Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-06-22
THROUGH ON THE NARROW-GAUGE
a Former Salt Lake Journalist Dc-
scribes the Black Canyon.

a Former Salt Lake Journalist Dc-
scribes the Black Canyon.
The D. & r. G. train from the East on
Sunday came in with three Pullman
sleepers and large list of passengers,
both emigrant and regular. Among
those who alighted from the train were
Utah Commissioner Godfrey, who came
direct from his home at Des MONIES,
Iowa, Miss Jackson, daughter OF Chap
lain Jackson of Fort Douglas, who is just
returning from school in the East, MIR.
Ed. Wilkes, who brought back with him
his Young and intelligent-looking bride,
and Joseph Lippman, who for several
wears was connected with journalistic
enterprises in this city. Mr.. Llppman,
who left here last December, has during
his absence visited the New Orleans Ex-
position, quite number OF Southern
cities. and after a sojourn OF several
months in Chicago is now vending his
way to the Golden Gate.
''What is the general state of business
in the East ?" asked the DEMOCRAT re-
porter of the old pencil-slinger.
s'Things appear to be looming up, and
confidence is being gradually restored
among business men. Many merchants
predict bright fall trade, but no boom
is anticipated. There are great many
laborers out of employment in most OF
the eastern cities, and although one hears
almost universally the complaint about
hard times, there really appears to be no
more apparent suffering among the
poorer classes than when times are sup
posed to be brisk. The South appears to
be the poorest section OF this country,
and its almost total lack OF enterprise and
enthusiasm strikes one very forcibly."
"About the crops along the road?
Why, Judging from the acres passed
through on the G. B. & O., in Iowa, and
the B. & NJ, in Nebraska, l should say
the harvest ought to be as abundant as
any we have had in years back. Every
thing looks splendid, and the new, neat,
clean-appearing towns that have sprung
up in Nebraska during the past few years
along the line of the Burlington road,
cannot fail but convince the traveller that
the State has grand future before it.
Just at present the various schools and
colleges of which Nebraska is justly
proud are having their annual commence
ments, and the train was crowded at diff
ferent stations with bright. happy, intelli-
gent looking young ladies and gentlemen,
brim full of hope and Latin cOnjuga-
TONS"
GLOW is travelling over the D. & r. G..
at PRESENT."
"Simply immense. The passengers
were enthusiastic in their admiration of
the grand scenery, and one gentleman, a
friend OF Judge Zane, who resides at
Springfield, Illinois, went SO far as to say
that he thought the view in the Black
Canyon far superior to anything to be
seen in the Yosemite. We passed through
this canyon by moonlight, and the effects
of light and shadow were indescribably
fantastic and charming. 1t appeared as
though the gorge was inhabited by fairies
and sprites, and as they leaped from rock
to rock, from crag to peak, and from the
peak to the clouds in the shape OF shad-
ows, it was hard to tell whether one was
being drawn through fairy land or suffer
ing from some delightful hallucination.
EThe roadbed is in y magnificent con-
dition and riding is as easy and comfort
able as on the ballasted roads of the
East. Many new bridges have been
erected on the D. & r. G. We-tern, and
the tracks Strengthened in great number
of places. Altogether trip over this
famous line is well worth the taking at
any season of the year, but especially so
at this season, when the snow is reluct-
antly leaving the mountains and the
bright wild-fowers of the plains are
anxious to blossom forth as much of
their beauty as possible
"Any funny experiences on the train
coming West?"
"Well, yes, kind O.. Coming through
Iowa there was the mucilaginous mouth
harmonicon man, who insisted on blow
ing forth most eXecrable discordant
sounds for full three hours, much to his
own satisfaction and amusement, but
with almost death-dealing results to those
around him. Further on, there came a
woman who confidentially related to me
how a stepdaughter had attempted to
poison her and her whole family with
arsenic; how the angels had saved her
from death, etc, etc. She asked whether
l thought the step-daughter would ever
come again or send any agents in the
shape of tramps to poison her, and being
assured that the arch-fend would prob
ably never return to disturb her peace
and quiet, she felt happier and more at
ease"