White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1870-05-12
Correspondence.
(For the Chief.)
lrOr tue ChIef.J
TsucKEE MEADows, NEVADA, May l, 1870

isucKEE MEADOWS, NEVADA, May l, 1870.
FRIEND Solve left White Cloud on
.aon''ay. April lfth, and arrived at Omaha the
same evening. The next morning. at half
past ii. foInd us comfortably seated in Pull.
mans Palace Car. ready for ride "across
the plains-" Bat the trains from the East
were behind time. and it was P. N. sben
The Shi>;ie sounled, aid with one locomstive
before, and one behind to help us mp the hill
out OF town, We started. Arrived at the ton
OF the hill, the engine in our rear bade us
goodbye, and We we're fairly On our way, with
the world before Us where to choose"-a
new home, if it suits Us.
And now word nr two Of advice to those
expecting to make this trip. Take plenty Of
money, and very little baggage, as all of the
latter. above 100 pounds to each person, will
cost fourteen cents . posnd through to San
Francisco Take sleeping car-the comfort
more than balances the expense.
IeIpec.ed to see the country near Omaha
well improved; but found, instead, a vast
amount Of unsettled and uncultivated land.
For distance of 500 miles vest of Omaha.
the country has been 80 frequently described,
and is SO well known generally By the "
ern people. that l will omit any descriF III
il.
At cheyense. SIG miles from Omaha. lila,
siop 80 minutes for dinner. and passengers
Tor Denver change cars. Although town of
some s.ze and importance, It has the appear
ance Of having lost some of its former glory,
and it is to be hoped much Of it's crime also
1t stands nearly 6.0C0 feet above the level of
the sea, and the ascent is 50 gradual as 10 be
just perceptible.
FROM this point onward. the face of the
country changes rapidly, and the interes. of
the traveller increases. We are now fairly
among the Rockys," and the snow-peaks
loom up on every side. Snow. sheds or snow.
fences are built at all cuts of any depth, to
prevent their being filed with drifting snow.
After winding through valleys and along
mountain streams for two or three hundred
miles farther, the road passes through Echo
ana weber Canons-narrow mountain gorges,
with perpendicular walls of rock from 500 I
l'5OO or 1900 feet high, and occasionally 4
tunnel through some spur or projection of the
mountain. You need have no fears of NV
attempting anything so far beyond my powers
as description of this splendid mountain
scenery. To be appreciated, it must be seen.
We reached Og,led on Thursday evening. in
lime Tor supper. Here the U. P. and Central
Roads connect, and passengers re check their
baggage and change ears. The town i. noor,v
and irresular!y built, aud claims population
OF over 5000, mostly Mormon.
IL was about sundown xhcn we left this
branch city of the " Saints" and an hour later
the moon rose behind snow topped mountain
on the right, and gave US a fine view of the
Great Salt Like on the left. All that I saw
OF the Great Basin would not tempt me to he
come dweller therein. even to become
d" Saint"
About midnight we reached Kelton, where
Mrs. s., of White Cloud, got Off to take stage
for Idaho City.
At noon the next day, (F-iday } we reached
Eiko, dinner station, and the great freight
and passenger depot foE the White Pine mines.
A good many persons we're here, waiting for
the SHOWS to melt of the mountains, to 90 to
the mines. They are not without amusements,
as will be seen by the following, copied from
poster stuck up in front of a whiskey shop:-l