The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-07-14
SALT LAKE.
THE LAST LETTER or THE IN
TEREsTiNG SERIES.


distant. Passing hey ond the city limits
We soon came to the edge OF the lake
and for several miles skim along Its quiet
shores. This is popular bathing re-
sort for Salt Lake city and tourists that
come here. Excursion trains make regu-
lar trips to the bath houses on the lake. 20
miles distant. The water Ia strongly
impregnatod with salt, so great that
only the heaviest bodies will sink.
There is no trying to drown, for human
bodies will not sink beneath the surface
OF the water. Salt Lake is more than
100 miles long and co miles wide. The
average depth Is 40 feet. 1t is II large
body OF water, and being so full Of salt
is quite a curiosity, Its density being six
times greater than the ocean. Trees
cannot grow upon the shores owing TO
the salt that imprcgnatcs the soil. While
skirtng along this cold barren sea at
the rate of 80 miles an hour the click,
click, rickety click of the train Is forgot
ten as approaching night Is changing the
scene. All along the right OF the track
Is n continued line of the prettlest farms
that lie at the base OF theOquirrh noun
tains, whose heights and steep declivi-
ties are adorned with pine trees.
At considerable distance In the lake
Ia an island mountain, behind which the
sun was soon to cast its last rays from
the face of the earth. The day, like n
man In all the freshness OF middle age,
was soon to pass away and twilight was
only just preceding the darkness of night
as BY an effort to "shine ON The black
clouds of the eastern sky had been lit up
in crimson colors by the departing light
of day, the pine-clad hills rejoiced still
In Its waning beams playing upon their
waving branches. But sinking lower
and lower in the far-away horizon, like
lightning flushes its dancing glances,
were shooting across the Writer'S, and
now the mighty mountains had piled
themselves up In perpendicular columns
like clouds filling the eastern sky with
blackness, save tinge OF green coming
from the meadows beneath. The zephyr
like breeze had began to fan the smooth
surface Of the lake into gentle ripples
which made the sunbeams play on with
softness more and more subdued, until
its warm smiles had crept down behind
the dark outlines of the mountain and
only the orests of PARKWAY peaks were
bathed In Its waning luHtre, Twilight
was casting grayish shades over the val
ley, and the cool brcezes came waiting
over the waters sweet OdOrs from dis
tant shores. The starlit sky was look
ing down upon the quiet scene in silence
and the moon had
But here Scott says, wake up, for
there is Ogden" and when the click,
click of the train had ceased we alighted
amid the hustle incident to the arrival
and departing of dozen trains bound
for all directions, for we were now In u
railroad centre and the terminus OF sew
eral roads. Ii has about COCO people,
mostly Mormons; Is live town, pros
porous, has good hotel, the Broome
house, The city is walled In on every
side by the steepest mountains, with
only an outlet for the river and trains.
Here Is where all passengers change
cars from the Central Pacific to the
Denver and Rio Grande when they wish
to complete their journey with the finest
ride across the continent.
We were much tempted to 30 to San
Francisco by the Central Pacific but
turned our course to return by the same
route we came, to review the grandeur
of the Rockies and Wasatch with their
intervening valleys and streams, and
boarding Pullman car, attached TO one
of the long Denver and Rio Grande pas
senger trains, were soon sailing down
the beautiful and picturesque Salt LAX e
valley, getting n morning view of the
lake, which is much better than at night.
Here we are again at Salt Lake City
still willing to doll our hats to 1t as the
most delightful city west of the Missis-
slppi, If not in the whole country. We
would like to live here and enjoy the fat
| OF the land. Utah Is a country full of re-
sources and is sure TO become wealthy,
but Is yet in its infancy. Its mineral
product is more than $4,000, 900 yearly.
Its coal mines yield an immense income,
and the quarries Of granite and building
stone are immense. Crops of nearly all
kinds can be successfully grown within
lis borders, and the pastoral interests
are large.
| do not think the MoTmons as Il class
are as bad people as sometimes repre-
scented. and are somewhat abused with
out cause, but they, like all of us, have
many faults. When once the powers Of
| the United States courts are fully assert.
ed there need be but little trouble with
them, and that time Is evidently near al
hand. Here ut Salt Lake we had on
board Jolly load, ali bound for DeByer
$50 miles distant. The ride was a de-
| lightful one, everybody sociable. AS We
miss stiff formalities in Western travel
we are still glad we chose this route. II
began at Denver, the jewel of the plains
| LED us through green ana fertile valleys
over mountain heights, down In shady
dells, through canyons dark and deep
thrilling and interesting, from tn,
oavern's gloom to heights where the sur
kissed our train in realms above the
clouds, from the claiming walls o
friendly ohasms to fields of eternal snow
and ice, along beautiful streams ant
through as charming valley as eve
captivated the heart of a traveller, to tn,
holy land of the saints, and in the shad,
of her temples, tabernRcles and glitter.
ing mountain peaks that In resplendant
beauty outshine the stars. The Denvel
and Rio Grande is by far the finest route
to the coast; it has the most charming
resorts and fascinating retreats to spent
the summer months, more Mount Wash
ingtons, more Saratogas, more hunting
and fishing grounds than any railroad
in the land. can truly say the best at
tention Is given passengers and tn
greatest care taken to prevent acct
dents, never having killed a passenger
on this route to the West. To every
body we would say go II you can AM
enjoy the finest scenery and summe
climate in the world, and by singh
trip live year longer and enjoy tn
natural wonders of the grand oil
Rockies. The story closes here, to you
readers. Aurevoir, BERT.
The Ability to Bear Pain