The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-04-07

d~uctors, laden with silver, which ha
been wrung from the blood and tear :
the enslaved natives, wended their va
10 Nueva Espana, thence 70 be reehip
ped to Spain. The valley j. donbtle-
well named, aud it is to be hoped that
in the vandalism of railroad progre>
and nomenclature, this name will no
be changed.
The northern extremity of the Jor
NADIA del Muerto Is strewn with lava
At this point you approach the RI
Grande, and again cross II between For
Craig aud the town OF Jan Marciai
Here again you observe cultivation .
the river bottoms. Iou now coD,inu,
up the valley Of the Rio Grande. cross
ing the river again near Albuquerque
until you reach Domingo.
You now turn to the northeast unit
you strike the valley Of the Arkansas,
which you follow TO Central Kansas.
You are on the Plains. The country j.
t~reeless aud black. the cabins are poor
and dirty, the people are rough ano
squalid. the ground Is strewn with the
carcasses of dead animals, myriads OF
which have persisted In the winter !,
storms but you know that the rains
here tail perennially, and that, with al
ITS present disadvantages, this region
must eventually become the seat Of a
great empire.
TIE NEW TRANsCONTINENrAL ROUTE.
Speaking generally Of the new route.
it must become a t~avorite one with
travellers. The regions it traverses are
full Of scenic and historic interest. The
country abounds in rich mines. There
are gold placers in southern California,
silver mines 10 Arizona and New Next
co, copper, iron, antimony. tin, gyp
sum, coal, petroleum, and many other
valuable minerals ali along the route.
Both Of the roads are we'll built. The
Southern Pacific is as solid as skill can
make it. Artesian wells and dining
stations are established along its entire
length, and its sleeping ears are as ele-
CANT and comfortable. The Atchison,
Topeka and Santa lie is also well CON
structed.
The time made on the through trip is
"a short as on the Union and Central
Pacific. The fare is The same. There
Is no snow in winter. and in summer-as
| can testify from experience the heat
Is not oppressive, because the air Is
pure and dry. The pirates at Deming,
however, must be fired out. When
this is done-and perhaps it is done al
ready, Tor the railroad men were max
ing preparation when | passed through
the new route 10 and from San Fran
cisco will become very attractive.
In the course of a year or two, how
ever, another transcontinental route
viii be opened. The Atchison, Topeka
and Santa Fe have already constructed
a branch line from Albuquerque, west,
70 Fort Wingate, on the Rio Puerco.
From this point it is being laid at the
rate Of two miles a day along the 36th
parallel and across Arizona to the Col
urado. After crossing this river it will
span the Mohave Desert and enter
California through the Cajon Pass, near
the town of San Bernardino. There II
will cross the Southern Pacific line and
continue along the valleys of the Coast
Range to San Francisco.
10 show the advantage which our
Southern Pacific route has over the
other lines to California, we copy an
extract from Il recent report OF the
Union Pacific: 'FoT about 40 miles
across the Sierra Nevada Range the
line is covered with snow galleries;
they are strongly built of timber, and,
where necessary, anchored to sulstan-
tial masonry. They are beginning to
need considerable repairs, and will @ 0
require renewal. In view of the CON
slant danger from fire, is probable that
an iron structure u0uH be more efficient
and economical IN the long run. For
protection against fire, three Uuter-
trans are constantly on duty in the
galleries, and d fire alarm telegraph is
in operation and distress signal boxes
established. through which watchmen
are required to report on each round,
and can also report casualties. slch as
fire, ''sbed down." slide" &c.
and can call for wreck car or other as
.sistance, as may be necessary. A tel
ephOne line is also in operation, with
stations at points between te'egraph
Offices. \ commendal,le feature Of
the enigrant service is the Introduction
of berth racks in emigrant cars. allow
ing travellers in them better opportu-
nifty for rest, and enabling the compa
ny 10 carry passengers per cal
than wnald otherwise be the case.
case. The road is We'll supplied with
plows and ice Hangers in good