The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-06-27
FROM COLORADO TO IDAHO
THE COUNTRY FROM CHEYENNE
TO POCATELLO.
Vast Mineral Wealth and Great Graz
ing Grouuds-What the Govern
ment Should DO for the Indians.
lcoREraroNpEscE oF raE ArPRAL.l

EEATTLE, ASH. lEE June lf.-My
last letter embraced the observation on
my westward trip as far as Cheyenne,
Wyo. In this / shall glance at the
scenery along the route from Chey-
enne TO Pocatello, Idaho, there being
little that can be said in favor OF the
country through which this part ofthe
Union Pacific railroad runs. Succeed
ing letters will contain brief statistical
information of Idaho; attempted de-
scription Of American aud Shoshone
pronounced Shoo- sho-nee) Falls and
other points of interest along the route
q glance at the resources and condi-
tons of Oregon, Wssh. Ter, and some
OF their principal commercial points,
etc. / may return by adiferent route
than that over which / came here; If
80, ! shall give the readers Of the AP-
PEAL such information as / may be
able to gather along the way.
Lsaving Cheyenne, Wyo., on the
10th inst. 1 continued the ascent Of
the great continental dividing ridge
aud passed over the highest point on
the Union Pacific railroad at Sherman,
(S242 feet above the seal which was at
the time the road was built the high
est point reached by rail in the world
Since that time, however, higher
points have been reached in South
America. Posing Sherman we cross
Dale creek, which winds, like a thread
of silver, its devious wsyin the depths
below and is soon lost to sight as we
pass rapidly down the grade and
through the granite cuts and snow
sheds beyond into the great Laramie
Plains which lie out before us like a
magnificent panorama. These plains
have an average width Of forty miles
and are 100 miles in length. They be-
gin at the western base of the Black
Hills and extend to the slope of the
Medicine Bow Mountains, and north
beyond where the Laramie river cuts
its way through these hills to Join the
waters OF the North Platte. They
comprise an area OF more than $780,
900 acres OF as rich grazing lands as
are 10 be found west of the
Missouri river. Across these
plains and a little to the left
as we begin to glide YER them, rises
in full view, the Diamond Peaks OF
Medicine Bow Range. They are clear
cut cones with sharp pointed sum-
mits, a diamond like appearance,
from which they derive their name,
while their sides and the rugged hills
@ound them are covered with timber.
Farther still, in the dim distance, the
white SUBMITS ofthe SnowyRange ap-
pear, clothed in robes of perpetual
snow, causing n to experience a
chilly sensation while gazing upon
their cheerless and forbidding forms.
Near Dale creek are found the Skull
Rocks-massive granite bodies scat
tered in disorder and confusion like
the ruins of mighty castles. All the
rocks (of which these are a part)
lying over the Black Hills were once
angular in form, but have been worn
to their present skull like shapes by
the disintegrating effects OF the atmos-
phere. The Red Buttes, 80 called
from their reddish appearance, are of
all sorts Of shapes and excite much
interest on account Of their peculiar
forms. 1t seems that the interior val
ley here was, at some remote period,
ON a level with the Buttes,
but has been carried away by
the drain and wash Of ages,
while they (the Buttes), composed of
harder and more cohesive substance,
have deied and withstood the ever
changing hand Of time. Along here
can be seen traces of the old emigrant
route to California, over which the
gold. seekers and pioneers Of the far
West passed many years ago. West of
Laramie Plains, Medicine Bow range
rises grandly before us. At Laramie
City we look west and behold Sheep
mountain, whose summit is 10000
feet high, and to the left OF this stands
Mount Agassiz. After passing Medi-
cine Bow range and Elk mountains
we enter q vast, dreary and unpro-
ductive desert, upon which no living
thing, save sage brush and jack rab-
bits, can be seen. Next Table Rock,
six miles south Of Table Rock Station,
is seen, rising sixty feet above the
long, evenly cut bluffs, which are 600
feet above their base, surround
ings. twenty-five miles farther
West Point Of Rocks looks up in the
distance like facial outlines of huge
perpendicular columns, 1856 feet above
their base surroundings and HOO feet
above the railroad track, at the base of
which seven sulphur springs send
forth perpetual streams Of water.
Green River Station, near the river
which bears that name, is the junction
Of the Northern and Southern branches
of the Union Pacific railroad, the one
leading through Idaho and Oregon
and the other through Utah and Cali
forn;a. From this point can be seen
the "Tw;n Sisters"-high projecting
rocks, 615 feet above the railroad track.
Green river derives its name from the
apparent color Of its waters, which is
caused by the green stra'a through
which its runs. The bluffs along the
river are supposed to contain arsenic
or chloride Of copper, which be-
comes detached by drainage,
and, being washed into the river,
fastens itself to the pebble stones and
bottom of the stream, causing the
water, as you look into it, TO bear the
same color. This river rises in the
Wyoming and Wind river mountains
and flows in a southerly direction un-
til it unites with the waters of the
Colorado. The scenery along its ragged
banks is rugged and picturesque, and
the peculiar formation OF the rocks
which gives the country through
which it flows the name OF Screen
River Shales," which are arranged in
regular layers, varying in thickness
from a knife blade TO several feet.
These layers are quite varied in shades
of color, and between many Of them
are thousands OF beautiful impressions
of fish, insects and water plants. A
charming view of this river can be
seen at the mouth of Henry's Ford,
where the water is Of the purest en-
erald, with banks end sandbars
of g.isteninR white, while the perpen-
dicu'ar buff to the right is nearly 1900
above the level of the river, and of a
bright red and ye low. When lighted
by the sun it ~presentsa scene sublime
ly magnificent, we'll deserving the
tile OF "F aiming Gorge" Near the
river is "Giant's Club" q massive
reck rising il solitary grandeur with