is Sotoyome
or Fitch Mountain, a butte around which Rus-
sian River winds its course. The town was laid
out in 1836, and has a population of nearly 3000.
It has a bank, seven churches, two weekly
papers, and two academies — the Alexander Acad-
emy and the Butler Institute. The former is
under the supervision of Rev. S. H. Thomas,
D.D., LL.D., a Presbyterian minister, and for
many years a professor in Hanover College,
Indiana.

Healdsburg has a delightful climate, and ia
| convenient to the range of mountains on either the
east or west side of the valley, where trout,
quail, rabbits, and deer may be found in abund-
ance.

Near Healdsburg are several places of resort,
among them "Magnolia Farm," and Mrs. Mil-
ler's, and the celebrated Litton Seltzer Springs.
The station of

Litton Springs is near the'hotel and spring.
The buildings were erected at a cost of $80,-
000, and are not equaled by those connected
with any mineral spring in the State.

The situation is charming, in a broad plateau
overlooking Alexander Valley and the course of
the Russian River for miles, and flanked on three
sides by mountain peaks. The water is bottled
and sold in San Francisco in large quantities, and
has been carefully analyzed.

Geyserville, 80 miles from San Francisco, is
the station for Skagg's Springs. The valley has
become quite narrow at this point. The springs
are eight miles west of Geyserville, at the head
of Dry Creek Valley. There are hot sulphur
springs, a soda spring, iron spring, and luxurious
baths. The situation is beautiful — one of the
most charming of all the mineral springs in the
State.

Truett's is a small station ; and

Cloverdale, the terminus, is 90 miles from
San Francisco. It is at the head of the valley, and
on Russian River, with romantic and picturesque
scenery on every hand. It has about a dozen
stores, two hotels, two churches, and one news-
paper, the Weekly Cloverdale News. The pop-
ulation is about 700.

From Cloverdale there is an excellent road to
the Geysers, with no grade exceeding four feet
to the hundred, and the stages of Van Arnam
& Kennedy are of the most approved pattern,
and the distance, 16 miles, has been made in an
hour and a half. The fare for the round trip is
$4.50.

Stages run from Cloverdale every day to
Ukiah, the county town of Mendocino County,

311

31 miles (fare from San Francisco, $7.75), and
to Mendocino on the sea-coast, 75 miles (fare,
$11.50).

Cloverdale has daily stages also to the many
places of resort in Lake County — to Kelseyville,

Soda Bay, Highland Springs, Witter Springs (via
Ukiah or via Upper Lake), Lakeport, Pierson's
Springs, and connections for Glenbrook or Bas-
sett's, Adams, Sulphur Banks, Howard Springs,
Blue Lakes, and Baitlett's Springs.

Stage Routes to the Yosemite Valley and Big Tree Groves.

There are four all-wagon roads into the valley.
One leaves the railroad at Milton, two at Merced,
and one at Madera. The Big Tree groves, acces-
sible en route to the valley, are the Calaveras,
(north and south groves), the Tuolumne, the
Merced, the Mariposa, and the Fresno. The
first element to be taken into consideration is

1. Distance. — This is as follows :

BIG OAK FLAT AND CALAVERAS ROUTE — Stage*.

San Francisco to Milton, by rail 133 miles.

Milton to Murphy's, ft// stage 30 "

Murphy's to North Calaveras Grove, and

return to Murphy's 30 '

Murphy's to Chinese Camp ria Sonoma. . 27 "
Chinese Camp to Black's Hotel 60 "

Total staging 147 "

Milton to Black's via Chinese Camp di-
rect 88 miles.

COULTERVILLE ROUTE.

Pan Francisco to Merced, by rail 151 miles.

Merced to Dudley's, iy stage 46 '

Dudley's to Merced 42 '

Total staging 83 "

MARIPOSA ROUTE.

Merced to Mariposa via Indian Gulch. ... 47 miles.

Mariposa to Clark's 27 "

Clark's to Black's 23} "

Total staging 92 "

MADERA ROUTE.

Snn Francisco to Madera, by rail 173.5 miles.

Madera to Fresno Hat, by stage 35 "

Fresno Flat to Clark's 20 "

Clark's to Black's 2.'5f "

Total staging 79 "

2. Elevations, Grades, and Road- Beds.— The
bottom of the Yosemite Valley 1^4000 feet above
sea-level, and the roads enter it by descending
the wall on either side. Therefore, the road
which rises least above the bottom of the valley is
most desirable, other things being equal.

The greatest elevation of the Biff Oak
Flat route is the summit near Tama-
rack Flat 7040 feet,

Coult«rville route, near Hazel Green 6085 "

Mariposa route, on Chowchilla Mountains 5750 "
Madera route, on Chowchilla Mountains. 4750 "

The low elevation of the Madera route, as well
as the fact of its southern exposure nearly all the
way to the Valley, will make it freer from snow in
both spring and fall, and less tiresome to the
weary. It may be possible to keep this route
open nearly all the winter.

The grades vary on the different roads, the
steepest being on the Big Oak Flat route, equal-
ing 20 feet to the 100 feet, and the steep grades
being unbroken for miles at a time.

On the Coulterville route, the steepest grade is
near Coulterville, 4 miles in length, rising in places
18 feet to the 100 feet. Another grade of five
miles in length rises on an average 10 feet to the
100 feet. On this route there are 30 miles of up
grade between Coulterville and the Valley, and
20 miles of down grade.

On the Mariposa route there are numerous hills
to be ascended and descended, as on the preced-
ing routes. The steepest grade is across the
Chowchilla Mountains, where the rise is 17.5 feet
to the 100 feet.

Between Clark's and the Valley, the Mariposa
and the Madera routes are the same, and the
maximum grade is 10.5 feet to the 100 feet. On
the Madera route the maximum grade between
Madera and Clark's is 4 feet to the 100 feet.
These grades, taken in connection with the great-
est elevation, are an important element in refer-
ence to time, for on steep grades the time must
be slow.

The road-bed will be thought bad enough
whichever route one takes, if he is not accustomed
to mountain roads ; but they are nil good, con-
sidering the country through which they pass.
In general, the greater the elevations the more
rocky and rough the road-bed.

3. Coaches and Teams. — On these, and in some
coaches on a particular scat, may depend much
of the comfort of the passenger. It is well,
therefore, to see a photograph of the coach, and
know beforehand whether it is to be a "mud-
wagon," or a " Concord coach," or an open
" Kimball wagon." As there is no danger of

312

rain, the open Kimball wagons are to be greatly
preferred. They are the most comfortable
coaches ever made, and obstruct no fine view for
any passenger. In these every passenger has a
box-seat.

The teams, so far as the writer has observed,
are all good ; it does not pay to have any others,
and they who understand their business look well
to this point.

4. Hotels. — These are all good. Some are ex-
cellent— as good as any in the State. Among
these are the El Capitan at Merced, Dudley's,
Clark's, Murphy's, and the Calaveras Big Trees.

The Madera route has an unrivaled advantage
in this, that a tourist can take a palace sleeping-car
at 4 P.M. in San Francisco, and be undisturbed
during the night, the car being placed on a side
track on arrival at Madera, to remain until morn-
ing. Or, returning from the Valley, one may
take the palace sleeping-car on arrival at Madera,
and find himself undisturbed until he nears
Lathrop for breakfast the next morning.

5. Scenery en route. — On every route it is beauti-
ful. There is a general sameness in looking over
the hills and taking in the great San Joaquin
Valley, but there can be no two views precisely
alike.

On the Big Oak Flat route, the crossing of the
Tuolumne, after ascending and descending a
steep mountain, is quite picturesque. On the
Coulterville route there are many fine views of
the mountains, and there is also Bower Cave, an
interesting opening in limestone rock, into which
one can descend by ladder and then pass into the
main opening. It is unique and interesting, but
seems not to win permanent and general interest
in the midst of greater wonders. The Coulter-
ville route descends to the canon of the Merced
before reaching the Valley proper, and passes up
along the rapids, where the river roars and rushes
out toward the plain. This is especially in-
teresting, grand, and mighty in the early spring,
when rains and melting snows have swollen the
river to a tremendous torrent.

The Mariposa and Madera routes unite at
Clark's. From Merced and Madera to Clark's
the scenery is good on either route. Concerning
the route from Merced via Mariposa, Prof.
Whitney says, " The road from Bear Valley to
Mariposa passes through a region which gives
as good an idea as any in the State of equal ex-
tent can of the peculiar foot-hill scenery of the
Sierra Nevada." Substantially this another
might say of any other of the roads into the
Valley. The road from Clark's to the Valley
passes down the South Fork of the Merced, and
at the same time ascends to the plateau between
this fork and the main Merced, where the scene
is continually changing, but every thing is wildly
sublime. Before losing sight of the canon of
the Merced, where the river flows through it

toward the San Joaquin, the view extends to the
coast mountains, and on going up and into the Yo-
semite, the rapids, where the Merced River leaves
the Yosemite Valley and rushes through the
canon, are seen far below. But the glory of this
route is the scenery, viewed from Inspiration
Point. It is the best general view of the Valley.
From this point the Valley was first seen by those
in pursuit of the Indians in 1851, and here the
most profound emotions have arisen and the most
pregnant words ever uttered concerning it were
conceived, and from this point Hill, Bierstadt,
and others have painted it. If this view is not
had by taking the route to or from Clark's, it
should be had at the expense of a day, for it is
not possible to have any thing comparable to it
on any road entering on the north side, as the
Big Oak Flat and Coulterville enter. The
latter is near the bed of the river, and too low
down for the grand scenic effect of Inspiration
Point, and both it and the Big Oak Flat route
enter below where there is a trend in the wall,
and El Capitan projects its massive form and
shuts out the major part of the Valley beyond.
Entering on the south wall from Clark's, the
tourist is directed across the lower end of the
Valley, and takes in more of it than any other
point can give. Whoever enters the Valley will
see Inspiration Point, and many who desire to
enter by one road and return by another will
retrace their steps to Clark's, preferring to get the
most of the Valley while they are en route to and
from it.

6. Time required in Traveling. — To visit the Val-
ley via Milton, the tourist must remain over night
at Stockton, where he will find the " Yosemite"
and other good hotels. Leaving Stockton the
next morning, it will require two days to reach
the Valley, arriving on the second day at six
o'clock P.M.

If the road be mi the Calaveras Big Trees, it
will require four days from Stockton to the Val-
ley.

By the Coulterville route, leaving San Fran-
cisco at 4 P.M. for Merced, arriving at 11 P.M., a
few hours' sleep may be had before taking the
stage early next morning. Two days are re-
quired to reach the Valley, arriving at six P.M.
By the Mariposa route, one must leave Merced at
the same time as if going via Coulterville, and
would reach the Valley the second day by con-
necting at Clark's with the stage from Madera.
On this route the time is not yet fixed.

By the Madera route the tourist can leave San
Francisco at 4 P.M., and combine the advantage
of hotel with saving of time. The rest through-
out the night in the palace sleeping-car will be
better than a few hours' sleep at Merced, but
not so good as at the hotel at Stockton. Leaving
Madera early in the morning, the Valley is
reached at noon the next day. The whole time

313

is about 44 hours, including an unbroken night's
rest.

Beturning from the Valley, one may leave at
at 6 A.M., and reach Stockton to connect with
the overland train going east the next day.
This can be done only by the route via Big Oak
Flat, and will require a ride the first day both
hard and late, and an early start the second day,
in order to reach the train which leaves Milton
at 10.45 A.M.

7. Big Tree Groves. — These trees are Sequoia,
Gigantea, and belong to the same genus as the
Red-woods (Sequoia, Sempervirens), found only on
the Coast Range.

The King's River Grove contains the largest liv-
ing tree, 44 feet in diameter. This grove, and
the two groves on the north and south forks of
the Tule River, are not easily accessible. In the
other groves the number of the trees is about as
follows : North Calaveras, 90 ; South Calaveras,
1380 ; Tuolumne, 30 ; Merced, 50 ; Mariposa,
600 ; Fresno, 1200.

The two Calaveras groves are six miles apart,
connected by a trail over a wild and picturesque
canon. The hotel is located in the north grove.
It is a first-class house, and the only hotel in the
midst of the trees. To those who desire to lin-
ger in the shade of these giants while they grow
upon him for days and weeks, this is a favorite
resort. To visit the south grove requires a day,
and a ride on horseback. The grove itself is
four miles long and cne wide. In both these
groves the trees are beautiful, surpassing in sym-
metry and perfection those of the Mariposa, but
not those of the Fresno Grove.

The Mariposa Grove is of national importance.
It is the only one that has been set aside as a park
for the nation. It was ceded by Congress to the
State of California, and is cared for by the Com-
missioners of the State. Its trees are in two
groups, and these are half a mile apart. The
wagon-road now in process of construction will
pass through both of these groups.

The Fresno Grove is also in two groups, a mile
apart, and will be connected with the Mariposa
by the Madera road, and this will pass through
both groups. The trees in this grove are not
only large but symmetrical, not surpassed in this
respect by any grove.

As to »ise, it varies with every string that passes
around them. One includes and another leaves
out certain enlargements or irregularities near
the ground. The writer has measured all the

large trees in the Calaveras (north and south),
the Mariposa, and the Fresno groves, and has
followed the method and principles in all cases.
The largest living tree is said to be in the King's
River Grove, 40 miles from Visalia, and not of
easy access to tourists. The largest tree the
writer found is in the south group of the Fresno
Grove, it being 96.5 feet in circumference at the
ground. It is round, symmetrical, free from
blemish, and the noblest specimen to be seen
while visiting the Valley. Prof. Whitney says
the average diameter of the trees in the Mari-
posa Grove exceeds that of the trees in the
Calaveras Grove, and the tallest tree of these
groves is in the latter. In the north Fresno
group, the largest tree is near the cabm of John
A. N elder, the present owner of the group. It is
87 feet in circumference at the ground, and 72^
feet at six feet from the ground.

The Tuolurane group is small and somewhat
scattered. The Merced group is small, but
rather compact. The Calaveras, Mariposa, and
Fresno groves are all similar in this respect.

The Calaveras group may be visited in connec-
tion with the Valley, by making a d6tour of 59
miles.

The Mariposa and Fresno groves are distant
from each other about as far as the two Calaveras
groves ; and as the Madera route when completed
will pass through both Mariposa and Fresno
groves, they may be visited without any loss of
time. For this the stage coming out of the Val-
ley will make a devour of a few miles after leav-
ing Clark's. This detour on the "down trip"
will not increase the time.

8. Baggage and Clothing. — Take a change of
flannels, and as little else as possible. Early in
the season a lap-robe or blanket besides an
overcoat will be essential to comfort. Stout,
well-broken shoes or boots must be worn. Ladies
should wear a stout, short dress. In summer,
when the rainless roads are dusty, a heavy linen
or mohair coat is necessary.

9. Guides. — Some people need none. Almost any
one can take a good map like Whitney's and read
accurate descriptions, and make his own way to
any point. Gentlemen need have no fear of being
molested. Guides are easily procured if desired,
and those who ride and are unaccustomed to the
use of saddle-horses should have one to see that
no accident occurs from the slipping of the sad-
dles. A guide, including his horse, will usually
cost $5 a day.

314

Expenses to the Yosemite Valley.

Round-trip ticket,
Round-trip ticket,

The tourist will be able to vary these in many
ways, and no statement can be more than an
approximation, unless it be to give maximum
rates. These are as follows : From the railroad
to the valley and return, $45.00, by any route.
The additional stage fare to include the Calav-
eras Big Trees is $7.00, but the extra railroad
fare, after leaving the main line to Sail Francisco
is only $4.00.

To visit the Mariposa Grove there is no extra
charge, but the railroad fare will be $5.75, $8.10,
or $9.00 additional, according as Merced, or
Madera is made the point of departure. By
taking a round-trip ticket from Lathrop to
Merced, and returning: via Madera, the addi-
tional cost will be $8 10.
Lathrop to Merced, $5.75.
Lathrop to Madera, $:).00.

Board and lodging in the valley are $3.00 per
day.

The time to the valley from San Francisco,
via the Big Oak Flat Route, is two days ; and
via the Calavaras Grove of Big Trees, four days ;
and via Coulterville, two days ; and via iNlariposa
or Madera, one and a half days. Passengers
by the Mariposa or Madera route can return
from the valley via the Mariposa Big Trees by
the new wagon road without loss of time.

Saddle Horses in the Valley.

The Board of Commissioners in charge of
the valley and the Mariposa Big Tree Grove,
have established maximum rates as follows :

1. From any hotel in the Valley to Glacier Point

and Sentiiiel Dome and return by same
route, . $3.00

2. From Valley to Glacier Point, Sentinel Dome,

Nevada Fall and Suow's (passing the night at
Snow's) $3.00

3. From Valley direct to Snow's and Nevada Fall,

passing by Vernal Fall and returning to Valley
same day $3.00

4. From Snow's to Cloud's Rest and back to Snow's,

or to Valley the same day $3.00

5. From Valley direct to Cloud's Rest, and back to

Snow's, $3.00

6. From Valley direct to Cloud's Rest and back to

Valley same day, $5.00

7. From Snow's to Valley, $0 00

8. From Valley to Upper Yosemite Fall, Eagle

Point and return $3.00

9. For use of saddle horses on the level of the Val-

ley per day, $2.50

Carriages.

(For a party of not less than four persons.)

1. To Bridal Veil Fall and return, each person, $1.00

2. To Mirror Lake and return, each person,. . $1.00

3. To the Cascades, passing by and stopping at the

Bridal Veil Fall, each person $3.00

4. To the Cascades and return, each person,. . $2.00

5. To Bridal Veil and Artist's Point, each per-.

son, $2.00

The charge for guide (including horse) when
furnished, will be $3.00 per day. The above
charges do not cover feed for the horses at
Snow's, nor tolls on the various trails. These
latter are as follows :

To Glacier Point, each person, $1 .00

To foot of Upper Yosemite Fall, $0.50

From foot of Upper Yosemite Fall to Eagle

Point, $0.50

To Nevada Fall (including Vernal Fall), $-0.75

To Mirror Lake in a carriage, $0.50

(Tourists to Mirror Luke on foot or horse-
back, free.)

Points in the Valley Most Attractive
to Tourists.

1. South Dome, I each of these includes Vernal and

2. Clouds Rest, ) Nevada Falls.

3. Inspiration Point.

4. Glacier Point.

5. Sentinel Dome.

6. Upper Yosemite Fall and Eagle Point.

7. Mirror Lake.

8. Bridal Veil Fail.

9. Lower Yosemite Fall.
10. El Capitan.

Reference is had in the above order, to the
fact that El Capitan and Bridal Veil Fall are at
the entrance to the Valley and must be passed
both in going in and coming out. The South
Dome is difficult of access, the only way being
to climb the rounded side of the Dome by hold-
ing to 975 feet of rope anchored at various
points.

Time Usually Required for the Vari-
ous Excursions.

From the hotels to Upper Yosemite Falls and

return, 4 hours.

From the hotels to Upper Yosemite Falls and

Eagle Point and return, 6 hours.

To Bridal Veil Falls, 3 hours.

To Bridal Veil Falls and El Capitan, 4 hours.

To El Capitan, 3 hours.

To Mirror Lake 3 hours.

To Vernal and Nevada Falls, 1 day.

To Mirror Lake, and Vernal and Nevada Falls,. 1 day.

To Lower Yosemite Falls, 2| hours.

To Mirror Lake and Lower Yosemite Falls,. . £ a day.

To Glacier Point, 6 hours.

To Dentine! Dome, 7 hours.

To Glacier Point and Sentinel Dome 8 hours.

To Cloud's Rest from Snow's Hotel to Nevada

Falls, 8 hours.

To South Dome from Snow's, 4 hours.

From Snow's to Cloud's Rest and South Dome

and back to Snow's, 1 day.

From Snows to Cloud's Rest, or to South

Dome and back to the Valley — jwssible in. .1 day.
From Valley to Inspiration Point and back

to Hotel, 1 day.

INDEX.

PAGE.

FADE.

PA o«.

Overland Travel. —

Shelton, 31

Laramie Peak, 87

Kaysville, 132

Hints Miid (Join foils, 10

Sidney, 66

Laramie Plains, 83

Helton, 167

Palace Car Life, 8

Silver Creek, 28

Latham, 97

Lake, 166

Railroad Routes, 12

South Platte River, 3J

Lawrence, 100

Lake Point, 149

Sleeping Car Expenses, 13

Stevenson, 33

Lemy, 107

Lehi, 142

Preparations Westward

Summit Siding, 19

Lookout, 90

Little Cottonwood, 141

Trip, 18

Summit Springs, 49

Marslon, 104

Lucin, 172

Union Pacific II. II.

Valley, 20

Medicine Bow, 91

Matlin, 172

Benefits. 6

"Warren, 38

Medicine Bow M't'ns, 88

Millstone Point, 147

Di*rou agements, 7
Fast Building, 8
History, 5

Waterloo, 20
Willow Island, 37
Wood Kiver, 31

Mihis, 111
Miser, 90
Otto, 81

Monument. 166
Mormon Fortifications, 117
Ogden, 126

Progress, 7

NKBRtSKA.—

Adams, 60

COLO It ADO.—

Di-nver, 75
Denver & Rio Grande
Railroad. 75

Percy, 93
Piedmont, 107
Pine Bluffs, 60
Point of Uocks, 99

Otjden Canon, 128
Ombev. 172
One Thousand Mile
Tree, 124

A ints, 25
Alda, 31
Alkali, 4«
Antelope, 68
Barton, 47
Big Spring, 47
Brady island, 38
Bridge. Missouri River, 18
Brownson, 68
Brule, 47
Bennett, 68
Baslniell, 6>
Chapman, 28
ClmppelJ, 66

Denver Pacific R. R., 73
Evans, 75
Garden of the Gods, 77
Grand Canon, Ark., 77
Gray's Peak,
Greeley. 73
Life in Colorado, 77
Manitou Springs, 75
Mtn. Holy Cross, 79
Notes to Tourists,
Pleasure Resorts, 73

WYOMING.—

Agate, 97

Powder River Country, 81
Rawlins, 9>
Red Buttes, 84
Red Desert, 97
Rock Creek, 90
Rock Springs, 100
Salt Wells, 99
Separation, 96
Sherman,
Simpson,
Skull Rocks, 83
Soda Springs, 109
Stock Statistics,
Summit, 96

Parley's Park, 1V2
Pay son, 143
Peterson, 125
Pleasant Grove, 142
I'romontory, 164
Provo, 142
Pulpit Rock, 119
Quarry. 103
Rocks Echo and We-
ber Canons, 122, 124
Rozel, 166
Salt Lake, 155
Salt Lake City, 132, 134
Sandy, 141

Clark, 28
Colton, 66
Columbus, 26
Coyote, 37
Cozad, 37
Dexter, 46
Klkhorn, 20
Klin Creek, 3'»

Archer, 61
Aspen, 108
Atkins, 60
Baxter, 100
Bear River City, 110
Bitter Creek, 97
Black Buttes, 99
Blank Hills, Wyoming, 88

St. Mary's,
Sweelwater River, 103
Table Rock, 97
Thaver, 99
Tie Siding,
Tipton,
Tongue River Country, 81
Tracy. 60

Santaguin, 143
Seco. 167
Sentinel Rock, 117
Shoshon« Falls, 1C8
Spanish Fork, 143
bprings, Salt Lake
City, 135, 136
Springville, 142

Fremont, 23
Gannett, 38

Bridger, 107
Bryan, 104

Uintah Mountains, 105
Walcott. 94

Steamboat Rock, 117
Terrace, 172

Gibbon, 3_>

Biford, 81

Washakie, 97

Uintah, 126

Gilmore, 19

Burns, 60

Wiloox. 90

Utah Central R. R., 131

Grand Island, 29
Jackson, 28

Carlion, 93
Carter, 107

Wind River Mountains, 87
Wyoming, 90

Utah Lake, 147
Utah Southern R. R., 140

Jusselyn, 3:1

Cheyenne, 61

Utah Ten itorv. 129

Jtllnsburir, 47
Juleslmrg Incidents, 47
Kearny, 32
Knarny Junction, 32
Loc;kwiiod, 29
Lodge Hole, 66
lx>ne Tree, 28
Me I'hersoii, 38
Millanl, 19
Nichols. 46
North Bend, 25
North PI itto River, 39
North I'l.itte, 4t
O'Kal Ion's, 46
Ogilulii, 46
Oiu.'ilri. 15
Omaha Business, 17
Overtoil, 33
Pupil lion, 19
Plum Creek, 33

Chugwater Valley, 91
Church Buttes, 105
Como, 90
Cooper's Lake, 93
Crestnn, 96
Dale Creek Bridge, 82
D:»n*, 93
Dovii's Gate, Sweet-
water, 110
Egbert, 60
Kvinston, 111
Fill more. 96
Fort Steele, 91
Granger, 105
Granite Hanon, 81
Green River, 100
Grennville, 95
Hallvill.', 99
Hampton, 107
Harnev, 84

UTAFT. —

American Fork.
American Fork Canon, 143
Black Rock, 149
Blue Creek, 163
Blonneville, 162
Bovine, 172
Brigham, 162
Broiitlev Cathedral, 119
Caxtle Rook, 116
Centerville, 132
City of Rocks, 170
Coalville, 120
Corinne, 1G2
Doer Creek,
Dese't Great, 157
Dovil's Gate, 126
Devil's Slide, 124
Drape rville,
Echo Canon, 115
Eeuo, 119

Utah Western R. R., 147
WahsaU;h, 113
Weber, J25
Weber Quarry, 125
Weber River, 120
WiU-hes. The 119
Wood's Cross, 132
York, 143

Idaho Territory. —

Boise Tilv. 171
Boise Vidlev, 171
RattleMiiike Station, 171
Stiver City. 171
Snake River, 171

MltTTAKY POSTS.—

Camp Carlin,
Fort Laramie, 79
Fort Sanders, 84
Fort Reno, 81

Putter. 68
Ri bland, j 25
Riverside, 21
Rogers, 25
Roscoe, 46
Schuyler, 25

H-ijwrd. 81
Hilliard, 108
Hillsdnle, 60
Howell, 90
Independence Rock, 110
Laramie, 84

Farmington,
Gardening, Irrigation, 139
Half- Way House, ISO
Hanging Hock, 117
Hot Springs, 129
Junction, 141

Fort Casper,
Fort Fetterman, 79

NEVAI>\.—

Argonta, 181
Austin, 186

INDEX.

FA OK.

Battle Mountain, 186

PAGE.
Toano, 173

PAGE.
Napa, /76

PAOB.
Giant's Clnh. 102

Beowawe, 185

Trout in Lake Tahoe, 218

Napu Junction. 276

Great Plains and

Big Bonanza Mine, 211

Truckeu River, 202

Napa Soda. Springs, 271

Desert, 188

Bishop's, 176

Tul-isco, 176

Napa Valley, 276

Great Railroad Wed-

Bronco, 224

Tule, 190

Nevada, 240

ding, 164

Brown's, 198

Two Mile. 199

NewAlmaden Quick-

Green River Rocks, 1<'3

Brown's. 207

Virginia&TruckeeR.R., 207

silver Mines, 269

Hailstorms, 60

Brunswick, 2"8

Verdi, 224

Newcastle, 243

Health— Cheyenne, M

Carlin, 180

Virginia City, 2<>9

New England Mills, 241

Heat, 250

Carson Citv, 208

Vista, 204

Niles, 258

lltff— Cattle King,

Carson Sink. 214

Wadsworth, 200

Oak Knoll, 277

Indians. Aftoi)ti>Led 64

Chicken Soup Spring, 177

Walker Lake, 214

Oakland, 259

Indian Burial Tree, 88

Clark's, 204

Washoe City, 2"7

Oakland Point, 2(il

Indian Prayer, <>4

Clover Valley, 175

Wells, Humboldt, 174

Pacific Congress Springs, 27 1

Indian Trade, 62

Cluro, 182

White Plains, 198

Penryn, 243

Invalids. Advice to 44

Coin, 189

Winnemueca, 191

Pescadero, 270

Invalids, Hints to 274

Cornucopia Mines, 178

Winnemucca Lake, 202

Petrified Forest, 273

Last Spike, 164

Dead Man's Spring, 174

Yank's, 217

Pino, 243

Letters, 2d4

Deeth,. 176

Pleasanton, 267

Long's Peak, 61

Desert, 199

CALIFORNIA.—

Pleasure Resorts of

Maiden's Grave,

Elko. 177

Alta, 233

California, 271

Mormon Church.

Emerald Bay, 217

Altamont, 257

Proctor's. 225

Mormon Courtesies, 153

Empire, 2 >8

Antelope, 244

Prosser Creek, 224

Mormon Religion, 152

Essex. 221

Arcade, 244

Rocklin. 243

Mormon Social Life, 150

Franktown, 207

Auburn, 241

Railroad Works— Sacra-

Mountain on Fire, 113

Glun brook, 216

Bantas, 255

mento, 244

Oasis in the I»esert, V.H

Golconda, 190

Batavia. 276

Sacramento, 246

"Off to the Mines," 2.37

Gold Hill, 208

B*y of San Francisco, 261

Sacramento Capitol, 246

Pike's Peak or Bust, 21

Granite Point, 198

Beet Sugar, 247

San Francisco, 262

Piutes, Customs, 1!»2

Great Nevada Flume, 2 1 9

Big Trees— Calaveras, 250

San Joaquin Bridge, 255

Piutes. Burial Dead, 1*9

Halleck. 176

Blue Canon, 233

San Joaquin Valley, 252

Piutes.Catch Fish, 189

Hot Springs, 199

Boca, 224

San Jose, 269

Placer Mining, 235

Humboldt, 194

Bridgeport, 276

San Leandro, 259

Platte Valley, '23

Humboldt Lake, 201

Brighton, 249

Santa < Tuz, 269

Poker, a Chinese Idea

Humboldt River, 202

Brooklyn, 259

Secret Town, 240

of, 239

Humboldt Sink, 214

California Pacific R. R., 275

Shady Run, 233

Pony Express,

Independence, 174

Calistoga, 277

Snow Sheds, 227

Prairie Dogs,

Iron Point, 190

Cannon's, 276

Snow Storm at Truckee, 226

Prairie Fires,

Lake Tahoe, 216

Cape Horn, 239

Soda Springs Station, 230

Prairie Hens. Shooting 24

Lake Tahoe— Stage

Cape Horn Mills, 239

South Vallejo, 277

Precious Stones, 66

Routes, 214

Cascade, 230

Starvation Camp, 228

Rabbit Drives, 199

Lake View, 208

Castle, 249

St. Helena, 277

Rabbit Robes, 200

Lookout, 208

China Ranche, 233

Stockton, 250

Race, Curious

Loray, 173

Cisco. 231

Strong's Canon, 2'28

Rainbows, 72

Lovelock's, 197

Cliff House, 271

Suisun City, 276

Rough Times, Chey-

Lumber, 219

Climate, 270

Summit, 228

enne, 65

Mammoth Cave, 173

Clipper Gap, 241

Summit Valley, 230

Scientific Explora-

Merrimac, 208

Colfax, 240

Sunol, 257

tions. 106

Mill City, 193

Creston. 276

Sutler Creek, 249

Sheep Raising, 84

Mill Station, 208

Davisville, 275

Tamarack, 231

Skillful Cookery, 237

Mines of Virginia City, 210

Decoto, 258

Thompson, 276

Sporting,

Mirage, 198

Dixon, 276

Truckee, 225

Sporting, 112

Moleen, 180

Dutch Flat, 235

Vallejo, 277

Stock Raising, 39

Montello, 173

Elk Grove, 249

Woodward's Garden, 271

Stock Raising, 65

Moore's, 174

Ellis, 255

Yosemite— Routes, 253

Successful Farming,

Morgan, 208

Klmira, 276

Yountville, 277

Sunset Scenes, 57

Mount Davidson, 210
Mound House, 208

Emigrant Gap, 233
Excursions, 267

MISCELLANEOUS.—

The Devil. Firing off 2<)5
Thunder Storm, 71

Ore — Kowis Mine, Ih7

Fairfield, 276

Ah Ching's Theology, 205

Tit for Tat. 205

Oreana, 197

Florin, 249

Alexis' Buffalo Hunt, 37

Tree Planting, 31

Osino, 177

Foster, 276

Alfalfa, 253

Tule land, 275

Ot-'go, 174

Gait, 249

Battle with Indi-

Vigilance Committee

Palisade, 182

Geysers, 269, 273

ans, 33-37, 49

Incident, 1%

Peko, 176

Gold Kun, 237

Black Hills. The 68—72

Windmills, 87

Pequop, 174

Grass Valley. 240

Brown's Hole, 102

Yellowstone Park, 293

Piute, 189
Pyramid Lake, 202

Great American Canon, 240
Haywards, 258

Buffaloes, 62
Buffalo Grass, 46

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Raspberry, 193
Reno, 205

Insane Asylums, 250
lone City, 249

Buffalo Robes, 26
Bullwhackers, 55

Agnes Park. 69
American Fork Canon, 144

Rose Creek, 193

Jackson, 249

Cattle Kings, 185

American Fork ( six

Rowlands, 217

Junction, 243

Central Pacific R. R.—

scenes). 146

Ruby Range, 176

Kidd's Lakes, 230

Discouragement, 159

Ames Oakes. Portrait

Rve Patch, 196

Lathrop, 252

Capital, 161

Anderson Valley, 234

Salvia, 204

Litton Seltzer Springs, 273

Expenses. 160

Bank, California 263

Scales, 208

Livermore, 257

Chimney Rock, 42

Battlement Rocks, 118

Silver, 208

Lockford, 249

Chinese in San Fran-

Bear River Valley, 232

Hhoshone, 185

Lodi, 249

cisco,

Bierstadt, Albert, Por-

Shoshone Indian Village, 182

Lorenzo, 258

Chinese Workmen, 115

trait 30

Sinks of Nevada Basin, 214

McConnelPs, 249

Cloud Effects, 57

Big Trees (six scenes , 251

Steamboat Springs, 207

Medway, 255

Or,alMine. 113

Black Hills (five scenes), 67

Stone House, 189

Melrose, 259

Colorado Plains,

Black Rock, 149

Sulphur Mines, 195

Merced, 253

Coyotes, 59

Bloomer Cut, 243

Sutro Tunnel, 210

Mineral Springs, 271

Curious Names. 205

Blue Canon,

Tahoe City, 218

Mokelumne Hill, 249

Curiosities. Indians 91

Brigham Young's Fam-

Tecoma, 172
Thousand Spring Valley, 176

Moonlight Scenery of
the Sierras, 240

Flaming Gorge. 103
Game— Black Hills, 72

ily Residence. 135
Brigham Young's Office, 136

INDEX.

PAGE.

FAOE.

Brigham Young's New
Residence,

139

Golden Gate, 266
Good Bye, 19

Mt. Blackmore, 306
Mts. Hay den and Mor-

Shooting Ducks, 45
Shoshone Falls. 168—171

Bromley's Cathedral,

114

Gould, Jay. Portrait 22

an, 297

Shoshoue Indian Vil-

Buildings San Francis-

Grand Duke Alexis'

Needle Rocks, 118

lage, 162

co (live views).

264

Buffalo Hunt, 38

Oakland Avenue, 245

Sierras, Scenery 231

Bullwhacker of the

Gray's Peak. 63

Oakland Garden, 245

Sign Mormon Stores, 137

Plains,

Great Eastern, Echo

Oak Knoll, 272

Silver Palace -Car of

Busted,

Canon, 114

Oakland Piazza Vines, 245

C. P. R. R., 161

Cape Horn ( three

Great Railroad Wed-

Ogden, 127

Skull Rocks. 82

views).

238

ding, 165

Ogden Canon Nar-

Snow Sheds, Union Pa-

Castle Peak,

234

Great Salt Lake, 154

rows, 129

cific Railroad, 108

Castle Rock, Echo Ca-

Green Bluffs, 234

Old Mill, Am. Fork

Snow Sheds, Central

non,

114

Green River ( three

Canon, 148

Pacific Railroad, 224

Castle Rock, Green

scenes), 98

Omaha. Scenes in (five

Snow Mieds Gallery, 225

River,

100

Green River, West

views), 14

Snow Slide Mountains, 141

Central Pacific Rail-

Bank, 102

Overland Stage, Indi-

Street Scene, San Fran-

road, Representative

Hanging Rock, Echo

an Attack, 43

cisco, 270

Men,

158

Canon, 114

Palace Butte, 307

Summits of the Sier-

Chimney Rock,

Hayden, Prof. F. V.,

Palace-Car Life, 2

ras, 221

China Ranche,

232

Portrait 30

Palisades of the Hum-

The Pacific Tourist, 1—5

Chinese Theatre, Inte-

Hoodlums, 265

boldt, 183

Thousand Mile Tree, 125

rior

289

Humboldt Canon, 184

Pappoose Scene, 195

Truckee River ( six

Chinese Temple,

285

Humboldt Desert (six

Pawnee Chief in Full

scenes). 203

Chinese Quarters,

279

scenes). 181

Dress, 51

Tunnel No. 3, Weber

Church Buttes,

103

Humboldt River, 181

Petrified Fish Cut, 102

Canon. 127

Cliff House,

266

Humboldt Sink, 181

Piute Indians, 181

Tunnel. Strong's Canon, 227

Cold Stream,

234

Humboldt Station, 193

Platte River, near Fort

Twin Sisters, 101

Coyotes.

Hunting Prairie Hens, 25

Steele, 95

Ute Squaw and Pap-

Cu'ster, Gen., Portrait
D lie Creek Bridge,

30
83

Independence Rook, 110
Indian Burial Tree,

Pony Express, 43
Pony Express Saluting

poose, 163
Uintah Mountains, 80

Deer Race with Train,

Indian Costumes, 50

the Telegraph, 44

Virginia City, Nevada, 209

Deeth Mountain Scene,

181

Indian Tent Scjne, 27

Pony Express Station, 43

Vision Golden Country, 242

Desert, Great Ameri-

Jupiter's B iths, 304

Powell, Major J. W.,

Wadsworth, ixl

can.

181

Lake Angeline, 230

Portrait, 30

Weber Canon, Heights, 127

Dovil's Gate,
Devil's Gate on Sweet-

127

Lake Esther, 212
Lake Lai, 112

Prairie Dog City, 63
Prairie on Fire, 20

Wheeler, Lieut., Por-
trait 30

W;itir,

111

Lake Scene near Gold

Prospect Hill, 234

Wilhelmina Pass, 130

Devil's Slide,

126

Hill, 40

Prospect Hill, 232

Williams' Canon, 74

Devil's Tower,

Lake Tahoe. 215

Pulpit Rock, 119, 120

Windmill at Laramie, 87

Dillon, Sidney, Portrait

Laramie Plains, Morn-

Pyramid Lake, 201

Winnemucca, Indian

Donner Lake,

234

ing. 86

Representative Men

Chief, 191

Donner Lake,

229

Lightning Scene, 71

Union Pacific Rail-

Winter Forest Scene,

Durant. T. C , Portrait

Little Blue Canon, 234

road, 22

Sierras. 206

Echo i 'anon Cliffs,

123

Long's Peak, 61

Residence D. O. Mills, 245

Witches Bottles, 118

Kcho Canon Mouth,
Emigrant Gap Ridge,
Eminent Explorers and

121

232

Mary's Lake, 226
Med'icine Bow Mtns, 89
Men of California, Por-

Rock Cut near Aspen, 109
Ruby Range. 179
Salt Lake City, 133-137

Witches Rocks, 118
Woodward's Gardens, 268
Yellowstone Gejsers

ArtisK

traits 249

Salt Lake at Monu-

(five views). 292

Egyptian Tombs,
Fountain, Hillside Gar-

118

Missouri River Bridge, 14
Monument Point, 167

ment Point, 167
San Francisco Harbor

Yellowstone Lake, 302
Yellowstone, Lower

den,

245

Monument Rock, 122

(four views), 266

Falls, 300

Fremont, Gen., Portrait

Moore's Lake, 112

San Francisco View, 260

Yellowstone Park

Gardens and Groves,

245

Moran Thomas, Por-

San Francisco Mint. 263

Scenes, 304

Girden of the Gods,

trait 30

Scott. Thomas A., Por-

Yellowstone Valley, 304

Giant's Club,
Giant's Gap,
Giant's Te* Pot,

103
236
103

Mormon Tabernacle, 138
Mormon Temple, 135
Mormons (nine por-

trait 22
Secret Town Trestle-
Work. 239

Yosemite, Bi idal Veil. 254
Yosemite, Mirror Lake, 254
Yosemite, Vernal Falls, 256

Gilbert's Peak.

traits), 151

Sentinel Rock, 117

— •—

Glaciers, Mt. Hayden,

299

Mtn. of the Holy Cross, 78

Shady Run, 234

Total No. 256

ADDITIONAL INDEX.

Atlantic City,
Artesian Wells,
Camp Stambough,

104
115
104

Camp Brown, 104
Geysers. 273
Miner's Delight, 104

Napa Soda Springs, 271
Pacific Congress Springs, 271
Paso Kobles, 271

Petrified Forest, 273
South Pass City, 104
White Sulphur Springs, 273

HO! FOR CALIFORNIA III

Salubrious Climate, fertile Soil, Large Labor Returns,

NO SEVERE WINTERS,
NO LOST TIME, NO BLIGHT OR INSECT PESTS.

Bailj Trais fin Boston, Hei Yori, Philadelphia, Baltiiore, Chicap, SL Louis,
Omaha and Intermediate Points, for

Choice from Nearly Every Variety of Farming, Fruit, Grazing,

and Timber Lands.

The Central Pacific Railroad Go,

Now offer, in sections, adjacent to their Railroad lines in CALIFORNIA, NEVADA and UTAH, a larg& body of Land,
most of which is well adapted to cultivation, and offer unequaled advantages for settlement or investment.

IX CALIFORNIA the lands lying on each side of the main line of the Central Pacific Railroad extend from the
naviijible waters of the Sacramento, above the Bay of San Francisco, across the broadest and most populous portion of
ue Sacramento Valley and hotli slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. They are diversinV'd in soil, climate and con-
ition*—embracing the semi-tropical productions in the lower valleys— corresponding with throe of Ppain. Jtaly. and the

and perfection unattainable elsewhere. The lands in this belt, purchased of the Company, h»ve nsulted in craiilying
bnccmg to thu settlers. Wheat can safely lie in the field till threshed and shipped, and the fruit trees and vines are not
troubled by insects or blight.

Al't-iff the PAMFORNI V nml OREGON BRANCH, in the rerowwd Valley of the Sacramento, extending
from the center ti the northern boundary of the State, the Company also offer a choice selection, with the same gem-nil
ch »r u'.teristies. This valley is ;it present the seat of Ilie most successful culture of sm:ill grains (wheat, lunli y. oats, etc.)
in thu co-intrv. and nl.so ..ffers unrivnled facilities for extensive and profitable sheep and stock grazing. The Whole com-
prises nomf.nf HIP, Rust Land in California.

IV NKVADA. the main line of Ilie Central Pacific Railrnnd occupies the Truckee and Hnmholdt Vnllpys. the largest
and l>est settled in the State, nt a short di<lance from numerous and Important mining reiions. \\hose yield of Ilie
preclom ni^tuls is estimated at from fifteen to twenty million dollars annually. The lands of the Company 'are fo sitn-
a'ed ns to command these markets for their produce. Large herds of cattle nre nimntfuned with little or no trouble in
the HumboMt Vallev and the valleys which join it. Wherever the proper cultivation has been applied, these lands have
yielded good crops of fruit-*, cereal* and esculents.

IV IFTAH, in the great Salt Lake and contiguous vallevs, where the Mormons have so successfully demonstrated
the fertility of the soil and the healthf ulness of the climate, the Company have also good land.

Title, Patent direct from the United States Government,

These land* will he sold in quantities and on terms to suit. Immigrants, colonists and capitalists, who desire to
acquire inde->trnctlbVi real proner'y, certain to advance In value, will be benefited by an examination. Pamphlets, maps,
etc., will be furnished by application to

B. B. PtEIDIDINGK
Land Commissioner Central Pacific R. It. Co.

Railroad Buildings, Cor. Fourth & Tomsend Sts., SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.

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Full text of "The Pacific tourist. Williams' illustrated trans-continental guide of travel, from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean. Containing full descriptions of railroad routes ... A complete traveler's guide of the Union and Central Pacific railroads"

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