Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-01-24

TRIP TO THAT 'EARlHLY PARADISE"
glowing accounts oil the wonderful produc-
tions in quantities and kinds, in Southern
California, and having read newspaper re-
ports OF the new Eden OF America, ou. long
cherished desire to visit the land of the fig
tree and vine has been gratified. In the
afternoon of another Of the choicest days
Of a New England Indian summer, We
crossed the ferry to Oakland, and took the
train that passes over the Central Pacific
railroad to Lathrop, where it forms juno
tion with its Southern branch. which ex-
tends to tne distance of nearly eight hun
dred miles into Arizona. For tine first
hundred miles or more. the country over
which we passed is prairie farming land OF
good quality, not thickly settled nor utiliz-
ed. There are few clusters OF houses, Il
shop, a school house and chapel, the nucleus
Of some growing town in prospective seen
every now and then. Our sleeping car was
sOmew hat crowded, and its best accOmmo-
dstions were pre-engaged, so we took
"Hobion's choice" and our borih at an
early hour, trying to awake in time to see
mountain passes and the loop" Our
hopes we're realized. Before tho third hour
of fthe night. the train stopped to take pas
senger on board, who proved to be 3 Cor
man who had spent three years in his en-
beavers to increase wealth by trade and
farming. at the place where he took the
train u marshy district of considerable ex-
tsnt, a. we inferred from his parting words-
to some friends who accompanied him to the
station, as follows: "Three years l have
been here farming. trading and doing many
things have not enjoyed meal of viotuals
it has been all bread and quipine, meat and
quinine, milk and Guinlne and quinne
with everything one has to eat and drink
make no money, all peoples gamble in
stocks no chance for an honest man out
side the ring lf they would gamble with
cards. would stay and try them few hon
est games Cards are best. for on look
ing at your hand YOU know if you have
trump or have not one" IL was 80 dark We
could not distinguish mountains from
prairies or swamp lands. We accepted the
remarks OF our newcomer as suggestive of
that distrc, of country. As soon as day
light broke upon W, We saw that our train
was winding it5 way along the tOrtuOus
canyons among the foot hills .! the mount
aims IL was alter sunrise beiure We com
mencet the ascent Of the Techecheps
Mounting. II vast cham Of crasgy peaks of
volcanic origin with spurs connecting the
Santa Maire with the coast range. and
further on The Saint Bernardardo mount
aims extending into Arizona and Mexico.
Slowly We crept upwards over hrade in
many places of one hundred and fifteen feet
t. the mile. hore and there through
short tunnels, over deep gorgos and from
ono mountain peak t. another. affprding
us view OF what appeared to be world
made up of smooth, conicsl and craggy top
ped mountains. tumbled together in the
mos. dlsorderly way. We arrived at the
place termed "the loop Of the road" where
We were apparently surrounded by impass-
able barriers to further progress, yet on we
went up = grade oi oue hundred and Eve
feet 10 the mile. around q circle Of thrss