The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-04-07

An Interesting Letter from
Nevada.

Uer we again pacheu our NdllSc, pau" larc-
we'll to some whom we hope to meet again,
and resumed our westward journey.
Travelling by rail is not the best method
of obtaining correct idea of country.
Mountains, hills, plains and vallics appear
and disappear in such rapid succession that
it leaves more the impression on one mind
of having witnessed a gigantic panorama
than anything else. There was nothing
particularly remarkable on this eud of
THE ROUTE
that we could discover, Until the morning
of the last day of our trip, when we awoke
to find ourselves under cover of the famed
snow SHEDS
on tho Sierra Nevada mountoins. These
sheds are said to be forty miles in length,
and are constructed III the most substantial
manner While they hide some of the most
beautiful scenery on the whole line of the
road, the traveller, in winter, is amply COM
pensated for this deprivation by the lessened
danger of being "snowed in After two
hours travel the sheds were left far behind,
and we were laundering down grade around
great hills whose tops reached far above
US, and where broken rail or wheel would,
in many places, have sent us over preci-
pieces to unutterable depths below, rushing
through tunnels, crawling over trestle work,
until we reached the beautiful
VALLEY OF THE SACRAMENTO.
Here were fine farms and houses and orch
ards on either side of the road, and fields
arrayed in living green" The suddcnneas
with which the snow and winter of the
mountains were changed into the beauty
and gladness of spring-time in the valley,
reminded US of some fairy-like transforma-
ton in the Arabian Nights.
sACRAMESTo,
(at which place we arrived in time for IN
early dinner), is estimated to contain all
the way from 10000 to $4,000 inhabitants.
Enthusiastic Sacramentans put it at the
latter figure, while some place it at the for
mer. The dividing line between the two
estimates would, in our judgment, be very
nearly correct. In this city, as in most
California towns, the population is made up
Of all sorts of people, French, Spanish, Chi
nese, Negroes, English, Germans, Irish,
Indians, Americans, etc, together with the
various mixtures and admixtures of these
races Sacramento is the capital Of Cali
fornir, and
THE STATE HOUSE,
located here, is the pride of al devout Cal
ifornians and justly so, it having already
cost some millions of dollars, with a pros
pect ola further expenditure Of a million or
two more before it is completed. 1t is said
to be one Of the finest buildings ofthc kind
in the United States. The Senate Chamber
and the Assembly Room are magnificent in
size. finish and appointments, and we can
well imagine that the virtuous legislators
who infest these halls can, at the bare pit
lance of Sl5 gold coin per day, attend to
their arduous duties with much compla-
cency.
By the way of the Western Pacific road
(Which is merely a continuation of the Cen
trail Pacifc), the distance to San Francisco
is 12S miles, through fine country and
some flourishing towns. Arriving at San
Francisco Bay, the traveller is transferred
10 the deck of heavy old steamer, which
soon accomplishcs the remaining eight
miles, and. baggage in hand, he is left to
the tender mercies of the hackmen and ex-
pressmen Of
SAN FRANCISCO.
San Francisco is finely built city, much
more solidly built than we expected to see,
from the tendency which the earth here
has to indulge in quakes. Your readers
are doubtless familiar with far better de-
scriptions of the city than we could give,
so we will content ourselves by remarking
that here there are theatres, churches, Ii
braries, joss-houses, and places Of amuse-
ment innumerable.
THB RESTAURANTS
are one CT the most noticeable features Of
the city, both on account of their number
and the immense amount Of patronage they
receive. Two of the largest are said TO
feed 5000 people daily. Not only do they
feed people, but they do ii cheaply and well.
Sojourners of the male persuasion who are
not DESTROYS of putting on an extra amount
at the restaurants; and a more independent
manner of living cannot well be imagined.
THE CHINESE
are here in large ami constantly increasing
numbers. Great shp-loads of them arrive
monthly, sometimes oftcncr, and they have
assumed gigantic proportions in California
politics. Thinking that il ''wcre o inquire
too curiously," we denied ourselves the
happiness of a visit to the Chinese quarter.
Whatever may be said of their morals, no
one can say the Chinese are not an indus
trious people, for they will take in washing,
hire out as chambcrmaids, pick up every
scrap of paper and every old rag on the
streets, lie, steal, or do anything to get
along, and will lay up money at two bits
per day.
Westoppcd in
CALIFORNIA
some three weeks, and were industriously
occupied in lOafng during the whole of our
stay. In so short time, with no raids
into the country, it was impossible, from
actual observation, to form an intelligent
opinion of the capabilities of the Golden
State As n matter of news, however, we