The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1869-11-03
Liter Ec= ae=..-.
Bosrox. Mass. Oct. "a. lss

nent, as / went along. but have had 10 time.
have not stopped in any place since left
Elko long enough to write a letter though
have not come through IN any very quick
time. After the cars had passed your Office.
and had lost sight OF the boys who were
waving me good-by. turned into the car TO
take a look at my fellow-passensers. l found
an old man and his wife who had lived to-
gether so long that they had grown to look
like each other-having noses on their faces
like the dorsal-fn of a shark. Then there
was a man Of thirty-fve, with his wife. ten
years younger, and a half-dozen Chicks" one
at the breast-I can swear to thistle latter
being gifted with an excellent pair of lungs
that II was IN the habit of using with the
greatest vicor whenever its food was not fur
nished on demand n bullet-headed. ignorant
Englishman, one-eyed Mick" half fool:
and two rolicking boys from the "Ould Sod +"
whom found to be good companions. made
up my company. The cars were not crowded
so stretched my long legs out over two or
three seats, and enjoyed the ride as much as
though / was - first-clAss" We arrived al
Promontory the next morning at light clock
and had look at the dirtiest, raeanest-look-
ing place there l. on the whole route. We
saw the gentleman with the carpet-sack. who
wanted to sell locks-"dead-lOck Jack'-ard
the gentleman with "three-carls They
sang very softly, and did not catch single
sucker. one passenger offering TO bet the
'three-card chap tao TO one that he cCuld
beat him at his own game. ..Three-card'
didn't seem TO want any of il. The outsider
was big fellow from ''down-east." who had
served his time At hst-cuffs on the rivers of
Maine, and graduated in the southern mines,
around jamestown and Sonora, places always
noted for being lively" Here We changed
cars TO the Union Pacific, and through some
mistake in the calculations of the head
men, found We were crowded into four ca
boose cars, without room to lay or sit down.
a total want Of vater-cloSets, and large ac-
cesslon 10 our numbers. We Crowled, and
svore, and finally telegraphcd 10 somebody,
forget who. l Was surprised at the beauty of
the little Mormon towns by the sides Of which
We passed. the general appearance Of thrift
and comfort, and was equally surprised at the
squalOr and wretchednesS of those who Guilt
waited farms close to the roadside. Children
abOunded, and in more than one cahin-dOor
/ did see two women standing, with infants in
their arms, looking dirty and Pitiful. We
saw Echo Canyon 10y most brilliant moon
I hight, and II vas one Of the gTandest sights
ever beheld. In many places the rock wall
stands up fve hundred feet over the railroad
[ looking as though II would require but the
/ touch Of a child's hand to send thousands Of
/ tons of the rock on the passing train. We
] had received another accession to our list Of
| passengers at Ogden, and were now packed
! like pork in a barrel; but at Echo City we
! hooked on three first-class coaches. and from
! that time ont were as comfortable rs could be
/ We tried the grub at two places. and found 1t
I rs bad bad could be; the fluids were no
/ better, but the usual amount was absorbed.
| / had by the end OF the third day made the
J acquaintance of a couple OF jolly good fellows,
and we used to make our end Of the car mu-
I steal with old songs and stories. and moist
I with the - mouuiain-dew" that the roadside
/ groceries furnished. I often ran ont into the
| little towns that have sprung mp along the
! road. but saw nothing Of any note. Corinne
/ and Cheyenne are the only on-s worth no
/ ticlnE, and Il looks as though their glory had
! departed. Cheyenne Is IA much larger place
! than expected, contains n number OF lnrge
/ buildings, and seems quite n city. We were
/ there an hour in the evening And ! ran all
/ over town III peltInG sauw-StorIn. inst to see
/ tho sights pOked my nose into dance
| house, saw squaws on the floor smoking new
clay-ripes, while they tumbled through the
| figures of qUadrillc with the grace Of a fat
| hog. / WAS satisfied with one look, and more
than satisfied with the two or three breaths of
| the villGinously-loa air | was forced to in
| hale. All across the Laramie plains cold
wind was blowing. often laden with snow.
We saw numerous droves OF antelope feeding
within tive hundred yards of the road. and so
accustomed had they became to the passing
trains that they barely lifted their heads as we
went by. After the summit of the Rocky
mountains is passed the country Is devoid Of
any interesting features, that can be seen
from n car window. IL is one vast, level
plane. without n tree to relieve the eve, only
occasionally crossed by dirty sluggish streams
After the valley of the Platte is reached. it
looks Ms though it might be habitabls land,
but the guard of blue-coats to be seen at every
! station shows that "Lo" is not fully trusted.
want TO say one thing for the Union Pacific
! railroad in buildings, in offices, shops, and
ample provision for its employees, it is so far
ahead of the Central that the Inter is not
worth mentioning. The rouud-houses are all
built of brick or stone. Not wooden build
ing can be found Imprinted, and at the towns
! due regard has been paid for good taste in
| RECOMMENDATION. Not one of those ugly piles,
that spoil the looks of every town on the line
of the Central. called freight-houses, that
mus: he the product of some poor devil suf-
| feriug from the trsnienS, is to be seen. Not a
drop Of liquor is sold in Union Pacific
house. Comfortable sitting-rooms, handsome
| ~ furnished for both ladies' and gentlemen.
are provided at nil the principal stations. The
men on the road are polite and attentive 10
| to even second-"lass passengers. Too much
cannot be said IN praise of the conductors,
for they all made every effort to make their
passengers comfortable. But will close this
In my next, will write my impressions Of the
| country from Omaha here. Only think of il.
one week ago. last Friday, left Elko. And
now. as sit and write. the sweet notes of
"Old Hundred come floating in through my
window from chime Of bells near by IL is
, e lovely day, rs warm ms the last days l was
| with you.