Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-09-13

4
miles, due north, where the connection j
made by the Kansas Pacific with the Uni
on Pacific, and thence to California anC
Oregon.
By the terms of the charters undel
which the various roads received subsl
dies from the Government in the way OF
aid, they were with one another bound tc
pro rata with each other, in regard tc
carving both freight and passengers, SO
that the Kansas Pacific railway in making
use of any part of the Union Pacific
railway, has legal right to demand the
same rates that it offers to other roads
with which it proarates. -t s1saU
1t is to be hoped that in not distant
day the Kansas Pacific railway will com
| plete its separate, distinct and independ-
ent route to the Pacific ocean by the S5th
parallel, route already surveyed, as we
believe, at the expense of the company,
and which cost it q sum Of money, over
two hundred thousand dollars; or, it may
be that the route can be completed on a
| shorter line through the mountain passes
directly west of Denver.
The merchant and business man, travel
er and emigrant, will look to the map be-
fore he embarks on his journey going
West, and he will observe the great dis
lance and the time to be saved by taking
the North Missouri or Missouri Pacific
Railways at st. Louis, both of which
roads with the Hannibal and st. Joseph
Railways connect with the Kansas Pacific
and Kansas City in Missouri, and thence
onward 10 all points to the Pacific Ocean.
The Kansas Pacific Railway is a su-
perior route. 1t passes through more
mild climate than the Union Pacific and
through country tina, is unsurpassed for
its rich and fertile lands. The road runs
through and across the beautiful valleys
of the Kan or Kansas, Blue, Republican,
Solomon, Saline, and Smoky Hill rivers,
comprising fine prairies and bottom lands
for miles and miles on either side of the
road. This road is destined to become
the great central route to the Pacific
Ocean. The company's lands can now
be purchased at a low price,
all of which will in few years enhance
in value, and those who now take them
up must become wealthy in time by rea-
son of the rapid growth and settlement of
the country through which this road
passes. F..t
We cannot, in the limits of letter,
undertake to tell all we seen and what we
heard or describe in detail all the points
of interest on this most interesting high
way. The people of the United States,
and particularly those of the West and
South, owe debt of gratitude to the di-
rectors of the Kansas Pacific Railway.
To the capitalists and monied men of
st. Louis, as well as Europe and the
United States, who have expended their
means and contributed so nooly to build
this road, especially are they entitled to
all honor and praise. We can say to them
that they have secured the most direct
route from the Eastern seabOard and the
SouthernSta ties yet completed to the Pa
cific ocean. As they have aided the peO-
pie to become prosperous, may they reap,
as have no doubt they will, an abundant
reward for all their investments.
THE THROUGH TRIP.
We left st. Louis on Tuesday night,
Aug 80, and arrived in Denver on Satur-
day night following. The directors of the
road had taken care to supply the train
with full corps of servants and walters,
and with all the substanials, as well as
the luxuries, for the use Of the inner man
that was possible to be procured; and
from the start to the end, enjoyment and
good cheer ruled supreme. The citizens
of Kansas City, in Missouri; Leaven-
worth, Lawrence and Topeka, in Kansas,
and Denver, in Colorado Territory,
through their City Councils and commit
tees, did all in their power to make the eX-
cursiOnists feel that they appreciated the
visitors They came to the trains in
wagons and carriages, and each city in
turn gave the whole party, individually
and collectively, a drive over and around
the various places, and every information
in regard to the towns calculated to inter-
est the party.
ARRIVED AT DENVER.
From Topeka, in the State of Kansas,
to Denver, the road runs through an inn
meuse plain. The eye can find no resting
place, save on the open prairie field-va-
cant lands, untitled and uncultivated-no
farms or farm houses.
As the road nears the mountains, hills
begin to rise-Very slight, however. In
the dim distance, some one with glass IN
hand discovers Pixies Peak. To the left |
of the road a passenger with glass in hand
and leveled from the eye sees the noun
tains. They look like heavy clouds in the
distance, and the Peak sta Ids aloft above
them all. Gradually we ascend the grade.
from the Mississippi river to this point the
land rises higher by degrees imperceptible.
The locomotive snOrts and dashes onward,
and we approach the great mountains,
which stretch away in the north and to
the south. To the left of the road we first
beheld Pixies Peak, when, 10! to the right
we are now in view of Longs Peak, of
the Rocky Mountains; and soon we see
the entire suow-capped range in front of
US and away back in the far West.
A few miles out from the city of Den
yer the train comes TO halt. On exami-
nation, we find two construction cars, i'm
provised into an excursion train. They
are coupled on to the two locomotives in
our front. The passengers 60 forward of
the locomotives and take their seats under
the awning canopy of the open cars and
the engines push the cars forward at a
rapid rate up a steep asCent-while they
pull the immense train in the rear. We
have two miles to run to reach Denver.
The view from the open cars was most
grand and beautiful. The object of plac
ing these cars on the road was to give the
exCursioniSts a most complete view of the
Rocky Mountains, and it was had. We
witnessed the sun set behind the noun
tains and we remembered Bierstadt's
beautiful picture.
On our arrival at Denver, the entire
population of the city turned out. Car
riages and omnibuses came down and took
all the people up and around town headed
by band of music.
Denver is beautifully located. Before
her lie the seemingly limitless plains, be.
hind her the awe-inspiIing chain of ma
iestic capped peaks. The town has
a crude, raw look, however. But few
streets are paved or have sidewalks, and
the dust lies everywhere in abominable
profusion. The architecture is as varied
as the individual whims or abilities of the
citizens. On themain streets, bricks, plain
and with stone trimmings, here and there
a stone edifce, built with fine stone
brought from the mountain, ten miles dis