Middletown transcript., 1877-03-24
tcommunicated.)
CALIFORNIA LETTER
OAKLAND. March 7th. 1s7

The sentence, Westward the sta
Of Empire takes its way" though ut
tered centuries ago, is now 50 familia
to an American ear that it has passed
into his vocabulary as a household
word. History has long recognized
the fact Of the westward tendency Of
progressive nation, and the great de-
velopment of human genius to adop
means to ends; and, when the Ameri.
can mind discovered that the "Fal
West" possessed something more than
the coursing deer, the wild buffalo and
the untutored savage that it was some
thing more than q dim, underlined,
mythical land composed Of chaos and
the last efforts of nature to make it still
more uninviting, the phrase "Ge West
became the popular heading of our
press; and the tide Of emigation burst
forth with such wonderful rapidity that
the means failed for the ends. Il was
then clear to the minds of wise men
that there must be a sWifter, a more
secure method to transport the Wanderer
desiring to reach the gold fields Of the
West. A Railroad project was talked
of Old fogies clapped their hands on
their money-bags and ridiculed the
idea. But young America was not to
be baf1ed and when a modern solou,
George Francis Train sprung up and
predicted that in less than five years
we would see a continuous railroad
stretching from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, few men were considered more
extravagant. But there was only in
volved question Of time, and that time
was fifteen months to see the prophesy
fulfilled. And now. how great the
change No longer is it an ideal, but
a reality. No longer does the traveller
see vast train of white covered wagons
moving en- nlGSse over the expansive
plains. No longer does he hear the
din of the wearied oxen, the shrill
crack from the emigrant's whip, or a
sudden shot from the unerring rife Of
the savage nOmad All is changed. -
The fiery locomotive, with the rapidity
of a mountain torrent, goes Whirling
and snorting over the broad plains,
scales the snow-clad peaks of the Rocky
Mountains, and in a few days you are
carried from the busting shores of the
Atlantic, to the foam crested waves Of
the Pacific. Such, in brief, is the his
tory Of the origin of the Union and
Central Pacific R. RS, of ride over
which, | propose to give a short des-
cription. This word | retract, to unite |
description Of 1900 mile ride over |
such country as one sees on these two |
roads would require more space in your
sheet than better judgment would allow,
| will confne myself therefore, to max
ing few general remarks, relating |
some of my personal experience and |
mentioning some things and places of
interest seen on our trip. 1t was on
Friday night when l reached Omaha, |
past three days ride from Philadelphia. |
Under circumstances somewhat object
ionable resolved to remain here a
couple of days. There lived in this
city dear and intimate friend, class
mate Of mine by the name of Smith. |
Boldly walking up to one of the city
dignitaries a pohceman) and antiGipat-
ing my answer l inquired, if he knew a
family or young man by the name of
Smith? "Oh, yes!" he replied; "my
name is Smith there are sixty.four
families living here by that name" 1
found my Smith; he was the sixty
Sourth man. Now, if for the sake of
auphOny | occasionally interpolate the
word Smith-Tewn as a synonym for
Omaha, | hope l will not be considered
rs taking undue advantage of writers
license. Practically speaking, the Union
Pacific Railroad begins at Omaha
ihough, since the great bridge has been
built across the Missouri river, Council
Bluffs is, in reality the starting point.
From this place then the traveller, at
he proper signal, leaves the noise and
confusion of city life for the West,
% see the sweeping plains, imposing
Mountains, noisy canyons, quiet val
eys, barren desert, all Of which must
De encountered before he reaches the
Pacific coast. An hours ride from
omaha finds you out on the plains
proper; and here, as far as the eye can
penetrate little but green pastures, an
occasional house-a dug out-or a way
airing Indian can be seen. You may
ave the vigilance of an owl, but you
an see no boundary line to the vast
xpanse, except the horizon, where the
arth and sky seem to meet. We are
ow travelling at a rapid rate, many
tatiOns have already been passed
mong them are PsWnee station, Long
rec, Fort Ksrnsy, and Plum Creek
he latter noted for its fearful massacres
erpetrated BY the Sioux, Cheyennes
nd Arapahoe Indians. Some times
hese stations are accompanied BY few
ouses, and then they call it town.
occasionally, traces are found where
here has been a town Of three or four
undred inhabitants who, from fear, /
roks up and followed the westward I