The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1896-06-05

Nebraska, wyoming ana Montana.
Western Kansas is a paradise compared
with vast tracts of New Mexico and
Arizona.
From Albuquerque on we begin to
climb the continental Divide" which
is finally suFmounted 100 miles vest, at
the first station east Of Coolidge, at an
elevation Of 1921 feet. The assent is
grad ual and the pass easy and wide.
resembling a valley.
Before scaling this backbone of the
continent We passed Lsguna and Gu
hero where are towns of Pueblo In
dians, the squews and children focking
to the train in large numbers to vend
their peculiar pottery wares. Papooses
were strapped in shawls upon their
mothers backs while large vases we're
balanced upon the matrons heads, and
at the same time baskets containing
smaller articles were carried in anxious
arms. Here was to be seen one of the
tribes of the 'nobIe red men" in its sad
and sOrrOWful decadence.
The Pueblos we're perched upon the
sides of a rocky hill, while in the ada
cent valleys were small fields and irri-
gable patches under a peculiar system
of bitches where the men toiIed with
mattox and spade, while dOnkeys,
horses and focks of sheep were grazed
on barren and rocky slopes, and goats
and COWS add to the wealth and COM
fort of their small possessions.
Speeding on westward we pass just
north of the Zuni reservation and old
Fort Wingate. At Holbrook we are
just north of Chalcedany park, where
is remarkable cuFiosity-s petrihed
forest-sOme specimens of which we're
being offered for sale to passengers.
Beyond Winslow we pass Canon
Diablo, a rocky creVasse in the plain
which extends for miles and at the
point where the iron railway bridge
crosses it, it is $40 feet wide and DO
feet deep. Beyond are seen the four
peaks of the San Francisco mountains
streaked with snow, at the southwestern
base of which is located the important
town of Flagstaff, A. T.
From this point there is a stage line
of Is miles to the "Grand Canon of the
Colorado" one of the wonders of the
world, where lie exposed 10000 feet of
the earth's strata, and where nature
will ever awe mankind. The canon
proper is 13 miles wide and over one
mile deep.
A double-header takes US up the steep
incline of the wooded slopes of the San
Francisco range, the mountain sides
being clothed with stately pines. These
are an exception to the rule for hereto
fore the mountain slopes are either
bare rock OF clothed only with stunted
forms of vegetation Flagstaff has saw
mills and lumber yards, and the
adjacent country many logging camps.
Here is also quarried the finest Of
red sandstone, which is extensively
shipped to distant cities, both Of the
Atlantic and Pacific slopes for use in
erecting public buildings. Flagstaff is
the most inviting place in Arizona on
the Santa Fe line, and the change of
scene was a decided relief to mind and
eye.
The descent from the San Francisco
mountains to the Needles is preoipi-
tous in the extreme and trains are run
very carefully. From Flagstaff to the
Needles is 225 miles and a descent of
| 6,419 feet is made in that distance.
The run is made from o'clock p. m,
to o'clock a. m. At the Needles We
cross by a eantilever bridge into Cali
fornia, over the Colorado river and are
at the margin of the Mojave desert.
Rock, lava beds, sandy desert and
! greasewoOd, with only the sierFated
peaks of barren mountains to relieve
the monOtOny. These peaks are evil
IDENTIFY wandering shoots of the Sierra
Nevada range, strayed away and lost
in the desert. Rosy dawn tips with gold
these terrible "sawtooth" mountains,
in the the very heart of this desert
waste, either to relieve the awful mon
otony of the scene OF in wierd mockery
of their utter worthlessness.
Section houses and water and coaling
stations are maintained at convenient
distances, water being carried on trains
of tank cars, and the stations and sec
tions houses have double roofs with an
air space between, on account of the
terrible heat which often prevails here.
We pulled up in one place of this
description called "Bagdsd" Among
other appointments was a saloon hav-
ing a curious sign on its dingy front
which read as follows: ave R prepared
to detain strangers in a worse manner
than We used to B."
Grim humor is contagious where even
nature taunts, One passenger from
! Onkarin- n Y InnI-inr ont of kha win