Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-07-10
OVERLAND RAILWAY ROUTE
From Omaha TO San Francisoo--A Glanc
at the Country Bordering Along the

From Omaha TO San FranclstO--A UiaHc
at the Country Bordering Along the
Dad.
Correspondence of the Globe.
SAN Francisco, Cal, July l, 1SSl.-lt
is true that everyone who makes this
Journey is expected to speak enthusiastic
ally of the great trans-continental rail
way, and of the varied, grand and beau
tiful scenery bordering on this magnifi-
cent route The civilized world processes
to be distinctly artistic and although the
people differ vastly in other matters and
they may thoroughly detest each other,
vet they cordially meet upon the common
ground of appreciation of natural scenery.
A flying trip at the speed of 20 or 80 miles
an hour gives one but glance at the
physical features of the country.
From the limits of the city of Omaha to
the summit of the Rocky mountains this
road is up hill, the maximum grade being
100 feet to the mile The first 800 miles
of the road passes up the Platte valley
close to and parallel with the Platte river.
The valley seems to be about ten miles
wide, level, grassy, and looks as smooth
as a carpeted floor, not stone, bush or
tree to be seen for miles and miles. Lit
tie towns are springing up around the
companys depots that are located ten to
twenty miles apart.
At entervals along the Platte and its
tributaries are to be seen large herds of
cattle and flocks of sheep. Here is the
section of country where so many cattle
persisted last winter-thoLSands OF half
car window. These immense heards are
obliged to depend the year round
on the natural growth of grass,
not even having shelter provided
for them in winter Ordinarily the eli
mate is so mild that they find sufficient
food to take them through, but occasion
ally there comes winter with such dread
ful storms and floods that they die by
thousands, not wholly from rough wealth
er, but on account of the dried grass being
covered so deeply with snow that they
fail to reach 1t, and are absolutely COM
PEELED to Starve This beautiful country
seems to invite the industrious immigrant
farmer, The rich soil, properly cultlvat-
ed, would yield him generous reward
for his labor.
Leaving the valley of the Platte, the
landscape now changes, and the road en-
tiers vast area of country called plains.
These plains are not smooth and level,
but just the reverse-one round of deep
depressions and rugged elevations. The
train for hundreds of miles seemed to
ascend succession of terraced
hills, leaving almost every thing
behind in the form of vegetable
and animal life. Nothing is seen to
change or break this wearisome monOtOny
until an elevation is reached that brings
to view the snow-capped range of the
Rocky mountains. The highest peak of
the range, notably Pixies and Longs, are
distinctly seen at a distance of 100 miles.
The black shadow seen towards the north
at this point gradually takes tangible
shape and proves to be the Black Hills of
Wyoming. These mountains evidently
derive their sombre hue from the forests
of pine trees which cover their entire sur
face.
The summit of the Rocky range is
crossed over at point called Sherman,
at an elevation of nearly two miles above
the sea- Here the waters of the At
lantic are divided from the Pacific The
air here is clear and light, and greatly IA
cilitates vision; mountain peaks are
seen at a distance of over 100 miles.
This air, however, is not as life sustain
ing. 1t quickens the breathing, and per-
sons not accustomed to the climate find
that they are obliged every few minutes
to take deep, long breath to keep up
the supply of oxygen in the system.
The distance from the summit to the
foot of the mountain at Salt Lake is about
400 miles, and it is along this section of
the road that the widest scenery on the
continent is to be found Here the
mountain peaks are the loftiest rocks,
with perpendicular walls, rise the high
est; chasms are the deepest and torrents
the swiftest. The railroad follows the
dashing, frantic rivers down the deepest
gorges, walled up with solid stone
thousand feet high These rocks are of
a reddish sandstone, and the DESTROYING
hand of time and the elements-frost,
rain and wind-have crumbled,
worn and scanned them into
all manner of fantastic forms. With a
little stimulus to the imagination an in
dividual can see old crumbling castles,
vast ruined cathedrals and inches in the
walls, holding large sculptured figures,
also great human heads, owls and eagles,
and here and there can be seen the
crouching figure of an enormous lion.
Here, too, among the remarkable forma-
tons Of nature can be seen what is called
the "Devil's Slide" This slide is formed
by two parallel ridges of stone projecting
out fifty feet beyond the main wall;th dis
lance between these ridges or lodges is
fourteen feet, and they extend from the
ground to an almost perpendicular height
of 500 feet
Now, if this was the play ground of the
devil, and he made this remarkable slide
down the rock, and was of physical form,
it is safe to presume that he is dead;
and almost at the foot of the DEVILS Slide
we find another landmark that enjoys a
national reputation. The old mile post,
the Thousand Mile Tree looking to-
day as fresh and green as if it had never
seen anything severer than the mild
zephyrs of tropical climate. The old
emigrant road to California and to Salt
Lake passed down this gorge and along