The Press., 1888-10-25
LOCAL rOPICs-pENN,D AND sCIssoRED

-Geo. L. Topliff of Pomona, Gal, who is now visiting relatives in this vicinity, made The Press office 8 welcome call last week, accompanied by his sister, Mrs. J. 0. Lee of Somers, whom he was then vis- iting. Mir. Topliff is frequent contribu- tor 10 this paper, and very welcome one to both editor and readers. Below is the opening of series of sketches of his jour- ney from the Pacific to the east describ- ing ride through one of the most wonder ful regions on the globe:
 Monson, Oct II, 1888. My wife and left Pomona August 3Ot h, and Los Angeles the same evening for the east, via of the s. F., 0. F., Rio Grande, and 0. B. and 0. railroads. Progress was slow up the mountain, and at late hour we fell asleep under the soothing influence of the puff of the engines and the discord- ant music of the six babies who took pas sage in the car. In the small hours of the morning we went down the north side of the mountain, passing through the loop and seventeen tunnels. f
 The loop is at very steep place on where the road makes circuit of some three miles around the mountain, and then enters tunnel passing through the noun tain, and comes out some hundreds of feet below where it made the circuit of the mountain.
 As the sun comes up we enter the great San Joaquin (San Wa-keen) valley, which extends some three hundred miles through the grain producing counties of the state. This valley produces millions of bushels of wheat, barley, corn and oats, and is teem- ing with cattle, sheep and horses.
 Here.we pass the great Haggin ranch, whose fast horses are prominent at all the p,i lcipal meetings of the.turf men.
 Towards evening we reach the suburbs of Sacramento, the capital of the state, where the landscape for many miles is GOV cred with vineyards and orchards laden with the most prolific growth of luscious fruits. The city is handsomely built on the banks of the Sacramento river, which is navigable by steamers to San Francisco, ninety five miles distant. Here we are switched off from the 8. P. to the Central Pacific R. R., and next morning we begin to climb the Sierra Nevada mountains, but are stopped two hours as there is a fire ahead in the snow sheds then we start again, and after passing through forty-two miles of snow sheds we begin to descend the northern slope. when we spy beauti. fnl lake, three miles long, lying in the fastnesses of the mountain, more than 5, ,O00 feet above the level of the sea. This is the source of the Trnckee river, and the next station is Truckee, a large, well built town, and the great lumber mart of that region. The lumber is sawed by portable mills in the mountains and sent down by shutes into larger fumes filled water, and then foated to the station and loaded upon cars, and the half denuded mountains show plainly the vandalism of the woodman 6 axe.
 We follow the Truckee river long way and pass many towns and villages and many fertile plai1s Reno is a large town and railroad center and is the nearest rail. road center, being but twelve miles distant from Virginia City, where the famous bonanza mines of a dozen years ago drew people from all parts of the country, and made millionaires of some and beggars oi others. The city once contained seven thousand inhabitants and fine residences; which cost from two to ten thousand dol. lars api, ce. Now, it is said, these same buildings won't bring ten dollars at auction, and the city is ss dead as the ancient cities of the plains. --. .:.. r1.-..s .,s,s
 Before we enter the HumboIt desert we take on an extra tank of water to feed the boiler through the barren waste of hun dred and fifty miles, where yon see little drifting sand for half the distance, when suddenly you spy what appears to be 8 beautiful lake. We inquire what lake this is and are told it is not lake, but where the great Humbolt river sinks in the sand, and no man has been able to trace it's waters beyond this point.
 G. L. ToPL1FF. 7~- CONTTNuED