The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-06-24
AT SODA SPRINGS.
AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM
THE FAMOUS RESORT.
Poor Railroad Facilities Operate
. Against 1.-THE Springs in the Old
Days-HoteI Idanha Closed.
Soda Springs, June IS.

While on the plains below and in the
crowded cities, people almost regret the
rising of the sun at this season and i'm
patiently await his disappearance beyond
the western hills, here in this little
plateau, perched among the mountains,
he is a joy and blessing to rs from
early dawn until the twilight creeps over
the landscape, and night comes over us
making blankets welcome and sleep re-
freshing.
We are $3.50 feet above the sea. level in
an amphitheatre of mountains towering
thousands of feet above us. AS | start on
my ride this morning the suns bright rays
glitter on the snowy peak of Mount Sher-
man that bids defiance to his warmth in
winter and summer alike. The mercury
stands at 10 degrees. 1t may rise to 50
in the afternoon, but it always settles
down again at evening.
The rain seldom falls from June to Sep
TENDER, excepting at the time of some
play, the thunders roll and every noun
tain finds a tongue" This is a strangely
diversified country. Riffs of black lava
extend in some places for miles and it
often crops up unexpectedly in the green
grass Everywhere are living and extinct
mineral springs. The formation, as it
is called, is a miniature representation of
the Yellowstone park. Evidently there
were once some hot geysers here spouting
from the now dry cones, and the warm
water which still gushes from the mounds
deposit, SLOWLY
put surely adding to their height, and
Birds fishes and leaves left in it, soon be-
come covered with a crust SO that they
appear, to be petrified
Not far from us are caves filled with
never melting ice, of depths unknown.
and others hung with stalactites, and
touiders are spread around having almost
precisely the appearance of the coral of
the tropical seas, although this is brought
about by an entirely different process of
nature.
All tbot 7 hove doeo,.;I,c7 !; -,
TO some of the Inhabitants of your citv
In the olden times it was familiar to more
OF then- When l first came here, twenty
one years ago, strange as it NAV seem
there were more visitors from below than
there are now, Notwithstanding that the
iChg Journey was made in wagons and on
horseback There was simplicity and a
fascination about this mode of travel that
does not obtain on a railroad Time and
leisure were important factors and the
gong ana coming were as enjoyable as
the destination when it was reached For
the most part, the necessary outfit con-
sisted OF a bag of -four a side of bacon
ana an a irving pan. Guns and fishing tackle
their employment the main
PIECES DE RESISTANCE.
Families who came in this wav 70
Soda Springs for their health found the
desired ooJect of their journey before they
returned, after travelling and camping
out a week or ten days. 1t was a MIC
turesque sight-the covered wagons and
tents encamped about the various springs
the camp fires around which families
were gathered in the cool mornings and
evenings, and the music and dancing that
gave life to it all.
The green sward was common property.
Tor as yet there was scarcely a village
and that monster of civiliza ton, the rail-
road, had not brought itself its cattle
trains and its saloons to mar this quiet.
picture and to demoralize the people
But since 1T has come it would be we'll
II II might adjust itself TO it's own profit
and at the same time to our convenience
1t is greatly to be regretted that
watering place Offering so MANY indlIce-
ments TO summer visitors should have so
little OF their patronage because it is so
difficult OF access. [ have today a letter
from friend in Salt Lake city from
which | make this extract: MANY
thanks for your kind invitation to spend
a week with you at the cottage But we
cannot forget our experiences of last
year, and on consulting the folder, l find
that the time table has not been chang
ed. 1t requires a change of cars in the
middle of the night at McCammOn'S both
going and coming, and each time spend
ing about two hours there shivering on
the platform or sitting in the little hot
nasty station room. lie jeu ne vaut pas
la chandelle.'
Hundreds of others regard the matter in
the same light. In consequence of this
the large new Idanha hotel did not paw
last year, and this year 1t win be closed.
Our ebliging station master, Mr.. Strahan,
has suggested that this inconvenience
might be remedied in so far as instead of
turning passengers out in the night by
putting on a second class Pullman car
from Montpelier to Ogden. 1t would be a
great comfort to travellers, and would
vastly increasee their number at a trifi-
ing expense to the railroad company
which it might we'll afford in view of the
profit that would result. J. C..