The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-12-20
A Trip to the East.

Rocky Mountains for more than thirty
one years, and short sketch of it may
entertain your readers. We left the
city of Portland on the Goth OF May
last, by the Northern Pacific railway
for St. Paul. This route has keen so
often described that it is familiar to
nearly every one on this Coast, but 1t
must be passed over to be appreciated.
The canyons os the Columbia river, the
plains of eastern Washington, the eros
sing of the Rock, Mountains, the 1road
prAlrles OF Montana and Dakota, the
"Bad Lands" and the farms Of Minneso-
ia present variety Of grand and beauti-
ful scenery which the eye never wearIes
IN gazing on. We see also the build
ing OF new empires in country that
but few years since was an alml st
unknown wilderness. The home Of
the buffalo is already covered with
cattle ranches and in place OF the saw
age Indian the hardy settler Is plowins
up the sod for the reception of grain,
While trains Of cars are continuously
pouring their loads of emmisrants up
Oh the vacant lands on botn sides uf
mountains. The climate in Montana
and Dakota is very severe, the mercury
in the thermometer having frozen last
winter. The settlers however say that
IT Is dry cold that one soon gets USED
to and are AS proud OF their country as
those III more favored chimes. On time
To minute, We arrived at ST. Pa Il IN
just four uay trou Portland after a
'eiy dsiIsAtlui trip 1t Is but just to
say tnat although The Iare Is toC Juucu
ilc y orthern Pacific IS one of tne most
coAl1o. CauIe roads that 1t was our lott
nne " travel ON. The road bed is nlsL
class, the cars well equipped allu JAo
OIncers attentive a44u couILeotls, " nl.e
Tue sleeping and dining cars attached
to each train give All the comforts vi
home.
A stoppage of a few hours furnished
the opportunity of seeing ST. Paul anu
ler Sister city, Mlnneapolis 1nesc
two cities are mavNel even III lnls
country oI rapid de. eloptAeAt. InousIl
still III their teens Lhey eaGn clafu
nearly Que hu.dred Thousand popuia,
tlon. " hen unlteJ, as tney fnali,
will be, If the present state oI increase
Continues, The CITY may reach Tue heIgut
Ct Us ambition, rival Of Cnicaso.
lne business houses are large aile.
Aaudsome and the private dwellings,
dlspiaJ good taste Ill LHeIr construction.
Ihe latter are mostly 1uuL IN th.
Queen Anne style ana III the matter or
paint are WOIluefIul 10 GenOlu. The
walls and roofs are painted in squares
with all the different tints which colors
are capable of producing. We noticed
one aesthetic gentleman had filled his
neighbors with envy by painting the
walls of his costly residence ? bright
red and the roof sky-blue A night
trip through the state Of Wisconsin
brought us to the far famed city Of
Chicago Oh Sunday morning. As our
train did not leave until night we took
cab at dollar an hour and had a
hasty view of the principal objects Of
interest. The citizens of Chicago have
by their energy and liberaity fairly
earned the reputation the City bears III
the commercial world. 1t is favorabk
located, well laid out, well built, and
is one of the most beautiful cities IN
the Union. Another night ride brought
us through Indiana and we arrived at
the Queen City Of the West, the home
of our early years. We stopped here
but one day to greet brother after an
absence Of thirty-two years, and hur-
ried on to Washington City by the
Baltimore and Ohio railway. AS one
goes east the speed of the trains ia
creases and in crossing the AlIesharies
by this route, it is so great tlat you
keep your seat with difficulty. A few
d vs. stay in Washington enabled us to
appreciate the immense improvements
tat have been made since cur last
visit. Washington City is to-day the
handsomest city in the United States.
It's tine streets bordered by shade trees. |
its handsome parks with their statues
and its magnificent public Buildings
make it worthy to be the capital OF
this Great Republic. Upon my arrival
the Supreme Court had adjourned, but
Congress was still in session My first
visit to the gallery of the Senate was
made while the Mexican pension bill
was nendiDQ had nasSpd the Hone