New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-04-09
ACROSS THE CONTINENT.
,.,-,rp FROM Ex-sEcRETARY McCULLoCH.


~ me Editor Of rae TFt5RRe
s,p. The ride from Nsw-Yor< - san Francisco is
=, only long m distance bat in time flor the trains
t r,1n rauilly over the Eastern roads, and over
-. Irp;,p and Central Pacific they are limited 70
90 miles an hour; bat il can hardly be called tire
80 There is nothing exciting. nor is there much
O. interest traveller on the route. With pleasant
oo,,apv however, and entertaining books, time
sses rapidly and people who ride straight through.
econ, ocean 20 ocean, are less tTavel-wom than many
.,.,ear 70 be who have ridden only from New-lork
a. Chicago. In entering the ears, one knows how
NAM miles and how many DAYS are before him, aud
b husbands his patience and his travelling resources
o-3iprly- do not know how il may be when the
r.s,ber is hot and the track is dusty, but speak
e,,m experience when l say that the journey can
h. rformed in the month OF March wish very little
3.eoplfort The track between It. Louis and San
vr,pcisco is in excellent condition, and the motion
~ tl,a train is so uniform and sto1dy-there Is 50
Ft+le bar % usciIlation-that one can read without
Inconvenience. The oarriages-Pullman's upon the
I,ioo. and similar ones owned by the company on
+be Central-are clean and easy the porters inteli
cent and attentive; the ."eating-hOuses' about
- gccd as those on the Eastern roads. The
only reanv disappointing thing the route
eve the Rocky Mountains. One whose idea
~ tbssc mountains has been formed by his knOwl-
s5ge of their altitude and the description OF them
o. the biographies Of the country hardly fail 10
h. Disguised when he reaches what is called the
Summit The ascent Is so gradual that he seems 10
he r7inc over a plain until be is 5000 feet above
tn ocean. As he ascends, and when be reaches the
highest elevation of the road, lie looks in valn for
Alpue nights and goTges, and he wonders at the alb
se,c. of the rocks which have given their name 90
the range. The deep cuts, the heavy fills, the ex-
r.psive tunnels which he expected To see are not
=. ..--..- rr-1fD tr
much was heard when the construction Of The road
was in contemplation are not comparable 10 those
which were performed on the lines OF the Pcunsyi-
vauia road or the Baltimore and Ono. There
no roads in the Eastern States and very few in the
Valley Of the Mississippi the average cost Of which
ucr mile was not more than that Of this great hue
which connects Omaha with san Francisco 1t viii
he remembered that for the construction Of the road
the Government granted, in addition TO millions OF
acres OF valuable lands subsidy il bonds OF
$4,000. $50, O0O and 81 coo per mile, according
T. the estimated expensyeness of the WORK, with a
privilege 20 the companies Of creating her upon
the road prior TO the lien of the Government, eqnai
T. that othe bond Subsidy. The sagacious gentlemen
who had the matter in charge must have laughed
II their sleeves when they persuaded Mr. Lincoln
M indeed they did So as has been alleged that the
Rocky Mountains commenced in the valley Of tie
Platte. ttarthe pateaus were rugged ridges and
that the Nevadas extended nearly to the Sacramento
There is or the Central real some fine scenery, bur
very little upon the Umon really magnificent views
on neither: few points from which the traveller
looks down into de3 p calons or up TO snOW-cappeC
peaks. The dangers and haTisbps which the early
migrants 20 California and Oregon encountered
were not upon the mountains bat upon the plains.
II is pleasant break Of the Journey. and some
tlung more than a diversioD, u leave the line al
Ogden and spend day or TWO at salt Lake City.
The distances between the two places is 81 miles,
ana the ride over the Utah Central road, built and
owned by tie Mornons, Is a pleasant one. lorbear
description of this singular and in many respects
beautiful city, as your readers familiar with 1t.
Salt Lake Valley naTrOws and rises at its southern
end and it Is On this rising ground, which nclines
sufficiently for drainage without being abrupt, that
the citv is situated GA the day before my arrival
snow had fallen 10 the depth OF several inches II
mad disappeared from the valley but il sill covered
the mountains almost TO their base; and as stood
upon tie bench, il = called III tne rear Oh tn.
cifv and looked down up0n the plain, lncio~+d ana
protected on either side by mountain walls under
AZ rs soft and Of as dec1 blue as the skies of Italy,
over extensive pastures enlivened by carte, neds OF
wheat of iuxurant growth and OF the deepas, green
ground that had been recently pl0wed, darkenet
now AID then b, the clouds which Intercepted the
rsys OF the sum- young and thrifty orchards, the
whole penetrated by the canal which, with IL
branches had enabled this industrious people to
brine under high cultivation what a t." years ago
WAS a barren waste. the great salt Lake apparently
higher than It's boundaries The distance, the city
inst below me- with it's busy streets and IT'S many
tasteful dwelling houses surrounded By gardens /
bad IT, admit that had never gazed upon scene So
charming or 50 p;c,dfesQue.
Although N5rm0uism has drawn rs chref supplies
from the lower aud ignorant classes OF Eit"i-e.
tr.r. are anon. tic M0rlno!.s many very Glove.
2. p,e-scientiic architects slifli artisans taste
iui landscape gardeners. This Ii Indicated b., their
public iuildiags, their workshops aad factories.
their private dwelling houses, and their grounds.
tn, roof Of the Tabernacle Tess upon the walk,
Without any ether support and admirable are The
acoustics of this immense bGdlg, in which 1900
pa4uIe can be- comfortably seated, tl3t when tiie!,
a, il usually l. on all sions Of religions worship
tie words Of an ordinary speaker can bo heard
in every part of il. The Temple, which
Is being constructed of granite quarFlea
il the ne:gr.orhvod. if completed according
= the plan VIII be surpassed by no building III tnc
Western Hemisphere n solijity or appropriate ard
beautiful architecture The organ, which WIS built
on tie place where if stands entirely by NoEmohs,
L. Think second in siza to only one ia the United
St.tc,. and IL cxcellet by IN tone or beauty.
Il speaks wei for she Territory that all the mate
Ti4s Of which il was constructed. except the lFoft
keys, were productions OF Utah Many 81 tIe
priyate dwelling, are large and handsome the ga-
dons which Surround gaem are models OF taate an'
culture EVERYWHERE there are indications of thrift.
Of ueatness. and comfort which rarely seen III
TIE new towns Of the West The people OF the
United states are under obligations 20 tie Aornons
When they took possession Of salt Lake Valley II
W. a desert e.o~cbed bv the summer sun and