The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-05-04
Letter From California.


To the Editors of the Standard:
Wednesday the 18th inst Mr.. David Campbell and
boarded the 10 A. NJ. mall o. s. r. r. route to the
Land of the Setting Sum- We made the trip just
ten days; and If any two poor fellows tired
of the continuous rumble of Wheels night and day
for ten of them, we the boys. When left home
the ground frozen and the fruit thought
all killed. We found much the same kind of weather
long remained in the States, ,-as the people
here call the country east of the Mssissippbut it
may not have been cold in the latitude of Jackson
as we travelled west, for you know went in north
Bluffs, Iowa, via the o. s., I. B. W., and G. B. O.
R. RS At Council Bluffs took the Union Pacific,
over which we Travelled until reached Ogen, Utah.
The land in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska, is
rich as can be- and all good for farming but Nebraska
which is too high and dry. You plainly see the
effects of the drouth. We saw several prairie fires
here, but at night they looked the widest. We dip
ped into the northeastern corner of Colorado, but
twas night and could not examine 1t any. Leav-
ing Nebraska, entered Wyoming Territory, the
southeastern part of which is fine looking country
Cheyenne, the capital is pretty rough looking little
town of 1000 people, including Chinese. just
arrived at this town one poor fellow, brakesman,
was mashed to death between the cars. From here
we had a fine view of Pixies Peak At Rawlins,
town of 1900 souls, plenty of those wild cow
boys who always ride their poor little Mustangs in
the gaop. This is said to be the hardest town the
line of the Union Pacific Railway.
1t is said that there is graveyard here containing
eighty graves the occupants of which all died with
their boots saw the graves but not the boots
suppose they must haye buried them with their boots
on, too. From Cheyenne to Green River we have fine
mountain scenery, with which one can refresh him
self; but thence to Ogden, had dreary dry, barren
sandy deserts, covered only with sagehrush grease
wood long, level, tring, monotonous solitude broken
only by water tanks and houses of the section hands,
few miles east of Ogden, however, is very fine
mountain scenery. Echo canon is very beautiful
place; glide along the smooth road with preci-
pices of rock hundreds of feet high almost hanging
over your head. Here is Pulpit Rock, formed all
the rocks here of the most beautiful red granite.
told very clever, unsuspecting Irish girl that that
is where Aaron placed the golden calf while Moses
was in the mountain above Ga great precipice
hangs it) receiving the tables of stone.
few miles further and pass the 1000 mile
tree, just one thousand miles from Omaha. Now, we
the Devils Slide and His Satanic Majesty's Gate
Here fair and conclusive evidence of the formation
of the Rocky and Wahsatch mountains by upheayal
In the Rockies, the eastern edge of that mighty
plateau,-and you would think it is mighty If you
should t-you the strata of earth and rocks
at angle from few degrees to 45 degrees or SO de-
grees; and when you come to the Wahsatch the di-
yiding line between the two plateaus the Colorado
and the Great Basin you will find the strata, nearly
always perpendicular. The DEVILS Slide is formed in
just that way two strata, each about feet thick
ground near them; so, when the upheaval was made,
they stood upright each retaining its relative posi-
tion; the softer ground and rocks washed or wore
away under the action of times chemicals, from each
side of and between them and has left usThe Coast
ing Grounds of Satan would not like to be Satan,
especially If had slide down that place, it's too
rough: from this place to Ogden had varied noun
tain scenery ending in fine farming land, part of
the valley of the Great Salt Lake; valley that Brig
ham Young almost justly told his followers was the
Tho
gods hut it has devil stronger than the resident
gods,-PoLYGAMY. Through Nevada we had the
same dreary deserts. most of them covered with a
light snow, for passed through several snow
storms.
Next to the monotony of vast prairies and lifeess
deserts, the continuous snow-sheds. 1 am told
that the longest is "a miles, but some nearly SO
long as that-and SO close together too half dozen
of them a quarter of mile apart is rather firing.
But, now leave the region of eternal snow round
Cape Horn, Colfax Station, and descend in hur
ry toward the land of figs and oranges. Down through
the mining regions over fumes, under fumes, beside
fumes, across fumes, down. downer, downest. Hills
each side of us have been washed down almost to
their bases for gold for they mine here, mostly by
hydraulic power, and you would think 1t is well
named hydraulic when you see how high they must
draw 1t through those fumes and pipes. From the
time left Cheyenne to Ogden, and from Ogden to
Blue Canon, (snow three or four feeD we saw not a
blade of grass; but now we come to the sacramento
Valley and the passengers NIL up the platforms, ana
stick their heads the windows to catch breath
of summer air.
1t is summer here and pretty hot, too The vegeta-
ton and crops, general, about far advanced
as they Ohio in the last of May to the middle OF
June. So, on to San Francisco. Oranges here are
fresh, sweet and cheap. Chinese fresh sweet =?
and (too) cheap. AS Utah is cursed with the Nor
mons so is California with Chinese. The former tc
| the latter in ratio as to 100.
The Chinese arriving daily at the rate of 1000.
saw a ship at the Sea Wall this morning that con.
tanned 90 who had yet landed. $50 landed yester
day. The people here very indignant at the con-
duct of President Arthur while the Chinese jub
| lant They say "Artee geetoed the BiH.' 1 an
thinking that some worthy unworthy son of Cal
ifornian will "geeto" Guiteau him If he be no
| careful.
| They printed the Veto in the English and thei
own language together with Arthur's picture on
sheet and sell them for 10 cents each. sent you
last night. was up in Chinatown yesterday but, a
l am not extra hand at painting pen portraits, II
not attempt description of it. Go, for yourself
This is Sunday but could hardly tell it, 1t is fa
than cities in the east. Here, not the So
looms, barber shops and beergardens only are opeI
but the clothing, boot and shoe stores groceries, a
kinds of Chinese shops, and indeed almost ever
thing can be bought here day. Noodward's Gal
dens were crowded this afternoon the boys say the
have lust returned. Some comedians, minstrels
something else were to perform their farewell pls