Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-10-23


beautiful mountain stream OF clear,
cold water, and at some seasons of the
year it is a flowing torrent along
which the railroad runs in as
the mountains from the
east. On oar way out we saw this
at night, but we could hear its
water falls above the din of the run
ming train. 1t was up the valley of this
river that many Of the gold hunters of
1000, wended their way over these
mountains to the valleys and plains be-
yond, and it would seem that nature
intended to make a way over these
mountains where she formed the chan
mel of the Truckee and started its wa
ters on their flow down the mountain
side to the east. Reno has population
of 900. 1t is the northern terminus
OF the Carson & Colorado r R., which
runs south from Reno through Nevada
and Eastern California; and it is also
the southern terminus of the Oregon
and Nevada Il. r. Going west we
reach the highest point OF the railroad
over the Sierra Nevada mountains at
Soda Springs. 81 miles west OF Reno.
Here we are at an elevation of 900
feet above the sea, which is less than
200 miles distant. To reach this eleva-
ton we had to meander up this beauti-
full "Truckee," crossing aud re-crOssing
it, ascending all the while until the
-. xh4 do
scent began, which continues gradually
for few miles until we find ourselves
at the elevation OF 5000, when sudden
ly we start up again and in going the
short distance OF two miles we ascend
nearly 5000 feet to the station, bearing
the title of '.Dutch Flat" From this
point we again commence descending,
and going II miles we reach the eleva-
ton OF 2,400 at "Colfax." This rapid
descent from Dutch Flat to Colfax re.
minded me of the sudden fall of certain
individual who had reached the nexi
highest political place in our govern
ment, and who let his love of money
overcome him. In going the next fifty
miles the descent is gradual until we
reach Sacramento, which is only 40 feel
above the sea level. | mention these
things to you that the traveller to Cali
fornia even in this day of railroads and
other facilities has many up and downs
to go ere he completes his journey
But not like his forerunner of lS49, he
has no tired team 10 look after and care
for and urge on. The iron horse with
his usual supply of water and fuel will
generally makethe trip withoutgrO wing
tired. He may sometimes break down
or jump the track, but he never coin
plains. We had to make the trip over
these California mountains in the night
time, both in going and returning
Morning dawned upon us before we
reached Sacramento, where we took
breakfast ,on Saturday morning the fifth
day out from Kansas City Long be.
fore we arrived at Sacramento We re-
allied that we were in the land of corn
(wheat and bafley) and wine, by the
vineyards and grain fields that sklrted
the railroad. AT one station, Rocklin,
We noticed large buildings used, as we
ascertained, for fruit packing. From
this station and other points along the
road east of Sacramento, the fruit
grower and buyers of this portion ol
The state, snip vast quantities OF fruits
to the Atlantic and Mississippi valley
states.
There was one popularity of the
general aspect of the country that
struck me at the first view, and that
was its "golden hue Everything ex-
cept the trees and vineyards looked
dry and yellow. | mentioned this fact
to an old Californian from near San
Diego, who was Oh the train, and his
answer was, "Yes, the pastures look
brown and the grass is drv, it is well
cured hay, and to satisfy yourself OF
that fact, see, the cattle that feed upon
it are sleek and fat Aud such truly is
the fact. shall mention this peculiari-
ty of the California landscape, when |
come to speak more particularly of the
growth of the state. Another peculiari-
ty attracted my attention, and that was
the live oak trees that are to he found
in so many of the grain fields. These
trees all resemble OIL apple trees, larger
it is true, but stumpy and bushy in
their growth, and at the distance we
saw them from the moving train they
forcibly reminded me of old orchards |
had seen in Missouri. After we had
taken breakfast at Sacramento. the
capital OF the state, our course from
thence on for miles was through yine-
yards and grain fields, and pastures
covered with herds: we were out OF
the deserts aud mountain wastes, and
down i'll the valley of plenty and mag
niticence. Our iron horse seemed TO
be inspired with fresh strength, and
carried us gayly over these beautiful
plains and across the Intervening rivers
until we had reached the bay at Oak
land.
AT Benicla we crossed an arm OF the
bay on the largest ferry boat | ever
saw ,or that any one else ever saw Il reck-
or. 1t had the capacity of taking on
board our whole train, and tor this
purpose there were divers railroad
tracks laid upon its deck, and upon
which the train was run in sections un-
til all was on board, and then we
steamed across the bay to Fort Casta,
VIII re again the train was reformed
and harnessed to our locomotive and
we scudded around the edge OF the
bay and across the country for nearly
81 mi es. W hen we reached Oakland
pier where we beheld one of the pret-
tieSt sheets of water the eve of man
ever rested upon. Is not this good
place to stop? 1t was about 10 O'Clock
III. The fog had cleared away. The
large steam boat that runs in connection
with the railroad and carries passen-
gers across San Francisco bay to the
city, was awaiting us at the pier, and
with glad hearts aud tired limbs, hun
dreds of passengers from our train and
other trains that reached the pier about
the same time, rushed aboard the boat
and were soon steamed across the three
miles of water to the city built upon
the hills. We were met by a dear
friend at Oakland, who took charge OF
us thencelorth until we were safely
housed i'll his fathers home in beautiful
San Jose. Our journey for the present
Is ended, and at some future time we
hope TO tell you what we saw and en-
Joyed IN the Golden State r.
AN ABLE MAN.
Eavptte Alyprtispr.-oG, Jnhn II