Daily Republican., 1886-08-24
ANOTHER CALIFORNIA LETTER

ANU khEh CALlFOhN1A LETTER
ID Ross, tho "Republican'' Correspon-
dent. ut Home-HiH Route and What
Hesaw ON the Way
The following letter completes a
brief description of our journey from
Wilmington to San Francisco via. the
Pennsylvania Railroad to Chicago, the
Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul to
Denver, and the Union and Central
Pacific to San Francisco;r returning via.
the steamship State of California to
Portland. Oregon, the Northern Pa
cific to St. Paul, the Chicago, Mil
waukee and st. Paul to Chicago, and
the Pennsylvania Railroad to Will
mington. Our last letter closed as we
were approaching Livingston, where
We leave the Northern Pacific and
take the cars on a branch road to Gin
nabar, fifty -one m les distant. o.
Our route lay along the Yellowstone
river through canon, and we were
five hours behind time on account of a
hot box on a special Pullman car con-
tanning delegates and friends from
Vermont.
Arriving at Cinnabar at II p. m.
Saturday, Aug. 18th, we found await
ing US stages, wagons and saddle
horses to transport one hundred and
fifty passengers to Mammoth Hot
Springs in Yellowstone Park, eigh
miles from Cinnabar.
Everybody was packed on board
with, of course, just room for on,
more, and started at a break mech
speed, the saddle horses soon taking
the lead, and reaching the Springs il
about one hour. We we're too late To-
supper and retired to bed hungry, al
though many of us had enjoyed tn,
gallop by moonlight along the lef
bank Of the Yellowstone river will
mountains on either side and through
narrow passes, where false ste]
would have precipitated horse ant
rider down steep bank into the swit
current below.
Arose at 6 o'clock Sunday mornin,
and took a walk of about a halt mile t
view the hot springs, which are stu
ated along the slope and summit of
, hill, forming irregular shaped basin
of from twenty 10 forty feet diameter
, the lower sides built up by u concen
tration of hard, white substance as tn
hot water flows over. The water is s.
hot that, it is impossible to hold tn
hand in it long, and the surface of tn
ground in the vicinity of the springs
covered with hard, white substanc
similar to Stacked lime, which is Sc
we're on the eyes and makes it almos
necessary to wear colored eyeglasses
After breakfast party of five of u
hired one OF the best four-horse team
in the park and took ride to the Nor
ris Geyser Basin, a distance of twenty
! two miles from Mammoth Hot Spring
and elevated 1880 feet above tn
ocean. Our route lay up and dow
hills, around the side OF steep noun
tain, over some trestle-work called tn,
Golden Gate, where break or upse
would have tumbled us several hun
dred feet down the sides of the noun
tain into a creek below. The view a
we passed along was very changeable
sometimes over grassy plains witt
beautiful small lakes Astounding, AM
in the distance were snow clad noun
tains, among which were Bells Peak
10, 1871 feet, and Electric Peak, II, II
feet elevation. At times the road wa
very dusty and passed through pin
forests, and had il not been for tn
prospects of grand sights when W
reached the geysers we would hay
been at times glad 10 turn back on on
route. We arrived at the Norris Basi
at noon, and after good dinner at tn
hotel were accompanied by our driver
who acted as guide, from one he
lspring and geyser to another.
| The sights that we witnessed durin
the next five hours were beautiful an
grand, and well repaid us for our dust
ride. Some of the springs were yer
Interesting, one in particular called til
Emerald basin being of very beaut
lful changeable green, about 20 feet j
diameter, and apparently 20 feet deeI
the water being so clear that stone
land other objects could be plainly see
ion the bottom, and so hot that any ami
NAL falling in would scarcely get o,
Ialive.
The geysers are of various shape
and sizes, some throwing steady
small stream 10 or Is feet high, othel
a, larger stream about 80 feet hig
every two or three minutes, and II
best one we saw, the Monarch geyse
goes off every one or two hours. W
saw it so off twice, once at small di
lance and again close by, after waitin
1.-TWO hours, when it threw up u larg
column of water, at an angle OF abol
60 degrees. 100 feet high and lastin
several minutes We left the Norr
basin at Z p. m. to return to Mammot
hot springs, and the next morning col
tinued our journey home. Many I
our party took a five days trip into Il
: Yellowstone Park, which Is necessar
lif one desires to see all the princip,
attractions of the park.
Left Livingston on the Norther
lPaci6c on our eastward journey MOI
day afternoon, passing through vale
where many brave soldiers have bee
: made to bite the dust by the Indian
aud not far from the scene of the I,
tmous Custer massacre.
Tuesday afternoon passed Mandal
n where a severe wind and rain storm
1.-TWO days before, tore the roofs fro
several houses and destroyed the crol
1 r c.u.,, this VICINITY