The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-09-11
6oNTINUED.)
(GAMP THOMAS, ARIZONA
WA June 25, 1879.


City great many towns and villages are
passed, among which are the following
named: Lathrop, Modesto, Turlock'
Merced, population 8 900, has many fine
buildings, incuding Court house, which
cost $4,000, two weekly papers, ETC.
MariposA is forty. five miles east OF Mer'
Ced, has 1000 inhabitants. Here is the
once much talked of "Las Mariposa
Grant" or Fremont Estate, Benton Mills,
etc.
MADEIRA is 173 miles from San Fran
cisco. A new route from this point has
been laid out to the Yosemite Valley,
and the big Trees" 78 miles. Almost
everybody, of course, stop of, take the
stages and visit this valley. 1t is eight
miles long, and, on an average, about
one mile in width. The MerCed river
reaches the head of the valley by a sue
Cession of water falls, and flows down
through the valley. Granite walls rise
on each side of the valley from 1000 to
5000 feet above the clear sparkling wa
ters of the Merced. The scenery is
grand and sublime. Visitors always
seem to want to tarry longer and view
the magnificent and picturesque scenery
and reluctantly leave the enchanted
spot. ....
Bakersfield, population 800, is in Kern
county, principal stock raising country.
Raise sheep, stock cattle, cows, horses,
oxen, mules and hogs In instances
stock raisers have as high as 10000
sheep.
The soil is rich enough all along the
route to produce any kind of vegetables,
grain, ETC., but the scarcity of rain is the
great draw back, and farmers have,
therefore, to resort to irrigation which,
of course, is attended with very Consid
cradle labor under any circumstances.
En- route some very high and rugged
mountains are passed and in fact for
many miles it is nothing but mountains
and mountainous country covered with
stunted pines and Cedars. The scenery
is wonderfully grand. At times the train
is far up ascending on the mountain
sides at a great attitude again descend
ing swiftly along canyons and raVines
into seemingly chasms and gorges far
below, then passing through long tun'
nels and many of them and in one in.
stance seventeen in number are passed
within a distance Of twenty five miles
having an aggregate of 1889 feet in
length. The mountains, in places, seem
to have baffled engineering skill to make
q road either across or through them (;
and in the construction of this road
through and over these mountains and
mountain gorges the best engineering
skill in the world has been brought into
requisition. At one place in the noun
tains, distant from San Francisco $40
miles, the road makes a complete loop,
in length 3705 feet, and at an elevation
1856 at the lower, and 1884 at the upper
track. After crossing bridge after bridge
high up in the mountain passes, the
train runs through long tunnel and
then gradually ascending, Curving and
winding its way up the mountain sides,
it passes directly over the tunnel, about
70 or 80 feet above it, which it emerged
from but short time before. At this
point Of the track separate and distinct
circles can be seen in six places, having
the appearance of six distinct roads.
This route Just here, has certainly
brought into requisition the best engi-
neering skill in the world for it has been
clearly demonstrated that this is the
only place where the road could have
been constructed over barrier W wNiCh a
succession of long mountain passes and
ranges had compelled the road to seek
as route and place Of crossing.
Soon after the road makes the LOOP"
the highest point on the road is reached
called rehachapia Summit, 1864 feet.
Newall, 437 miles from San Francisco,
is an unimportant station, but there are
here large pens and shutes for loading
cattle and sheep. Here stages are in
readiness to convey passengers to Santa
Barbara 80 miles distant, the great health
location and resort for invalids
Nipnkyr g., nnho nh ~
Summit and 444 miles from San Francis,
co the San Fernando Mountain confronts
us towering seemingly into the skies, one
black solid mass of rock and apparently
to present q positive barrier to further
approach of the road, but the engineer
ing skill of this great route determined,
when it was found impossible to cross it,
to make way through it, which wa
done, and the result was tunnel of 6967
feet in length. Emerging from this tun.
mel the country suddenly presents a
changed and beautiful appearance. The
valley of San Fernando opens out before
us, and we are very soon at San Fernan.
do, located near by and surrounded with
beautiful groves of orange, lemon and
olive trees. The valley of the same
name is formed by the San Fernando
mountains on the west and south. The
large portion of the valley is under
high state of cultivation, but that portion
of it along the route ofthe road is cover
ed with sage brush, cactus, grease wood,
small cedars and mesquite wood.
Los Angeles Junction is within one
mile OF the city of Los Angeles. The
latter is reached by street cars ; popula.
tion 10000 1t has many very ine bust.
ness blocks, banks, hotels, churches,
schools, four daily and seven weekly
newspapers. 1t is very old place, hav.
ing been settled ia 177l. 1t is only dis.
tant twenty-five miles from Wilmington,
on the Pacific coast, twenty,four miles
from the port of San Pedro, 40 miles
north to San Francisco by rail and by
steamer 3S7, to San Diego 95. Toe city
covers vast amount Of ground and
could be called very properly the Gar