Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-04-21
LEUTZE'S PICTURE IN THE UNITED STATES
CAPITOL.
Westward the Course Of Empire Takes its
Way.o
Correspondence of the state Journal.

In going into the gallery of the House o
Representatives, you ascend flight of stair:
toward the outer wall of the building, land
ing half way up on broad stair, then turn
! ing TO the right or left, mount another flight
landing Immediately over the point of start
! ing. Standing against the marble balustrade
at the top of these stairs, let US examine :
painting ON the wall over which the artis
has inscribed the classic title written at the
head of this article. 1t occupies a space
over the stairs about thirty feet in length
and sixteen feet in heighth, and represent:
an emigrant train crossing the Sierra Nevada
mountains on the route to California. The
train is passing southwark along the uneven
road on the mountain side, while just beyond
and high above towers the lofty range, peak
above peak, with gilded crests, stretching
northward as far as the vision extends.
! At the foot of the mountains fertile val.
| ley extends far off northward, through which
! a river winds along its way. The train has
! already passed this valley, and ascending the
| side of the mountain makes its way south
picture, when turning to the east and crossing
little ravine it comes directly toward US.
and then turning again pursues its original
course southwark This movement brings
the forward part of the train which is com
posed of persons on horseback and others on
| foot, directly into the foreground
| / will described the composition more mi
nutely. A range of mountains extending
from the center of the picture many miles
northward, the emf grant wagons coming up
the mountain and moving along in procession
till they reach the center, some of them turn
ing and coming across the mountain gorge,
two quite across and headed again to the
south, some of the men holding the wagons
from upsetting in the uneven road, young
women driving some COWS with a switch stick
which feed along the road, and the teamsters
driving the oxen drawing the wagons In the
advance of the moving column, man leans
forward in his saddle, the yellow tinge of the
sunset clouds reflected upon his bronzed face,
gazing eagerly into the distance as he catches
the first view of the land of their destinations
while his horse has got to take a few steps
more to reach the summit of the mountain
pass. Walking by his side is young man on
foot with sunken cheeks and consumptive
look, his hand clutched in the foretop of his
lltO Tile QlSIdllCe WIN
almost painful intensity. Next in order is a
man in red wooden shirt, riding dapple grey
horse, who has also caught glimpse beyond
the mountain and turns partly around in his
saddle and beckons with appraised hand to
those in the rear. A grinning negro is ca
ressing the head of a mule, which in the lost
ling crowd is thrust over his shoulder, while
the mistress, riding, fondly clasps and kisses
her babe-a pearly teardrop starting from her
eye. Then comes man on foot and his wife
Or son lit might be either) leaning upon him
for support. The features are feminine, the
hair long and curling and the hand is small
and delicate like a woman's, but close scru-
tiny of the dress leads to the conclusion that
it is an invalid son. The father carries
the rifles of both. These are both interest
ing faces; that of the father expresses the
most affectionate regard and anxiety for his
languishing child, while the latter is express
sive of suffering trust and confidence in the
strong arm that he leans upon. Next in Or
der is the forward wagon, in which a woman
is riding with a child in her arms, clnging to
the folds of her orange-colored shawl. Her
eyes are elevated above anything on earth
but fail to reach heaven; it is a vacant, I'M
finished face, with an expression of alarm.
Her husband, in red wooden shirt and coarse
trousers, and black silk handkerchief tied
loosely around his neck in the best double
bow knot that ever painter tied, is driving
the four oxen, with one hand resting on the
ox's horn, (New England style.) Their little
boy, with his hands filed with arrows and
cross-bow, and a rabbit skin slung over his
shoulder, is riding astride one of the oxen.
In advance o. all is the swarthy Mexican
guide, dressed in full suit of buckskin, elab-
orately ornamented with heavy fringe along
the seams, wearing huge pair of Mexican
spurs, who turns half around in his saddle
and addresses the foremost of the party, while
with extended arm he points to the west :;
and just ahead of the guide two men in red
and blue wooden shirts, with sleeves rolled
up, are cutting tree which has fallen across
the road. At the southern terminus of the
mountain, and forming part of it, is high
castellated rock, such as is frequently seen on
the upper Mississippi, and having wonderful
resemblance to the ruins of ancient mason
work. One man has assembled this
rock, and is waving his hat above his head,
while another from below reaches him
the American flag fastened to a kaotty stick
And here group, consisting of man, his
wife, boy of sixteen and little girl of seven,
have climbed up to the foot of this perpen-
dicular rock, and are viewing the prospect
below. The woman, dressed in deep blue, is
sitting upon buffalo robe spread upon the
| rock, with an infant in her arms, looking pale
and weak from recent sickness, and her hands
clasped in thankfulness for their safe journey.
By her side is the little girl, in checked sun
bonnet, holding up her hands in real glee,
the very picture of delighted childhood; you
almost hear her say, go, mamma, isn't it
pretty ?" while the stalwart husband, wearing
a coonskin cap made up with nose, ears and
tail on, stands behind, bending over in the
| attitude of protection, offering the invalid
| wife words of encouragement and hope
Near them stands the lad, with a healthy
sunburnt complexion and uncovered head, a
newspaper protruding from his pocket in his
red WOODEN Shirt on which, by the aid of an
opera glass, can be distinguished the word
| I''tedigencer, his rife standing erect in front
OF him, and resting on the rock he stands on,
| looking off toward the south, with character
enough in his expression, young as he is, to
| show that he is already capable of striking
out for himself Near this group a young
man, with his fiddle in green satchel slung
| to his back, is climbing the mountain, while
| he lends helping hand to a rustic maiden in
understood to be his afianced This com
| prises all the figures in the foreground, and
the others [ shall not attempt to describe.
The following diagram will perhaps enable
| the reader to understand more definitely the
| location OF the several parts of the compost
ton.
| Mountains