The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-10-29

DxAR SEz;-I occupy q lower altitude
than did when ] sent q communication 4
From the summit Of Pixies Peak. This
city Is bat eighteen feet above sea level,
and the atmcspberic chanees ere qaits
peFceptible between here and the sum
nit Of the Rockies. Since my lasi letter
I have had the wishes Of nv bsyhood
gratiaed, by viewing the Rocky Noun
tAins. Salt Lake, Nj Hood, Mt Shasta
and other places Of minor importance.
The frst city beyond Colorado Springs
on the Denver / RIO 6rande E. r. Is
Pueblo. This place has taken quite a
boom during the season. Being located
in region noted for mineral wealth, it
has within its limits immense smelters,
used TO fuse the rough quartz and ores,
extracting theFefrOm the different miner
ais, and thus giving employment to
thousands Of iaborers. Leaving this city
going westward the road enters the Royal
Gorge This noted mountain pass IS a
canon with perpendicular walls Of rock
on either side, rising to the height Of
2,6oO feet. TkIoOgh this gulch tiows
rapid stream Of water, and along the
margin Of this stream the raiiroad IS
burt. The gorge in many places Is too
narrow 70 admit both rOad-bed and
stream, consequently you find the road
suspended over the stream by immense
iron beams imbedded in the rock. The
grade along this stream IS regular but
steep, requiring two powerful engines 70
furnish motive power. On leaving the
head-waters of this pass yOu are convey
ed through Marshall Pass TO the Black
canon beyond. The scenery along this
part Of the route Is awe inspiring. Here
the train threads along narrow roadbed
ehiseled from the steep, rocky slope OF the
mountain side, while thousands Of feet
below is visible the canon, 80 deep and
dark that il causes an involuntary shud-
der to creep over you IS you think Of the
probable result should the train be huri-
ed from the track at this point viii
pass by the route between this point and
Salt Lake City. On the near approach
to this valley of the plains you viii find
more verdure, and as you enter you are
surrounded by fine grazing lands and
good ranches. salt Lake City requires
no description as all readers are familiar
with her history. Our next prominent
point was Ogden. This city rivals salt
Lake in the way Of splendid building,
both public and private Soon after
leaving this place you get fine view Of
the Lake. There is hardly a ripple on
its surface it seems 10 slumber in its
briny bed. while along it, margin the
saline deposits are noticeable from a
great distance. Next you get an intro
duction to what was formerly termed the
American Desert, and in my estimation
deserving title still The steTility Of
this section can only be realized when
seen it is destitute of vegstable and aui-
NAL life You nov travel hundreds Of
miles without seeing hSbitations Of any
kind outside Of the railroad stations. No
trees, no grass-nothing but sand and
few stunted sage bushes WAS informed
that crows before crossing this region
supply themselvesswith hayersscks Of
provisions to keep from starving.
Again the scene changes. and for the
better, as you approach the Cascade
range. The ascent is steep, and as voc
near the summit you see the relics Of by
gone days, when the mountains tottered
and fell, yielding their precious wealth to
the agency Of water employed by man
through the hydraulic system The re-
mains Of fumes and pipes used 10 con-
vey the water and earth along the steep
grade and deposit the gold dust into re-
ceptscles made for that purpose, are still
to be seen as are also the delapidafed
shanties Of the once prosperous miners
As you descend from the mountains you
enter the Sacramento Valley. You now
approach the land Of fruit and vines.
Everywhere the eye is greeted with ius-
cious grapes, pears, Plums, peaches, etc.
Nearing Sacramento yOu pass through
rich agricultural country, the product Of
which Sacramento Is the recipient Co
ing north over the California < Oregon
Railroad, you again thread the noun
tains. Mt. Shasta IS the principal peak
Of this range Il is covered with drifts
Of pure white snow from its summit half
way down to its base. 3Here you enter
the snOw-sheds, strung along in line for
IS miles. These sheds obscure the seem
cry, being built Of heavy timbers, sided
and rooted with planks two inches in
thickness. As you emerge from the sheds
you strike descending grade The click
Of the wheels tell the increase OF speed
as yeu leave Salem and approach Port
land Mt. Hood may de disceTne,i at a
distance. rearing It's lofty summit above
its neighbors Of more modest pretensiOns.
This, too, Is a sncw-clad mountain.
Portland may be termed an old FASH
Toned city, judging from the style Of its
architecture, though she is keeping pace
with the times. She IS discariing the
horse-car for the electric The cable also
furnishes motive power for certain lines
The buildings erected Of late years COM
pare favorably with those Of other cities.
Chinese labor figures largely in this city,
there being over two thousand Cinnamon
here. have nov Travelled from coast to
coast, and for the benefit Of the discon-
tented Somerset county farmer I viii
say, be content with your lot if you are
doing well, as have foHnd Ro.place but
what has lis faults
LAG.