Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-04-06
Trip from Virginia to Colorado.

the Gill started on his pilgrimage towards the
setting SUM- Alter good deal of hand shak-
lug, good byes. and few tears, be was 5000
on his way to Washington, where, at LOIS p.
~, he took the train for Baltimore, and thence
to Harrisburg, Pa Here his trip began to
get interesting Arriving at the above place
be found it all daued up with ice trom the
Susouchauna river which threatened at every
moment to break over the clly, the Ice being
twenty five or thirty feet high.
Alter leaving the above, he next arrived al
Altoona, a great manufacturing place, where
the principal shops of the Pennsylvania Rail
road are conferred. Here the train got snow
bound for five or six hours, the snow beiug
from six to eight iuches deep, aud requiring
three engines to carry 1t over the mountaios
The view there Was truly grand aud Impressive,
especially that section OF Country known as the
Horse Shoe, the grade being nioety.six feet to
the nile, aud 10 me places the pilot Of the
engine almost touching the rear car, the curve
being so great, aud if you look out of the car
window YOU can see below you Tor hundreds
aud hundreds of feet. 1t makes one involun-
tariiy shudder to thiuk that the least accident
would send him tumbllng down the mountain
side at rate that has never been tqualed yet
by any train, and would also send hin Oh his
way to glory.
The next place of interest is Pittsburg, Pa,
where We arrived III time for diDDer. This Is.
indeed, the city of smrke, as deuse cloud OF
smoke and dust envelopes the place at all
times. The business and manufacturing done
here is Immense, great iron furnaces and roll
| iUg mlllS being 10 CONSTANT operation.
After leaving Plttsburg the conductor ap-
! I'D M, in bo o,r I | tp,c h..
aud told me that no Diggers were allowed 10
that car and that must 20 forward. felt
nsulted, and told him as q white American
citz:n [ would have to decline; aud after rub.
bipg NY finger down my face found it was 80
black from the SCOT and smoke Of Pittsburg
that he had taken me for an African.
The next point of interest was Columbus,
Ohio, which is thriving aud beautiful city,
made up Of great many houses aud State
House. The people here stop every train aud
make the passengers get out aud look at the
| latter, and no Que has been known 10 70 within
fifty miles of Columbus without so doing. If
any one should happen TO get by he is finally
caught aud brought back.
Leaving Columbus you next reach ludlan-
apolls, a city very much like Washington.
Here met an old Alexandria friend, WIN was
so glad to see me that he Immediately treated
to beer The streets here are very wide and
well graded, and the place 10 business point
remiods one very much of Philadelphia The
street cars here are the very finest invented
They are so old that grass grows on the tops OF
them. When the horses get tired they wait
for gale OF wind to propel them along. The
country throughout Indiana is as fat as the
funny column Of the Washington Chronicle. |"
lost all interest after leaving here until |
reached ST. Louis, being very sleepy, and then
feeling so bad alter leaving such good and
cougeuiaI place as indianapolis. At 6:30 p. m.
arrived in east St. Louis and am transferred
over the famous new bridge that spans the
Mississippi at that point, suberb structure
indeed; lis magnl6cence being ouly equaled by
the new market house at hume. This bridge
is the just pride of every one in ST. Louis, be-
ing great many feet long, aud almost as many
high. 10 lock at ST. Louis from the bridge
one could readily immagne be was 10 Balti
more.
Taking the train from West St. Louis you
ticket through to Kansas City and grasshop-
per heaven. The run is exceedingly irksome
and tedious, the mUnotoDy being only broken
by an occasional fight, three card monte men,
or beating off book pedders, which is not alto
gether an easy task.
AT Kansas City you take the train for Den
yer, the queen city Of the plains. Now you
have sight before you 90 your way to Denver
that Is truly interesting TO stranger, passing
through,a s you do,pretty much all that portion
of Kansas that has been devastated by the grass.
hoppers. | met great many farmers who had
lost all they had by the plague, but they are
now forming heavy artillery companies all over
The Vi est to repeI the Insects next season, as
they the grass hoppers) have Informed the
people by circular they will be back again with
their families, and, in all probability, with an
Increased appetite. They have eaten everything
up on the plains, even telegraph poles, and |
did hear that they, short time ago. attacked
an eUginc going at the rate OF torty miles per
hour, aud all that Was left OF it was the truck,
ADD the only reason they did not eat it was be-
cause they could not get good hold upon the
wheels | do not vouch for this. Any money
you might have in the East you can send to me
aud Twill cheertully spend it among the suffer
ers This route is clean stretch of 639 miles
and takes you thirty SIX hours to run it, after
which you arrive in Dcnver, the largest and
6uest city between St. Louis and San Francis
co. 1t has population OF about 30 600 souls,
including fueitives from justice, Chloamen aud
Pixies Pcakcrs. The streets and sidewalks are
made of the best dust the market affords, and
are laid off at right angles. As for the climate
it is simply gorgeous 10 the morning when
you leave the house it is we'll to carry a linen
coat, an overcoat, and pair of gun shoes and
fan. 1t rains here two aud half times a
year. and 10 consequence water is in great de-
maud when goes to take bath he
buys bottle Of water and a napklu, and Just
douses himself. Cases of drowning are as rare
out here as honest politicians. There are FIVE
first class railroads that centre 10 this place, all
doing lucrative and heavy business. They
are fitted out in the most elaborate manner 10
regard to the rolling stock and bulldogs We
have also here paying street Car line, al ef-
6cieut police system, and also Cinnamon wash
erwomeu who can't vote. The government of
the Territory is now, and has been for the past
year, Administered by acting Governor Juo. W.
jenkins, of Virginia, who is as efficient as be
is popular, and whose administration has lifted
Colorado FROM comparative stagnation to de-