Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-07-22

| Correspondence Of the Union and American.
SAN FRANCIsCo, July 9, 1S69.-You
would no doubt like to hear something Of
my trip across the continent. The route
from st. Louis to Omaha, via. ST. Joe.
lies through beautiful country. 1t is a
rich prairie, and will one day be teeming
with prosperous population. At present
it is sparsely settled. 1t is a splendid
grazing country, the grass covering the
prairies as far as the eye can reach.
Herds Of cattle were seen here and there,
but millions more can be accommodated.
Much of this land is unfit for tillage, being
low and wet. Drainage, if it is practi-
cable, may reclaim it. Where the
ground is higher and drier the crops
were in splendid condition. Not one
acre in five hundred, however, is in cult
vation. South of the Missouri, l was
told, the lands are finer still. After
leaving Omaha we pass through the
Platte Valley. This is a magnificent
tract of couatry, but not so fertile as the
prairies of North Missouri and Iowa.
The eye hardly ever rests on more
beautiful country than the Valley Of the
Platte. But the soil grows thinner and
thinner as you advance to the west.
After passing Cheyenne, in Wyoming
Territory, the land is sterile, till at
length it becomes desert. This desert
stretches twelve hundred miles from
Cheyenne, you may say, to the foot of
Sierra Nevada Mountains. This ems
braces the Black Hills of the Rocky
Mountains. had always supposed these
mountains were covered with timber and
vegetation, at least that there was YER
dure at their base and for some distance
up their slopes and on the plateaus, but
there is not single tree--I saw none at
any rate-in Wyoming, Utah or Nevada.
There are said to be few scrubby pines
in the gulches Of the mountains, but none
that rises to the dignity of tree. The
only growth to be seen throughout this
vast expanse is wild sage. This covers
the plains and plateaus, and the noun
tains partially. The tops Of the noun
tains, however, are perfectly bare.
In crossing the plains we failed to see
any buffalo. Saw plenty of antelope,
prairie rabbits, prairie dogs, etc. The
railroad passes through numerous villa
ges of the prairie dog.
must say word in reference to the
character OF the railroad over the Rocky
Mountains. There is no heavy work on
this road, if we except a few passes.
think can say with truth there is more
heavy work on the Nashville & Chatta-
nooga road than there is on the whole
of the Union Pacific railroad. The
Union Pacific railroad terminates near
Salt Lake city. The rest Of the route is
called the Central Pacific railroad. 1t
was built and is owned by a different
company. The ascent of the Rocky
Mountains is very gradual, though the
grades in some places are very heavy
being 100 to 127 feet to the mile.
The construction, however was not
at all difficult. There are no deep cuts
or high fills. The ground is a succession
ofmountains and plateaus. The subsidy
granted by the government, aside from
the lands granted, was $4,000 per mile
over the plains, S32 900 among the hills
and S4S,000 in the heart of the noun
tains. This was vastly more in my
Judgment, than it cost 10 build the
road, As oof Of this fact, need
only state that the two rival companies
the Union Pacific, and the Contra
Pacific, Tapped their roads for 100 miles
By act Of Congress granting lands, etc.
the companies were to begin, one a
Omaha, and the other in California; ant
to meet somewhere near Salt Lake city
Each was so anxious to receive the gov
ernment bounty, that they ran by eacl
other when they meet, distance G
100 miles, each hoping to lobby 1t
claims through congress. There is nov
a very unpleasant feeling existing be
tween the two companies. An evidenc
Of this is they do not connect with eac
other, but passengers have to lie over
the junction from six to fifteen hours.
| halted day in Salt Lake city, Tn
, city is thirty>twO miles south OF tn
railroad and is reached by stage. Th
l road thither skirts Salt Lake, nearly il
; entire length. The city is located II
a valley about sixty miles long and fiv
t miles wide in the upper half, and tiftee
= to twenty in the lower half. This do'
# not embrace the area covered by tn
1 Lake. Salt Lake is about eighty mill
in length by twenty in width. The cit
n is five or six miles from the LAX
There is small lake lying between Sa
e Lake and the city. This lake reach
to the suburbs. The city contains abe
1900 to 1900 inhabitants. Tht
claim 25,OOO. Itis beautifully laid OF
Dl the streets all being of uniform Wldt
7, l20 feet, and crossing at right angl'
=" Shade trees line the pavements, viii
} are themselves very broad, and strea
IL of crystal mountain water flows throu
every street. These streams are Ike
Id perfectly clear, and the people use Il
y, water for drinking purposes. L.
at ground is almost level and the pay
| hnIlt
I'D adobe bricks-bricks dried in the 81
There is none higher than two storl
be except the theatre and one or two otf
ic. public buildings The theatre was bu
ty and is p"tronized by Brigham Young
at Preside Young, they ca him the
es BY far the largest structure in the
is the Tabernacle. 1t is entirely out
no proportion, consisting Of vast do
~ resting on brick wall only fifteen
.od twenty feet high. 1t is two hundI
.oe and fifty feet long, one hundred and I
nj feet wide, and seventy four feet hi
The building will seat 10000 to II,
, persons. The dome is selfsupporting,
le- whole internal area being vacant WI
are out single pillar or column to obstI
N the sound or the view. One obJec
10 is there is too much echo. This IS
rev pected to be remedied by constrl
ing an immense gallery around
he building. This gallery will peri
90, seat 5000 more. A large organ is In
YES course of construction. Six OF the
The weigh each three tons. The Tabern
'm> has been finished only about a year.
ay- Temple has also been commen
They have been fifteen years on
'eas foundation, which is not yet compile
the 1t is to be built of stone. Judging
too the foundation, and from the de-