Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1872-06-08

y
go we passed through snow.storm, which,
with. occasional glimpses of the oul,, blue wa.
ters Of Lake Michigan, reminded me of home
At Chicago, we were transferred. 10 the cars of
the Rock Island route; these cars, for elegance
and comfort, far surpass those of the l.. s.. IL
NJ. S. road. We soon lcaxc the land of small
farms aud elegant farm buildings. and broad
prairics stretch out before US as far as the eye
can sec, with here aud there d house-i;s oc.
cupant busy pgepaling the ground FOR harvest.
AT every station, evidence of the productive
ness Of the soil is seen in me immense corn
cribs. that abornd.
bate IN the afternoon Of the Cd, we arrived
at Rock lslaad. This city, together with Da.
rcnport, presented to me very lively appear
ancc, and as we were crossing the bridge that
spans the "Father of Waters" between these
two places, the sunset gun from the fort in the
distance, reminds us that another day has,
gone. After leaving Davenport. life on the
cars really commenced; the lunch baskets
were brought forth, and our car presented the
appearance of a travelling hotel; after lunch,
"POrter, make up my BERTH was heard from
various parts Of the car, and an occasional
glimpse of II white form disappearing in equal
" as white sheets, soon brought quiclncss to
our car, as We sped away. expecting on the
morrow TO open our eyes in Council Bluffs.
Owing TO the late war between Council
Bluffs and Omaha, as to which should be the
terminus of the Pncific road, the traveller
westward meets with a very poor system of
management The bridge over the Missouri
ut this place, has eomo into the possession Of
u SO called Transfer Company, and one has TO
change cars at Council Bluffs, cross the river,
then change again ut Omaha. l was not par.
ticuarly fascinated with the appearance Of
Omaha-it has II hot, dirty look, and the slug
gisb, muddy waters of the river together with
lis inferior buildings, gave il an unhealthy ap-
pcarance, Here the baggage is all re check
cd, and weighed, and extra baggage charged
10 per cen. per pound one can thinl himself
lucky if he has any baggage left, after 1t has
passed through the hands Of these smashcrs.
After leaving Omaha. civilization gradually
disappears, and as we journey along the val
ley Of the Platte only an occasional SETTLER is
seen; as he turns up the soil with his plow,
ii has rich black appearance, and must be
very productive, and | prophesy that within n
few years this whole valley will be as rich a
farming country as there is in the West. At
Grand Island, "Lo" first made his appearance
and rs their filthy, halfnakcd forms gathered
around the train, | thought TO mysrli-"are
these the Noble Red Men 2" The road runs
for hundreds of miles through perfectly lev
cl country, With here and there a lonely sta
ton in the distance, an occasional hcrdcT Is
seen, watching his cattle, while every now
and then, n fock of aniclopcsy aiSrighted by
our train, lift their heads and bound away.
AT Cheyenne we lcaye this level country and
commence The ascent of the Rocky Mountains
Cheyenne is Situated AT the base and is a place
of considerable aclivity-owing, perhaps, 10
the soldiers stationed here, and the branch
road leading to Denver. We here take an cx.
| ira locomotive, and our train of nine cars is
coon at Sherman, the highest station on the
rOad the lookout from here Is grand. Away
in the dim distance may be seen Long and
Pixies peaks, while behind us as far as the eye
extends, stretches the plain over which we
| have just passed We are now in the land of
snow, and as we whirl away on the down
grade, we pass Though snow sheds and i'm.
mcnse snow drifts, higher than the tops OF our
cars
Sunday morning, (May 5thD We are whirl,
ing along tho banks of Bitter Creek, the wa
tcrs OF which are u dirty red color, rescmb-
bling the washings Of dyeing establishment
and ARE said TO be death to whatever partakcs
This Is II beautiful day, and 1t is only by The
inspection of ones calendar that We know 1t
! to be the Sabbath. The stores and saloons in
the towns through which we pass are all open
and seem to be doing n thriving business No
Sabbath bells are heard, no upward pointing
church spires seen, and thought-"What n
splendid field is here for missionary labor T.
In the afternoon, we pass through Weber and
| Echo Canons. The road here follows the
course OF n mountain stream, and MS we pass
over, around and through vast rocks, one iu-
sliuctiycty cXclaims, "llow GrandW In my
blyhood, | used to fancy the Rocky Mountains
covered with dense forests, and an Indian be.
hind each tree, watching with jealous eye
every passing cmigrant in reality, found il
different. There is not tree TO be seen west
Of Omaha until you get thousand miles, and
there stands the solitary pine, like II lone SEN
llnol, beside the track, labelled, 1000 Mile
Tree" These mountains are composed OF
vast rocks, of a reddish color, which seem 10
have been ut some time, upheayed in oil des-
cribable shapes aud forms, We saw the
Devils Slide" which stretches like a hug,
trough Of stone down the side Of higl
mountain; also, "Pulpil Rock" where Brig
ham preached on his way 10 Salt Lake, 0nt
many other natural euriosities TO numerous tt
mention. Lnte In the afternoon we arrived a
Ogden, Mormon town of consid, rlblc i'm
portnncc. We here change TO the Central Pa
clhc, and before dark are skirlIng the banks
of Salt Lake, The next day we pass over III,
a'koli plains, aud more desolaie, barren
country could not be conceived of; Tucsda,
forenoon we make the ascent of the Sierra Ne
vadaa These mountains were covered will
snow, and the air was cool aud bracing 70
forty miles we pass through an unbroken lin
! of snow.sheds. The mountains are mirl
! checkcred with waier'plpes, used for hydrau
ic mining, and In some places the sides of th
,mountains haYc all been washed away by 81
ger gold hunters. We soon leave The land
( snow and come into the Sacramento vale
The farmers are busy haylng, and the wheat
nearly ripe IL seems like sudden trans