The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-03-19
Correspondence.
LETTER FROM NEVADA.
VIRGINIA CITY. NEVADA.
March 10, 1875.

minutes at Lodge Pole the "all aboard"
of the conductor, and 7c are again
sweeping over the rich prairics of Ne
braska, passing an Indian camp, consist
ing of few dozen wigwams with the
smoke curling from the opening in the
top. Hundreds of Indian ponies are
seen in the distance, picking the frozen
grass through the snow that covers the
earth like Il white mantle.
We are fast nearing Wyoming Terri
tory, the paradise of strOng-minded
women. and the country of greasc-wood
and sage-brush. On either side of the
track can be seen broken mounds of
earth and rocky spurs rising abruptly TO
the height of several hundred feet. Our
ewes are becoming wcaried at the mo-
notony of the scenery, and we uncon-
sciously sink into Il quiet reverie, from
which we are aroused by the Shrill
whistle of the locomotive. We raise
our eyes, glance out of the window,
and see a few houses, that constitute the
uninviting station of Pine Bluff. We
look at our guide and find that the
Estates" are lett behind lis. and that we
are ut last within the limits of
WYOMING TERRITORY.
The train stops, we rush for the door,
and in 4 few seconds have set our feet
on the alkali earth of Il dreary looking
county.
The morning of the | lth of February,
1919, was bright and lovely in the east
ern part of Wyoming. We again take
our place in the cars and watch the re-
ceding bluffs rs we fit by them. We
are nearing the Rocky Mountains, which
lie directly ahead. On the right we get
a fine view of the Black Hills. stretching
their cold, dark ruggedness tar away to
the right-aS far as the eye can reach.
But the bold, black line-that dark
shadow on the horiZon-which now
seems to bar our way. as witha gloomy,
impenetrablc barrier. is the "Great
Rocky Mountain Chain backbone
of the American continent. That high
peak, rising far above that dark line, its
white sides cleaning above the general
darkness. is Longs Peak. Away to the
left rises Pixies Peak, its towering crest
robed in snow. 1t is one hundred and
seventy-fve miles from Hillsdale.
But while we are gazing on the newly
opening scenes of mountain range and
snowy peaks, the cars are rapidly glid-
inc on their way-for they have no SEN
timent - and Cheyenne, "the Magic
CITY of the Palms." is reached. This
is the largest town between Omaha and
Ogden. The train stops for dinner, and
we drop few lines to our friends in
| Missouri. We are now 6O4l feet above
the level of the sea. Dinner over, a
! shrek from the iron horse, and we move
slowly through the city; then faster
and faster, until Cheyenne, the capital
of Wyoming. fades away in the dis
tance. As we near the Black hills. the
scenery is wild and rugged. At Otto
fifteen miles west of Cheyenne, we
commence the ascent of the Black hills
Here the heavy grading commences
We are moving slowly now, giving us
a fine View of Natures panorama spread
ing out before us.
Granite canyon, with its wild, fantas
tic rocks, is passed; the stunted pine
and sage-brush on the bleak and dreary'
looking bluffs, heighten the scenery ,anc
lend to it brighter tint. On either
hand, near by, high. bold masses o
granite rear their grey sides, piled ont
on the other in wild confusion. The
altitude gained, we seem to move alone
a level plain covered with grass, rock
and shrubs, until we reach Sherman
s. 242 feet above the level of the sea. /
is named in honor of Gen. Sherman, th'
tallest general in the L. S. Army. 1t i
the highest railroad point in the world
The maximum grade from Cheyenne t.
Sherman is SO and 176-1000th feet pc
mile. We quote from Crofutt's Guide
cat this elevated point, the tourist,
his wind is good, can spend long tim
pleasantly in wandering amid some o
the widest. grandest scenes to be foun'
on the continent. There are places wher