Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1879-09-20


"from wkat I can learn there is not
much fight in the Indians. If few
soldiers put on bold front they can
put an army of Indians to flight
At this the sergeant gave the private
sitting along side of him on his horse
wink, and both began to laugh at
the idea of me suggesting that the In
dians would not fight. He also said
that it was necessary to keep very
close in ranks, as straying a short
distance from the column might cost
you your scalp, as it had on several
occasions cost their comrades. There
are numbers of Ccnfede ate and Fed
eral soldiers ia eaon of their compa-
MES. Some were being discharged
almost every week on account of their
time expiring. Occasionally squad
of new recruits was sent out to them,
but recently many of those had de-
serted, thereby causing the compa-
MES to lack the required number.
The time having arrived for our
train to start, two engines were hook
ed on and away We sped to cross the
Rocky Mountains. Wo soon began
the ascent. The scenery here is be-
yond my powero of description.
Huge rocks were to be reen in every
direction. The beauties of nature arc
here displayed in their grandest form.
We pass through cuts on the railway
hewn out of the granite. TIE rail-
way company have numbers Of sheds
at points where the snow drifts heav-
lily, sometimes as high as the tele-
graph posts. These sheds are built
of lumber. 1t is just the same as
passing through tunnels. Whilst
making our ascent there came up a
dreadful hail storm. The hail cover
ed the ground about an inch thick.
1t thundered an lightened very hard,
thus adding to the grandeur of the
scenery. We closed our car window,
drew our coat close around us, as we
heqan to feel chilly, especially 50
when we tex INTO consider iou the
fact that We had so recently lalt a
couuJrJ where the people were suffer-
ing with heat. To add to this, away
off in tho distancs could BE- seen the
mountains white with snow. THIS was
quite number of miles distant and
was what was called the Snowy Range,
where the snow lies tho whole year.
We soon reached the summit This
place is called Sherman. Thare are
here two or three houses, a hotel and
telegraph Office. A passenger who
had crossed several times told me that
he has frequently seen passengers
bleed at the nose, when reaching this
point. I wish I had the correct fig
ures to give you. observed on the
telegraph office a finger board which
stated the following:
Telegraph to your friends from the
highest railroad point in the world.
did not gee any of our passengers
avail themselves of the opportunity.
Right hore I wish to state that I
never saw as many tramps beating
their way over any road as on the
Union Pacific. And there appeared
to be greater vigilance 1.sed on the
part of The railroad hands than on
any other road. They occasionally
have fights with the tramps in which
there is drawing of revolvers, etc.
They generally ride under The cars,
cannot tell you how. But it is from
under there they often come. On
one occasion when our train stopped
stopped off the cars, and, meeting
two or three tramps that had just
come from urder the cars, l asked
them what place this was. One
quickly pulled out his little map from
his pocket and told me the namo Of
the place. have seen them dressed
like a brakeman thereby avoiding sus-
picion of the police at the towns, and
securing a ride much easier than they
otherwise could have done. l sup
pose the great army of tramps on this
road is attributable to two causes.
First, it is the only line across the
continent to California, and, second
the fare is SO high that they make
$40 or $l2 per day by beating their
way. I have heard some tramps say
that they have known one hundred
tramps beating their way on one train.
We reached Laramie City, my dsstin-
alton ON the railroad, about 10 o'clock