Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1874-05-28

some of your readers who asked me to
write them, and possibly others who did
not you will insert a few lines in your
columns from my pen thus freeing me Of
the task Of over one dozen additional let.
tors: For when one goes "West" those
left behind all wish 10 know about the
same thing,-io. by what route did you
purchase your ticket, and where what
did it cost, what attractive things did you
see in the line Of cities, country, people,
animals, scenery, &C., how long was you
on the way, any accidents or no, when
you reached your destination, what kind
of n country did you see1 What do you
now think Of TIE productiyeness Of the
soil2 Do the crops look well now1 How
about climate and finally how do you like
the people, and their ways, &c2 I car
not give O satisfactory answer to many of
such questions, nor would / attempt to tell
all that is to be seen on the road from
Tennessee to Calif,rnia, but ! will only
give a slight synopsis of what most in
terested me that those who wish may form
some idea Of my trip to the West. Lea'-
ing Jonesboro', April 9th, / spent a lonc>
some day thinking how l was venturing
away from friends, home and a pleasant
social circle, to a long trip to the Pacific
Slope, while all the unpleasant surround
ing Of the dangers one travelling alone
had to encounter on So long a trip.
Those who have any experience travelling
know how unpleasant such feelings. But
arriving at Chattanooga, l purchased a
through ticket second class) to San Fran.
cisco, via Nashville, Union City, Tenn.
Columbus, St. Louis, Kansas City, No..
thence TO Omaha, Nebraska. Where there
is but one line to California the Union
and Central Pacific. Cost of ticket from
Chattanooga to San Francisco, $S4. Moth
ing Of interest MS yet save hat about
noon Of the 9th, the weather changed
raining to a terrible snow storm which
continued till after we crossed the Missis>
sirpi, at Columbus, Ohio, and took the
Iron Mountain road, for st. Louis, morn
ing Of the 10Th, left st. Louis weather
clear and cheerful, running on express
time we speed over the beautiful fertile
undulating plains of Missouri, passing
many Aourishing little towns on the line
while another side as far as eye could see
were broad fields which were either being
turned by the p~loughsharo or coverep
with herds of cattle, everything speaks
business, and to an East Tennesseean it
would seem there can be no use Of going
farther west to find a good country. Bnt
as | had a through ticket | thought 1
would ride it out and passirg through
pretty much the same looking country,
though less cultivated. l arrived OF
Omaha, April 18th, II o'clock, NJ. HAYS
ing come on express or first class time
thus far but at Omaha, Emigrants take
Emigrants cars Policemen putting families
in the same and best coaches and by way
Of q slant, | went in as a member of a
ILL.,, family With whom l bad struck ur.
Leaving Omaha the same evening wearied
with sameaess of scenery, nothing inter-
ested me ill having passed Cheyenne by
reference to my guide / learned that we
were ct a point of elevation the greatest
reached by the road in crossing the Rocky
Mountain, the backbone of the American
continent, ] was surprised that we had
thus insensibly assembled this great chain
the appearance Of which l was very much
deceived in. l soon began to see the
spow>fenccs, snow sheds oyer the road,
high rocky peaks some covered with Stow
others entirely bare not even a small tree
or shrub. Leaving the reader in the
midst Of gulches, canyons and high peaks
Of the Rocky Mountains to study the
mysteries Of their formation, | will close
for this time having now written much
longer than | intended. Promising to
resume soon, and try to not be tedious but
more interesting, | will state hat | am in
usual health and engaged in teaching.
Yours Truly,
D. X. EDWARDS.
Gonzales. MONTERREY County. California