The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-09-27

50 . s&
xts Mountain and soensry---Ths Peo-
pie who Lave There--- Mining Ia
teresss---Ths Railroads. etc.
In my last letter I gave the readers of
THE ARGUS some account Of what I saw
and experienced en- route to this place.
Having spent several weeks here l now
propose to give some impressions of the
various phases of life in this marvellous
country When I say this is q marvellous
country to those who have never visited
or toured in it. l mean just what this term
inn orts. Il is not only marvellous for it's
magnificent mountain scenery, for it's un-
teld mineral riches. for the mysterious
growth of some o. its cities, which astonish
the beholder by the snddenness of their
appearance to-day where yesterday there
was only . mountain solitude. but the
country is marvellous in almost all it's
aspects. Newspaper readers have prob.
ably sighed for an account of mediocrity 10
something, and have concluded because
people always tell of the extraordinary and
unusual. that visit TO or residence in this
country has a tendency to dull ones per-
|cepion or appreciation of exact truth
There may be something in this. bat it is
certain ly true that there is little 10 what
one experiences or observes here which
does act lead him 10 contrast it with what
be knows of life in any part of that vast
expanse of country lying toward the rising
sun. which 10 here included 10 the term
the states.
Abou. the FIRST thing that dunfounds a
visitor TO this country is the appearances OF
the vast stretch of sterile plains on either
side Of the railroad track, extending as far
as the vision reaches, and which he is
assured afford the finest grazing for cattle
and sheep. The traveller takes second
look and sees the sandy desert only sparcely
covered with little coating of greyish,
short, dry, dead looking grass He thinks
of the rich. luxuriant green fields with
gross from four inches to q foot high
which he has left, it may be la the blue
grass region of Kentucky or il may be the
prsiries of Illinois or Iowa, and concludes
that the stranger with the broad brim med
hat and long hair by his side. knowing him
10 be q tender foot" as all strangers are
here called, is trying to impose on his pre-
sumed ignorance or o.edulity. At any
rate, be believes he is right rather than
the statement made to him, aud thinks
that be knows enough to know that q
grass hopper would not be working twelve
hours a day to get comfortable living
from these parehed plains. Daring q few
weeks stay in the country. the traveller
will investigate this matter for himself
and will observe a horse used all day, and
then tethered out 10 stake By a rope
thirty or forty feet long for the night to
nip this dead looking grass. In the morn
ing the animal may be given a quart OF
oats before IL is put to work, and may be
not; yet it keeps ia good order. But this
is not all that puzzles the new conner about
this stalking out business. He is not only
surprised neEt morning to End the horse
refreshed aud replenished from his appar-
ent fast on its doubly limited range, but he
| he is disappointed 10 find the animal has
no dislocated limbs. not to say worse injur
| les; for a horse 10 the states would not
have the least hesitation in becoming in
extricably entangled in such a liberal
| allowance of rope and breaking his neck,
The laundering. awkward COW also runs this
gauntlet without gripping or killing her
self; and her other habits are good in this
country. The native born Colorado COW.
| though she may have long horned Texan
ancestry on both sides, will not eat corn
until her taste has been corrupted by
frequent urging and strong temptation.
Noticing all these things. the tourist
concludes that in some respects al least, it
| is not safe to trust his eyes nor his past
observations as q guide TO the truth 10
this country. Again he looks out the car
window ana observes a bright stream aow-
ing through ditch along hill side. and is
asked which way the water is running, and
be unhesitatingly answers, if he does not
take the question as q piece of imperti-
nenee, that it is running in the direction
which ia msnifestly down hill when be is
told that he is altogether mistaken and
that il is running the other way. He
examines with some indignation and finds,
| sure enough. that according to his eye
sight and all he has learned of levels and
grades, the water Is running up hill But
then in this case he knows that there is
some deception. for it cannot be that this
country Is exempt from the operation Of
gravitation. A six months stay 10 the
state, however, will not enable him to
ideteruine which way water runs in irri-
eating bitches without gping to the stream
and observing its current An instance
occurred here which proved costly illus
stration or this false appearance of eleva-
tons. A recently arrived settler bought
an eligible site to improve. thinking that
he would easily render it fresh and beau
tiai by bringing water TO it FROM the
reservoir OF the water works, and after
investing large sum of money found that
his chosen site was $50 feet above his
water supply, though both lay in plain
view of each oiherl
It is not uncommon for persons who
have Just arrived and have no experience
in judging of distance here. TO start out to
walk to some desired object, which may
seem only few hundred yards away, and
become completely exhausted aud return
without having approached apparently any
nearer the object than skeR they started.
A great many anecdotes are told illustra-
tive of the ilusiveness of distance In this
electrical and rariied atmosphere. but
while some of those which have obtained
general currency are merely the invention
of those who like to feed willing ears with
extrayagant nsrrstives, they do not greatly
exaqgerats the fact, The simple and
exact truth as to this would excite auy
ones suspicion who has not had opportu