Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-07-13
TOWARD SUNSET.
Salt Lake City to SAN Francisco.
OGDEN CANON.

Salt Lake City to San Francisco.
OGDEN CANON.
Imposing and beautiful as are the scenic at
fractions in approaching the valley OF the great
Salt Lake, as well as in and around that won-
derful basin, l have not felt called upon TO refer
to them in detail, much less to attempt de-
scription of +heir many and varied charms
This for at least two good reasons. In the frs
place, they are patent TO every traveller passing
over the line of the road. Secondly, the task
has been undertaken by so many writers thas
by this time nearly every stay-at-home reader
must be somewhat familiar with the most prom
inent and striking featrres Of the landscape. 1
might add third, and still better reason, viz:
that 1 should sgnslly fail to do anything like
justice p the subject had the temerity to un-
dertake the work. 1t is only Just, however, to
such readers of The STAR as may hereafter
come over the road that some mention should
be made of the locality named at the head OF
this paragraph. Ogden Canon IS the deep dark
gorge which gashes the high mountain range
Just north OF Ogden junction. The entrance to
it may be plainly seen from the car window in
approaching that station, but the glimpse thus
afforded gives the passenger no idea whatever
of its extent or wonderful beauty. 1t is easily
accessible, at a cost of not more than FIVE dollars
for two persons, and visit to il should not be
omitted by any one who can spare the time ne
cessary to make Uncertainty not by those on
the lookout for the wild and grand in nature. In
these respects / rank IL before the far-famed
Weber Canon and Devils Gate, through which
the track of the L. P. road passes. At any rate,
the leisure with which one can gaze upon and
study its many attractions has the effect TO i'm
press the beholder much more favorably and
deeply than the hurried glance at those two
notable points which is afforded to the tired
traveller the generally beIsted train goes
whirlng and laundering through the narrow
pass.
Taking strong buggy a. The village of Og-
den. you have an easy if not very interesting
ride over tolerably level plain for about three
miles before the gateway to the pass through the
mountain ia reached. Arriving here, and hav-
ing made an abrupt turn in the roadway, a
scene of awe-inspiring grandeur bursts upon
the sight. Ogden river, swollen by heavy spring
rains and fast-melting SHOWS, comes roaring and
foaming with all the angry impetuosity OF the
rapids of Niagara between two vertical walls of
solid rock hundreds OF feet high, with just
enough Of a shelf along its spray-dashed banks
to allow single vehicle to 60 safely through.
a little farther along, an apparently frail but
really substantial bridge spans the hurry
ing food. After this is passed and an
other short turn made in the road, q Sec
ond view, still grander, wilder, and more
impressive, meets the eye. 1t is as if huge
mountain of everlasting granite were cloven in
twain by the hand of Omnipotence, and parted
Just enough to let the pent up torrent rush
through. On either side stand towering and
almost perpendicular masses of brown and
weather-stained rock. These are unmarked by
any tree or shrub, as they are inaccessible to the
foot Of man or animal, and they loom up 30 far
IN he tn live
that they are not absolutely sky-reaching in
their giddy and silent heights. Below, the angry
river. beaten ID a white foam by the cascades
above, tumbles and crashes through the mar
row and crooked gorge with deafening noise,
as though both the thunders Of heaven and the
monsters OF hade5 had been let loose to add
terrors to the scene. AT short intervals the
canon widens into little bits OF valleys, afording
here and there bite of heritage and slight
foothold for cattle or sheep, and then closes
again to repeat, perhaps on a smaller and less
grand scale, the views just adverted to. The
pleasure of the ride is heightened, also, by nu-
merous cascades and high falls o crystal water
ID be seen on either side of the canon. One of
these surpassed in quiet beauty any that have
ever seen,-thoSe of the Yosemite not excepted,
though 1t is smaller in volume and lower as TO
height than most Of those in that wonderful
place.
At a distance of about six miles from its month
the canon divides one fork bearing eastwardIy.
while the other and main branch continues
nearly Que north. Here the scenery becomes
tanner, and as we found at this poipt an extern
sive and deep bank of snow with which to cool
the accomplishments OF a slight lunch taken
with US we somewhat reluctantly came to
halt, and shortly afterwards retraced O. stems
On our way back We were 50 fortunate a. to be
able to get few fresh brook trout from some
fishermen who were trying the stream, and
most delicious addition they were to a well
cooked dinner served up to US on our return to
the unpretending but very cosy little hotel in
Ogden.
The day thus spent, with a beautiful sunset
following, and the gorgeous play OF colOrs on
the lake and mountain ranges about Ogden in
early twilight was one of the pleasantest of nv
life, and L trust that many readers OF TIE STAR
may be quickened by what L have said to visit
the place and see for themselves what have SO
imperfectly described. 1 feel sure most OF
them who do so will enjoy it as keenly as did.
For the benefit of such, l strongly advise first
visit to Salt Lake City,-which should be made,
indeed, by all sight-seers who cross the cont.
nent. Those westward bound who wish to visit
Ogden canon should then leave the city on the
morning instead of the afternoon train. This
brings them to the junction about eleven o'clock,
leaving them ample time to drive through the
canon and get good dinner on returning long
before the train leaves for San Francisco in the
evening. AS said before, the cost OF the de-
tour Is comparatively trifiing, when the attrac-
tions of the SPOT are taken into account.
Before parting from the canon, L feel that
something ought to be said in praise OF the en-
terprise and liberalty which constructed a
wagon road through so difficult pass. To con-
meet little settlement above with the main
valley this free thoroughfsre of some twelve
miles in length was built, at a cost in labor and
money, of not much less than one hundred
thousand dollars; and, III spite Of the obstacles
to be surmounted, the road is al excellent one.
Indeed, it is safe to say that few communities
older and richer that the few peer Mormons
who did the work, and with apparently far more
need of communication, would have accom-
plished so much in the same direction. 1t is
another and very strong bit of evidence in sup
port of what have said in a previous letter
about the energy and foresight shown by MIR.
Young in developing the material resources of
the territory. repeat that, with the means at
his command, what he has accomplished in this
way is quite As surprising and adds fully as
much to his reputation for executive ability as
his management Of church affairs.
UNDER WAY AGAIN.
The first thing that strikes the traveller in
changing from the train of the Union to that OF
the Central Pacific road at Ogden Is the great
falling of In the quality Of the sleeping cars.
Here we bid adieu to the spacious and comfort
able Pullman "sleeper," and surrender our
selves to such poor substitutes for its attractions
as are afforded by what ID rather pretentionally