Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-03-09

Cheyenne we commenced to rise rapldly
among the black hills. The country presents
| a rugged appearance until we near Sherman,
the highest point on the line, s242 feet above
| the level of the sea. Snow fences, sheds and
storm W alks have been erected diagonally
| with the road to prevent the snow from drift
| ing on the track. The weather was very cold
and we did not much regret when we began to
descend to the Laramie Plains, which occupy
about six hours in crossing. Occasionally
| the country changes and the road passes
through narrow ravines and gorges, where are
extensiAe coal mines. One of them extend
ed under the road and was then on fire. The
train moved over slowly for fear of Earring
the ground. While passing over the ruins we
saw flames shooting out of the main shaft,
but a few rods from the track. Since that
time the danger has become so eminent that
the company have laid new road around and
at safe distance from it. The shades of
evening shut out the view and in short time
we were climbing
The ROCKY MOUNTAINS
| The elevation where the road crosses is
| 1880 feet, not so high as at Sherman on ac
| count of low pass here in the summit, but
| the temperature was very cold. The water
froze in the tanks in the rear of the car. On
awaking the next morning we found ourselves
to be rushing along through a rough and
broken country, following the course of Bitter
Creek valley. At this time of the year the
sun renders the scene desolate enough, but
the summer changes it for the better. The
train vas detained an hour at Bitter Creek
station, until the water train arrived from
point sixty miles away. This train runs daily
to supply the iron horse, as none can be OBJ
tanned in the vicinity. Along the line we saw
the ruins of several of those towns, that were
moved from place to place as the road was
being built. A ride of about 1870 miles through
an unchanging country brings us to the
WAHsATcH RANGE
The scenery becomes suddenly interesting as
dart through tunnel over 700 feet in length
and emerge into Echo Canyon. No one
should fail to keep his optics ''peeled" here
for the train plunges SO rapidly down the de-
file, that it requires keen eye to take in all
the sights at passing glance. High, bold
bluffs tower far above, their ragged edges
hanging over the cars and seeming about to
fall upon us. As we curve around the base of
these hills we cannot help thinking that ma
| ture has torn them asunder for this special
purpose. Grand thoughts crowd upon the
mind as we try to contemplate their magistry.
| Still laundering along over deep ravines and
| , Oh ,h
| nebec train, we issue into Weber valley and
| stop moment at Echo City. The mountains
are spread apart here, forming little valley.
In our opinion it would be splendid place to
| visit in the summer when the weather is warm
enough to enjoy it; to Chamber to the tops of
those grand mountains and descend to the
depths of those mighty chasms 1t would re-
quire considerable time to wander over all of
this natural curiosity. Six miles on the val
ley closes nearly together and is known as
the Narrows-the entrance to Weber canyon
Once more the solid walls close in around us
with scarcely room for the train to pass
| again we rush through another tunnel cut in
the solid rock-on through this narrow gorge
past Devils Gate, which seems like a mute
sentinel guarding this wild domain, and out
into the great Salt Lake valley. The sun
seems brighter than ever after our brief i'm
prisonment. A few miles further and we
reach Ogden where we bid goodbye to the
Union Pacific, and change to the cars of the
Central road. This town has population of
about 5000. The Utah railroad runs from
here to the Mormon Capital. From here the
road runs across the Great American Desert,
and thence through the Humboldt and Truckee
| valleys. At Bocca the road crosses into CAL
ifornia and soon ascends
THE SIERRA NEvADAs,
| the last range of mountains to be scaled. We
passed the summit in the right, and the fol-
lowing morning all hands were awake early
to witness the most beautiful scenery on the
entire journey. On stepping out upon the
platform we became aware of the sudden
change in the air-the evening before it was
extremely cold, now it was warm and delight
full. Continually curving, we circle down the
mountain sides around deep ravines and thro'
numerous snow sheds. The mountains are
covered with thick growth of timber, mostly
pine. Here we begin to meet scores OF China
men, who are employed on the sections of the
road. On our right gold and silver mines are
situated, their position being marked by the
light colored soil piled up around their en-
trance. Occasionally saw mill is seen, sur
rounded with large piles of mountain lumber.
American valley on the left, over 1000 feet
below. Along the verge OF this steep decline
we come to point known as Cape Horn,
Further on we catch our first glimpse of the
where the road makes a sudden turn to the
right. The high cliff towers above on the
right while on the opposite side we look down
the precipice $500 feet. What terrible fate
should one of these trains tumble down this
fearful decline! When the road-bed was
constructed around this point the men who
| broke the first standing ground were held by