The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-17
A RAILWAY RIDE TO THE GOLDEN GATE.

correspondence Of the Indian apolis Journal.
ALAMEDA, CAL. JAM 9.-Taking the Vandalia
at noon, ST Louis lights greet one at 7:30, whore
the Wabash awaits eastern passengers and places
them in Kansas City at 7:30 the following morn
ing Breakfast fills up the wait here till 1O:40,
when, after becoming fully settled in your section
on the A., T. & S. F. train, which is to be home
for the next four days, you pull out of this city
of bluffs and feel that you are we'll
started for the Golden State" Topeka
is reached in two hours It is the
capital, and the original starting point of the
Atchison Topeka & Santa Fee. Dinner is served
here the depot being very handsome almost as
elegant as the one in Indianapolis with its pol
five minutes for supper. Large ranches around
here as well as some of the banks. are owned by
Englishmen, few Of them with royal blood
coursing through their veins. The eating houses
on the A., 7. & S. F. are all managed by one
man, who has made for himself much-envied
reputation which he well deserves At La
Junta, the second day out from Kansas City,
breakfast is served. and at Ration tempting
dinner awaits the hungry traveller. We
now in New Mexico, and as the
lar face is there by appointment, and
for moment forgets it is
not Indianapolis in lieu of Ration. The breaking
of bolt detains the train for an hour, and the
home of one of Indianapolis sweetest daughters
is visited. Up the mountains a cunning
house of five rooms stands. tastefuly equipped,
and a fond father with the idol of doting grand
parents in his arms greets us at the door, The
air is balmy yet invigorating, the scenery wild
and grand. and here among these primitive sur
roundngs one who was so fond of society at
home is perfectly happy, with her husband and
baby for her only companions. What more
could one askl Renewing the journey, Las
Vegas is reached for supper. At the lunch table
stands lantern jawed" woman. who. when
demonstrated with by Isaac, 1.-THE model porter
for charging 1.-TWO bits'-twenty-fve cents-for a
miniature pie, remarked with voice in which
the nasal twang predominated: "Well I sun
pose you think we keep this house for fun!'
Anything less than lone bit" is not to be looked
at in this country. Seven miles from here are
the wonderful springs renowned for their medi-
cinal qualities, and the spot one of the most beau
tiful. Before reaching Las Vegas Mr.. Otero. a
| banker and also deputy marshal, entered the
train with three Mexican prisoners in charge to
be taken to Santa Fe. One of them full
blooded Mexican, has always lived within one hun
dred miles of the railroad and, although seventy
years of age, had never before seen one; so his
arrest served TO enlighten as well as alarm him.
By request he brought into the ''Meita,"
our palace on wheels. which fairly paralyzed him
with Its gOrg0OuSneSS. Inc ''Melta" Is In charge
| of E. N. Turner, OF Oakland, who proved him.
| self to be an ideal conductor, leaving no oppor-
| tunity unimproved wherein he could he courte-
| Gus or indispensable in pointing out places of
| historic interest. The third day brings one to
| Coolidge N. NJ. Albuquerque having been passed
at 3 A. NJ, where the Atlantic & Pacific takes
the Pullman, carrying it through to Mojave, Cal.
| The continental divide is passed just before
| Coolidge is reached. The waters all flow toward
| the Pacific now. After breakfast at Coolidge
fav mil Mt
| rugged scenery we rush on, crossing the wonder
| full Canyon Diablo' at P. NJ Winslow has
been passed just before. 1t is little settlement
but it's citizens manifest considerable enterprise.
house" and j. II. Breed filings sign to the
breeze announcing the fact that he is Dealer in
| all kinds of Truck" At Holbrook the welcome
sound of the dinner gong greets one. after which
| all eyes turned toward the glorious mount
aims and valleys The abundant growth of cacti
and soap tree are OF great interest to the tender
| foot traveller. Supper at Williams; here there
| are several inches of snow. Being we'll up
III the mountains, the mercury runs low
| and we are in winter wealth er. At 7:30 on the
morning of the fourth day the sight of the
| Needles three sharp peaks of the San Francisco
| range) greets the eye, and the train pulls in
| at the breakfast-room swarms of Mojave Indians,
with eyes wide open, and their pappooses NEARLY
nudel clinging to them, flock around, Quaint
pottery they have in abundance. which they sell
! for trifle; but such beggars! Even ive-cent
| shawl pin does not escape their avaricious gaze
| The houses here have double roofs The mer-
| curry reaches 1902 in the shade and these roofs
| have to be made in order for the natives to be
| able to live in the torrid heat This last day
| en- route takes you through vast beds of lava
| from volcanoes ages since burnt out. and
| the scenery is more versiied-valleys
mountains. canyons and a vast expanse
| OF desert. forming charming variety. Moiave
| is the next stopping place, and supper at $50
| breaks the day. For miles after leaving Mo-
jave. the wonderful engineering through the
''Tehachapi Pass" is seen, though it isn't;
! for it is night, but eyes are eagerly
| strained, and gimpses of the frightful
curves are occasionally had by the
| aid of the headlight. A loop" almost equal to
| the one above Georgetown. Col, as Gray's Peak
is where. some three years ago. terrible
| accident occurred, with loss of life
which was appalling. Travellers who are
| acquainted with this fact DO not retire,
| but sit shaking in their boots till terra firma
| is reached. The next morning. for twenty miles
| below Oakland the scenery is unrivaled Away off
to the right is the Golden Gate" Ia charming
view being had from the cars), which makes
| this bay the safest harbor in the world Beyond
| is Benicia, where stand the quarters of the
| United States arsenal, over which our own
Captain Rexford was commandant for about
twelve years. We pass the 'Salona, the largest
ferryboat in the world. carrying fiftytwo cars at
single trip and in few moments the brake
man calls Sixteenth street, Oakland. and we set
| foot upon the soil of California. The
| five days have passed quickly, aud it
| seems like dreamlaud to have left winter day
since in the mountains, and now TO be amid
blooming plants and in land of perpetual sum
mer. Magnolias are full of rich blossoms; Gala
| lilies are immense and abundant One LADY,
plucked 500 blossoms from her yard last year
Marechal Neil roses, q luxury at home, bloom
| the year around ont of doors, as do all flowers
| here-and 'the flowers that bloom in the spring,
/ ira la, have nothing to do with this casen
| This is no country for the plumber. Oh! the
bliss of living in land where the water-pipes do
! not burst! Y.H