The herald., 1895-08-19
THINGS THEY WILL SEE
And Scenes They Will Miss
En- Route
LOS ANGELES TO BOSTON
Travel by the Santa fe Is q Revela-
ton to Forty.Niners
A Hasty Sketch Of the Scenery and Points Of
LOS ANGELES TO BOSTON
A Hasty Sketch Of the Scenery and Points Of
Interest Along the Way, and What
Might Be Seen

Among the knights Templar who go to
Boston from Southern California, many of
whom have gone by the Santa Fe route,
are a few who were citizens. of this Sec
ton of the country long before we had
railroad communication with the east.
Such as thess can regale their compan.
ions on thc way with stories of travel
in the early days. They can relate how
they came overland by ok and mule
teams. What they ssw, what they dio
and how they lived en- route will be
mighty interesting to those who came
at q later day.
No greater tribute could be rad the
enterprise and progress of this country
than 10 compare the stories the old ~
tiers will tell with the story of travel OF
today. The traveller of today may
enter an elegant car, furnished with every
convenience and luxury, and in which
they will make their home until Boston
is reached This statement seems a sim
pie one, but it is only simple because we
of today are familiar with it. However,
it is another matter il we stop to consid-
er the time, labor, capital financial and
executive skill required in bringing bout
a condition which makes this posi- Bile
to ri de 1000 miles without even change
of cars and surrounded with luxuries that
rival the most superb home comforts.
The Knights Templar are not enabled to
nave the journey straight through to
Boston by special arrangement, but such
is an every day occurrence with the Santa
Fe route. Even Californians, who are
accustomed to great things, must doH
their hats to the executive ability OF the
Santa Fe managem ent which owns. con .
trols and operates these thousands os
miles of track.
Would that it were possible fer the
Knights Templar to take with them
something tangible which would present
to the enquiring easterner full realiza
ton of the glories, the beauties. the rich
ness the vastness and the possibilities of
this. Gods most favored spot. No pen
can tell nor brush picture the panorama
that presents itself as the train pulls out
of the La Grande station and winds its
wav through the low hills on the out
skirts of the city, past many pleasant
suburban residences and enters the great
San Gabriel valley, through the entire
length of which it passes. At the head
OF the valley, nine u1llCS diSlahe iipiu i@oo
Angeles, and half encrcled by the tower
ing peaks of the Sierra Madre range, is
Pasadena, aptly described as "a city OF
homes, framed IN odorous groves OF Or
anges." Here, too, are numerous pals-
tial hostelries where wealth and fashion
Join hands in scenes uf gayety.. North
ward from Pasadena. and half way up
tho mountain side. is seen the Ecno
Mountain house, reached by the great
cable incline of the Mt. Lowe railway.
while further eastward is a thin gray
line struggling upward to the su m init OF
the nountain-the bride path to Mo1nt
Wilson. Soutnward toward the beautiful
town of Alham bra and the San Gabriel
mission, the valley slopes are oecked
with orchards and vineyards and fine
country homes. A succession OF rural
towns follows Pasadena, each set amid
pleasant fields and cultivated acres. From
the mountain range on the right. yawn-
ing CANYONS open to view as the train
speeds along and grand pageant of
changing scenes is unfolded 10 the trav-
eler. Hillsides radiant with wild flowers.
fields carpeted with billowy. grand, snow
crowned mountain peaks drawing near
and fading away as though marshaied by
some unseen force.
The knights Templar may tell their
Boston friends of all this, yet one half
would not be told, for this is California,
the much Landed land of fruit and flower
and sunny cline, of mountain and shore
and sea grit isle; land of paradoXes, where
winter is the season OF bloom and fruit
age and summer is natures time of slum-
ber.
They will pass within the shadow of
Arrowhead mountain. tamons for its
hot springs, and a few hours later. when
the summit of Caion pass mas been
crossed, then ends the magnificent
landscape and mountain scenery of Cali
nd dpsart SIGHT Rut
ths Knights Templar will have been pre-
pa1ed for crossing the desert. Many of
them are already familiar from past eX-
periences with its sand storms and heat,
and k now the demand there will be for
fluid and are prepared for it. They have
crossed it at a time when they were not
surrounded with the comforts that they
are today. They crossed when there was
no Santa Fe railroad. with its LUXURIOUS
Pullmans. But the deserG is soon passed,
and bidding goodbye to California. the
Sir Knights will proceed toFlagstatf.
1t is too bad that the pilgrims could
not stop here for q few days explora-
ton, but some have already been there
and can tell the others that this region
abounds with scattered ruins Of the dwell
lings of a prehistoric people. The most
important yet discovered lie within a
radius of eight miles from Flagstaff and
are easily accessible.
On the southeast Walnut canyon breaks
the plateau for distance Of several miles.
its walls deeply eroded in horiz ontal
paraliel lines. In these natural recesses
i1ooreu and rooted by the more enduring
strata. the cliff-dwellings are found in
great numbers, walled up on the front
and sides with rock fragments and
cement. and partitioned into apartments.
Fixed like swallows nests upon the face
OF a precipice, approachable from above
or below only by deliberate and cautious
clim bing, these dwellings have the ap-
pearance OF fortllled retreats rather than
habllual abodes.
At an equal distance to the north or
Flagstaff. among the oinder-buried
cones. is one whose summit commands n
winesweeping view OF the PLATA. Upon
its apex, in the innumerahle spout oles
that we're the outlet of ancient eruptions,
are the cave-dwellings, around many of
which rude stone walls still stand. The
story of these habitations is likewise
wholly conjectural They may have been
contemporary with the clitf-dwellings.
That they were long ilha bited is clearly
apparent. Fragments of shattered pottery
lie on every hand.
But the knights cannot tarry here and
later they pass another point ct which
they would like to take week or so off
Peach Springs. This IS the starting point
for the Grand Canyon. Or they might
have taken "a stage at Flagstaff. The
Grand Canyon is canyon. truly, but not
after the eped type. An intricate sys-
TEN of canyons. rather. all subordinate
to the river channel in the midst whlc II
in its turn is subordinate to the total
| effect That river channel, the profound
est depth. and actually moro than 5000
| feet below the point of view. is In SEEM
-, MT otf r