Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1865-09-09
From the New York Independent
OVER THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.
By HON. SCHUYLER coIrAx.
OK PACIFIC OCEAN. BETwErH VICTORIA /,
IND san FRANCISCO, JULY 3lst, 1865.

7. 80. - Z, IND SAY FRANCISCO, Jul, 3lst 1865.
FRIEND TrLroN How you would have
enjoyed this trip along with our party II
has been constant feast 10 the eye and
the mind but cannot give yen any ade.
qnate idea Of it with pen and ink ~
remembered your wish that / should
write you about this long continental jour
ney; but We have been on the 20 SO iuces.
sanity that my correspondence all in
Arrears. My associates. by often locking
themselves ap in their rooms, baye mana ged
to keep up theirs but they allowed me no
key to my doors in The many towns we
have visited. .4asao 'ss 4.as 'ai .'s.i
We Travelled straight across the con,inen:
10y couch, stopping a week at Denver. and
among the Rocky Mountains of Colorsdo !;
o week insSali Like and the newly dscotv-
cred mines in Rash Valley, SO milt uff--
Argued egainst poly gamy with Brigham
Yonhg and bis apostles !, another week OF
Austin, in Eastern Nevada--so rich 10 silver
Veins, hut so Distant from snpplies--and
Virginia City, Gold Hill, Silver City.
Wasboe and Carson 10 Eastern Nevada |:
another week at San francisco, the New
York of the Puci6c, snG its vicinity, und
| hen started north overland, to travel over
rs much as possible OF the republic in that
direction ss 4assra
As we bad come into California across
the Sierra Nevada, by the Plscerville ronte,
we spent two days in going ever the Sierra
to Denver Lake and back again, on the
Central Pacific Rsilwsy route, where we
saw 5000 workmen, mainly Chinese, bard
at work pushing the track onward, up the
mountain grades The rides over the Sierra
are the most exhilarating possible Tbink
Of six horses on a run down a descending
grade, whirling the coach sometimes close
10 the edge. and almost flying seven mil es
in twenty four minu'esl
We pushed our northern travel one
Thousand miles north from Sau francisco
till 1--we stood on ibe'sol of Her Majesry's
possessions sts- the City of Victoria, Van
couve,'s Island, and saw out in the stroit.
the island of San Juan, which, being dis
| lputed Territory, ttbe question being On
" hch side of it The (" main ship channei''
rurs,) is harmopiously occupied by the
forces of both nations. a-
On our road up we saw those great
mouarchs of the mountains. Shasta. Hood,
Rainier, st. Helens, and Baker, lifting
their snow. covered crests IL 900 10 lS. 600
feet high each standing alone 10 grspdeur; /;
and ~e d owe through the Rogue River
aud Umpqua Valleys, aud that most IA
nous OF oil, the Williamette Valley in
Oregon. $50 miles long, and 80 to SO miles
vide, and which att acted immigration to
that distant region over the trsckless
,mouniains end plains, even before gold was
diseovered on this coast. s'.s1 '.,s1 ,ast e.
The prosperous and growing city OF
Portland. over 500 miles from lhe other
Portland, was one Of our stopping places f;
and we u,ued aide from our direct rosd
ro spend two days up The Columbia River,
aud enjoy. as we did, the sight Of The Gas
EcsdesT bud the Dalles 4. Both are faaked
by the Oregon Steam Navigation Company,
by railroads round them, The i.st FIVE miles
long. aud the last fifteen, and above each
EVt tbep you take anos her splendid stepp,er
Tor YOU. onward journey, This energetic
c)mpany now navigate this river up to
Lewiston, in Idaho Territory, and by an
other year intend-basiug steamers on the
Upper Celumbis, north OF our boundary
tiins, and ON Snake River 10 within 20Osor
SO0'miies Of the north end OF the Great
Salt Lake. though they viii need por,sges
Iof 100 miles or more TO reach the points
from which these new lines of steamers
The Cascades, which resemble the Rap
ids Of Niagars, sre surroupded by The mos,
picturesque scenery But vas even more
Impressed .Silh, the DslIes. where oil The
wdters ofthis great river are forced through
lsgorge bat 6fly. nias yards. vide. Where
The Columbia bursts throogh the Cascade
range Of moaa.sins' (bsiowr the Oascsdes
in the rivsy,) The only place yhese ,ha,
mighty rsnge Is penetrated, the views re-
mind one Of The Hudson, at the Highlaods
though on q graudsr- -scale-aod the miles
ol bssaliic rock, on The Upper Colambis
are % enlarged sssipilslion TO th'
Pslissdes. ~ ..,,'.-s,..a
Erep Qlyppis. the capital Of Washing
Inn Tarrjiarv vvsf aailad rth eoszeyhr Uanskt