Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-09-01
A vEHMONTER ON HIS TRAVELS.
From Denver TO SAN Francisco - The
MOrmOns and the Edmunds Bill
4 Great Monopoly.
Correspondence of the Free Press and Times.I

Correspondence of the Free Press and Tmesl
SAN Francisco, Cal, Aug. /, 1882.
A few weeks since left Denver, Colorado,
for trip to the northwest. A ride of five
hours over the Denver Pacific railroad
through dreary towns and across nearly bar
ren plains and we arrived at Cheyenne,
which was once noted as the wickcdest city
in the United States. To-day Cheyenne is a
bright and thrifty town with fine and sub
stantial residences and business blocks. AT
Cheyenne we take the Union Pacific railroad
for Ogden. During the second afternoon as
we pass through various cuts and gorges we
are shown high up in the top of overhanging
cliffs, large piles of stones which we are told
were placed there by the Mormons In days
long gone by, for the purpose of rolling down
upon the United States troops and such of
the Gentle emigrants as were venturcsome
enough to attempt to cross the continent. AT
| 8 D. IN. the second day out from Denver we
arrived at
ogden, Utah,
| that sink bed of iniquty which has
so long been under the control of the
Mormons. AS | walked down the streets
l saw many of those sactimonious and hypo-
| critical old fellows, the Mormon elders. They
have their houses built in rows, house for
each family, the yards divided by fences,
which in many respects resemblci the old
style of a chicken coop. | was amused at
the remarks of a tramp painter, who was
having dispute with one of the Mormon
policemen. The policeman said !: 81 wish
| had this badge off and I'd make you suffer
for what you have said" The tramp painter
replied "rd advise you to keep your
badge on while you can, for, thank God, the
day is not far distant when the great
Bill of EdMunds
will he in force and then you will he reliev
ed of wearing the policeman's badge" From
which could learn the Edmunds bill is caus-
ing the Mormon elders more anxiety than
any bill that has passed for years. 1t was
talked of everywhere and by everybody, the
Nlormons cursng it, the Gentiles praising it.
Aud one of the papers at Ogden and one at
Salt Lake City had the backbone TO come out
openly and stand by it.
From Ogden branch road takes one to
the far-famed Salt Lake City, but
did not have time to 90 50 took the cars of
the Central Pacific for San Francisco Our
ride for few miles was very pleasant. AT
our left was the beautiful waters of the great
Salt Lake. while at our right, but few miles
away, was the City of Salt Lake. On either
side of us we could see as we passed fine
pastures where immense flocks of sheep were
feeding, guarded only by shepard dogs. The
Central Pacific road is chiefly known for its
poor accommodations, rough road beds and
uncvil portcrs-but no more of this now.
Night came on and in the morning we found
ourselves several miles farther from Ogden,
and at last we stopped for breakfast, when, in
order TO reach the dining room, we had to
run the gauntlet of about two hundred H.
dians. Along this road the Indians seem to
be by far the most shiitlcss, dirty and
worthless set of men | ever saw-begging,
stealing and, whenever they dare 50 do, out
raging women and even little girls. They
ride from one poin, TO another on
the railroad free, and hence the
co vcrcd by them. When We left the cars we
found the platform to the door of the depot |
and restaurant thronged with these Indians, |
whose unkempt hair and dirty faces showed |
plainly that they did not care to patronize |
the barber shop or the wasli-room. We were
waited upon by a bevy of Cinnamon, who
could not, or would not, bring what one or
dcred but something that one could not
eat and on going out the proprietor would, |
when taking his pay of $50, with most
satanic grin, present you with cheap advcr-
Using pamphlet, commonly called Railroad
Guide. with the compliments of the G. G. |
railroad" which one of the passengers said
meant, with compliments of the Contempt |
bic, Cheating railroad robber," statement
which no one attempted to refute
The day is spent in crossing the great des
ert, where naughtis seen but sage brush, sand
and Indians.
AT last night came and with it terrible |
feeling of hunger; but at $50 we reached
the thriving town OF Reno Nevada, where
we got late dinner. This town appeared |
to be alive and very prosperous. From here
and until We reached the valley of the Sacra- |
mento we travelled ut night. The second
morning out from Ogden we passed into and
across the Sacramento valley. All around
us were immense fields of grain with here
and there fine peach and apple orchards |
Arriving at Sacramento We stopped for break
fast ard then sped onward towards San
Francisco, at which place we arrived at
1880, making four days out from Denver, in
Guiding one day at Ogden. Perhaps the
reader will think us dyspcptic, but we are
not, and say in all candor that San Francisco
is not the Golden City" our Imagination
had always painted it. There is not that
vim, that push and energy displayed that
must have been in days gone by to make this
young city so large. The broad thoroughfarcs
and wide sidewalks the harbor throngiug with
ships OF all nations, the magnificent blocks
and elegant dwellings, nll point to the time
when san Francisco was what we thought her
tobe, a great public benefit is the cable street
car railroad. With this nohorses are used and
no engine is TO be seen; but up hill and down, |
and almost without noise, two cars at Il time, !
we ride from one end to the other of some of
the leading streets. The engineer, if he may be
called so, starting and stopping the car with
but slight motion of the lever which he
grasps in his hand. This road is, | am in-
formed, the first of its kind ever used, and
great credit is due, and is most cheerfully
given, to the able superintendent and engi-
neer, Henry Root, former Willston boy,
who has hosts Of old schoolmates and friends
in Vermont.
The trouble with San Francisco arises from
five distinct causes-Central Pacific monopo-
ly, the Chinese, Sandlotism, stock Jobs and
the late law OF taxation. The first of these
has with an iron heel crushed not only San
Francisco but the whole Of California The
rates of tariff for passengers and freight, es-
pccially local, have been enormous hence
farming could not ply AS it should, and the
farmers are those that build the foundation
for any and every section of the country.
| The Chinese problem is n very difficult one
TO solve. That they are n curse to the Pacific
| coast there is no doubt, and that they are
energetic and hard laborers, none eau deny.
The sand-ot boys, too, have had their bad
effect on the prospect of San Francisco, MS
well as the various stock jobbing, or perhaps
| should say the stock gambling, schemes, in
which not only the merchant and the broker,
but the laboring men and women as well as
little children risk their ALL Add to these
the tax law which passed the Legislature
some time since and caused so many TO take
| their capital from this city and invest it in
the East, and you have the reasons why San
Francisco has so many vacant stores and
houses, and seems to be in sort of Rip Van
Wrinkle sleep.
The climate il fine and living reasonable