The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-06-19
3Miscellauenms.
From Dublin, Md, to sedro Washington,


From Dublin, Md, to SedrO, Washington.
For The Egs and InteIligencer
We left our pleasant home in Dublin par
sonage on March 1st for our new home In the
far West Before leaving the East we visit
ed Washington city and endeavored to take
in" the sights Of that beautiful place as
thoroughly as our time would permit
On Monday, March 10th, at 1920 A. M,
we took the b. and o. limited express for
Chicago. 1t was goodbye to our friends for
few years, at least, but our thoughts were
now of the future more than of the past-of
the country which we expected to make
our home. The trip to Chicago was inter
esting but uneventful.
Chicago is aptly named the "Windy City,
as we found to our discomfort in a walk
through it's streets The buildings in Chica-
go are very high, eight or ten stories. The city
had business like air, though so many of
the men upon the streets impressed US with
the fact that they were idle and in good
condition to plot anarchy or any other wick
neiss. The Worlds Fair will likely give
Chicago great boom in evil as well as in
finances. At seven o'clock we again started
westward over the Rock Island route.
Wednesday we ran through Iowa, which
impressed US as a fine country for farming.
Droughts causing failure of crops seem to be
the great hindrance to agricultural pur-
suits. For about one thousand miles west
ward from Des Moines there was no timber
excepting what had been planted.
1t was showing and quite cold when we
reached Council Bluffs, consequently we did
not see much of the city. Here we began to see
some types of western life. Quite number OF
travellers were waiting Western train. Some
we found, were from Pennsylvania. Several
typical westerners with bear skin coats were
looked upon with great curiosity and fear by
our little boy. The crowd was motley one.
We were glad when the time came to say
good bye to Council Bluffs and again start
westward, not 10 change cars until
Portland was reached, distance of about
eighteen hundred miles. Most of the houses
in these western towns are built very low,
although they are neat and attractive. The
streets are very wide.
We crossed the Missouri river from Coun-
Gil Bluffs and were in Omaha, Nebraska
The river at this point is narrow, muddy
stream. The city of Omaha is finely located,
has some splendid buildings, and supports
numerous industries. The soil in eastern
Nebraska is the most fertile we had yet seen.
1t was almost black and was soft and fine
Our way now lay through southwestern Ne
braska and southern Wyoming. We are
about to enter the vast plains of the west,
where for thousand miles, there is little
change in the scenery. These plains in west
tern Nebraska are covered with short thick
grass, called buffalo grass. Near Laramie,
in southwestern Wyoming, we began to come
to some sage brush. This resembles garden
sage and is sometimes three feet high 1t
looked very dry but thousands of cattle were
grazing upon these plains, and were in good
condition. The soil OF these prairies is said
to be of excellent quality, the great him
drance to agriculture being the lack OF water
No crops can be produced without irrigation.
Occasionally we would pass little house or
dug-out with few acres around it under
cultivation.
At first, the vast plains, with the snow.
capped mountains towering in the distance,
had quite {, fascination for US, but so much
sameness finally became tiresome. The
mountains appeared very near though in
reality they were fifty miles away. The at
mosphere is so clear that it is deceiving.
Cheyenne, the Magic City of the Plains"
and capital of Wyoming, is fine city with
many grand buildings. Stock raising Is the
principal industry in this section. Immense
herds of cattle are raised on these plains and
shipped to eastern markets.
Leaving Cheyenne we began to ascend the
eastern slope of the Black Hills OF Wyom-
ing. Snow sheds and fences are now nu-
merous. These are built to keep the snow
from drifting into the track of the railroad
While passing over high embankment,
our train was suddenly stopped. We soon
discovered that our engine was of the track
and we had narrowly escaped serious acct
dent. After some delay, other engines ar
rived and helped US on our way. While
waiting several persons got off the train and
gathered beautiful lava stones, to keep as
reminders of our accident on the plains.
Onward through valleys, plains and piles
of rocks, passing little stations here and there,
we reached Laramie City. Large soda re-
fineries are located here, not far from Soda
Lake, where there are millions of tons ofsoda.
Near this place, we can see the Snowy Range
of mountains, whose peaks are perpetually
covered with snow even when the passes are
bright with blooming flowers. Elk Noun
tains for so long time apparently right in
our track, is now reached. 1t is IL ,500 feet
high and six miles in diameter at its base.
Two hundred and twenty-three miles from
Cheyenne, we came 10 an interesting point
lust as darkness was settling around US and
a heavy snow storm was beginning. This
place is known as the continental Divide"
Here, if spring should rise from out the
sage brush, its waters would divide and the
different portions eventually mingle with the
waters of the two oceans on the opposite OF
the continent.
Green River is the next stop of any impor-
lance. 1t is said to be very rich city. The
country around contains vast numbers of
horses, cattle and sheep. The finest grazing
10 in oil tho West 10 fOund here
The plains of Wyoming and Idaho are
covered with lava formations, showing that
in all probability, at one time, volcanic dis
turbances were great.
At Soda Springs, in Idaho, large quanti-
ties of medicinal waters are bottled and ship
ped all over the world.
While crossing Snake river we have fine
view of the American Falls. The water
falling over the rocks and dashiug into foam,
presents very pretty sight.
Soon we are in Oregon. The land pre-
sents the appearance of having fine agricul-
tural properties. At Payette there is a large
nursery, seventy-five acres being devoted to
the raising of nursery stock.
Crossing the Umatilla river, we ran down
along the south branch of the Columbia
Here we saw tue most wonderful sand-drifts
sand drifted like snow, beautifully smooth
ana Clean. Our engineer TOOK us Along mere
very carefully, as so much sand had blown on
the track.
The scenery along the Columbia river
through the Cascade mountains, was the fin
est of our whole trip. Our track lay right
along the river bank. Water falls were
numerous, not very large, but producing the
the most beautiful spray, which touched by
the sunshine formed the prismatic colofs
clear and bright. Over the snow-capped
mountains the clouds hung low, slight show.
ers of rain were falling, the sun shining mean.