The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-02-18

5 soon strike Florence, pretty little tow
located in the heart of the coal oil diStric
of Colorado Here eau be seen the tai
derricks of the well machinery and th
, tanks for storing, together with the TAM
cars for transport < the oil. This oil L
used for fabrication and fuel. We mex
come to Canon City which stands At th'
entrance of the grand canon of tht
Arkansas River, the uarrOwest p rtioE
of which is known as the Royal George
aud is % miles long. There is seemingly
scarcely room for the river itself, bnt
such is the engineering skill displayed
that road bed has been secured 10y
blasting. At one point the gorge narrows
to 50 feet the track crossing the river OF
a swinging bridge, held up by iron rods
attached to either side which are 800 feet
apart where fastened 1t seems incrs DE
that this chasm which is 2627 feet deep
is the result of the force OF the water
An account of my trip would be lDcom
plete without the mention of LeadVille,
the third city in siZe IN Colorado. Ii
first became known to fame i'll 1853. In
five years from that time 81, 600 600 in
gold dust were washed fIom the ground
in this gulch. Tbs camp was afterwards
abandoned, and it WIS not until 1876
discovered. Immediately after this dis
covery a rush was made for the mining
camp. which was named L3adViiie.
Previous to this it was called California
| Gulch. 1t now has a population Of
10000. Although It's altitude is nearly
two miles, it is completely surrounded
by mountains whose submits are covered
with eternal snow. 1t has great smelling
works and vast mining industries.
It certainly en- boast of magnificent
| scenery. We next come TO Grand Jane.
tion, the chief city of the Grand River
Valley located at the junction Of the
Grand and GuunlsOn Rivers. \ stretch
of country $50 miles is traver:ed which
affords very little Interest to the traveller
tor this is the Colorado Desert. Prizes
River cancu however affords considerable
interest. We enter it by what is
known as Castle Gate, which is natural
cut Of 800 feet deep through solid rock.
This however, may be the result Of
volcanic eruption. Yet We notice that
the rocks OF either side are water worn
to the very top, while at thB base huge
| boulders are almost worn away. We
next enter Salt Lake Valley in the heart
| OF which is Salt Lake, vast expanSe of
salt water 125 miles long and % miles
wide. Its average depth is 20 feet, and
| its specific gravity is said to be 50 great
| that it buOys person up SO that he can
| float on its surface like a piece OF cork
wood. Its water tests from - to 90 per
ceut pure salt. The mysterious thing
about this inland sea, aside from its salt
ness, is the fact that it has no known
| outlet. 4 great number of fresh water
| streams pour into the lake from all sides,
! yet the water remains salt and the lake
| does not overflow. The temperature of
the water is much warmer than that of
| the ocean. | can give no account of Salt
| Lake City. | Intended to stop there on
my return, but did not do so. From Salt
Lake to Ogden, distance of about SO
miles, we traverSed a narrow plain under
| good cultivation by the Mormon settlers
who located hero about 40 years ago.
| For 30 years they lived isolated from the
rest of the world. This was owing to
| their religious views, but after rhe min
| ing interests d veloped the incursions Of
| Gentlles increased Gntil at present the
city aud settlement differ very little from
any other portion Of our country. After
! leaving Ogden we pass through the poor
est agricultural State i'll the Union,
| Nevada. Her population is only about
! $1,000. The State has nothing literally
OF value except her mining interests
| which however are great. The soil IS
not even suitable for grazing, unless
cattle and sheep learn to live on sand
and sage grass. She is the only State in
the Union not gaining in population.
| Yet in the Senate she has the same
representation as New York. The two
men who represent her 10000 people
there have the same power as those who
vote in the name Of New York S &, 600, 900
| Il is with pleasure the tourist bids
adieu to Nevada land to behold Cae
grand scenery which bursts upon his Wis
| ion in climbing the Sierra Nevada noun
tains. In comparing this range OF noun
tains with the Rockies, | would say that
while the Rockies present grand views,
the Sierra Nevadas add exquisite beauty
while the former present bare rocks
and stuntsd growth Of trees and verdure,
the latter are crowned to their Tery tops
with fine growth of evergreen timber.
After a gradual ascent OF 80 miles, Sum
nit station is reached, the highest point
attained By the Southern Pacific oil its
trans continental line from Ogden to
San Francisco. To reach this point the
road follows some distance the Truckee
river, a beautiful mountain stream
whose waters as they gently and some
times swiftly flow over the rocks vary
| in color. or rather combine various
colors, blue, green, yellow and white.
This region is heavily timbered, and a
great many saw mills are in operation.
We now come to an interesting feature
of the road, the snow sheds built TO
prevent the blockade of the trains and
consequent delay of passengers. They
are well built and able to sustain great
weight. From here on towards Sacra-
mento quite number of lakes and
pretty little towns are passed, also some
of the old gold diggings famous in 1919.
Some are abandoned, some still worked
There is yet one grand treat of scenic
BEAUTY III store for the tourist before
reaching the capital of the State. This
is the view Obtained while passing
around point on the mountain side
known as Cape Horn. The train rolls
on aad soon is ciiuging TO the side of a
mountain wall, which climbs to the
clouds above it, aud drops to the waters
beneath From the car window 2 stone
could be dropped, straight as plummet
fail, $500 feet below. OF all the pretty
scenery. this excels. We are now on
tho down grade and when we reach
Sacramento are bat 80 feet above sea
level. Sacramento is the second com
mcrcial city in California. 1t is the
county seat OF Sacramento county as wei
as the capital of the State. Being tie
geographical center 1t is the great dis
tributing point for California. Three
fourths OF all the fruits shipped iroL
California are shipped from this point.
More trains arrive and depart from there
{ than any other town or city in the State
The Sacramento valley is adapted {,
agriculture and fruit growing. |
seemed to me that almost al the land il
devoted to the cultivation of wheat.
asked a gentleman il they fertiliZed FOL
| wheat. He looked at me as il he die
2 no quite understand what | meant, anC
: finally answered no" We next come tt
San Francisco, the great city by the
; Golden Gate, the jumping Oft place. |
5 is a beautiful and picturesque city, til
y great metropolis Of the State. Il boasts
t OF one Of the finest harbOcs in the world
g The bay is 40 miles long aud abou5 MIN
q wide. The city proper extends within
t four miles of the Pacific, and it will b
/: but a few years uutil houses will tax,
\ the place .: sand hills. Two objects c
e | interest are pretty sure to command tn
t attention OF the tourist, the Ciih Hous
3 and the Seal Rocks. The Cliff House L
il situated on high promoutory oalle'
| Sutro Heights, named after tins owner
Q From this place magnificent view
n had of the ocean, the bay and the Golde
0 Gate, the entrance thereto. Thes
5 grounds are beautifully laid out in walk
y and drives, and adorned with almos
), every species OF ornamental trees, plant
n and flowers to be found in Il semi tr0pici
:. climate, together with fine statuary
e altogether ! very pretty place. Til
' Seal Rocks are quite close to shore