Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-23
FROM THE PACIFIC SLOPE.
The Overland Trip.

The Overland Trip.
AFFAIRS IN SAN FRANCISCo-THE CABLE ROADS
ABOUT THE CHINAMAN-FRUrrs, VEGETABLES.
FLOWERS AND POLITICS.
Correspondence of The srAR.l
SAN FRANCISCO. July Is. 1881.
On the Fourth of July We started for the Pa
cifc coast-my son and myself There was a
pail, as of midnight darkness, hanging over the
nation. As we spedwestward, all along the line
of travel, there were anxious hearts. hushed and
eager questionings sOrrow-worn countenances,
and illy-concealed anathsmas against the perpe-
traitor of so atrocious crime as that which sent
thrill Of agony through the national heart
There was a funereal sadness apparent every
where. The poets thought was verified in our
cOuntry's organic life:
Break but one
OF a thousand keys. and the paining jar
Through all will run.
President Garfield. in this mighty affection
has broken the alabaster box. of national affec-
tion and the fragrance of the ointment has been
scattered abroad. He has been anointed with
the prayers and tears of a united people for his
recovery and return to his great work
We whisked along. in that triumphant device
of luxurious ease. the palace car with brace of
travelling companions that would have trans
formed desert into an oasis, Our party was
made up of Hon. 7. c. Pound, Congressman from
Wisconsin: Rev. DR.. Hemphil, delegate to the
general assembly, and Rev. DIR. Briggs. the last
two both of San Francisco, the former covered
all over with glory, with his quintette of calls
from prominent churches in the east. The towns
ravel out into the vast prairies of the west. and
thrifty-looking homes, with rich and productive
farms, are on-eyery side. And, now. we sweep
ahead into the boundless mOnotony of prairie
Prairie to the right Of us, to the left Of U.S. in
front of us, behind us-nOthing but prairie! We
pass Omaha-the news is still dubious from the
wounded President. Prayers go up. and hope still
clngs to faith. We climb the heavy mountain
range. Vast towering lodges of water-worn
lichen-cOvered rock stand out, bold and defiant,
against the sky. At Sherman we are 5000 feet
above the level of the sea, and yet we seem to
be scudding over the plains on the top of the
mountain.
THE LAST TIE.
PromOntory Point! immortalized as the spot
where the Union and the Pacific struck hands
laid their last tie, and drove their last spike.
That spike has been scattered over the country
in the shape of some five thousand mementOes. it
is ayerred and vet it still survives Like the
widows cruise, it is nexhaustible. am not in
debted to my memory for wit in this matter. nor
to my Imagination for facts. Carlin-and such
magnificent scenery. Neither pen nor pencil
could do justice to such maj estic beauty. Just
tans rear their lofty, glittering heads. defiant
alike of sunshine and Of storm. Grand old pa
triarchs are they, with all their numerous pro-
geny OF children, grandchildren and great-grand-
children following hard after them until the
proud old mOnarchs Of mountains melt away
into infante, grass-cOvered hillocks, and finally
spread themselves out into velvety lawns, rem
dOlent of perfume and flowers. and musical with
the voices of dancing brooks from the mountain
born, that go cfrirrupng in their gambOls at our
very feet But now we come to the creme de la
creme of the journey, as the Juggling snorting
engines pull us steadily up the grand and ma
JeStlc Sierra Nevada range. Subimty and gran
deur on every side! We creep, cat-ike and eau
tlous, over tremendous tresselings and mammoth
bridges. that bear us midway between earth and
sky. We go crawling around Cape Horn-a bold,
ugly ragged Cliff. that juts out in sullen gran
deur. and seems to compel reverence by turning
US back again to the other side, to the exact
point from which We started. Bonner lake lies
like huge serpent on the mountains crest,
tragedy that resulted in the death of nearly the
whole OF large family bearing the name of Don
ner renders this lake historic. They were over
taken by mountain storm and persisted.
CITY OF HILLS.
San Francisco is not a city set upon hil,, but
city made up of hills. All the streets seem to
charge up hill. There is nothing of the provin-
cial town about San Francisco. All is hustle,
activity, driving. pushing, dashing life.
Strangers receive cordial welcome. New
corners are regarded with favor. 1t is essenti-
ally cosmopolitan city, and to be cosmopoli-
tan is to be generous. The Palace Hotel. at
which we are stopping, is a great caravansary,
world in miniature. 1t is a grand monument
to William RalstOn. whose memory will ever
remain green in the hearts of the people of San
Francisco. Open-handed hospitality is con-
spcuOus virtue in these parts. There seems to
be no counterfeit about it, 1t is of the genuine
order. 1t is capital thing to have in the house
this open-lianded hospitality. 1t has hint of
better things about it.
TIE CABLE ROADS.
To me the cable roads are one of the most in
teresting features of the city. They go charging
up the tremendous hills. like things of life, and
with far less effort. One keeps wondering ho,c
they go. sympathize with the amazement of
the bewildered Chinaman who rode on one of
these street cars for the first time. His face was
end of the car and then the other. He looked
this side and that side. He turned an exploring
gaze on the conductor. He seemed ready to
burst with compressed wonder. In his utter
bewiiderment he finally broke out in the follow
ing exhaustive announcement: mo hoSsee. no
pulee, no puShee-gO like -" etc. That
Chinaman will never rest till he invents cable
read for the Celestial Empire.
STROLL. THROUGH CHINATOWN
ChaperOned by Rev. A. w. Loomis D. D., the
honored missionary of the Presbyterian board,
who has devoted lifetime to the Chinese, we
explored the inner depths of Chinatown. We
saw all sorts of homes. We saw the typical
Christian home in the very heart of the Chinese
quarter. THERE'S very interesting school car
ried on for Chinese children in the old Globe
Hotel, on the corner of Jackson and Dupont
streets. This school has been in operation eleven
years, and several Of the second generation are
now pupils in the school The children seem
bright, eager, patient, facile, Obedent, industri-
GUS. They speak English wel They write adj
miraby They are up to the average American
child in the ordinary branches of primary Eng
lisal education They are well Instructed religi-
ously. They seem to have an intelligent idea Of
God and Of goodness. They sing their songs
with great fefvor, but their tones are not of Sc
raphc sweetness. They make up in ardor what
they lack in harmony. This is the very best
method of getting at the Chinese. The hope of
the world lies in the children of any nation.
THE CHINESE CONSULATE.
We visited the Chinese Consulate Col Bee,
the American Consul, is a man of great suavity,
and kindness Of manner, and profered us
every courtesy. Although the days of
mourning for the Empress are not vet ended.