Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-07
ACROSS THE CONTINENT.

From New England TO California.
Correspondence of the Union and American.
SAN Francisco, Nov. Give left New
England early in October. Its thriving
cities and towns, in close proximity, with
the busy factories and cosy homes peculiar
10 L. had their Ir,,.al 0is, Of stir about thAna
Well cultivated gardens had yielded and
given up their annual treasures. The au-
tumnal tints of foliage were never more
beautiful. Like the last bright flicker OF
candle, or the gorgeous sunset which pre-
cedes night. so nature foretells the coming
winter by donning her brightest garb. Be
fore withdrawing for a season, she would
make herself more raviShing than ever to
gladden. our hearts and draw them out OF
ourselves. Her bTilliancy renders the pref
ty mountainous country of Western Massa-
chusetts (the favOrite retreat of many New
York people in summer) especially pictur-
esque at this time.
CHICAGO.
The momentary glimpse which the haSty
traveller gets of the many large and attrac-
tive places between New Y DIRK and Chicago
inspires but little interest. Chicago is like
itself. think a stranger suddenly set down
in its streets would know at once where he
was. 1t is a wilderness Of buildings.
Buildings are its hobby. 1t is particularly
ambitious in hotels. The ''GTand Pacific
(everything from here on is ''Grand" and
'1Pacifc'), a magnificent house, is said to
be the finest one in the wtrld. Two more
hotels are near completion, which are in
tended to eclipse it. Apparently the fire
has made a change only for the better, by
replacing the old structures with finer ones.
A PRIMITIVE POSTOFFCE.
Omaha and Kansas City are the two
main starting points for the West. The
name of the former was given to 1t IN 1884
by few squatters located there, among
whom was A. j. Jones, now one OF the
Gssolid" men of the place. In the fall OF
that wear he received the appointment of
the first postmaster for the place. As Mr.
Jones was one of the most accommodating
of men, he improvised postoiiice by using
the crown of his hat. Few letters arrived,
therefore the sold plug answered every pur-
pose. When the postmaster met one OF his
neighbors, if there was letter for him, OF
came the hat while he fished out the mis-
siye and placed in the hands Of its owner.
At times when he was on The prairie, some
expectant, anxious individual would chase
him for miles until he overlook the travel
ing postoffice anG received his letter. The
battered-hat post office has given place to a
first-class structure commensurate with the
future growth of the city which has already
$4,000 Inhabitants and is rapidly advanc-
ing.
TIE NEW WEST.
From Omaha the towns become further
anart and smaller. After awhile a small
one story building becomes a luXuridni
eshotel." AT one station a house contain
81 ion a
GBoard and Lodging" The wide eXpanst
of prairie land might become monotonou'
on ACQUAINTANCE. but seen for the first time
ELECTS wonder and admiration. 1t conveys
the idea of boundlesS space, of intinity
One signs, "Oh that had wings" and feel
that he can almost fly without them. IL
lien of that recreation, however, we "chaset
the antelope over the plain" with on
Esiron horse" and watched the
PRAIRIE DOGS.
These social little Creatures cOlOnize to
gether in large numbers. They hay
fonnded one ..citv'' on the road-'Prairi
DOG City," They sit upright on the little
mounds that surround their habita
tions and bark at the train as it speeds by
If anv intrusion is attempted upon them
the alarm is given and they all start in
stantlv into their holes. At night an eS
tensive prairie fire ragged. 1t was a MAJ
yelously beautiful sight. After leavin
CHEYENNE rapid ascent is mad
UP THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS
until an altitude of S,542 feet is attained
The air is rare, pure and invigorating; tn
slv cloudless. The country presents
rocky. Jagged appearance, in many place.
soIidmasses of granite assuming tantastl
sbanes as of statuary. "Crofut" describe
n aTactly: "Rocks which at distanc
MIGHT he taken for castles, rise side by sid
with the wall of an immense fort; columns
monuments and pyramids are mixed u
with themselves and each other as thong
some malignant power had carried Oh som
mighty city of the oldentime and Wearyln
of his booty, had thrown it down upo
these plains without much regard 10 III
order In which the buildings were placed
Terrible forces must some time have pee
at work here. What mighty SpheaYals The
give evidence OF! -
some of the finest scenery on the ROAD
nassed awhile before reaching Ogden. r.
many miles the road followed the course