New-York tribune., 1869-06-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS
THE GREAT WEST.

These two books present an account as full and ac-
curate as we need of the Great West as it was up to
the time of the Pacific Railroads completion. Here
we have described by competent observers
every feature of the physical country, the
landscape climate, soil. mountain ranges, with
their stores Of mineral deposits lakes, springs
basins All that is worth knowing of savage
and frontier life Of early travel and adventure Of
the first steps of civilized the wild plains Of
the continent is told in a way that interests and
satisfies Both the writers are something more than
travellers out a-sight-seeing, and telling strange
stories to the people at home. They seem to be
careful intelligent men, who write for the purpose
of instructing those who mean to make the West
their hOme who seeking field of enterprise, or
are looking for investments of capital. These
books are books made for use Mr.. Bowles's
volume contains the results of observations
made during two Summers of Western traVeI
in company with Schuyler Colfax, Lleut-Uo''
Bross of Illinois, and Mr. A. d. Richardson 10 "holh
of course every opportunity for inforlnation @ was
opened freely. The first Summer was that OF looo'
before the Pacific Railroad commenced Inc
second WAS in 1868. when it was well III progress
The materials faithfully accumulated during these
Journeys have been sifted, arranged amphned Dy
subseouept study corrected or verified by authority
fin in their present form they seem to be wanting IN
no element of completeness; at the same time the
obopers preserve the freshness of style that neces
sary to mpart air of reality to the descriptions OF
nature and life Mr.. McClures volume consists Of
letters written during the year 1867. portion OF
them were printed, as they came, in THE TRIBUNE;
others were published in The Franklin Repository
Both series of letters deal with the same incidents
and experiences. consequently the chapters are
marked by frequent repetitOns but the variations
i'm the different accounts are sufficient in most cases
to Justify the printing of them as they were. Mr.
Mcclure has good eyes and thoughtful mind be-
hind them lie gets the best authority there IS for
his statements aims at the truth. writes for nfor-
nation not for effect is ready to modify his views
when there is cause, discriminates well what is
worth recording from what Is not, and evidently
means to make a solid contribution tGthe sum of eX-
isting knowledge in regard TO the country and the
people
1t would be useless to copy extracts from books
like these. They offer few striking passages; 1t
would be necessary to quote moro than our space
would allow if we quoted with view to give speci-
mems of intellectual OF literary work. But the fol-
lowing account from MI. Bowles's volume, of the
manner of building the Pacific Railroad, will perhaps
interest those who are unacquaiuted with the West
ern style of conducting great undertakings:
Through two three hundred miles scattered ten
70 fifteen thousand men IN great gangs, pIsParug tIe
roadbed pOws scrapers ohOYeis pcks' ana CARTS AL'
among the rocks drills aud powder were doing me gad
tools Long trains brought up to the end Of the
peed track loads O ties and rails the former were trans
place upon the grade. Then rails and spikes were re-
loaded OF platform ears; These pushed up TO
the last previously laid rall, and with automatic
movement and cClerty that wonderful, practiced
ties exactly in line huge sledges sent the spikes home;
ever few minutes the long heavy train behind sent out
Bpuf from locomotive and caught up with It's load Of
material the advancing work The only limit inside OF
eight mi'cs in "a hours to the rapdity with which the
track could thus nc laid the power OF the road behind
to bring forward the materials. As the railroad marched
mus rapidly across the broad continent OF pam ana
mountain, there was improv!sed a rough and tempo
Tary town at rs every public stopping place As
mcnts were Of the most pershabe materals-canvas
tents, Dlan board Shaues, and turf hOvespued down
ana sent forward 0fa new career OF deserted as worm
less, every grand movement OF the Railroad Company
Ouly small proportion OF their population had aught 10
40 WIN 1he Ioau Oi any legluniaN SeeuPanOn, mosI
were the hangers ON around the disbursements
that It was possible to reach them Restaurant aud
saloOnkceper gamblers, desperadoes Of every grade
The yiest OF men aud Of women, made up this He'll on
Wheels as was most spty termed Where these peo-
pe came from originally where they went to when the
road was finished and Their occupation was over were
both puzzles 700 intricate Tor me- heL "Ouu appear 10
have been rakcd 20 furnish them and to 1t they must
have naturally returned after graduating here, fitted for
its highest seats ana most diabOlcal service.
The above is a description of Benton, one of these
transient posts the line. Mr.. Mcclure gives an
equally vivid picture of Omaha, a settlement hard
ened into a city:
II has us50 a population OF over 1000, and more
carriages than any town Of the size east OF tho
AeChaues sells more goods aud at higher prices deals
town lots by the foot at more fabulous rates; has
more hotels which better patronzed, dtier dearer
builds more houses IN day, ana rents them Tor more
money plays poker with higher ante, faro and Keno
with a more liberal limit runs horses oftener and for
higher STAKES than any other city Of 10000 people nave
ever read Of weeks absence transforms streets aud
structures where vacancy before. gentleman
told me tnat while al supper house was reared aud
greeted him OIL bis return 10 his office.
OF the two writers it may be said in general way
that Mr.. Bowles is more interested in the material
aspects of the counrythe scenery, the farming and
mining regions the capacities for wealth-prOducing
improvements-and Mr.. Mcclure is more interested
ia the aspects that humanity presents in its different
phases of savage, semi-cyzed and civilized devel-
orment Nh Bowles disposes Of the Indian Ques-
ton in five vigorous pages Of general statement IN
which he represents both the Eastern and the West
ern view Of the Red Man untenable, and declares
himself in favor of sternly cOnfning the Indians
within their reservations compelling them TO go
there and stay If they will not 90 voluntarily. Mr..
Mcclure brings up the Indian Question again and
again grapplo- with It as be meets it, allows new
facts to generate new Iopinions, and leads on
10 conclusions very different from those he
began travel with In the early letters he is under
the influence of the gentle philanthropic. somewhat
romantic notion of the North American savage
which obtains with the benevolent people of the
Eastern and Middle States. Actual contact with the
sayages dispes this sentimental prejudice The uni
Ycrsal preyalenc, OF the opposite feeling among all
classes Of Western people cOmpcls him to reconsider
his judgment He cOnverses with reasonable and
experienced men, obtains the civilians view. the
hOnteTsnans view, the tOwnsman's view, the view
Of the private soldier and the majOr-gen-
eral and ends az last by accepting just the
Tlctions Of the Western people There are 10 peace
ful Indians, lac says on the Plains. There are no
peaceful Indians in the mountains, save those TO
whom relentless warfare has taught submission