Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1896-09-11
LETTERS FROM THE EAST.
A Journal Editors Notes En- Route IL
Iowa

RAWLINGS, Wyo., Sept. ., 1870
Our second days travel was severe
run from Pocatello, Idaho, to Raw
lIngs, Wyoming. nearly 400 miles Ih
daylight. There are very lew attract-
ions on the road, but it is "A long STRIDE
by the most direct route. In Uie
morning We noticed not few stock
ranches. where alfalfa and other nay
is raised by irrigation. The afternoon
carried Us into central wyoming
through vast area of grease WOOD
and nothing-desert and bad lands.
At Green river our train was joined
by the one from San Francisco, giving
us fifteen mammoth coaches and max
ing an elaborate caravan. The only
point Of interest from this point 10
Rawlins is Rock Springs, where a
rich coal bed is located Here fair
town has grown up as result of the
extensive mining carried on by the
company. Shortly before reaching
Rawlins our engine was disabled
Fortunately we were near water sta
tion and side track. Here we waited
until freigt train pulled along and
pushed us to town, where a new pro-
peller took us in charge. The place
of the break down was rightly named,
being Red Dessert station.
At a fOrlorn looking station with
three shanties, on the alkali plain,
was noticed a grave 1t was marked
with a PLAIN white head board and
surrounded by a neat white fence.
This undoubtedly marked the resting
place of brave pioneer. who had
contributed his life for the comfort of
the travelling public. An Irishman
on board our train remarked, in a
manner characteristic of his race,
that he "would rather live there dead
than alive"
On our car was A. Roediger, mana
ger of the Tacofno News, he inquired
with much interest after his old
friend Reuben Boise, of Salem, who
was at one time city editor on his
paper. He related how our popular
young Salemite was punctured, while
thus engaged, by bullet from the
weapon of an offended patron, who
shot at the fighting editor and hit the
wrong man. Mr.. .Roediger was taking a
sad trip. His wife and four-year-old
son were visiting in Brooklyn, n. Y,
and he was called to the bedside of
the child, who was reported dying of
scarlet fever. Our fast train seemed
to move very slowly for the afflicted
father, whose heart was with his dear
ones so far away.
We also had with us an aged Swiss
woman, who was a helpless cripple
from rheumatism. Her son had come
after her to take her to the bedside Of
her aged husband at Kansas City.
Both were very low, and neither eX-
pected TO see the other again in this
life. A passenger talked German with
the good lady, and she told him she
had worked ever since the booms burst
to pay off $1,000 mortgage on their
home. 1t was just accomplished, and
now both she and her husband were
helpless physically, She took courage
from the sweet belief that the bur-
den being off their minds and being
reunited in their freed home would
give both relief from their physical
distress. But now, that it is all paid
for by years of hard toll the home is
not worth the redemption price.
1t does not take many days travel
to convince one that more people
travel from trouble than for pleasure.
Aside from those travelling on busi-
ness, those going for pleasure form a
very small proportion.
A gentleman came aboard accom-
panied by half-a-dozen women of
varying ages, all we'll dressed and
commanding his divided attention,
when in the neighborhood Of Utah a
suspicion was awaked among the pas
sengers that he was a full-hedged
Mormon taking an outing, with part
of his household. A. +. II.