The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-06-18
WESTWARD HO |!
A Seven Days Overland Trip to California
BY Rail.
sesns and Incidents Along the Route
with a Brief Description Of the Vast
Extent Of Country Beyond the
MisAissipph


II Zlbt. nero W6 bxpoct0u W JViu VI" "a
cursion OF Warner Bros. n Crosby via tho
| O., r. l. q P. Ry.. but having paid for
tickets In advance OF getting there.
found ON our arrival at Chicago that We
had been deceived and were billeted via
the Chicago q Alton 10 Kaneas City.
We made the best OF the situation and
were soon on route over wide expaneo
| OF Illinois prairie, level 90 o door, dotted
over with farm houses, and green with
| the spring verdure and furnishing pas
tuTe 10 hundreds OF cattle and horses.
Farmers were busy plowing and plant
Ing. From Bloomington 10 louisiana
| City, where we crossed the Mississippi,
| the country became more undulating
and presented greater variety; ut Della
van In particular was impress Cd with
the beauty and fertility Of the country.
Before reaching the great river" night
| overlook u8 and we disposed ourselves
In our reclining chairs and slept the
sleep OF the just, end walked 10 look out
on the "Father OF waters" ut midnight;
then slept again and In the gray Of the
dawn locked out on the broad Missouri
at Glasgow. Thence 10 Kansas City the
country 10 delightfully."- diversified. l
was elated with its loyelineBs. Corn
was up In the fields and w0rkmen we're
busy planting. Wheat and rye were
epriDging into head, fruit and other
| trees were In bloom, and the od0r OF the
| flowers Of the wild crab tree were waited
on the breeze. Hills, forests, prairies,
large orchards, dwellings and cultivated
fields all told OF marvellous prosperity.
Our party all enjoyed II, and our young
men who were going from home Tor the
1rst time forgot their regrets ut parting
from friends In the pleasure We all felt.
We reached Kansas City at $3.50 q. m.
A city of marvellous growth. Here we
had our baggage re.checked and were
transferred 10 an emigrant tran
sit sleeping car. Each purchased q
straw mattrass for 70 cents 10 sleep on
at night, and are soon bowling along
over Kansas prarieg. All fell we'll, and
Indeed, we are O gay and hilarious party.
We pass In rapid succession Burlingame,
Topeka, Lawrence and 0sage City. The
country 10 fine; the sky clear, and the
atmosphere lovely. Vegetation 10 not 20
forward 40 In Missouri. The prairie grass
has Just started sufficiently for cattle TO
commence grazing. While standing at
Lawrence | lighted my alcohol lamp,
made coffee, and we ate fret class
lunch provided for US by careful and
loving hands before leaving home.
West OF Lawrence, we passed q cattle
ranch OF nine miles extent, and as far
on either hand az 40 could see, on which
we're hundreds OF cattle grazing.
AT 3 D. IN. on the 22nd we are passing z
large sheep ranch, and very soon there
comes into view large herd Of fine
black Angus cattle.
Miles and miles away on either hand
we see small houses, treee, black spots OF
cultivated landa, aud hundreds OF cattle.
A wheat Geld just at hand looks
more promising than the wheat helds OF
Stark county. We pass Emporia, q beau.
tiful city, occupying an elevation q short
distance north OF The railroad. We no.
tice fine orchards. The station is q large,
handsome structure OF white stone. Al
a:20 y. IN. we pa, Strong City, 148 miles
weat Of Kansas City. We eee vast s,0ne
Quarries near the railroad, ana wide
level valley on the south with a line OF
timber In the distance AT 6:lb .. m
we pass Florence, q small city OF small
houses; building stone very abundant,
| Az 0 y. IN. we pass Walton Station, where
we see six cars Glled with Indiana At
$50 we reached Newton In the midst OF
'a fine country. A hne, large hotel fur
nished good accommodations 10 hungry
| travellers.
We have In our car twenty four per-
sons; all on route 70 Los Angeles, Cal.
Saturday, May Gath, We walked NJ
Coolidge, near the western extremity OF
Kansas, 400 miles from Kansas City
Pass cattle ranches, prairie dog towns
and gray stone bluffs. The country 10
| fiat aud arid looking. Soon pass Into
Colorado following up the Arkansas
river, Az TAO we pass Los Animas In
a. deeolate looking region no one can
we'll imagine. ADOBE house, are numvr.
ous, No well ~ the bleeding skeletons
aud de'aylnR carcasses OF dead cattle.
who's. living comrades from whom they
recently parted, l0lk an though they
we're hoping coon TO Jim them on the
other side OF the death line.
II u. m. at rhatchers, 8l6 milos from
Kansas City, having passed In Jnnta
some milee back. Snowclad mountains
In full view In the west and n0rthwes,, !,
| At 1890, we reached Trinidad, Colorado,
q coal minlnn town. Here we 500 adobe
houses OF two stories with phingle rools
One p. m. We are climbing the mountain
by devious windings toward Ration Pasa.
Lamps are lighted and We pass through
the tunnels and descend the mountains
To Ration City, well built town ofb,O0o
population.
AZ g:t5 We roach Dorsey, N. NJ, where
livee the great star routor. Stephen w.
Some OF our party amuse themselves BY
piet0l practice on the prairie doge, NJ
ahcrt range, from tho car windows.
Pass Springer and Wagon Mound and
reach Las vagas at o p. m.
Reach Albuquerque at 8 q. m. on Sun
day morning where our train 10 trans
feIred 70 the A. q p X. II. Cross the
| RIO Grando and are traversing tho Grid
plains OF western New Mexico. AT 7 a.
m. we stop near an adobe built village
OF the Laguna Pueblo Indians. who ap
pear In considerable numbers, eome
bcQring on their heads curiously
wrought and colorop enrthenware water
jars or urne, which they offer for sale At
one dollar each. On examination they
are light and nice, Of several gallons
capacity and much more delicate than
che earthen and stoneware Of Ohio
manufa' 'ture.
Al iia0 we passed Fort wingate. In.
diaDs are numerous at stations and
along the roadside. We pass by many
| picturesque and magnificent rocks and
miles OF rough volcanic scorins or lava
beds. Pass Holbrook al $50 p. m, fol-
living for q long distance the Rio CHG
ni,a or Little Colorado, O dry river at
this season ana not navigable.
Reach Winslow, Arizona, at ~. m.
Here our Cur 10 detached and we are
compelled 10 wait Eve hours, and arc 10
make the balance Of our journey NJ the
| tail end Of q freight train. While st
Winslow we learn that the Apache In.
| Ala mn haxa lafi Ali air IaaarYnllan and nra