The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-10-09
Letter from the West.-No. 3.
CosMoPOLITAN HOTEL,
SANFRANCIsCo, CAL,
Sept. Is, 1869.

sept Is, 1869.
MIR. EwING:-In my last letter from
Council Bluffs, promised that my next
should date from Sacramento, but for vari-
ous reasons, which l will not occupy space
to explain, the thing was simply impossible.
The fact is that since we have reached Cal
ifornia and its magic built cities, there has
been SO much to do, to sec, to talk about and
wonder at, that the mind has been kept in
Il continued whirlpool of excitement, ut
terly incapacitating it for sobernarrative or
connected detail.
have therefore been obliged to defer
this letter until should have an hour of
composure and undsturbed reflection. I'm
fortunately, l have, by some mishap, lost, or
left behind me at Sacramento, my car note
book, in which l had jotted down by the
way the various objects of interest between
that city and Omaha, SO that am now
obliged to depend upon my present recol-
lection, and can only give you an account
of such matters of interest as have not been
crowded out of the mind by other and more
recent excitements which have followed
each other in rapid succession almost up to
the hour in which now write.
Our party consisting of the officers and
members of the Grand Lodge of the United
States, several Past officers, about twenty
ladies, the wives and daughters of officers
and members, and the Committee from
California who came over to meet us,
amounting to about 1870 souls, left Omaha
at 10 clock AN, OH Friday the 10th inst,
in special train composed of four of Pull
mans Silver Palace Sleeping Cars, COM
missary OF hotel car, and large smoking
car in front; and arrived at Sacramento, a
distance ITS miles, on Tuesday the 14th
inst, at 6 o'clock PM, thus performing in
104 hours, or A days, journey which re-
quired of the early Immigrants some four
Or five months and untold suffering to &C
complsh. The stoppages on the road were
frequent and abundant time was given tothe
passengers at the different eating points on
the road. The convenience of the Hotel
the ladies and those who accompanied
them. So easily and comfortably was this
long journey accomplished, that only sim
gle lady was sick, and no one seemed to be
more exhausted OH arriving at Sacramento
than they would have been in an ordinary
trip from Baltimore to New York. | do
not hesitate to say, that the entire read is
one Of the best have ever travelled upon.
So even and regular was the motion of the
cars, that tumbler of water standing on
one of the temporary tables, erected for the
convenience of the passengers, would re-
main undisturbed for miles,
You expect, of course, some description
of the country and of the objects of interest
here in this tie great, tie real West. Icon
fess it is easier to undertake than to perform
successfully such task.
When Harriet Martineau first visited
Niagara, she described with her usual felici-
ty of expression the various objects of in
terest along the approach to the Falls
But when she stood in the presence of the
the mighty cataract itself, her power OF
description failed her; and she simply
closed the narrative with these words: %
saw Niagra.' So 1 may well say, and
say why: l have seen the great West-its
vast praries-its apparently boundless des-
erts, beneath whose treeless surface vast
mineral treasures must certainly lie
have crossed its majestic mountains with
the case and comfort of ride in an ordi-
nary street earl have passed OFT through
the " Golden Gate" upon the bosom of the
Broad Pacific, and have returned again in
safety to sit down here in the quiet of my
chamber to tell you, that all this has been
accomplished within a single week. The
first expression that rises to the lips as we
gaze upon these evidences of Almighty
creative power is this: "Great God how
wonderful are Thy works; In wisdom hast
Thou made them ALL"
should fail, I well know, were l to at
tempt to give you any adequate idea OF
what have passed through and witnessed
The scenes must be saZed upon to be ap
preciated. l must Content myself, there
fore, with .jotting down in somewhat dis
connected form such objects of interest as
are now recalled, avoiding as far as posi-
bic any attempt at specific description.
Thursday, September 9th-Crossed from
Council Bluffs to Omaha; large and rap
idly improving town; visited and examined
the gas works in company with our young
townsman, S. Purneil, lease and manager
hope and believe Sam will succeed; I'M
dcrstand from the leading men ofthe city tina
lie is well esteemed and relied upon b,
them; at night reception by Grand Lodge
of Nebraska; speeches by Governor Sand
ers and c. p. Willard, ESD, Mayor of tn,
city, both membersof tue Order; responses
by Grand Sire and Representatives.; sumr
tuous banquet, with California fruits; Bal
after the banquet; N. l left after thu
banquet.
Friday, September 10th-Saw Mcssrs
killingsworth and Bye both at the depot
obtained from each of them interesting in
telligence about the road left Omaha; Gov
ernor Saunders and Mayor Willard accom-
panyins us; splendid farming country; al
along the valley of the Platte, corn fields il
gne growth, from one to three thousanc
acres each; immense grazing fields, ant
large herds of cattle; dinner at Elkhorn;
Supper at Grand Island, 154 miles OUT tn,
Platte River in the distance all day. pas
Fort Kearny Station, 191 miles out afte
night; encampment of soldiers; one com
pany of infantry and one of cavalry; officer
just returned from an expedition over tn