Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-03-24
NATURE WONDERS.
A TRIP THROUGH MOST PICT-
URESOUE AMERICA.
Story of an Interesting Run Across the
Continent on the Overland Route
The Beauties of Colorado, Wyoming

The story of the Overland Route"
has been told in prose and poem by
those who have a right to claim the best
knowledge OF it; those who toiled over
the plains driving oxen in spans, which
pulled great caravans of freight; those
who hopefully bore the heat and burden
of the day, buoyed up and encouraged
by the hope of an Ell Dorado in the
mountains of the west-great, noble
hearted men who sought in the glorious
west the reward which seemed never TO
come near their doors in the populous
east. They were brave and kind-hearted,
bold and gentle, and the writer loves TO
dwell on their adventures and depict
their hair breadth escapes, and tell of
their hopes and their appointments.
In one sense theirs is the story of the
lives of many who read, and chord OF
sympathy is touched by the skillful tell
ing of the story. Everyone who has
read these tales of the west has felt an
instructive desire to see the spots, hal
lowed at least in memory by some story,
which has served to pass an hour away;
and each one has longed for an oppor-
tunity. Those of the present day have
the best of the earlier members OF this
mutual admiration society, for they can
now make the trip in comfort, free from
peril, and surrounded by all the luxuries
incident to modern travel. Instead OF
toiling over the calcined track OF those
who preceded them. the traveller OF the
day simply selects THE Overland
| Route" the Union Pacific system, and,
| as much at home as though in the quiet
| of some New England village, glides
| swiftly over splendid roadbed, and al
| lows his eyes to feast on the magnificent
scenery afforded.
The route through Kansas is varied
scene of thrift and growing greatness.
agriculturally, and when night has low
cred her shades and the hours OF rest
are passed, the grander beauties OF the
| Rocky Mountains are in view. and one
instinctively prepares himself to drink
in the wonders which nature has strewn
in profigate plenty within touch, al
| most, of the passing train. From Dem
yer to Cheyenne there is spread piano.
rama of hills and fields, dashing rivers
land the complaining brooks that made
the meadows green" and mountains
whose snow-capped tops seem to reach
| to the very skies and mingle their glis-
tening peaks amid the shadowy clouds.
The highest point on this Overland
Route" across the continent is S,247
feet, at Sherman; hence those who fear
the results of great attitudes are re-
lieved of that apprehension. as very lit
| tie difficulty is experienced. One Of the
wonders Of the American continent, ar
tificial but interesting, is the Ames
monument, erected in remembrance Of
the work done by Mr.. Ames in connec-
ton with the building Of this great east
and west artery of commerce and which
reminds one of the Pyramids of Egypt,
and makes one wonder whether they,
too, commemorated ability and power
as well as served to keep the sacred re-
mains of their projectors. The Dale
creek BRIDE is another magnificent
specimen =. human skill. and one COM
pares the handiwork of man with that
VI uoIuiC, "hiSh I'LL a. ouhb ViSo Win ~.
Idaho is entered at Border Station. an
appropriate name. and one then thinks
of the great mineral productions of the
country through which he is passing
and stares anew at the creation of natu-
raj force, the Shoshone Falls, the great
geysers which abound in the parks, the
mountains ever seeming higher and
fuller of poetry and romance, and chal-
longing comparison with anything that
has yet been seen. 1t seems to the tray
eler that what comes after must be a
repetition, or some reproduction of
something that has been seen on this
delightful journey, and he guesses that
the stories of the parks of the great
northwest must be tales Of fancy, for IL
these cannot cause the mind to revel,
indeed, must the best part of man, his
Imagination, be dulled and he an object
for pity. When, therefore, the grand
est scenery of North America, the Won
derful Yellowstone Park is reached,
what pleasure to feel that the power of
appreciation has been whetted rather
than dulled, and that the grandeur and
beauty Of the surroundings awaken new
and embellished ideas. and give the
heart and mind greater degree of ap-
probation. So the whole route is an
education, and an enjoyment at the
same time, while the glow of new health
heightens the color and drives away the
WEAKNESS which, perchance, was the d.
rect cause for the journey. While the
route just described has been through
Colorado, Wyoming. Idaho and the
Northwest, i have not been unmindfui
of still another pleasant journey, which
every traveller through the west should
take, viz: To and through Utah, the
youngest state in the union. While
still In her maidenhood, she is by no
means the least in importance Of our
states. For scenery Echo, Weber, and
Ogden Canons cannot be excelled The
valleys of Utah are rich in their pro-
duction of fruit, vegetables and cereals,
while the mountains are daily disclos-
ing a mineral wealth which will yet
cause the world to marvel
The climate of Washington and Ore
gon is delightful. The western slope
seems to be chosen spot for pleasure,
health and comfort. One forgets the
| many hundreds of miles covered by the
eyer-turninP wheels and simntv aniova