Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-10-21
The California Excursion.
FROM OMAHA no SALT LAKE VALLEY.

FROM OMAHA no SALT LAKE VALLEY.
All roads lead to Omaha, for Omaha is your
exit gate to the overland Journey. The Romantic
has abandoned all East Of that to civilization but
beyond lies the unknown, and we can claim only
an iron hair-lue across it,
Leaving Omaha for your ride of eighteen hum
dred miles ont degree less Of delightful adven-
ture than tllpt of Columbus That cnlcrprising
sailor could not state, in advance, his exact route
nor locate the precise points at which he would
probably take his meals while we who started
out last Saturday on our land voyage to San
Francisco, were confined to q very definite road,
and had our eating rations wonderfully well as
certaincd. But suppose your locomotive gives
out, or the SHOWS fall, or some wandering band
OF our red brethren payiully obstruct your truck
behold you are about us badly OIL aud as total
" several from Civilization, MS was the gallant
Christopher
You must remember that the Pacific Railroad,
IRON Omaha TO Sacramento, is about seventeen
hundred and scventy-6vc miles. Five hundred
and fifty miles across the rolling plains OF Ne
braska, rising steadily at each mile, and you
reach, at Sherman, the highest point of the jour
ney $3.50 feet above tide. This is, however, not
the watershed which divides the Mississippi Val
ley from the Pacific, for the rains flowing West
ward fall into the North Platte, which afterward
finds its way through pass in tho mountains,
and finally reaches the Missouri
These five hundred miles are through u prnitc
country, but its uniformity soon exhausts your
| curiosity, and you look forward with some plea
sure To the idea of climbing among the cliffs aud
| precpices Of the Rocky Mountains. For such
expectations. hnwever,you are sadly disappointed
The rise OF the great backbone" on the Eastern
side is steady, continuous, and, generally speak.
| ing, without any striking features Of mountain
scenery. The surface is rolling and billuwy, aud
IN occasional Instances wonderful sandstone cliff
rise abruptly into curious and fantastic shapes
But you accomplish the extreme altitude at Sher-
man, without any great change from the general
| appearance OF the Platte Valley.
| From Omaha to the valley of Salt Lake, the
grandest scenery is the passage of the road
| through the narrow gorges in the Wahsntct
| mountains known as Weber and Echo CANYONS
The views hero are of the most impressive de-
scription, and the most Indifferent observer can.
not disregard their claims to notice aud admira
ton.
Delightful weather attended our trip to Uintah
lhe station where We took stage for Salt Lake
CITY. We left Omaha some four hours behiDt
time, on the afternoon of Saturday, the 9th, ant
s,cercd boldly Westward, up the Valley of III,
| fltttc. Our supper WINS at Grand Island Is:
miles on the way. and nearly thousand fec
above the level of Omaha. Retiring TO rest
breakfast time found lie at Sidney, Ala miles, ant
elevated 4iO13 feet above tide. Noon time o
| SUNDAY We were al cheyenne, the divergent puD
of the Denver branch road. This is being rapidl,
constructed, the engineer in charge being MIR. Il
NJ. Echoltz, Of Chester county, very capabl,
and Intelligent gentleman, whose acquainlanc
was briefly made.
About 4 o'clock we were nj Laramie, 572 miles
having passed Sherman, the summit point n
miles back. II you will rrcocct that elevation
above 1000 feet are casscd rs mountains. vo,
Will comprehend that here, whcrc the heiph
(Sherman) Is S,235 feet, you IRE away NJ in In
LOFTY regions. The vegetation has RIM down d
the little end of nothing in value and appearance
ard the rarity OF tho air is very apparent b
, some persons, myself among the number main
fully 80. When Admiral Farragut crossed E,sl
ward, few days ago, his prcdisposi,ion to hear
disease was alarningly aggravated by the thi
atmosphere, and his recent teverc sickness i
Chicago is largely due to IL.
Late on Sunday evening" we ate our supper n
kawng 40 miles, land 6732 feet elevation A iii
Tie later, after we had retired TO rest, we passed
l at Creston, the true wate' summit Of the Rock
Mountains.
Monday morning, we brcnkfasted ut Carter
station, where cur large party quite exceeded III
accommodation, aud We ate decidedly the poore,
= railroad meal, thus far.
Passing now through the great CANYONS "
i. reached uintah, on the afternoon Of Monday. m
dismounted from our sleeping cars to take III
coaches for the Mormon City. HIM. j.