Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1885-01-29

BAN FRAsorsco, Jan. 10, 1885.

SAE FRAFCISCo, Jan. 10, 1885.
FRIEND PRESS: thought would drop
you few lines from here. / left Chicago
with the Ennis Excursion party for this
place. The excursion train was filed at
st. Luois. Our party consisted OF one
hundred, in i've Buffet palace cars and
one coach. After leaving st. Louis via.
the Missouri & Texas Pacific r. z. we
Travelled through Missouri, Arkansas N d
Texas. We ran through all small towns
aid stopped long enough to take In the
larger ones. In passing through Arkan-
sas you will never forget the Arkansaw
Tmveler. am now fully convinced that
picture has not been overdrawn. They
are about Eve thousand years behind the
age. In passing through Texas We saw
but little except numerous dog towns.
II there is no better agricultural land IN
Arkansas and Texas than we saw. would
not give one county Of Central Dakota
for both the states. A stop Of one das
was made at IA Pasc to visit the ancienl
city Of Paso Del Norte in old Mexico,
across the river Rio Grande. Upon
reaching Mencan territory. one is sur
prised, and IL appreciative, is delighted
by the greater appearance of age in the
surroundings. 1t is place to dream In.
ali Of its belongings are OF the past. The
onward march Of civilization has not struck
10 t.oso nd lx<., lla A.
highways have been peopled with the
coming and parting generations, who have
lived, moved and died untaught and un-
caring for the great outside world. The
Cathedral which is called the Gaudaloupe,
is nearly as old as the town, and contains
no pews. There is simply Bit of goat
skin in front of the alter, where the wor-
shippers kneel for time. The gray walls
are set of by the bright foliage and fruit
of peach. orange and other trees. We
saw the velvet banner borne, hither by
that noble race whose foot steps are yet
visiblsi everywhere through this grand
old land, and whose deeds form one of the
grandest and yet most cruel pages Of
history. Great quantities Of costly rega-
liza, old banners, images, coats Of arms
are shown the curious visitor. The wood
carvings adorning the alter are truly won
derful in their beauty. The entire ceiling
is Of Spanish cedar. The bell in the
tower does not look to be more than $50
lbs in weight. The tower and church are
about three centuries old. The Virgin
Mary in glass case does not look to be
over twenty years old. We also visited
the market places and stores of all kinds.
Tie only modern thing visible being the
signs Of lager beer saloons. Gambling is
carried on here in the open Plaza. We
interviewed the boss bull fighter and
offered him fifty dollars TO give as an en-
tertainment, and he offered MS small affair
Tor $500. bat we failed to see IL In that
light and left Tor Los Angeles. California.
Here we spent another day seeing the city,
its oange groves and other fruits Of all
kinds. There may be more beautiful
place on earth than Los Angeles, and its
surroundings, but there need not be. After
leaving Los Angeles we again cross the
northwest end or the Great Desert where
the giant cactus grow as high as telegraph
poles, and two feet in diameter. In San
Francisco I mst many old time friends.
Aftera short stay viii visit the place OF
my boyhood days In the mountains.
w II n