The Baltimore County union., 1872-04-20
&s- The following interesting letter is taken
from the Cecil WhaV:


STOCKTON, Cal, March 18th, 1872
1t was only about seven miles down Little
Cottonwood canon, Utah, before we came to
bare ground, where mild zephyrs famed our
cheeks and the songs of birds were once more
echoing amongst the trees; and few miles
further down in the valley, green grass and
the farmers following the plows, seemed to us
like magic. Only three hours before we were
travelling over twenty feet of snow, where the
keen winds from the North seemed to belle
that it was possible for SO great change in so
short time and distance, yet such was the
fact. When we took the cars at Sandy station.
on the S. U. P. r. R., we were in great state
of preparation, although those living in that
vicinity thought it cool In due time we ar
rived at Salt Lake City, thence to Ogden, a
Mormon city, containing about 400 inhabitants !;
where the water is 50 impregnated with sui
phur that we could not drink it. The next day
we arrived at Corinne, the only true Gentle
town in Utah, containing |, ,500inhabitants, who
are at present very poor, inasmuch that the
mice 60 about with tears in their eyes, and if
we had remained there long we should have
been ditto. The q. p r. r. Co., contemplate
making that vicinity the terminus of their road.
II so, those people will crawl out of their pen
ury.
From the last town referred to as far West
as the II boldt, the Tosno range Utah) and
the Humboldt (Nevada) mountains, with their
panorama.
Rain but seldom falls, and its being too eleva-
ted for irrigation, will therefore never be of any
use to Uncle Sam, except for grazing close to
the mountain streams The only thing indi-
genous to the soil is sage brush, for hundreds
of miles it covers the vallies and high up the
hills or mountains. The water level or line
is visibiy seen, and many of the hills appear
to be conglomeration of boalders and sand,
showing inevitable proof that it was formerly
covered with water, and the very bills look as
if there by streams running into this once
great lake or sea. The Humboldt River is
very small river, only about 20 or 30 feet wide,
emptying itself into Humboldt Lake, ar sink
close to the C. P. R. R. In its vicinity are
a very few white families engaged in agrrul-
tura pursuits, and the Pi Utes Indians inhabit
those parts in fantastic array. West o. the
lake are the White Plains, or desert, deriving
its name from the white limestone, sand aka
Ii, wherein are the hot springs, notwithstana-
ing the water of those springs comes to the sur
face, an artesian we'll 500 feet deep only found
surface water ebout mile from there on the
railroad.
In due time We arrived at the Sierra Neva-
da Mountains, which are between 1000 and s.
OC0 feet, where are snow sheds for nearly so
miles,-otherwise the trains would be block
AIDED like unto the U. p r. R.,-think of being
in place like tunnel for 80 miles, yet we
were glad that we were, else we should have
been put on hard tack. Just as we began to
ascend the range the American River presented
itself to our view, away down below the track
i should think ! 800 feet-enough to make
one giddy headed to read about it; however,
| looked and saw waterfalls leaping hun
dreds Of feet into the torpid stream below
In its neighborhood are the gold mines Val
leys and hills are turned upsid. down by man
ual labor, even close to. and under the turn of
Dutch Flat for the precious ore. Journeying
on we soon caught glympse of what an old
forty-niner called Gods 0a0n land. AS far as
the eye could reach the renowned Sacramento
Valley was to be seen, just at the time when
the great red sun fast descending beyond
the Coast Range, leaving reflections of rainbow
hues on the glossy bosom Of the Sacramento
River, where, on each side for scores of miles
is valley, or plain. rich as those which gree
ted, with its fertile loveliness the eyes of Lot !;
waving wheat and green grass, like you get in
May. with flowers if every hue perfuming the
breeze.
Still trayersing through this delightful re-
gon we finally behe!d the twinkling Of light
of gas in the distance. when in few moments
the iron horse neighed, and in pops the con-
ductor shouting stockton" !" This city is on
San Joaquin River pronounced San Wakeen.)
equal in fertility to the above mentioned val
ley in fact both might be termed one. After
we got West Of Utah the greenback ceased to
be-ten per cent taken of'-went somewhat
against the grain. but We were forced to sue
cumb to it, and now we are basking in the land
of gold and silver.