The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-08-11
OF the Middlebury Register.
From Sioux Falls to s'FriscO.o

From Sioux Falls to "FriscO.,
A trip from the north west to Califor.
MIA might be be called from gold bank
to gold bank. The north west is one
grand field of golden wheat, which il
sent to all nations and turned into dol.
lars as easily as the gold and silver OF
her mines. They say in the west
"wheat is gold, and gold is wheat
Between these grand fields is the great
stock range, which extends from the
Missouri to the Pacific slope. A trip
10 California now is not much like il
was twenty years ago. At that time
one had to 60 around by water or across
the plains by teams. The hardships
that the gold seekers endured will new.
er half be known. Many the hours
have L listened to stories of "beforc the
railroad" The long weary journey
over bad roads, unbridged streams,
and bottomless mud; the bitter trial
maiarial exhalation Of sloughss AID lb,pe
toms; chased by fire; having the stock
stampeded by Indians; parties attacked
by Indians and unable to move for
days; crossing the dry alkali plains an d
stock dying for want of water; without
any mail for months after they reach
there; inconsistencies, strengthened by
the thoughts of friends thousands of
miles away and heightened by the
thought that returning to them was not
much better than death. But this is all
in the history of the past. The changes
Is due to the enterprise and public
spirit of seven of the Sacramento mer-
chants. They bound themselves to pay,
out of their own pockets, for a three
years survey over the mountains, for a
railroad. One of the party soon after
NAMED to do the woik. One of the
five was sent to Washington TO see if
they could get help, if none could be
obtained they would let the whole thing
go through. The bill passed, and they
opened stock books to the amount OF
S., 900 900 to take the road to the state
The San Francisco capitalists would
not buy. 1t was called good for moth.
ing, and only 5000 of stock was sold.
Again Huntington was sent across the
country, this time to New York; again
he was told by the capitalists that the
stock was good for nothing unless some
of the road was built. and more, the
gOvcrnme 1t bonds were worthless till
a certain number of mics of road was
finished. Still Huntington would not
sell the stock excepting for money and
not any unless he could sell one and
one-half millions worth. lie called q
meeting of capitalists and brokers, and
told them his plan, and 81 100000 of
stock was taken on condition that the
company would go security for the
money until they could exchange the
same for government bonds. This was
done. The money built thirty-one
miles of road. 1t was eleven months
after the road was finished before they
could get The bonds. They did not
want to let the work stop, so the five
agreed TO pay all the expenses them
selves of 800 men for one year. Before
The year ended they received the bonds.
The hardest of the road was TO be built
Everything had to be brought around
Cape Horn, and nearly four years were
spent crossing the Sierras. One spring
they had to shovel a distance of seven
miles. snow sixty feet deep. Had to
draw water forty miles and wood
twenty, over the alkali plains, for the
construction train. So the work went
ON until it was completed, and now we
can go from ocean to ocean in six DAYS.
This same company have in the state OF
California pay roll of over 1000
names.
From Sioux Falls We cross plains and
mountains, through canons and tunnels,
and miles of snow sheds, over buffalo
feeding grounds, across Indian hunting
grounds, by lakes both fresh and salt,
across alkali deserts, aud miles of lava
bed where the springs are boiling water,
riding above clouds, and through val.
leys and winding regions, where all
kinds of ore is found and worked In as
many ways, and through timber till we
reach the summit of the Sierras. This
and thousands of other grand scenes we
see with as much ease aud comfort as II
we were looking ont of our own home
window. II all seems one grand piano.
rama as We move on at the rate OF thir-
ty miles per hour.
We stopped over night at the summit
of the Sierras 10 see the sunset. The
view from here Is worth the trip across
the country. Far above us the snow
capped peaks glisten in their robe OF
pure whiteness, wrapped in a ground
work of dark green, and crowned with
a golden reflection from the clouds.
Around and below is timber. Below
this are the red foot hills, dotted here
and there with timber and mining
towns. Lower is seen the valley Of the
Sacramento and San joaquin, with
rivers OF the sane name, that look like
silver threads. Farther on, the coast
range, that look like great levee to
keep the shining Pacific in bound, with
Mt. Diable towering far above, t6row-
Ing Its shadow far into The valley. The
grandeEt of all is the sun as it sinks
slowly ia all of its grandeur below the
golden heavens md Pacific. Yet, after
il is out OF sight, the Lsayens and clouds
still hold their splendor a. in remem-
branee OF Hin that gave Ii. Slowly
they disappear. The valley below is
putting on its robe of night. The last
tint of the sunset is gone. We stared
as in trance, filled with wonder and
amazement. Far DOWN in the valley
the moon has thrown Der silvery beams
and gained possession OF the night.
We nrn to sec the queen of the heayens
as she takes possession of her throne,
1t seems as il the sun In ali his golden
grandeur conld not compare with her
loveliness on her silver throne. The
peaks look like great piles of silver
standing ont In tho night. The rising
of the moon over the Sierras is claimed
by some to be grander than the sun.