The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-07-13

... s.uth.rn Pacific RniIrond- Character
istle~ ~ ia. Country u Crosses In Colo
,n.l.-A Republican Monarch and HIS
Zone Capitnl-~l Deserted Sca-isottom- ~.
plan. for Irrigation.
gram IN. New York Evening Post
Having visited the bellevue Ranch
and others la the neighborhoed ~
bakersfield. we again took the Southern
Pacific train. reached calicntc just as
M rising sun darted his rays through
the rugged peaks 1T the ~icrras. among
which Ne were about 70 struggle over a
steep grade oi liT feet "a the mile
>killful engineers, after study ~ three
wears to ascertain the most practicable
ronte. at length made this selection. II
Il here that Il spur Of the >ierras. stray
ing away from the great chain, sweeps
over 10 Join the coast range, closing
upon the further extent Of the valleys
stretching from the Sacramento 70 the
south.
..coRkscREw AND sLooP.r
On the plains we speak of the line Of
A railroad. Here II is appropriately
termed the .corkscrew, and beyond
il is the "loop.'' The corkscrew''
section winds around the sides Of the
mountains exactly as its name indicates,
afording evcr-passing and recurring
views at all points Of the compass. The
"loop" Is a still more wonderful ex-
hbitionoi engineering ingenuity. First,
the road runs through tunnel. then
bridges an abyss, and finally crosses over
itself, seemingly tying a bow-knot with
its iron straps. BY these sKillful devices
il i brought 10 an elevation of 3,5l9
feet above the plains. This is the 1eha-
chape Pass, by which Fremont first
crossed the mountain bridge between
Northern and Southern California.
The slow progression added to our
enjoyment, as, from shadow to sun
shine, ever varied amidst craggy preci-
pieces and along hill slopes Of live oaks,
we were drawn upward on the banks Of
the descending stream. When we had
reached the summit, the iron horse,
which had strained its sinews in It's
efforts 10 climb, was allowed 10 take It's
ease. as, pushed on by the train without
effort, il rapidly slid down the southern
incline. This pass. with the desert be-
You'd, forms the barrier between the
grain-prodncing plains Of the north and
the fruit-bearing valleys Of the scnth--
for suchis the general although not uni
yersa distinction TO be made.
DESERT CAPITAL.
We were now on desert utterly bar
rem, sea Of sand without sufficient
nourishment for a predatory grasshop-
per. One hundred miles Of road i laid
over il. The desert has a capital All
the States, Territories and counties quar-
rel about their capitals. but there was
no opposition in the desert district to
Mojaye. Ii has it, railroad station. its
county court. lis church. its hotel. its
business quarter, all in os.e house. the
landlord being the city government,
Judge. parson, and every body else. We
did see one or two other men around
there whom we took TO be inhabitants.
but as they af,erward appeared on the
train we were undeceiyed. The auto
crat said that Mojayc was already a
place Of considerable business impor-
lance a. . mining depot, and :. there j.
plenty Of room for il 10 increase" he
added. rs he waved his hand around the
circle Of the sandy horizon. "Watcr is
handy. he said s.'Taint more'n 20
miles Of, and provisions are getting
plenty since we've got the railroad.
Before that we had 10 haul them 100
miles. \
we breakfas,cd nj Mojavc, expecting
under the circumstances Ia be called
upon Tor - A. the price of our meal,
which was a very good one. and we were
agreeably surprised At the moderate
charge 81 % cents. That hermit Of the
desert J. actuated by generous impulses
OF nc i sadly Ignorant Of his opportuni-
".
THE SOUTHERN Pacific RAILROAD
ROUTE.
Still journeying over the long reaches
oi sand ribbed occasionally with reefs II
rocks, we came TO the tunnel under an
other cross range Of hills This excaya-
uon = more than mile in length. aud
= snored with timber like snow shed.
having bored the mountains for the last
ume--ior we have passed through many
tunnels in the Wayne leave them and 4
'he Molayc desert behind us and look 4
upwn upon the vineyards and orange
groves Of the valleys OF the south, and
mere pceping up through its vines and
~ orchards. we see the lovely Pueblo
ue Nucstra Sonora de los Angeles. We
shali surely abide there awhile on our
return, brt now let us finish our journey
Y the 'front.'" MS the Californians call
y % Yuma, In Arizona.
y, we have yet before Us 245 miles on
we Southern Pacific road. From 3
o'clock IN the afternoon until dark we
Iun through the valleys o. Los Angeles
n AZ >an Bcrnardno until the Gorgonio
lass \ reached. This district thus far
I easily watercd and naturally product
l'e, bui IN these uplands extensive irri-
gallon ! required That desirable i'm