The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-06-10
For THE DEMecEAT.
AN OVERLAND TRIP TO OREGON

1.-THE following letter will prove o
interest to many Of or readers, par
ticularly those who have the west
ward, no :" fever. Our correspondent
promises to favor us, occasionally, il
the future-EDl
DALLEs CRY, OREGON,
May 10th, 1869.
DEAR VAN: Thinking that per
haps the few items l enclose would be
Of some interest to the readers Of the
DEMOCRAT, | send them; just to give
them an idea Of the trials, convenien-
ces, and in-conveniences of
AN OVERLAND TRIP TO OREGON,
over Pittsburgh, Fl. Wayne and Chi
cago and Northwestern, passing the
neat little towns of Geneva, Rochelle,
and Dixon, in Hi nois; crossing the
Mississippi at midnight, April II; then
on, through Iowa, passing Clinton,
Marshall, Cedar Rapids, Boone, New
Jefferson. Tip top" (the highest
point on the Northwestern Dunlap
and Missouri Valley Junction. One
fine afternoon OF the 18th OF April last
found me entering the city of Council
Bluffs, Iowa. 8 p. m. of that day found
me safely landed at the
CITY OF OMAHA
Nebraska, glad enough to get rid Of
the noise and confusion of the steam
wherry that brought us across the mud
dy waters Of the Missouri river. As
our train would pot start west until
400. | embraced the opportunity OF
taking stroll about the city to see
what was to be seen. | first walked
down to the large bluff on the out
skirts of the southern portion of the
city to see the great bridge then in
process Of construction across the Mis-
souri,. Three pneumatic tubes had
been sunk, and one pier had been start
ed. The Union Pacific company have,
/ believe, taken the contract for build
ing and completing it. The company
has large shop on each side Of the
river, where all the iron is welded.
stone cut, and materials put together
for its construction. The temporary
bridge which the Union Pacific had
been operating last wiz ter when the
river was frozen up, had been taken
down the week before. The company
expect to have cars running over in
less than two years. Perhaps no city
west Of Chicago and cast of the Rocky
mountains, has made such gigantic
strides, within the last few years, in
population ard improvements, as Oma-
ha. Eighteen years ago it was but a
small trading post, one catholic mission
and cluster of trading huts. 1t was
here that the Indians, years ago, came
from al. parts of the upper coun-
try to hold their "pow-wows" or coun-
ellis, hence the name of the high bluffs
On the Iowa side-Council Bluffs.
Now, how changed. With a contln-
ued increase of population, with bust
ness houses challenging comparison
with any, institution of edu-
cation, fine schools, and finer churches;
street-cars, running in every direction;
with her wharves crowded with boats
loaded with merchandise for Sioux City,
TT. Yankton, Dacota, TT. Benton. and
the upper Missouri, it forms great
comparison with its condition fifteen or
eighteen years ago. The city is situa-
ted on high bluff, with higher bluffs
behind it; and from the Iowa side YOU
get a splendid view of it.
Returning to
TIE L. Z. Il. DEPOT
at 4 clock, found the ticket Offices.
two III number, open, and an impa-
tent crowd of some fifty persons around
each, yelling at the top of their voices,
| waited until the crowd had thinned
from before the Office windows and
then secured my ticket without getting
my sides caved in or toes mashed. Nv
friend Burch ditto. Finally, all have
tickets, the ticket Offices are closed.
the baggage is all checked, and the
extra money per pound for it all ex-
tracted, and the train, which has been
impatiently waiting for US, starts, and
sixteen coaches, heavily laden. (four
with United States soldiers and one
with some OF Uncle Sans trouble.
some reservation Indians, drawn by
one of Mason's powerful six driver
wheeled engines, with It's load of hui
man freight, frets and fumes on its iron