, 1877-05-01
Remarkable Engineering Achieve
ments---A Track that Il Made
to Cross Itself.
" SnoW.Shtds" to Protect The Rails from Sand
Storms on The Observation-Disclosures,
Aud.roltanoes, Etc.
What the Tourist Will See En- Route
Yuma, Its Mines, Morals, and
Agriculture.

10 ftlTef al inc Junction WILL tne Iatat anu De-
ing chosen as the point where tue Southern Pa-
csfic Railroad is to cross into Arizona, it seems
to afford some reason, III the natural advantages
Of Its location, for at least considerable por-
ton OF the expectations OF its citizens. Here
tofore Arizona has been perhaps the most out
of-tltc-way section of our. country, its only
means of communication with the States being
by stage across California, through New Mexico
OF Colorado, or by equally lon. and tedious jour-
ncys by water down the river and around the
point Of Lower California. In these days Of
rapid transit the trip TO Arizona by such
means is altogether too serious an undertaking,
and for this reason chiefly the mines, whirl.
have for years giren evidence OF being the rich
est on The continent, have been unaevcloped.
But. as if touched by the enchanting wand, the
>Territory, sincr the near approach OF the South
fern Pacific, has begun to hustle with immigra-
tion, and its mountains are being thoroughly
ransacked for the precious metals.
/ have referred lii some OF my previous let
ters to the part
THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY
is playing IN the rapid development Of this Ter
somethin" more about tbs great corporation,
which, without the aid OF Government subsidy.
Is pushing second line ncFuss our country to
the South. Whether regarded as Il competing
line to the one already constructed, or i'll respect
to the advancement OF our southern territory,
this new 1raus-continental route cannot fail to
be of fncalculable material benefit 10 tile whole
country. The Southern Pacific Company Is com
posed Of ! number of wealthy San Francisco
gentlemen. Its President Is Charles Crocker,
and its Vice-Prcsilent, D. D. Cotton. These
TWO gentlemen have been actively engaged In
the construction OF the road, and to them more
than to auy one else is due its rapid completion
to this Territory. 1spcak OF the road as COM
pleted to this place, though there is still gap
Of few miles, but The distance IS insignificant,
for, with the thousand or more Chiuanlcn ci!l-
ploytd track is being laid at tho rate vi couple
Of miles day. Pr0bnbly before this reaches
you the whole distance from Sun Francisco to
Yuma, 715 miles, will be finished.
For the greater part Of Its extent
this ronl runs through the most fertile
aud attractive portion of Central and Southern
California, passing great Mrus smiling with q
beautiful yield Of fruits and cereals, now nearly
ready for the harvest know OF no Journey any,
wherc-not even excepting European tour
that will so roundly repay the tourist IN fresh,
novel. unusual sights, as the tri p from Chicago
here. The Union and Central Pacific Railroads
plains scenery in the world. The picturesque
passage Of the Semn1erings from Vienna to
Venice, marvellous feat of engineering skill,
does not surpass the mighty achievements OH the
Central and Southern Pacific Roads, nor 60 the
Se1nmcrings equal the Sierras In grandeur and
prfmeval wildness. Then why need one incur
the expense and hazard Of q European tour for
scenery and cli1natc which one may fnd rs s1ranu
and beautiful near at home understand
tickets via Chicago to St. Los Angeles or Yuma
NAV be purchased At all the principal railroad
ticket offices OF the large cities East and West.
Interest md curiosity would naturally tuke the
tourist to San Francisco, one OF the marvels OF
the coast, or te could drbark ut Lathrop, eighty
Southern Pacilc, south. At Mcrced, tifty-scren
miles form Lathrop, stages eonnect Tor the uig
trees and Yoselute- From Ncwllail, 355 miles
from Lathrop, short stage ride hrinSs the
passenger to Santa Barbara and San BueuaVen-
tura, the most noted watering-placcs on the
coast.
ATLos ANGELES,
four hundred miles south Of Lathrop,' you enter
..--tAe land where the lemon-trce grows,
Where the. gold orange slows in The green thick
Where The wind ever soft from the blue heaven
And groves arc Of myrtle, and olive, and rose"
Which Is as literally true as it is poetical.
With climate SO healthful, temperature SO
ll}c, It seems as If Nature had laid
the founuation there for q second Parn-
disc The orange, lemon, fig, date, peach,
pear, and almond groves arc novelty to the
Northern visitor, especially II he visits them, as
1 did, in March, when tie orauge-trces are laden
with ripe, golden fruit while yet Chicago Is III
the lev grasp Of winter. There nrc numerous
great farms, or ranches, rs they are Called vi
thousands Of acres, near Los Angeles, u1lu seV-
cral colonies near o, tue names Oh only 1No p u
which now occur to me,-the 1ndiana and R,vcr-
side colonies, the latter near Colton,--"llieh
offer advantageous terms to settlers One oo-
lection {if, indeed, it be an objectiou) Which
should mention, that the reader may not ACCUSE
me of oyerdrawiug the picture, Is that southern
California is subject to occasional droughts, say
about once in four years, which makes trrlga-
tion necessary. Last winter, for instance, there
was less rain than usual, but l see 10 disas-
trous effect from the drought except on larll1s
whose owners have Neglected to provide means OF
irrigation. Among the advantages OF tllelr cii.
mate and soil. Southern California farmers will
tell you they never have frost OF snow. 1t costs
theiil little to build. Living Is cheaper than In
the East Less clothing is needed Crops are never
destroyed by harvest storms: Less labor, haste,
and expense are required 10 harvest anu secure
crop. Two crops i YEAR may be raised II
desired Cattle mud sheep fiud their own living
the year round. 1t Is 1ear tue scaboafu, anu
there is good market for everything raIscd. No
extremes Of heat aud cold. The climate IS the
healthicst in the world, and the streets Of Los
Angeles arc filed with reformed Eastern con-
sumptfvcs. -
along the Southern Pacific is grand throughout.
10 Los Angeles the road passes up tho san
JOAQUIN and Tulare Valleys in sight of the
SieEras or Coast Range the whole distance, anu
further along the San Bernartlno range becomes
boldly prominent
From, Tulare VALLEY to the Los Angeles over
the Sfertas some most remarkable engineering
Is encountcred. For the distance OF nearly
100 miles the road Is upon, or under, this rugged
range. for tunnels are frequent there. doubt
If any railroad in existence has encountered and
overcome such great physical inpcdi11ents as
the Southern Pacific under the direction OF It's
Chief Engineer, Mr.. George E: Gray. 10 Illus
trate the character OF the work: At one point, in
order to attain higher elevation without max
Ing too heavy grade, the road is made
to run around the cone OF mountain
9.795 feet, doubling upon itself IL
complete loop and crossing itself g
feet higher than where the loop begins IN
Tunnel No. 9. After leaving Los Angeles about
a hundred miles. going east, the road enters
nnon the great Colorado desert, which extends
the remainder Of the distance, about 2o0 miles,
to the Colorado River. Here, upon thus sanity
and waste, where the road-l,ed in some places
is over zoo feet below the lcvelof the sea- new
and unprecedented difficulties arose, such as 40
seuce Of water, nsuiIerabie heat drifting sanus,
which frequently covered up the track; Or which
blew away and undermined the tics, sand
storms that prevented work, mud and air voi-
canoes which, at one place, raised tne track
several feet In night. However, BY the aid Of
several thousand patient and enduring China-