Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1889-05-23
From Ogden to Sacramento.

A stop of three hours at Ogden gave us
chance to see the most Of this Mormon town.
The houses are all low but neat and good
with the main buildings of brick. Like west
ern towns, some things are dear and other
cheap. With the Mormon and Gentle alike
looking the mighty dollar and the main crop
of the place is children, for they are as. nu-
merous as bees around cider press. From
the station the town appears to be low and
near at hand, but as you walk toward it you
soon discover that your eyes have deceived
you. When you reach the town the noun
tains also seem to be close at hand and the
temptation to climb them urges you on and
on and after half an hours walk native
mio" you of the fact that the mountains
are some four miles away Yes everything
is deceptive out here. Experience is great
teacher. Retracing our steps we marched
back to town and took look through the
stores and about the streets. Electric lights
adorn and light up the place and as we leave
ut Z p. M, have a chance to look ut it ''under
gas light" as it were. The view Of the snow
capped mountains here is very fine. The
mountains rise to an altitude Of 1,15O #. feet
above town. At times the clouds roll over
them like ball of mist as they pass on kiss.
ing them IN their fight. We leave the snow
capped mountains for time and pass ,hro'
the great Utah valley where lies the far fam.
ell and unf,thomable Salt lake. 1t was even
ing and the fast falling sun just left a trail of
light that gave the great lake u silver like
hue, which in the twilight looked very pref
ty and the Show clad peaks in the distant
aided in keeping the light bright upon the
water. For twenty miles our route lay in
close proximity to the great lake. Moon
light soon succeeded Sunlight, and as the
somErc rays fell on the lofty, snowy peaks
and on the calm sleeping water of the lake,
the whole made up scene of rugged ma.
ture that we shall never forget.
Sundaymorning opens up bright and clear
and we reach Battle fountain for breakfast
where we take our first mell with John
Chinaman as waiter, as this is the only sta
ton on the route where he is the only help
to be secured. John dishcd up good meal
and was quick about it.
Wehavc passed many interesting points,
haye been travelling nearly all night in the
Humboldt valley, which is 300 miles long and
SO miles wide at the widest point. Here
Indians were plentiful, and squaws asked
two bits (25cts for a peep at papooses.-
Lighthouse teams and cowboys were also
numerous but there was nothing to show
that it was Sunday. This valley is neither
cultivated nor inhabited for so miles, with
nothing 70 look at but the prairie, the brown
colorcd mountains in the distance and the
eyer present sage bush which grows every
where in these mountains and valleys except
in some parts of Wyoming where nothing
will grow Humboldt station is reached in
time for dinner and here we passed the Gold
en- Gate Special for the east. This train is
said to be the fastest in the world. The
fare from Frisco to Omaha, including meals
and berth is $l00
Irrigation is the only means for promoting
vegetation and outside Of the town is as
barren as any other point east; even the
sage bush only growing to very small size.
We left this great valley about p. m. the
vapor from the hot springs to the South be-
ing the only thing worth noting, except
might say we have been running on a down
grade for some 30 miles and now we were
again winding IN and around the mountains
and valleys in semi-circular forms at times,
running at the base Of the mountains, while
in q few minutes we were miles away among
the Indian "Tepecs' that dotted the plains
Reno was our next stop. Here some
changed cars for Virginia City, so miles
South where the Gold aud Silver mines are
situated Reno has clean streets fine build
ings, and electric lights. Four squaws were
sitting near the station, playing cards with
squalling pappooses by their sides-an cyl
dence of western civilization. Irrigation is
also resorted to here. Leaving Reno, we
enter the Sierra Nevada. Here is where the
scenery really begins, with the mountains
running in every direction with their wild
weird overhanging peaks covered with snow
extending along for hundreds of feet and
looking as though the hands ola child could
overturn them on the passing train.
These mountains ana canyons are thickly
studded with Yellow pine, and Willows are
to be seen at many places with large piles of
lumber ready for shipping. The cliffs and
peaks in places seem to reach up to the clouds
and the mountains are so close and reach 80
far up that CLEAN of sunshine seldom pen
etrates their base. Again they are almost
perpendicular for hundreds Of feet and we
pass over long curved bridges, through tun-
nels in the solid rock, and then we are shut
in for hours inside snow sheds for we have
struck the coolest climate and highest alti-
tudc on the trip with snow sheds Al miles
long. 1t is late but as we are anxious to see
Cape Horn the rain was coming down in
torrents and the night was darker than
blackness itself and the would-be sight seers
,ynrn co,npellnd a., ha com ant will, sf.cd n "