Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-08-02
For The Waterman
A Trim TO CalifOrnia.-.NO. :.

behind ~ IN the Nebraska plain the sky is per
fectly copdless, and the atmosphere as free from
smoke or mist as though such phenomena were
impossible all Of which OF course is most for
tunate for those OF as who are there to see all
that can be seen for without experiencing any
inconvenience from wind or dust, we can bring
our stools 10 the platform Of the rear car and gaze
in all directions to our hearts content We have
heavy train, tho grade in many places very
severe. averaging about fifty feet to the mile the
maximum being nearly nncty-and so perlorco
we must move slowly. All by one of those who
rode upon the platform that day, the ascent Of
the Rocky Mountains on that cloudcss spring ai-
tcrnoon will never be forgotten lie called to
mind how, in the far OIL days of childhood, with
his elbows upon the desk and Mitchel's Atlas
spread open before him, he had looked curl0usy
upon the dark wayy lines representing the Rocky
Mountains and queried in his thoughts what they
were like OF course, the ultimate conclusion
reached was, that they were like those mountains
he could see through the window 20 the west,
only much higher and every way more extensive.
IL never once entercdhis mind lor be was decided
Is home boy, that the time would come 10 him
when he could answer the query hy a real gaze
Of the eye upon them and much farther from
him was the thought that the query would be
answered while ascending them upon steam
ear Tor in those days that saw him bending above
his Mitchell, it was considered a. good as settled
that Vermont was too rough for "A railroad to
traverse by the sturdy farmers about him all
talk contmriwise was considered chimercal.
" Gov Paine don't catch Us mapping, said they,
" he can't run that road through Vermont with
out going up and down hill, and going up hill
those smooth iron wheels, on the smooth iron
rails will turn right over and over without get
ting along an inch and suppose he can geta train
up the hill how can he hinder 10 from going down
the hill ker-smash and then the curves, think
Of these following our Onion river there must
be curves and running round those, how will he
keep the ears on the track ! tell YOU the thing
can't be- d0He-so there But the thing ,ras done.
aud great many more things Of a like nature.
until this Pacific ailroad--the biggest thing yet
in the line Of curves and up-and-down hills, was
done, and the writer of this found himself upon
it that aiternoon-proying that the idea he had
formed of what the Rocky Mountains were like,
was a. different from the truth MS the decision
his old time nelghbors reached was different from
what actually took place, since a railroad is be-
ing made through their o,ea farms, curyng past
their home fields, running along the Palnfeld
and right over the Marshheld hills
Leaving Julesburgh, we soon arrive at the foot
hills, or bluffs, which are called the base Of the
Rocky Mountains An the way from Omaha. d
distance of four hundred miles. we have been IS
cending gradually, until we have reached an alti-
tude Of about thirty-fye hundred fect-only dgo
hundred feet less than the altitude of the summit
Of Camel's Hump. Now the ascent becomes more
abrnpt but the summit at sherman +. one hum
dred and Gity miles from MS. Eurnin,f. nm a mar.
row valley living amid these foot hills.-and thew
are hills that are neither rounded nor green like
those | used to look out upon from the old school
house window but rough, jagged -tere-lookinr.
At Antelope, little station at the head Of the
valley, we are lifted above them and come out
upon the inclined plain or table-land that forms
that part Of the Rocky Mountains where the road
crosses them We are now five hundred feet
higher than the Hump, and as we move away
from the foot bills, looking back along the track
we can see that we are going up hill, and steep
hill curying about the plain to overcome the
severity of the grade. we are looking down upon
the way already passed over. 10 the right and
the left, much farther than the eye can reach,
this table land extends Here ard there, scattered
over it, are slight elevations of crumblng rock but
for the most part it is an inclined plain, covered
with adead-lookng grass, which is said to be OK
ceedingly nutritious and NEST excellent for graz
ing purposes. 1t is said that cattle will fat upon
it much more quickly and nicely than upon the
best Stall-ieeding at the East. Ii is asserted by
those who have tried 1t, that all 1t costs 10 rear
cattle is the wages OF the herd-man. Though
snow iallS' the winter Is not severe enough 20
render 1t necessary TO house the stock, and the
snow that lalls being so much lighter and dryer
than the snow OF the Eastern States the cattle
ma no great inconvenience in pushing il of from
the grass which cures under the summer sun as
II stahds' always remaining green about the roots.
II may be mat these plains are destined 70 become
tne pasture iands OF our country and here is to
Dc the grand depository OF beel and mutton for