Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1891-12-04
From Sal. Lake City to Los Angeles.
Los ANGELES, CAL,
November 20, 1891.

November 70, 1871.
Nv last was dated at Salt Lake City,
which is city of magnificent distances
The streets cross each other at right an
giles, are 132 feet wide, with side walks ~
feet wide-cement pavement. The squares
each contain 10 acres, being 40x4O rods.
There are fine buildings-public, private
and hotels and business blocks. The city
government is in the hands of the Gentiles,
still the Mormon element is large and Their
sentiment unchanged, except as compelled
by the restraint of civil law.
We spent four days visiting the places
of interest. On Sabbath we worshipped IN
the morning and evening at the lst and "a
PRESBYTERIAN churches, which are doing
good work. At pm. we attended the
Tabernacle service. This tabernacle VIII
seat $1,000. There were about II, 600 pres
ent. The service continued hours. The
address was delivered by son OF John Y.
Cannon, who is one of the elders. They
commune every Sabbath and use bread and
water instead of bread and wine. We
spent ,he greater part of Tuesday at ureat
Salt Lake, 20 miles from the city. The
water is 80 saline that the human body
floats like cork. 1t is the "dead sea" OF
Americana living thing exists in its wa
ters.
The route from Salt Lake. westward, Is
over the great desert of Nevada. waste
and desolation, sage bush and cacti, with
here and there the Yucca palm; is the mo-
otonous view for several hundred miles.
We passed the summit of the Sierra Neva-
da range about midnight, and consequent
ly did not get view of the 40 miles OF
snow sheds, nor the grand view of the ele-
waited pass. West of the summit we ran
into rain that lasted two or three hours,
the first rain since we left home. 1t was
clear when we descended to the Sacramen-
to Valley, and the contrast between the
desolation Just passed and the verdure and
fertility of this valley was most refreshing.
We did not stop at Sacramento. 1t is a
fine city as seen in passing. At Port Cas-
Ia the train crossed an armlet of the Bay
on one of the largest ferry boats of the
world, SO they ssy-sverything here is the
largest in the world, from 200 pound pump
kins to the Palace and Del Monte hotels.
There are about half dozen "largest ho-
tells" in this State. On the afternoon OF
Nov. we were assured Of the victory in
Ohio.
We arrived in San Francisco at noon OF
the 5th This is busy, bustling, driving
city. The streets are irregularly laid out,
narrow and hence crowded. The electric
and cable street railways are very hne.
We visited the Palace Hotel, Golden Gate
Park, Cliff House and many other places OF
interest, not omitting glance at China
town. On Monday pm. our party, in COM
pany with some friends had ride on the
Bay in q Government Steamer. The trip
was some 25 miles and as we neared the
Golden Gate we had view OF golden
sunset as the GLORIOUS orb of day vanish
from view behind the great Pacific. Two
of our party spent Saturday and Sunday IL
Oakland, q beautiful city across the Bay to
which ferry boats pass every ~ minutes.
western world for the "City of the Angels
Los Angeles. The route presented mos
varied scenery. There were miles of wheat
and barley fields, level as floor: hundreds
of acres Of vineyards and citrons and de
ciduious fruits. We stopped off at Bakers
field, and thus had a daylight view of the
whole route. The assent of the
Tehatchipe Mountains so feet to the mile,
is grand piece of engineering. There are
l8 tunels in the ascent and in the descent
-one 1t miles in length. At the foot OF
range we enter the Mojave Desert. This
part of California is quite q disappointment.
One ia not expecting, in this 'land Of milk
and honey" to see such an interminable
waste. Here is the dry lake, basin of
quite depression, without drop of wa
ter. On this desert We saw the Mirage
the inexperienced would say it is water in
the distance. This desert continued to the
verge of the city of Los Angeles. which We
entered at 4 pm. Of the 18th. Our next
will give our views Of Southern Califor-
mia. Yours dc.
GEO. SHOUP.