North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-11-10
VOLUME XIV---NO. 5.

or five wives to look after, and, at least,
forty>lever young ones to support. was
in hopes we would 90 to Salt Lake City,
but it is out of our way thirty.five or forty
miles, and that we would have TO take the
stage for. We will go very near the Lake,
90 this will be some satisfaction. shall
be tired enough by the time we get home.
A fruit pedler has just gone through the
car, with California Peaches at IL cts.
apiece. They taste little too much like
money. just wait until l get home; /
will make sad inroads on the Peaches aud
Grapes, / guess. The next place Of note
is Devils Gate station" very lovely
place, but an appropriate name for it;
many poor emigrant has been massa..
creed in this little .Eden." see several
Trains moving along in the old, toilsome
way. How dreary it does seem. The
next station is " Desert" and rightly named
it is; more dreary looking place have
not seen. Now we have passed Ogden
station will not have time to write much
more. We are now going on the shore of
Salt Lake. 1t is beautiful. This Lake is
big enough to float large vessels. The
salt lays in great piles for miles and miles;
the plain is fairly white with it. l should
like to get some as a curiosity. Here we
are at "Promontory. Now for dinner.
l am awful hungry.
On the cars and on the way again. We
had splendid dinner and, also, plenty Of
time to eat it. We had roast beef and
mutton, mashed potatoes, hominy, shell
beans and bread and butter. For desert
we had currant pie, pudding, grapes, ap-
pies. tea and coffee There are but two
or three frame houses in Promontory !;
the rest are canvas. Still it is very bssy
place. They are building a depot. We
changed cars here. will not have any
thing Of Importance to write to-day. I
did intend mailing letter to you from the
above place, but cou ID not get chance to
write there was such crowd, not even a
place to sit down. Good night!
Wednesday morning. We have just
reached Elko and are stopping for break
fact. Going again. Had very nice meal
I have just mailed you short note and
Sandie, going into the Office, just saw an
old California friend. Now we are in the
Hum boldt regions. Have pissed the
palisades" they are walls Of rock on each
side; in many places the rocks take fan
cilul shapes, such as ruined t,wers and
fortresses then like groups of men and
women. II one coult but take time, in
stead Of flying ra,t all the wild, beautiful
things a. we do, how nice it would be.
do not have much time to write. Now
another night is fast approaching. One
more day and We viii be in Sacramento 0,
Thursday morning. All the Passengers
up bright and early. l slept but very lit
tie. The night was SO beautiful and the
scenery SO grand that did not 90 t, sleep
| until about three o'clock. l did not wake
this morning until we had passed the
summit" and were in the Iron Sheds
These sheds resemble great barns.
think they are said to be % miles long
The whistle has just sounded for Cisc
this is our last breakfast on the cars. OF
we 90. do not know when have en-
joyei anything so much as l have this
trip. We are now on the very top of d
high mountain. Down below can be seen
the tops Of smaller mountains Sd far be
meath that they look asif covered with q
blue mist. We are at the Devils Walk,
(what names they do give), a path leading
up the mountain with q stone wall or
both sides about as high as picket fence
Now we are going around "Cape Horn u
The track is cut in the side Of the noun
tain. A single mis-step wouli cast VI
into eternity. have just looked out ant
we are crossing high bridge. How hor'
rible it looks. A man standing in the ra
vine below looks like little pig. Th'
road takes strange turns. Mountains
above and below. There are ten cars ant
two engines. As look out can see tn,
engine and six cars going round the bend
We have gone over three very high bridg
es. "Long Ravine Bridge" is S9S fec
long and ll3 high. "Secret Town Gal
Bridge 96S .eet long and 80 high. w
have gone through fifteen tunnels. Sum
NIT Tunnel is 1869 feet long; the mex
longest il S63. We are at Colfax. Her
we meet an excursion train most ever.
one seeMs to have friends and acquain,an
ces on board. We do not 20 any furths
, than the .Junction," l8 miles from Sac
ramento. We take the ears from there [,
Marysville. Well, everybody il now pick
ing up TO be ready. Very few get of be
fore reaching Sacramento Or San Francisco
The whistle is sounding for Function.
We sre at our journeys, as we'll a
Journals end. Goodby, old cars,
, 10 Mrs. A. II. FORBES.
A. c. ANDERSON.