Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-24
he Overland Trim.

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ABOUT THE CHISAMAN-FRUITs, VEGETABLES,
FLOWERS AND POLITICS.
Correspondence CT The SrAa.l
SAX FRANCISCO. July Is. 1881.
On the Fourth of July we started for the Pa
cific coast-my son and myself There was
pail, as OF midnight darkness. hanging over the
nation. AS we sped westward all along the line
OF travel, there were anxious hearts, husked and
eager questionings. serrow-worn countenances
and iily-concealed anathemas against the perpe-
TRAITOR OF so atrocous crime as that which sent
a thrill of agony through the national heart
There was funereal sadness apparent every
where. The poets thought was verified in our
country's organic life:
Break but one
VI thousand keys and the Daining Jar
Through all win run
PRESIDENT Garfield. in this mighty affection
mas broken the aiabastcr box Of national aifec-
tlol. and the fragrance of the ointment has been
scattered abroad. He has been anointed with
the prayers and tears of united people for his
recovery and return to his great work.
We weisked along, in that triumphant device
oi luxurious ease. the palace car. with brace of
.fa'ehhS companions that would have trans
termed desert into an oasis Our party was
made up CT Hon. 7. c. Pound, Congressman from
Wisconsin: Rev. DR.. Hcmphil delegate to the
general assembly, and Rev. Dr.. Briggs. the last
TWO ooth OF San Francisco the former covered
All over with glory. with his Quintette of calls
from prominent churches in the east The towns
Ta'el out into the vast prairies of the west. and
thiht!-iooklng homes. with rich and productive
farms. are on every side. And. now. we sweep
ahead INTO the boTndless mOnotony Of prairie
ifairle 10 the right of Us, to the left of us. in
front Of us. behind us-nothng but prairie! We
pass Omalia-the news is still dubious from the
wounded President. Prayers go up. and hope still
ciihSs TO faith. We climb the heavy mountain
range. vast towering lodges of water-worn,
lchen-covered rock stand cut bold and defiant
against the sky. At Sherman we are 5000 feet
ABOVE Inc level OF the sea. and yet we seem TO
DE scuddnS over the plains on the top of the
mountain.
THE LAST TIE.
Promontory Point, mmortalized 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 ivethousand mementoes it
is ayerred, and yet it still survives Like the
widow cruise, it is iEeXhaustible. | am not in
dehtcd to my memory for vii in this matter nor
to my imagination for facts Carn-and such
magnificent scenery. Neither pen nor pencil
could do justice to such majestic beauty. Just
as far as the eye can reach. snOw-tipEed noun
talns rear their lofty, glittcring 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 nOnarcls of mountains melt away
into niantiIe. grass-c0vered hilOcks. and finally
spread themselves out into yeivcty lawns rem
d0lent of perfume and flowers. and musical with
the voices OF dancing brooks from the mountain
porn, that go chrirruping in their gainbols at cur
very feet. But now we come to the creme de Ia
creme OF the journey. as the Juggling, snoYting
engines pull us steadily mp the grand and ma
Jestc Sierra Nevada range. Subllmity and gran
dcur on every side! We creep, eat-like and eau
tlous. over tremendous tressclings and mammoth
bridges that bear rs midway between earth and
sky. We 90 crawling around Cape Hosn-a bold.
ugly. ragged cliff. that juts out in slllIcn iran
Geui, and seems to compel reverence 10y 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 4
tragedy that resulted in the death Of nearly the
whole OF large family bearing the name of Don
ncr renders this lake historic They were over
taken 10y mountain storm and persisted.
CITY OF HILLS
San Francisco is not a city set upon Hill. 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 arc regarded with favor. 1t is essenti-
ally cosmopolitan city, and to be cosinopoli-
tan is to be generous. The Palace Hotel. at
world in miniature. 1t is grand monument
to William RalStOn, whose memory will ever
remain green in the hearts of the people Of San
Francisco. Open-handed hospitality is a con-
be no counterfeit about it. 1t is of the genuine
order 1t is capital thing to have in the house
this open-handed hospitality. 1t has hint of
better things about it.
THE 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. / sympathZe with the amaZement of
the bewildered Chinaman who rode on one of
these street cars for the first time. Hisface was
alive with establishment He peered out of one
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
bewderment he finally broke out in the follow
ing exhaustive announcement: mo hOsSee, no
pullee, no pushee-go like -" etc. That
Chinaman will never rest till he invents a cable
road for the Celestial Empire.
STROLL THROUGH CHINATOWN.
ChaperOned by Rev. A. w. Leomis 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 is a very interesting school car
red 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, Obedient, industri
Gus. They speak English WELL They write ad-
miraby They are up to the average American
child in the ordinary branches OF a primary Eng
lish education. They are well instructed religi-
Orsly They seem to have an intelligent idea Of
God and of goodness. They sing their songs
with great fervor, but their tones are not of Sc
raphic 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 q man of great suavity,
and kindness of manner, and profered US
every courtesy. Although the days Of
mourning for the Empress are not yet ended,
we were privileged an introduction to the Chi
hese Consul General, very dignified and
genial man, and member of the First Presby-
terrain Church Of San Francisco. On learning we
were from Washington, his first inquiries were
concerning the President, and he prOffered us
the bulletin Extra, in Chinese, which is published
every day and scattered broadcast through the
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