Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1879-09-06

reasonable price. The success Of
this U. P. R. R. depends considerably
on emigration; hence, the attention
paid to emigrants.
The town called Council Bluffs is
about II miles distant from the depot,
and Omaha is three miles farther west
across the Missouri river, although
Omaha and Council Bluffs are consid-
cred the same railroad point. Here
you can look out upon the rolling
praiiie on either side of you almost as
far as the eye can reach.
The repair hands on the railroads
are paid $l.25 per day. Laborers in
Omaha receive from $l.4O to $l.60
per day and some as high as $500.
We laid over from 10 o'clock Fri
day evening to $40 the next evening.
Saturday morning I learned that if I
had purchased to Cheyenne, the cap
itol Of Wyoming territory, could
have rode to that point on first-class
train making the distance in one-half
the time the emigrant train does.
But 81 I had purchased my ticket to
Laramie City. 81 miles west of Chey-
enne, and there being no competition
west Of that point, l was compelled
to take an emigrant train.
In the emigrant house Saturday
morning there was respectable look
Ing lady and little boy. All at once,
to thu great surprise of all by
ISLANDERS, she began to cry very loud
ly, and her little boy, looking to be
AZ ut seven or eight years old, was
making an effort to pacify his mother.
Itsesmed strange proceeding among
such crowd of strangers as was there.
Upon investigation of the matt sr, the
following was elected to be the cause
of her trouble. Her home was in
Chicago. She had separated from her
husband and was on her road to San
Francisco. Her neighbors whilst
packing up her effects put in a sew
ing machine, with which she calculat-
ed to make living in California for
herself and little boy. When her
baggage reached Omaha it was care
lu,ly weighed and the charges were
twonty-eight dollars. After paying
this she was bankrupt, having only
her ticket to San Francisco and her
baggage, but no money to purchase
anything to eat during her long jour
ney. Hence her deep sorrow. The
emigrant agent sent her to the gener-
al superintendent of the baggage de-
partment to make an effort to excite
his sympathy to such an extent as to
have her baggage released of the
enormous charges, and thus provide
her with some money which she stood
80 much in need of. Whilst en- route
to the Office, her tears ceased to flow.
In few moments she came down the
platform in worse agony than ever e.
She had interviewed the proper au-
tho,ity, and it seemed he was equal
to tbs occasion, for he promptly told
her that his orders were imperative,
and that he could do nothing to re-
ieve her embarrassment and further
that she should have known better
than to have loaded more baggage
than the rules of the company
would allow. She sat down and sob
bed for long time, her little boy
looking very piteously at her and
making every effort he could to cheer
her up. AT length number of Ia
dies who were in the emigra ut house
learned of her situation, gathered
around her and promised to provide for
her necessities during the jour uey to
California, as they were en- route for
the same destination. This had good
effect. She began to cheer up and
although she looked very sad. We did
not see her cry any more. 1t was cer-
tair!Y an affecting scene.
Upon the departure of the trains
east or west the emigrants are called
to order, and the agent then deliv-
ere in a very loud tone a short ora
ton. describing what train is about to
leave, its destination, etc. At l p. m.
he called for all those who were 60
ing to California or any point west Of
Cheyenne. A train was then made
up and pushed alonside of the emf
grant house. All tho families were
then called for and all gentlemen
having ladies in charge. They we're
placed in a car to themselves, to