Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-01
OVER The SUNSET ROiTE TO
NEW ORLEANS.
Sights and Scenes by the Way-A
Land of Orange Groves, Deserts,
and Quaint Old Cities.

/ SONAAN - eAAN JNoAhSy OC vi lutCltSt,
especially to any who contemplate the
same journey. Our train left Sacramento
| at 5:15 P. NJ, and we changed cars at Lath-
rop, where the regular Southern Pacific
! train from San Francisco makes close con-
necfion. Here we took the Pullman Sleep
| ing car. and were soon enjoying a good
nights rest. We reached Sumner at dav.
I break, as our train was little behind time.
1 This place is the station for Bakersfield,
( some two miles or less distant. 1t seems a
| pity that this latter town could not have
| given the railroad company the right of
way. and had the benefit of being a rail-
| road town, as well as an agricultural center.
/ Sumner is building up quite extensively,
and bids fair to rival the old town.
after passing Sumner the scenery be-
comes interesting, for we are now climbing
the Tehachapi mountains. At Caliente. a
small railroad town, the grade is very
heavy, and the road in making the rise
doubles on itself, winds around, and-after
| travelling in a zigZag manner for Il should
think fifteen miles, and consuming at
least an hour of time-we find that we are
only three-quarters of a mile from the
place we started from, and Caliente can
be seen within almost stones throw be-
| low US hHON "a HO place tildl can COM
pare in this particular, unless it be Mar
shalfs Pass. on the Denver and Rio Grande
Railroad. 1t is simply
MIRACLE OF ENGINEERING SKILL
That can get railroad over such a route.
Near this place we pass the famous Loon.
where as is well-known. the road passes
| through a tunnel and then. after winding
around hill, crosses over ITSELF The sum-
nit is soon reached and the down-grade
commenced. At Mojave we take breakfast.
and very good one. Wherever the rail
road company manages the clearinghouse
the meals are good, and | am informed
they will soon all be run by the company
At Mojaye the Atlantic and Pacific Rail-
road uses the same depot with the South
ern Pacific, and here it is that line starts off
on its Eastern route via The Needles and
Albuquerque. We now pass through a
desert country which looks as lift might be
reclaimed and made productive if only
water can be applied. At Lancaster ex-
periments are being made, and / believe
with some success, by Sacramento parties.
We will hope that they may find such a
bonanza as was developed near Bakersfield
by Haggin. Carr and others.
The San Fernando tunnel is soon passed,
and we are near Los Angeles, which city-
we reach about 2 P. NJ. 1t is not my inten-
ton to take your readers through the
orange groves of this section; that would
be too much of an enterprise at this time.
But any one who makes the journey for
pleasure. will take the time to stop over
three or four days, when he will be well re-
paid by visit To San Gabriel. Pasadena,
Sierra Madre Villa, Orange and other ad-
jacent points of interest. On the day of
our arrival the
CITY OF Los ANGELES
| Was in quite fever of excitement over the
completion ana entrance therento of the
Atlantic and Pacific railroad This branch
of the line extends from the Needles to
Cotton, and reaches Los Angeles over the
track of the Southern Pacific Railroad. The
same road also continues line from Cotton
under the name of the California Southern,
to San Diego. That city is now in state
| of "boom also. and is contending with
Los Angeles as to which is the terminus.
The good people of Los Angeles would
do well to adopt some method of cleaning
! the streets. At the time of my visit they
were in the most abominably filthy condi-
ton that it is possible to imagine. which is
not an inviting feature TO the eyes of the
many Northern people who visit the city
at this season of the year.
Leaving Los Angeles We continue our
eastern journey. At San Gabriel we skirt
along by numerous orange groves, the fruit
of which is Just beginning to turn color las
will be seen, this will make the ripening
| fully month later than at Sacramentol.
Here also we pass the venerable old church
of the Mission San Gabriel, where hun
cred years ago the pious Old monks count
ed their beads, little dreaming of the inva-
sion into their religious domain by the iron
horse which now rushes past the corner of
hn oil OH n Ill
which is the station for the city of River
side. A delay of day or two at this point
will be found profitable as no doubt this
garden spot comes as near filling the Area
dian idea rs any that can be found River
side is said to embrace in its corporate
| limits more ground than any other CITY in
| the world, but it will be some time vet be-
fore its area is all closely built upon AS
it now appears, wefnd long avenues beau
tifully laid out and embellished, elegant
homes and groves of tempting fruit Truly
a delightful spot. From this, as we travel
on, we come upon the greatest contrast
Imaginable when we strike the California
Desert, but as most of it is passed in the
night, we have no fault to find.
THROUGH ARIZONA AND NEW MExIco.
The next morning early we reached
| Yuma. Here we found new bridge in
|
ton. as temporary structure had been
put up within five days after the burning
of the original wonderful piece of rail-
road enterprise. We had breakfast at
Yuma l wish l could describe the milk
at that breakfast. but no pen could do it
| justice, much less mine. Some one said
4 that it was made by boiling in barrel of
water can that had once contained con-
/ densed milk, Swimming off the cream and
| then carefully diluting the remainder; but
| don't know, it didn't seem strong enough
for that. Well, the rest of the breakfast
was good so why find fault with the milk =?
The weather at Yuma was delightful, but
| was told that 1859 in the shade in sum-
mer was not uncommon.
The Yuma Indians, if we may Judge by
the specimens now seen, were once a Wig
! orous and robust race. They are, many of
them, large. good-looking and well-formed.
They are friendly to the whites and their
occupation now appears to be mainly to
avoid work. As usual, the squaws carry
all the burdens, and we saw a number OF
them laden with heavy loads, while the
men (?) stalked around unincumbered.
Farther up, we find the Pima Indians also
a friendly tribe, but the horrible Apaches
are on the warpath, causing much trouble,
numbering unprotected settlers ano their
| wives and children and stealing horses and
cattle. Three farm hands were killed by
them near Bowie few hours before we
passed that station, and eight miles from
Deming. / was told that man and wife
were murdered by them few days before,
and almost, if not quite, within sight of the
soldiers of the United States army sent
here to protect the people. The feeling
here. among all classes, against the Govern
ment is intense. After day spent Oh the
Arizona desert, among its cactus and rocks,
we reached Tucson. Here we had the
pleasure of meeting the Superintendent OF
this section, ]. A. Muir, formerly of and well
| known in Sacramento. He is stationed
here, and seems as genial and geod-natured
as of yore-
/ We reached Deming about midnight and
changed cars. At this point the AtchIson
/ Topeka and Santa Fe road branches off
towards the north. The next morning
| found US on the
| GRASSY PLAINS OF TEXAS.
The festive Texas steer and the beautiful
antelope in droves helped to relieve the
monetony of the ride till 10 o'clock, when
we reached Ell Paso, a large and thriving
town, containing many elegant buildings
among them Courthouse that would be
a great credit to SACRAMENTO Across the