Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-09-27

September 25, 1886.
Our train left Sacramento 10 P. NJ. Friday.
At Dayisville we were joined by the excur-
sion from San Francisco-fourteen sleepers.
Here the excursion was divided into two
sections, containing 400 passengers. the
Sacramento cars attached to tie rear of the
latter. 1t was almost u o'clock when our
section pulled out OF Davisville, forty min
utes tehind No. l, and nearly every one
had retired for the night.
Six o'clock this morning found nearly
every one up and taking in the scenery be-
tween Red Bluff, which was passed before
daylight, and Cottonwood. The train was
making fast time, over a smooth road,
which passed through a level valley of
sandy soil. well covered with timber, and
dotted here and there with farm-houses,
which from their surroundings evidenced
thrift and prosperity. The town of Cotton
wood was passed about Z o'clock, and there
being no passengers to take on. the train
did not halt, but swept through its out
skirts at about the rate of thirty miles an
hour. Cottonwood is located On the north
bank of Cottonwood creek, which is the
dividing line between Tehama and Shasta
counties. 1t is
H CENTRAL POINT OF TRADE
For q large section of country, and is a
point fIom which large shipments of grain
and live stock are made. The town APP
pears to be well built, and is said to enjoy
quite a degree of prosperity, which is be-
coming greater each year as the land is
located and improved.
Seven miles beyoad Cottonwood the
blowing of the whistle of the forward en-
gIne. there being two, IL added at Red
Bluff, announced The fact that we were
nearing Anderson. The train was to stop
at this point TO take on some passengers,
but the air brake would not work from
some cause, and the momentum of the
heavy train carried it flying through the
town and a mile beyond before it could be
stopped. The brake was repaired and the
train backed into town, to the evident re-
lief of several excursionistS, who imagined
" they were left" The track runs through
the center OF the town, which is well built
up; a large two-story school building, a
handsome church edifice and Touring mill
were noted. 1t is in the midst of a good
horticultural and agricultural district.
The next town of importance passed, and
in fact the only town of any considerable
size north of Red Bluff on our trip, is that
Of Redding. We arrived at this town,
which is
TRYING To STEAL H COUNTY SEAT
From old Shasta. shortly after s o'clock.
We were three or four hours behind the
advertised time, and as the commissary car
was on the first section. all hands were
hungry and nothing to eat. Conductor Dan
West sang out, " Forty-iye minutes for
l---1-E.-L - - H. $3.50 -,-.~
from our eleven cars for the eating-houses
on Main street. The proprietors of the
hotels and restaurants were not apprised
by telegraph, as they should have been, of
The approaching hungry horde. and con-
s%equently were not at all prepared to serve
them. We were on a picnic, however, and
everybody was Jolly, full of fun, good
natured, and the restaurants and walters
were pleasantly guild while they rushed
about, preparing a hasty meal. The black
coffee was swallowed, the tough beefsteak
bolted, the landlord paid a half a dollar a
head, and with a - ta-ta to the smiling
waitress, we were call aboard and away
again.
Redding is quite a town, in fact it is in
clined to put on city airs-has three news
paper offices. several churches, an elegant
school building, several large mercantile
establishments, a bank, anumber of hotels,
restaurants and livery stables, and no end
to saloons.
THE BEAUTIFUL RIVER"
Shortly after leaving Redding we hove
in sight of the Sacramento river, and which
we followed the rest of the journey. 1t
was a grand sight-a broad, deep magnii-
cent stream of clear water, and the green
trees and vines that shaded its banks pre-
sented a cool appearance that was really
refreshing. The banks were rocky, and
there was a total absence of the blightiDg
slickens so prevalent on the streams south
of the output OF the hydraulic mines. The
river was full of floating saw logs in many
places they were jammed and piled up
on one another to the hight Of several feet,
while occasionally q huge cedar log ca the
crest OF q high ledge of rocks would indi-
cate that occasionally the river was not the
small and placid stream its present hight
would indicate.
This road is one of the best constructed
in the State, the ties imbedded in masonry,
the rails of the heaviest and most durable
steel and as it follows the river bank Just
I above the high-water mark for many miles,
il is a road Of constant curves. II is a
magnificent piece of engineering, and pass
ing through narrow gorges, around sharp
turns, over iron bridges, through tunnels,
it affords a variety Of
SCENIC GRANDEJR UNSURPASSED
BY any road in the State. The entire coun-
try is well wooded, the hills being so
thickly covered with pine, fir, cedar, oak
and smaller underground, that they pre-
sent the appearance of an undulating
forest. Small streams feed the river almost
every mile, while springs Of water gush
forth from the mountain sides in every di-
rectioh. The lady excursionists, and there
were many of them, went into ecstacies
over the beautiful autumn leaves OF every
conceivable shape and hue, the foliage Of
the underground that skirted the river
banks near Hazel Creek station. At Hazel
Creek station we caught our first glimpse of
Mount Shasta, that hoary-headed mountain
that John p. Irish says has done more to
belle the climate of northern California
than have all the papers Of Los Angeles.
From this point this majestic mountain,
which towers aloft nearly 1900 feet, forty
miles distant, presents 4 grand appearance.
The cone OF this grand mountain rises from
its base II geo feet IN one sweep.
CASTLE ROCK.
-Four miles beyond Hazel Creek we came
to Castle Rock. Here a huge mountain, or
series of lofty peaks, and cones OF a lime
stone formation some two miles in length,
burst suddenly upon the vision upon our
right. A grander scene is hardly i'm
aginable. Over 1000 feet in hight. almost
perpendicular, inaccessible, t~reeless, go
white that at a short distance their cres.s
look as if mantled with snow-they are q
subject fer an artist. The train halied here
for fifteen minutes, and a score or more
amateur photographers embraced the OPP
portunity and added a negative of Castle
Rock to their collection.