The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-04-17
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

FROM PORTLAND To SAN FRANCISCO.
DEAR EXPERIMENTATION the past week
have been soiourning in Il land
Where leaf never dies in the still bloom
ing bowers
And the bee hanquets on through whole
year of flow ers.'
NV trip over the Southern Pacific railway
by the Mt. Shasta route from Portland to
San Francisco Was series of delightful
SURPRISES To the would be tourist who
longs for mountain scenery possibly no
road in the world can offer superior in
ducements. The journey is Il short one,
being only thirty-siX hours in length, and
the movements of the trains is SO arranged
that the most attractive and interesting
points are all passed during the day time.
The summit of the divide is generally
reached about noon. Here the north and
the south bound trains pass each other at
an elevation of 4130 feet above the sea lev
ell. AS | looked out of the car window,
in rounding the curves, could every few
minutes catch glimpse of the two plucky
locomotives, drawing the heavy train up
the mountain ascentS. At one moment
we would he diving through short tunnels,
and the next coasting along dizzy heights;
with rocks on one side and Il yawning
abyss on the other. After passing the
long SiskiyOu tunnel the train crossed
what is known as the high treStle" which
has an elevation of l6o feet, and it made
the nervous culver to look down upon the
tops of lofty trees far below, as the cars
were gently and slowly drawn over.
Even at this season the mountain sides
are clothed with rich verdurc and gaudy
fiowerets are blooming. The arbor vita,
= l,,c hat min Il a.
est acacia adorn the landscape. But far
off in the distance the snow capped peaks
Of the SIerras loom up, and nearly all day,
at intervals, glorious Mt. Shasta comes III
view. The sight of a grand mountain has
a peculiar fascination for most people.
There is something inspiring and impress
slve about all the wonders of Gods crea
ton.
One of the stations along the route is To-
Gated at the celebrated Mt. Shasta mineral
springs The train stops and the passen
gers rush for the fountain which is send
| ing forth in sprays fifty feet high genuine
soda water, pure, medicinal and health
giving. This water is bottled and sold at
expensive rates all over the country. The
beautiful moss brae cascades are near this
point. The foaming mountain streams, in
rushing headlong over the mosS-cOvered
rocks and mingling the sparkling spray
| with the rich green, make an enchanting
picture, which must be seen to be appre
ciated.
In the valleys of Southern Oregon are
rich farming lands. Meadows and grain
fields gave promise of luXuriant crops.
Slendid fruit is also raised. Along the
mountain sides and in the narrow wales
the orchards If peaches and prunes in full
bloom presented lovely sight The deli
cate pink of the former alternating with
the snowwhile of the latter ad led greatly
to the adornn ent of the landscape Enor-
nous shipments of fruit are yearly made
from the thriving town of Ashland. The
| villages along the railroad are numerous
| and have an appearance of prosperity.
Handsome villas and neat farm-houses
seem to be characteristic of the region.
Southern Oregon is altogether a country
| different from any have ever seen, and |
feel disposed to liken it to what magma
| ton pictures as peculiar to the mountains
and valleys of Switzerland.