Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-07-10

"a sort haVn the minority, Qnu run
things as they please. We remain
cd here over night. taking supper
and breakfast. We received the
kiudest treatment from the citi-
zens, and found genuine hospitali
ty even among the rough. eek
| less, wild and daring frnntierssnen
The attractive features of the place
are the great commission and for
warding houses OF Chick, Brown
& Co and Otero, Selar b Co.
These firms hnutlle nfost all the
| New Mexico and Southwestern
| freights. They ship by wagons as
| fur as / 900 miles. This is the ter
minus Of the A., r. K S. L. r. r..
| We were taken out Is miles fur
Their West, whcre the track IS be-
ing laid ait the rate OF one mile per
day, In the direction Of Pueblo,
! which point il will reach by the
i lat of November. And here our
Tourney Westward ended with a
! touch of the plains, the last re-
naming vestige of the Great An0e-
riean Desert.
We returned ia Grenada for dim
ner, and, while waiting, were fa-
vored with anamusing exhibition
| of lassoing in the plaza of the city.
Ii is astonishing to see with what
accuracy these men throw the
lasso while at full speed. They are
the toughest fellows imaginable,
and carry a short, broad, tw0-edged
knife in a sheath on their hip, at-
tachcd to a belt--to which are also
hung two wicked-looking navy re-
volvers. They shoot at the curl Of
the lip.
At o'clock, p. m, Saturday, we
left Grenada, and started on our
return trip.
GENEnA LIKING.
This excursion was gotten up by
! the A., IT Il s. IT.. Railroad. In view
Of the widespread and exaggerated
reports OF the injury being done to
the crops in Kansas by the hop
pers, and representatives of the
press from various States, invited
| 10 make an exclusive visit, to the
end that from actual observation
they might return home and tell
ltneir osva tor 80 From orr obser-
| vaiions weQre convinced that there
! has been n0Ageneral devastation in
Kansas, but for very truth, no
happier or more prosperous people
can be found anywhere. No more
beautiful or fertile country is to be
found than the Cottonwood and
Arkansas Valleys. And remem-
bering that the entire country
through which we passed was ut
terly destroyed last year by the
grasshoppers, the crops in view
were an astonishment and the re-
cuperation of the land marvel.
No part of the Shenandoah Valley
in its paimiest days ever displayed
such production Of cereals, and
the sight of wheat and barley al
ready in the shock, thousands of
acres ready for the harvesters, and
the advance stage OF corn, oats, &c,
drew from the beholders involun-
tary EXPLANATIONS of admiration
and wonder. We have never seen
better corn grow anywhere. These
valleys are the most beautiful I'M
dulating prairies-rolling enough
not to be swampy. and hat enough
for grazing and corn lands The
sight al this season, when they
are carpeted with a verdure equal
| ing that of the Emerald Isle, is
grand beyond description. Stretch
| ing away az far as the vision can
reach you see broad acres spangled
with flowers and dotted with sleek
cattle; beautiful valleys with their
pure streams fringed in living
green; and fields of golden wheat
rejecting back to sky soft as
that of italy, the glory OF au al
most tropical sun. AS we sped |
along over these beautiful prairiss |
we occasionally caught sight of
the timid antelope skimming over
the plain. while prairie dogs in |
countless numbers would stand |
straight up at the entrance to their |
homes and watch our passing with |
evident astonishment. We saw no
Buffalo, but their trails running
north and south were everywhere |
visible. Last year they grazed near !
the line of the road ; this year they
are twenty miles south Of their last
ears pasture. On two occasions
while passing through the Arkan-
sas Valley, we were favored with
sight Of the beautiful mirage. -
Many OF our readers have doubt
less read wonderful stories of this
phenomenon;ho thirsty travellers
on the broad prairies have been al
lured from their paths by the sight
of beautiful lakes and inviting
shade trees in the distance, and
persisted in the vain effort to reach
1t and Stake their thirst In the linn
mid stream. The MIRAGE In An OD- I