Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-13


DUFUR, WASCo COUNTY, OREGON,
August 10. 1854.
After leaving Baltimore. en- route to this place.
/ fell in with a lot of Georgetown college boys
going home for their vacation. They were a
lively crowd. They got off at Harrisburg. l
had cigars enough left TO last me to Pttsburg
mad all day in Chicago TO look around and
take in the sights, managing to do this without
getting taken in myself, and that is doing well
in that city. for OF all the places ever saw for
imam traps" Chicago heads the list; but had
cut my eye teeth before reached there, so was
proof against all the tempting inducements Of
fered me las special favor to mel TO corral a
fortune by investing dollar in this or that
scheme.
From Chicago to ST. Paul the Journey was the
most uncomfortable part of the whole trip. not
even excepting the Bad Lands OF Ia iota and
Montana 1t was amusing, and sad too, to
watch the bewildered expression of the poor
fellows faces as they were put off at a crossing
out on the wide prairie and directed to some
distant little frame or sod house dotted out
miles away on the wide prairie. and as the train
moved on one cond see the frau and little
ones cuddle up on the boxes and bundles while
the husband lighted his pipe and struck out
across the prairie to look up his friends and get
team to come back for his family.
While at st. Paul spent pleasant day look
ing about the city and getting ready for the
long ride to the Pacific slope. At Up. m. We
pulled out OF the Union depot and were fairly
started on the biggest part of the trip. After
some little confusion about seats and berths we
finally got settled, and all turned in, and while
our train is rushing along at the terrific rate of
twenty miles per hour will give you descrlp-
ton Of
AN EMIGRANT SLEEPING CAR.
In the first place they are nearly as large as a
Pullman, and painted outside in imitation Of
one; inside they are also similar, only not up
holstered. The upper berths shut up in the
same wayas Pullman, the whole interior being
of maple, oil finished, clean and neat and well
ventilated. A closet at one end at the other a
huge range with large water tank wash basin
and sink Very convenient; but did not use
that wash-basln. would ill my sponge full Of
water. go out on the platform and mop my face;
or, better still, when we got into the mountains
and made stop. there was always a clear cold
mountain stream close by, where We enjoyed an
ice water bath. The only objection have to an
emigrant sleeping car is that there is absolutely
no privacy; only one closet for each car, and no
curtains on the berths rendering it impossible
Tor ladies TO remove their clothing and enjoy a
good nights rest. As / lay in my berth can
upper one) could have put out my hand and
touched girl in the opposite berth, and that
girl was making the trip from PENNSYLVANIA to
Washington territory all alone.
1t is remarkable how soon a carload of hu-
mainly get acquainted. BY noon the next day
we We're ali on speaking terms. and by supper
time we were trading grub" with the ease and
familiarity of old friends One lady, a widow
lair. fat and about thirty-fiye. was so favOrably
Impressed with me that when she left the train
In the afternoon of the second day out she pre-
sented me with large jelly cake (currant jelly
and tin OF salmon.
LIVELY RUN FOR THE TRAIN.
came very near losing the train at Dickinson
Dakota. went up to the hotel and was talk
ing away when the landlady stepped upand said
Young man, do you intend to stop here?"
Certainly not"
''Well, then, you'll have to hurry mighty fast
or she'll get clean away from you"
ThereupOn l looked out of the window, and
sure enough there went the train almost clear
OF the town. and you have no idea how west
ern town struggles. Well. with hurried good
bye, ''lit out" of that hotel and streaked down
the street, to the great amusement of the in
habitants, who ''cheered me to the echo" and
urged me on by cries of go it long legs, +" 1.-TWO
to one he don't catch it," Now you are getting
down to a 2:i0 gait" and other remarks of a
like nature. did not stop to thank them for
their kindness. but put 1t down as never did
before, aud after half mile had been left be-
hind cambered aboard, hot and breathess
amid the cheers of both train men and passen-
gers. The train was only running about tour
that gave her the advantage.
Here we struck the bad Sands" and what
with prairie dogs. alkali water. and the train
going at a snail's gallop We were miserable
enough. but that night organized an amateur
minstrel troupe and sang a solo myself-.Such
an education has my Mary Armand was en-
cored three'times.
THE SNOW CAPPED PEAK OF THE ROCKIES
Now we sight the snow capped peaks of the
Rockies, and Just ct night we are among the
foot hills; in the morning we are just getting
well into them. They are the most magnif-
cent mountains have ever seen, and there is a
vast difference between them and the Blue
Ridge, for when you say grand magnificent.
you hit the Rockies, but when you say grand
and lovely you describe the bonny Blue Ridge
to dot. Through the mountains the road fol-
lows the valleys, and for two whole days we
were running past stunendous snow-coyered
mountains. past naked cliffs of stone the giant
pines on their SUBMITS dwarfed to mere bushes;
on past rushing mountain torrents until our
train wound slowly around and across the
lovely Lake Pend'Oreiile.
IN TIE DESERT.
We passed this lake Just before night. and the
next morning We were out of the mountains and
into the bunch grass" of Idaho. and then we
struck regular desert. nothing but sand and
sage brush. 1t was sitting hot and the rear
end of the train was enveloped in cloud of
dust. Several of us took refuge from this en-
top OF the box car (you must understand our
car was now attached to a freight train, where
we rode all that day; in fact | did not 90 into
the car for two days except when went to bed
but remained either on top of the cas- or on the
rear platform. The second evening We made
Wallula Junction, and went to my bunk for
the last time on the Northern Pacific The
next morning L was up by daylight, and the
first thing my eyes rested upon was
MOUNT HOOD,
looming up about seventy-five miles away. the
clouds lowering around already glded by the
rising sun, while dark was the valley that lies
at its base" 1t is the grandest sight on the
Pacific coast! Well, we passed two or three
stations and struck the "DaIles of the Column
bia." There was great rush and whirl and
roar CT waters and lather of foam. and an In
dian camp, but nothing particularly imposing
about this much-talked OF point, but it may
have appeared tame to me on account of nv
still remembering the magnificent falls and
rapids of the Rockies. By the time l got my
traps together the train pulled into the Dalles
and bid my companions "bOn voyage" ard
struck out for the Jackson house and breakfast
My grub" lasted ME until the last two DAYS.
and then avoided the hotel dining-room and
visited the lunch counters. where / could get
two cups of tea or coffee and two sandwiches
for twenty-five cents, while spread at the table
cost seventy-hye cents, and then you got more
'style" than 'hash.''
LIFE IN THE MOUNTAINS
Two weeks ago Mr.. s. and I went nm ON