Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1893-09-21

Continued from 4th Page1
Der yards on every side must sup.
ply "A vast trade. The forty miles
Of snow sheds allow but tantalizing
glances at the enchanting scenery,
but near Donnor and Yahoe lakes
the openings permit longer view.
The descent is rapidly traversed,
and the famous Horn convinces us
that the Rockies do not claim all
the grandeur. Amid snowy cas-
cades the train turns this famous
mountain peak and FROM your car
window a pebble could be dropped
25C0 feet to the fertile farm below,
ripe with fruit and blooming with
flowers. In cutting the terrace for
this road-bed the workmen were
suspended from the cliffs above by
ropes. Here the mountain sides
have veritably been carried away
by placer mining. Gradually one
descends into the fruit laden valley
of the Sacramento, continuous
panorama of Edenlike gardens,
greet us on every side until San
Francisco Bay is reached with its
forests of masts. To the left we
have Golden Gate, Oakland and the
beautiful bay, 1t would be vain to
approach justice to this Metropolis
of the West, in so limited space,
but the time will be well spent in
visiting the mint with all it's in
tricacies. The collection of coins
foreign and antique equal anything
in the British Museum, and the
genial guide was regular encyclo-
pedia. The Cliff House commands
the finest view of the grand old
Pacific ocean and one enjoys the
kindred feeling which filled the
breast of Balboa, its discoyerer.
The Seal Rocks near here are al
ways haunted with these curious
mammals. The Miss15ds, Baldwin
Theatre, Panorama House, the
Markets, Chinese Quarters and the
Docks are all full of interest and
compare favorably with Eastern
and European cities, and Paris,
London or Berlin are only ahead in
age but not in general attractions,
for Golden Gate Park is to
San Francisco what Schroll's Es-
adjustment is to Berlin or Hyde
Park is to London; and Crystal
Palace, the Pride Of England does
not surpass the attractions of Gold
en- Gate Park.
At San Francisco we took the
Pacific coast steamer, Corona,
passed through the Golden Gate,
into the open ocean, with her white
capped waves, and after passing
Point Conception we had truly II
Pacific journey. The run is beau
tiful and certain sense of security
pervades, as almost continually the
main land greets you on one side
and the many islands along the
coast are often visible. Santa Bar
bara, Santa Rosa and Catelina have
many sheep ranches, some having
from ten to thirty thousand sheep.
We landed at Santa Barbara,
called the Newport of the Pacific.
Flowers bloom here the year round
without shelter and such a variety
of plants cannot be found else
where. The tropical plants of Cuba
flourish here and La Belle France
does not bloom in greater perfection
in her own sunny cline. The
Norfolk pine, date and Faupalen
magnolia, and even plants more
rare gladden. here the botanist's
J eye. Surf bathing, driving among
the canons, enjoying foot hill
scenery in so perfect climate is
well calculated to make a favorite
resort of Santa Barbara. Our next
landing was at Redondo, with her
surging pillows, fine hotels, beauti-
full gardens, carpeted with yariogat
ed flowers, until one scarcely
believes but what they were be-
holding the scene through Ire
taine's magical glass, There we
took train for the Metropolis of
Southern California, which might
be compared to some immense park