Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-09-17
On the Way to California.
FROM CHICAGO To DENvER-NEARING TIL
Rocky MoUNTAINs--A WONDERFUL CITY.

FROM CHICAGO To DENvER-NEARING THE
Rocky MoUNTAINs-A WONDERFUL CITY.
In MY last letter told you how we arrived
in Chicago. While there we laid in a fresh
stock of provisions, etc. The country through
which we passed was mostly rolling, but in
places as fiat as a pancake. About this time
we began to see beautiful flowers which were
entirely new to us. As we neared the bor-
ders of Iowa, the crops began to look finer,
and the farming, too. seemed to be on a
grander scale. The noblest crops of hav,
oats, wheat and corn sped by us swiftly,
seeming to make almost an unbroken line.
Towards evening we approached the
Mississippi, and for about fifty miles, ran
along in the river bottom, then came out on
high trestle which makes the approach to
the bridge. Our first view of the great river
was little disappointing, but as we ran out
on the bridge, the size and power of the
stream could be better realized. When we
reached the Iowa side, the road was cut
through bluffs which rose fifteen or twenty
| feet above us. The little we saw of Burling
ton, which we reached soon after we crossed
the river, delighted us by its beauty. The
depot there, although different, was almost
as fine as the one in Chicago. 1t was dark
when we left B. so we turned our attention
inside the car for amusement As we passed
through Iowa in the night. we saw little of
the scenery, but were told it did not differ
greatly from that in Illinois which we had
seen. When we rose in the morning we were
quite near the Missouri river where we
changed cars. This day was full of interes t
to us from the fact of crossing and run
ming by the side of several rivers
First the Missouri which is muddy torrent
then the Platte, which we followed for a
couple of hours, muddy as the Missouri, but
very shallow and broad and slowly moving.
On the side of the track away from the river,
were bluffs of limestone showing stratifca-
ton most beautifully, and smooth walls of
sand on which were carved names, scrolls and
humorous devices. After this we came out
on the prairie proper, level as house floor,
a hundred or more miles in every direction.
| Trees there were it is true, but such trees as
we call bushes at home and these were all
near houses and beside roads. having all been
planted Il was told) by gentlemen who lived
there less than ten years ago.
had admired the even fields of Illinois
and Iowa, but what shall | say of those of
Nebraska? For hundred miles or more of
our way WE Ildu CuTnHelus 10 tue right OF us,
corn fields to the left of US, corn-felds all
| about us. Think of a corn field, three
miles long by four, with stalks six to eight
feet high, all spindled and silked out, their
tops as level as the surface of a lake, and a
soft wind playing over it, making the tall
stalks bend and the crisp leaves rustic.
/ Scatter thousands of these fields close hv
each other and over all place a clear blue sky
with a few white ieecy clouds floating on the
horizon. and you will have a faint concep-
ton of the country through which we passed
| yesterday. In the afternoon we ran along
tor hours in the river bottom of the Repub-
licau river, which twisted like snake on our
left, going from bluff to bluff, distance of
two miles. while the stream is about 200 feet
broad. The country now became more roll,
ing and we began to see large herds of
cattle. As nightfsll came on the
sky in the north was darkened by thunder
clouds, while in the west the setting sun gild-
ed the edges of a few soft white clouds, then
touched them with r rosy glow and so dropped
from sight. Before it became wholly dark
we had passed by the black clouds on our
right which had been trying to cut US off. and
the day closed with the promise of a fair
morrow. During the afternoon the weather
was quite warm, but there was a fine breeze
and all the windows and doors were wide
open, so that it Was very comfortable and
pleasant. Once the train stopped in the mid
die of the prairie, twenty miles from the near
est station, to put off two trsmps who were
stealing a ride on the trucks underneath the
cars.
In the morning we were up betimes, and
| when the sun rose we were at a station about
so miles from Denver. As the sun rose in
the east we looked over miles of rolling
| nrairia VI hich had neyer haan unturnad opJ
there in the west were the Rocky Mts. with
their snow capped heads. In the cars up to
this point we could not see them, so that our
first view was a complete surprise. We
found it hard to believe that those snow
capped peaks which it seemed as if We could