The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-11-20
CALIFORNIA LETTER.

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, Oct. 81, '79.
FRIEND HARRIS In accordanc
with the advice of the seer, "Go Yves,
young man, go West" I have obeye
until the Pacific ocean prevents farthe
compliance. Let me tell you some
thing about it: Leaving Detroit OF
the 22nd of September, a party of foul
we found ourselves at the Paine
House, Chicago, slowed away for tn
night. At 1880 next morning we wer
aboard the G. b. Q. r. r., and bein.
whirled through that garden of tn
West-not of the West but of the Eas
as it must be regarded here. After tn
Mississippi and Missouri Rivers art
crossed, Council Bluffs and Omaha ar,
left, as onward and upward we g
across the backbone of the continent
So gradual is the ascent that it il
scarcely perceived till we hear the con
ductor cry out "Cheynne, 40 minute:
for dinner" The day was beautiful
and warm. All aboard" and still
up we go till Sherman is reached, s..
2i2 feet above tide water. At this
height on the Atlantic coast you can
scarcely endure the cold, as many 8
one has found in ascending Mount
Washington, the top of which is not
so high as this place. A coat is very
uncomfortable here to-day, although
the grass on these hills and plains is
dry and brown, it is simply dried hay,
and cattle live and thrive on it in vast
numbers. 1t is the pasture grounds OF
the nation. There are $4,000 sheep
and 10000 head of cattle in Laramie
county alone. Some of the objects we
pass are worthy of note. The fume
at Hillard, "a miles long built of plank
on tressle work, in which saw logs and
cord wood are brought down from the
mountains, "a miles away, at the rate
of 40 miles an hour. Charcoal is man
ufactured here in large quantities, in
which 1000 cords of wood are consum-
ed each month. Dale Greek bridge,
over which the cars pass, $50 feet long
and 130 feet high, is an object of inter-
est. The Hot Springs, so hot that the
farmers scaid their hogs in them when
they butcher them. Echo and Web
Der canons, surpass all other places in
sublimity and grandeur in these parts.
AS you pass down between two noun
tains l ZOO and 6, ,OCO feet on either side,
sometimes perpendicular banks, worn
by the action Of water into great va
riety of shapes and figures. The Dew
il's Slide, "Sentinel Park" and "Pul-
pit Rock" attract much attention. At
Ogden we left the train and went to
Salt Lake City, where we spent three
days, viewing Mormonism. The Tenn
pie now 25 years in building is not yet
finished. The Tabernacle is an inn
mense building with seating capae-:
ity of IL, 900 under one roof, which is
there being no column
OR support of any kind inside. We
visited the house of the late Brigham
Young, and that of his favorite wife,
Amelia, same where Ann Eliza lived,
&C., &c. Went to the Hot Springs
On Sabbath morning preached in the
Congregational Church, and went to
the Mormon worship in the afternoon.
Heard several speeches, one by Con-
gresham Cannon. The next day we
our journey in the rain, the
first since June. There was snow on
the tops of the mountains around Og-
den. The country from here on is
more picturesque and grand, as we
pass over the Sierra Nevada Mountains
in one instance under snow-sheds 40
miles long. The decent on the west
side is rapid and steep. Conductor
told me that in the VIM
ter he had brought down his train in
three hours from where the snow was
feet deep, to the foot hills
where he had seen his passengers pick
oranges, Strawberries and roses. We
reached San Francisco on the first day
of October. The next morning we
were treated to shock of earthquake.
The next week attended the session of
the General Association of Congrega-
tional Churches in California, one of
the leading denominations of the State.
The second week, we went to the Yo-
semitic Valley, where nature has per-
formed her widest freaks. The place |
is indescribable- absolutely so. In de-
any thing we must have some
hing to compare it with. But there
Is nothing like Yosemite in this world.
Just imagine deep basin, the bottom
Of which is 1900 feet above the sea.
on the top of the Sierra Ne
vada Mountains, this basin 10 or 12 |
miles long and to 6 miles wide, whose
sides are perpendicular, or nearly so,
and rising 5000 and 1900 feet. The
Merced River pours its flood over this
precipice and then runs placidly |
through the length of the valley, re-
,eiving tributary streams from each
,ide, pouring their waters into this |
basin by falls varying from 500 to 5000
feet. The next morning after our ar
rival, we went to the foot of Yosemite
Falls till we were wet with the spray,
and looking up we could see the wat
BIS leap from the top of the preoipice
J, 900 feet above US. The prominent
points of these sides all have names:
South Dome......-......... 5000 feet
Cloud Rest 100
GlaZler Point. ,2OO
Ell Capita. 500
Star klDg.... .........................o,IU IUO
And many others. The State of Cali.
'ornia owns this property, and has
made it a park forever. They have
made trails up the sides of many of
,hese mountains, so that tourists can
ascend on foot or on horseback to the
very top. The recent fall of snow bali
I'd under the horses feet so that it was
lot safe to go up in that way while we
we're there, but my daughter deter