, 1891-01-18
CENTRAL WYOMING
Reached by an Easy Journey From
the Capital.
Douglas the Coming Metropolis Of
the Region.
Magnificent Scenery and a Sub
stantial Railroad.

Special Correspondence.
DOUGLAS, jan. Is TO Douglas by
rail Is now a trip of pleasing contrast to
the mode OF getting here from Cheyenne
that had been endured so long. Instead
of spending a tedious day on the train, a
night Of torture at Hauphof's and a day
Of punishment on the stage coach, the
visitor now comes through with a half
days easy travel, the longest stop on the
road being at Bordeaux, where a half
hour time is given to. shake hands with
genial Tom Hunt)n aud eat the generous
dinner he sets out Tor You.
The trip carries one through some rich
country. The Chug valley Is lined with
well improved ranches, whose big hay
meadows, comfortable st)rehouses, i'm
mense barns and punches OF fine stock are
reminders OF Eastern farm scenes. Not
the least at ractive part of the country is
the glimpse of the Wyoming Development
Company's lands at Wheatland, where
thousands of fertile acres are waiting for
the plow of the farmer to stir them into
productive lite.
THE LATTE CANYON.
The ride through the Platte Canyon is
we'll worth making the trip from Chey-
enne. As the road leaves the big fat
where Wendover stood until McGnire's
hotel burned down and wiped out the
town. ii enters abruptly into the canyon.
Throughout its seven miles OF length the
railroad crowds the river into a narrow
rocky channel and the river in turn elbows
the roaibed, as though jealous OF its in
trusion. The west wall OF the canyon has
been scooped out ia many places to make
room for the road. The east walls come
down precipitately to the tumbling waters
OF the river. As the train pulls up the
grade the engine sends out big
clouds of black smoke, which fill
up the CANYON from wall 10 wall and
gives the passengers who crowd the train
platform the idea Of pushing through an
immense tunnel the ,ides Of which are the
solid rock walls and the roof the rolling,
tumbliug black clouds of smoke. Occas-
ionally the side walls break away into
side canyons but close in abruptly again
on the main canyon. The rock c%oloring
and formations are beautiful The strata
IS $1,000
ored rock are capped with white limestone
IN places and in others with friuges OF
of cedars and fir. There are jutting cor.
ners of fantastic shape while in places
where the sides are not so PERCEPTIONS
groves of cedars climb from the water
edge almost to the summit of the canyon
wall. Where fires have been started in
the timber growths the blackened stumps
add a touch OF d~esolation to the scene
which do not detract from its beauty.
Leaving the canyon the road skirts the
Platte for some distance and crosses it at
Bridger's ferry, famous in the days Of
overland travel. At Orrin junction, from
where the Cheyenne Il Northern train
run on the Chicago 4 Northwestern
track to Douglas, a shipping pen for cattle
is being built. Contrary to expectation,
there will be no important town at the
junction, both roads being DESTROYS of
concentrating at Douglas.
The new extension OF the Cheyenne
& Northern is a model piece of road and
reflects great credit upon the superinten-
dent Of construction, Mr.. A. NJ. Gibson,
who has watched every foot OF the work
from commencement to completion. The
roadway where embaukments are made is
wider than new roadways are usually
made. There is not a plank or pipe cul-
vert on the line, every one being made of
stone and built in the most substantial
manner. With but few exceptions the
bridges are made of iron. The road is
fenced its entire length and has under
ground open ways for cattle at numerous
places along the line. The heaviest
grade is forty-two feet to the mile and the
curves are very easy. The cuts are all
made of over usual width and protected
by surface ditching. Every part CT the
line is substantially built and trains could
run over it at fifty miles an hour with
safety.
A SOLID TOWN.
nOuolas 10 on tho varga ~ a narmanant