The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-11-11
Agricultural department.
CONDUCTED By ALBERT CHAPMAN.
CORRESPONDENTS.
Editor Of The Relister.

Osr lSst left us getting away from
Ogden to the north of Great Salt Lake.
We fear this will be very poor letter,
for a more barren subject to write upon
than most of the country through which
we passed the next three days, cannot
conceive Of, yet there are many subjects
Of interest on this route but the main
features were alkali plains and sterile
mountains, each generally covered with
sage brush. Stopping at kcton this
morning to change conductors and engi-
neers, we found the yard master from
Burlington, the station agent from Mil
ton, and the conductor from Montpelier,
so we find Vermont brains directing
what cars shall run from this place,
show and when they shall run, and keep.
ing the rails in order for them to run on.
There are five repair shops at this place,
otherwise it is devoid of interest have
small specimen of the soil here for our
friend, Prot Seoly, which we hope to
get home to him, as well as some other
specimens Of rock aud ores We have gath l..
cred. We fancy the soil is not such as
he would recommend as best for raising
farm products.
We left Utah about noon of this (irsi)
day out from Ogden. On the following
morning we were desc ending the valley
of the Humboldt river, which was not
quite so desolate as the country we passed
through the day before. We were in.
formed that this valley was very fertile,
producing excellent grass, but we saw
but little Of it, though we saw many
large herds of cattle feeding in the dis.
lance, and some near the railroad Some
Of the scenery this day was very fine,
though it was very barren. The river in
itself is much like many Of our mountain
streams at home, but the country through
which it flows is very unlike our Green
Mountain scenery, so wanting in those
rich overhanging evergreens, that the
contrast is not pleasing to Vermonter
We stopped for some time at place
called Palisades, rightly named, the river
passing through high mountainous pre-.
cipices, or walls of crumbling, decaying
rocks. Large quantities of the products
of the Nevada mines are shipped here on
the railroad for the east, in the shape of
bullion, in bars of eighty to one hundred
pounds These bars are lead, with from
twenty to thirty per cent. Of silver. These
bars are made at the smelling works,
back away from the railroad, and in the
vicinity Of the mines. They are brought
here by trains Of eighteen or more mule
driven by one driver, and hauling four
or five heavy wagons coupled in one
string like train Of cars. The enor.
nous loads they bring in this way would
astonish Vermont teamster We saw
here, and at other places below noticed,
ore, both copper and the lead and silver
mixed, brought to the railroad to be
shipped, in bags and bulk. One Mr..
Blossom, at Battle mountain, informed
me he was shipping from his mines some
four hundred tons per month, of ore that
would produce some $500 Of silver ton.
Were it not for these rich mines, Nevada
must suffer for population, as the part
through which we passed seemed to pos.
sess but little else to tempt settlers.
The third morning out from Ogden we
were still descending the Humboldt river,
that finally became lake, and then dis.
appears in what is called the Sink of the
Humboldt. We touched the lowest point
Of elevation 1892 fecD between the see.
ond and third range Of mountains this
afternoon at White Plains, which is op.
posite the Humboldt Sink. From this
point until we reached the Truckee river
at Wadsworth, the country seemed to be
barrenness intensified. Vast alkali
plains with barren mountains rising out
of them, were the main features in the
landscape.
The manner they run the freight and
emigrant trains on the Central Pacific
Railroad gives uncommon facilities for
seeing the country. The time by the
time table is seven miles per hour, but
the trains make from twelve to twenty,
and wait at the several stations until the
remainder of the time is exhausted
When we stopped at one station to-day,
opposite Humboldt Lake, we had enough
time to 60 down to the shore, some fourth.
or halfmile distant and battle, and those
who had pistols amused themselves by fir
ing at wild geese and ducks that were swim.
ming about in large hocks upon the lake.
The latter flew away with great noise,
but without receiving greater injury than
fright They would have probably suf.
iered more serious injury had the shoot.
lists been better marksmen, with longer
guns, as they were within gunshot. The
night before this the travellers on the cars
brought out fiddler, and utilized the in.
terval the train was waiting for time in
having dance on the desert beside the
railroad. A. C.