The Penn's Grove record., 1894-10-19
Among the Rocky Mountains.

Mr., EDIToR-Resumlng my journey
over the Denver and Rio Grande Rail-
road ON the afternoon of Sept. 10th, the
city Of Ogden, Utah, was reached; 40
miles distant from Salt Lake City and
III miles from Denver. Ogden is a
Railroad and manufacturing town with
a population of 1900, altitude 4,300
feet, so you will see | am yet partly up
in the clouds. AT Ogden the tourist
steps from the Denver & Rio Grande r.
r. 10 those of the Southern Pacific, the
great monopoly of the West, and what
ever the Southern Pacific people say is
law and gospel, as you have no alterna-
ton only to travel owe their roads.
Following the Wasatch Mountains,
in a half hour ride, you are brought to
the busy little town of bingham, sur
rounded by All agricultural settlement
out possessing nothing of special inter-
est to the traveller. Between Brigham
and Corinne, the next station, the Bear
River is crossed by Il bridge 1900 feet
in length. The raising of stock is quite
extensively carried on here and the hill
sides we're covered with cattle and hors.
es as far as The eye could see.
Our next point of stopping was Prom
ontory, APPOINT of historical interest, and
as the Porter called out twenty minutes
for supper l descended from the sleeper
and took a constitutional. l found
Promontory a small station surrounded
by a country covered with sage brush
and of interest only on account of the
Union Pacific Railroad and the Central
Pacific Railroad meeting from West
and East. Here at this point the juno
ton was made between the two great
Railroads, on the 10th Of May 1869 and
at this point IA the last spike driven,
which was of solid gold and then the
news was blasted all over the world,
that the first great transcoDtinental
Railroad of America had become ar
accomplished fact. l saw the exact
spot where this golden spike vas driv.
en-. The spot being marked by a large
white painted board and as tourist were
allowed to register their names, l ac-
cepted the opportunity and wrote mine
along with several other names from
Salem county. OF course, l did not
forget TO put down the Penn's Grove
Record in large letters as we'll as that
of lis Editor.
Probably it would not be out of place
to quote Il couple of verses from Bret
Harte, the Poet, on the occasion of the
two Railroads making the junction
here.
WHAT THE ENGINES SAID.
What was it the engine said,
Pilots touching-head TO head,
Facing on the single track,
Half a World, behind each back?
This is what the engine said
Unrep0rted and unread
With Il PREDATORY screech,
10 a tiorid Western speech,
Said the Engine from the West,
81 am from Sierra, snowy crest,
And if attitudes a test,
Why l reckon It's confessed
That I've done my level best" sc
Monument a small station in the
desert is passed, and at the next station
Pozel, the great Salt Lake, which has
been our companion since leaving Salt
Lake City, passes from our view. Be-
fore us stretches a vast unfertile c0un-
try the great American Desert. Look
ing to the north we see the Red Dome
Mountains, while to the southeast rises
Pilot Knob, a prominent feature in the
landscape as we travel along. l find
by inquiry that we are still nearly 5000
feet above the sea.
Toauo, calls out the Porter, so / look
out, but see nothing but darkness, but
the conductor informs me we are now
ascending a grade % miles long called
cedar pass. The devide between the
desert and Humboldt Valley. The
highest elevation is $500 feet. The
moon having crawled up over the tops
of the mountain l concluded to 20 out
on the platform and view cedar pass BY
moonlight. The Palisades of the Hum.
boldt were passed and the walls were
passed and the walls were from 1000 to
1900 feet high. The only object Of In.
terest were at this point Redcliff, and
Devils Peair-Fhs latter Peak rising
out OF the water Reyer ext.
Wennemucca \ 69sTsf at II p.
NJ. and hear l saw MlyzsNsk Red Skin
(Indians). The place was named after
an Indian Chief, who made his home in
this region. We are at this point 400
miles from Ogden, and as it was quite
chilly and we began to get into the
great Nevada Desert l thought best to
ggpl NV bnrth and t,u ;o uot l;ttIo