Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-06-14
OGDEx. UTAH, June 6, 1884

OGDEN. UTAH, June 6, 1884.
Dear .Journa{:-I left you at Rochester,
n xFriday. Nav 80. 20O0 mi les from this,
and how hard il will be for me to describe
the scenes through which / have passed. 1t
seems a dream but it must be a reality.
Our party left Rochester about ii A NJ
Saturday. for Niagara, which We reached in
two hours Dinner. and then ''took in" the
falls and other sights, after which we pro-
ceeded on our way TO the Garden City, which
: we reached on Sabbath morning. Col.
Sprague piloted his party splendidly. and
seemed to be the right man in the right place.
He had the CO operation of Mr.. Cromwell,
general agent of the Lake Shore Line, who
did all possible to make the trip pleasant
Mr. C. told me he considered it an excep-
tional party of gentlemen; not particle of
intoxicating liquor was seen on the trip; no
confusion or anything that any one could
take exception to.
Our hotels were all assigned. and we pro-
ceeded at once to our rooms on arrival.
Many attended church, and il would not be
surprising if some "home missionary work"
was done by those who did not attend church.
On Monday commenced the tug of war. 1t
was evident to all that James G. Blaine was
the coming man. Rest assured that the
nomination of ]. G. Blaine means triumph
ant election next November. Everywhere !
give Yourself any uneasiness about the
Pacific States. He is as sure to carry them.
| if nominated, as the sun is to rise in Novem-
| Der.
Tuesday eve at 10 o'clock left Chicago.
feeling that the people were in the hands of
good and true men and whatever the result.
we should be satisfied the best possible would
be done. Not having been over the c. b &
Q route we decided to take that line to Coun-
ell Bluffs. The country is beautiful through
southern Iowa. Fruit of almost all kinds
does we'll, grapes especially, l should think.
The farm houses are small, but the land is
rich enough to make it up-black and deep.
Timber along the water courses, which fur
nishes great part of the fuel. Coal crops
out occasionally. The coal is dug from hill
generally, perhaps twenty five feet or more.
up. A stage is erected, machinery placed on
it and the coal is mined and run out upon this
stage as is also the refuse. One goes into
cars and the other is dumped. That is really
the main reliance of the people tor fuel
We arrived at the Missouri river on Wed.
nesday eve, twenty hours from Chicago,
changed cars for the far West. The river is
muddy and very rapid. We were allowed
six minutes to cross the trestle work, and
assure YOU the height was enough to make
one giddy.
When we woke Thursday morning, we
found ourselves in the land of cattle and
sheep. We breakfasted at North Platte,
about 800 miles from Omaha, soon crossed
the North Platte river All along the North
and South Platte rivers very little Of the land
is cultivated, but is used for stock raising.
Thousands of cattle and sheep Craze upon
the plains. They are tended by men on horse
back. All along these valleys lie bleaching
the horns of hundreds of cattle.
lx arl
season tor stock raisers and hundreds of cat
tie died and :hey lie where they dropped. 1t
seems cruel to see so many cattle lying un-
buried but little seems to be thought of it.
On Thursday evening we reach Cheyenne.
We have been gradually ascending towards
the skies, till we have now reached al eleva-
ton of over 5000 feet above the ocean. This
\ place contains 5000 inhabitants. 1t is an old
railroad town and is still growing 1t is not
a farming town. But we must push on our
Western journey. At . o'clock we reach
Laramie. a place of $500 inhabitants. Still
we have been constantly rising; the engine
has been laboring hard, and we have
reached an elevation of ZOO feet. We see
nothing it is night. | forgot to say that
Sherman, the highest point in the Rocky
Mountains, was reached just before dark.
| Here is a monument at an elevation OF S23o
feet. This is skyward, partially.
| On Friday. the 9TH, we took in a barren
| country, not a tree or a living thing but prai
rie dogs rabbits, and now and then an ante
lope The former looked at US in wonder as
we passed. while the latter fly for the higher
land. We know not why the place is called
Green river, for it is swift and muddy
creek the ground is hard as a rock; no rain
falls here, I should say. A few people,
large proportion of which are Chinese, live
from the people who pass through on the
trains. They have black bear, q wolf. and
few other animals in cages, and we all got
out to see them, and that means we must buy
something. So got a cup of coffee and a
doughnut, and we are pursuing our way over
the plains We had been gradually descend
ing but now We find the engine again labor
ing, AMI at Evanston, $50 miles from Omaha !;
we are over 700 feet higher than the sea-
This place we leave in the afternoon, and are
soon in the territory of Utah. Snow fills the
ravines and the weather is cool. Immense
snow sheds are passed through, and they seem
miles in length. Nothing but sage brush can
grow Towards night we reach Echo Canyon,
and nothing have l ever before seen that can
be compared to the scenery. All I can say
is, it is wonderful. l have read and seen
pictures of ruined castles, but here they are
thousands of feet above us. and seem ready
to fall on US. Nature made this cut through
the mountains on purpose for highway across
this great continent. l can't describe
it. No man can do it. These won
ders were formed when the world was
created, perhaps, or more likely when
all this country was covered by water as it
surely was once.
That is what causes all this black soil, and
it is so impregnated with slkali in some parts
that nothing can grow. But what country
it opens for the inhabitants of the whole
:. II.