The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-12-01

! Il letter was received here some time agC
/ from Il. Il. Cutler, who LETT Ottawa with
his family for the Golden State on the Isl
| OF October. This letter gives the detail.
cf the journey and is Of considerable in
torest. The tickets were procured through
The agency of j. i. Warner Of this city
and the route lay by way OF the Rock is
land road to Kansas City, and then over the
Atchlson, Topeka & Santa Fc, the Denver
& Rio Grandc and the Central Pacific.
Concerning the journey from Kansas
City, Mr. Cutler says 1--WE were a tired
and sleepy crowd that landed there on the
morning Of October I'd but we were
pleased to lean that we would have about
fourteen hours to stay IN the city, time
enough to see the city, and obtain q lit.
tie needed rest, In the evening boarded an
emigraat sleeper on the Santa Fc road and
made our berths for the night the tram
leaving !or the west at 30 We had q
new, Cle9n ear, plenty Of room, and good
company. The car was provided with
water tank, wash bowl and two stoves
with ovens for the accommodation of the
passengers. Emporla, III miles from
Kansas City, was reached about noon the
following day, the intervening country be-
ing rolling prairie, sparsely settled, soil
poor aud shallow, although the towns
along the line seem to be prospecting The
next morning found us at Dodge City, in
the Arkansas River bottoms soil red clay
and very shallow and dry The principal
productions seem to be buffalo grass and
sage brush. The towns are good ways
apart and small, we observed two where
there were only sign boards to indicate the
name, not house being IN sight. Aubry,
Kan, Is town of this description. Crossed
the state line into Colorado at 4 O'Clock p.
NJ, and at g:45 the same evening reached
Lapinta, Col, where we parted company
with Mr., Howard and family, late of Mar.
settles, who accompanied us thus far. The
A, I. 81 S, Fe Is in splendid condition
thus tar and we had the best kind of treat
ment by the company. Mr.. Howard and
family continued on this line to Dernlng,
thence by the Southern Pacific to Los An
gelos, where they intend to make their fu.
ture home. We changed cars to tn. D. &
Il. c.. and at Pueblo an emigrant sleeper
was attached to the express traiD. The next
morning found Us IN the mountains, 1870
miles from Pueblo and H. 200 feet above
the level of the sea at point called Mar
shall's Pass. This is the highest altitude
we reached anywhere on the trip, and the
air is very light We were told that we
passed the finest scenery during the
night, but the run through the Black
Canyons gave us view of some fine seen
cry. The road runs along the Gunnlson
river, the passage through the rocks being
barely sufficient for the river and railroad.
The rocks tower above the track on either
side to the height of 500 to 900 feet for a
distance OF 90 miles, and IN some places
they shelve out over the track until they
almost form tunnels, making very wild
scene and one not soon to be- forgotten.
All along between Pueblo and Ogden We
were IN sight of the alksi hills and In
some places saw where the alkali had
formed crust two or three inches in
thickness. II is very necessar y tor travel
ars through this region to be particular
about drinking the water; the effect Is
bad. PASSED Salt Lake City during the
forenoon of the 9th, but had no opportu-
lity TO see the city. Arrived at Ogden
1t noon ana remained there until $40 ia
he evening. This is a nice town of about
800 inhabitants, nestled IN valley, sur
'ounded by mountains"
The journey from Ogden to San Fran
,isco has been several times written, and
m this occasion was passed with no I'M
Usual event, MIR. Cutler arriving in San
on the morning of the 10th Of
october, where they found their house
eady an! furnished for them.