Omaha daily bee., 1885-05-18
ON TO PORTLAND.
Special Correspondence Of the BEE.

SPSSA" oothSoPoiaohSS VI sAS D"hs
PORTLAND, Ore, May 1.-The Omaha
excursion party reached this city at noon
to-day, having run directly through from
Pleasant Valley, with only one ''stop
off," All are we'll; all In high spirits and
enthusiastic over the magnificent sue.
cess of hat almost two thousand mile
journey that has occasioned so many
frmships, brought so much of pleasure
and instruction and impressed each one,
If it were possible SO to do, with the
magnitude of this, our common country.
Since noon of yesterday the line of
travel laid through the grandest and love-
Hest Ct country. Nowhere on this north
ern continent is there SO continuous and
vast al expanse of shifting and magni6-
cent scenery, and rich and fertile grass,
farm and timber lands, and nowhere is
presented so gorgeous a panorama of
morning, noon, evening and midnight
splendors.
At Unity, soon after leaving Pleasant
Valley, the excursionists received q party
of gentlemen, who stated that they came
on behalf Ct the citizens of
CITY,
TO pay their respeats to the men of Ne.
braska's metropolis and invite them to
accept the hospitalities of their home and
remain for a time In their midst. This
committee Of representative gentlemen
C onsisted of Messrs. J. W. Birtne, Isaac
Block, A. P. Weller, j. M. Swift, P.
Rasohe, O. w. Jame,, S. A. Heilner,
w. d. Abbott and j. B. Bowen, the last,
Ike Col. Forney, CT Washington and
Philadelphia fame, editor of ''two papers,
both daily" During the ride of eighteen
miles from Unity to their city, these gen.
tlemen mingled pleasantly with the
Omaha people, and while matters of I'm
portant business interests were discussed
and accomplished, the interchange of
friendly courtesies and civllities were
most gratifying, AT Baker City the
crowd that met the Omaha party was
astonishing; men, substantial men of
business were there, heartily cheering and
welcoming the visitors and their wives
and bonny daughters stood beside them
with 'kerchiefs and lovely flowers, bidding
pleasant "good days" from lips red with
health and wreathed in smiles. A long
line of carriages stood at the depot, the
Omahaites stepped into them and were
quickly driven over the pretty town of
1000 Inhabitants, filled with bright and
tas'y residences, fine churches, banks,
manufacturing buildings, and divided by
the swift. flowing Powder river that
waters a lovely valley filed with farms,
as 1t hastens from Its home in the hills
among the gold mines, to add Its own to
I the waters of the Snake.
This neat, elegant hospitality was a
gem of a reception, and will live IN the
memories of the excurslonista as n of
the brightest events Of their ride to
Portland"
Still westward the party proceeded,
always through some widening valley,
| where the lovely green that clothed the
face of the entire country was only broken
by ridges of ragged rocks, that lay zigzsg
on either side to add to the perfection of
a picture, part hidden in places by
blooming orchards and fields Of wild
flowers.
The train halted, having passed many
pretty and thrifty appearing towns, like
Baker City, to enable the untired tourists
to take supper at Meacham's on the sum
NIT of the
BLUE MOUNTAINS.
This hoAtslry Is famous as having been
the home of the celebrated and trusted
Commissioners Meachsm, who was MUIR
dered by Modocs In 1873, with General
K. r. S. Candy.
The route from Meachsm lies through
hills and valleys, thlckiy set In mountain
tlmbers and presenting in the cloudy
night q picture of black tolemnity.
Morning, for the attentive porters
: awakened for an early breakfast, broke
upon us well west of the Cascade range,
whose .now-capped tops were beautiful
to look upon, and seemed but a little way
off and behind us. The splendid. nights
on either aide are clothed in green ard
the forests of great, tall frs, and pines,
and cedar reminded one that the Pacific
! coaat was near, to which the moist aimos.