The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-14

berna 2ir IN eII. including PROFESSIONAL men ana
their families. FROM TWENTY-FIVE States in the Union
and from the Canadas with one from France. IL may
be said was OF generally good average OF respecta-
bility all. excepta few VINO purposed selling their
return tickets at san FRANCISCO, being oent soeiy
the morning Of July IA disclosed view OF tho
Platte River 10 the south OF the line, and al nine
O'Clock the bridge over tho wide but shallow North
Platte was crossed ami the train halted for break.
part OF the day the train was running through tue
uncultvated but beautifully yerdsnt prairie which
RICH RIVER BOTTOM or THE PLATTE,
with Its bluns bounding the horizon TO the sonth
and long ranges OF low sandhills on the north
Now along the route were met further instances Of
unsettled and unsafe couGtry In the shape OF cav
airy camps, with their white tents pcketed horses
In every variety OF prairie undress, which means
anything, ana recognizable as soldiers only
s and sSwaras evening Pine Bus ed hsm
selves INTO view, and soon afterwards halt was
made at the s9uattersh looking town OF cheyenne
were out to see the train arrive, and an Indiana
Quaker took advantage OF that fact to distribute
being the time table Of the Black Valley Railroad,
starting from Drunkard's Curve and going hellwards.
wresg Ters any s0Un raes tho ad mining
crowd they reached Is proDlem,atlcal; me honest
Tas Of
the sea level and there were yet 200 feet to be sur
mounted IN the next !hirty.three miles when the
at Sherman although even on arriving there nothing
mountainous is to be seen. But the air Is dry, pure
and rarefed and
INITIATES THE LUNGS
TO the full extent III novel way, which, with the
On the backbone Of the Continent. After leaving
sherman the descent on the western slope Is more
gradual ana cool nights res. Is the best luxury to
changed! The excursion Is
THE ALKALI DESERT,
that blisters and swellers in the sun, glistening
painfully on the retina with the scattered tufts OF
the silver sage brush ana the Drckly cactus the only
vegetation visiole. The sullen sandy mountains
on either side desolate and bare In their total sler
ty. stretching In endless Width grow into the soul
alkall dust the furnace air makes one almost
choke with unslakable thirst 1t recalls the graphic
description OF Bret Harte invOluntarily:-
sage brush, rock and aIksi. amt i q pretty page
ANA Yer ai or, sans
tits long, long day for the excursionists, who
MI 1t up as best they can. The Chinese railroad Ia
borers are the only new features at WORK or In their
a@ e5 inc sagne STOPS or s Ir
As you look into the room where the telegraph
operator works loaded navy revolver and shcat!
knife are seen lying by his instruments, while loaded
rine stands 10 the corner all strongly suggestive Of
hostile Indians round about, although none had yet
been seen 10y the party. At Bryan, where dinner Is
served with antelope steaks for garntsh,
A BAND OF MEXICAN HUNTERS
saloon OF tho place. Their small. tough, Texan
horses stand tied up TO post regular flltbuser-
ana sheath knives hanging from their broad belts.
Of s pS r Mat
comes out TO look at them. Alter he is satisned
with his scrutiny he departs for the train. AS
soon as he turns MS back, they begin to chatter In
Spanish and point to nls footprints 10 the sand.
One OF them, showing the white teeth through his
dusky skin. measures the footmark and cries out In
EnSi Hs, - oon. won, M s,ov .,oss tho ordes,
on again through the terrible desert. with the old
emigrant road close to the track, and ever and anon
beside the fast-eaclng traces or this path OF the
pioneers,
tells what Ola dO0rOsI those plains smitten with
the alka curse were in days happily gone by. Sup
per Is reached at Wansatc and the reporter obtains
leave to ride the engine through the canyons OF the
Wahsatch range. 1t was deep night tquarter-past
ten P. M when the train started There was no
moon, but the stars filed the whole eXpanse OF the
sky, and the fireman said:--
"You won't see much OF the canyons tonight; It's
with its deep throb the engine begins moving,
anu the course at FIRST runs over country much like
a 0T wn Ss s ss smooy e
Nine miles have perhaps been covered In this way
wn sia tine EN-, engi s,se a says oo outu
In an instant almost the distance between the
hills on either side narrows, and then from under
the deep shadow OF Castle ROCK she plunges with
INTO ECHO CANYON.
Heavens what q scene AT first all Is vaguencss
for the furnace glare as the fireman heaps on coal
to feed the thunderer blinds the eyes. Looking out
then the right into the darkness, tine runs up
q dark, overnanging mass and sees that It Is the
sheer rock wall OF the canyon inat rises go feet
above Far up on It's edge the stars may be seen
twinkng and disappearing as the engine throbs
and pants and roars along. Out In front the
Qlaring headlight shifts and dances on the silver
aiming track ahead and gllmmers on the tumb!ed
rocks at tue mountains foot.
UNCoNQuERABLE AWE
crceps over the soul as this goes on. By and by the
rocks assume their Jagged outlines. for the eye be.
comes accustomed 10 the dark, and then tue rent
htrta hnf la nj nm tn x
out in all their horrid sublimity. Again the furnace
door IS opened ana tue bright reflection leaps from
whistle sounds again, rOusing kindred shrek from
every embatted stone as II the deep, rock hearted
spirits OF the hills were uitering, Id discordant
QUAINT wARwuoor,
angry that man should wake them from their sleep
OF untold thousan years All separate features
lost in the awfuhess OF the entire scene beqgaring
detail, but leaving q profound impression that
and again the rocky businesses OF Weber canyon,
with the same surroundings, but with the hills
drawing close together aud the path winding so
that 1t seems as II 1t out wanted q touch to send
some overhanging ci1 across the path or an extra
oscillation Of the engine TO dash at and grind II to
TIE EARrHouAKE-suNDFRED HILLS.
"A thousand miles from Omaha Look at that
| tree"
And DIR tree alone In that terrible valley tells
story OF days gone by. The engine Is now rushing
grade down Is 100 10 the mile, aud tho driver
| has only to mind the brakes.
"Amp you ScareuW
"Wnat atfn
"The time we're maxim. Ia a liked to run yol
boys down In an hour and hail. but they wouldn't
| let me-"
few minutes afterwards the train stops Mt Og
den for tho night and the repOrter finds that he has
been on the engine for nearly three hours and half
| though 1t hardly seemed u seventh OF that time.
Next morning the baggage and passengers were
changed To the cars OF the Central Pacific Railroad,
and it Is the merest justice TO the company to Say
| that under the management Of Mr.. J. W. Maitland,
Assistant Passenger Agent, the rest OF the trip was
/
than II had hitherto been. After an early breakfast
| the cars took the side track for salt Lake Guy,
! day aud until the following Afternoon examining
the wonders OF that valley which from sterile VII
| derncss has been made TO bud and bloom through
| the patient Industry OF the Latter Day Saints.
! President Brigham Young was from home, but the
! Mormon authorities paid every attention TO the
guests and answered all questions asked with
| marked courtesy, not even excluding the
| DELiCATE GROUND OF P0I.l6AAY,
Mr.. Jennings, Vice President of the Utah Central
RaiIrnaA anil M2Qnr Xeils, heinQ narllcularlY ex: