Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-09-09
A Trip Across the Continent.
Editor of Spectator Hsndacator:

A Trip Across the Continent.
) Editor of Spectator VSndicotor:
As possibly a few notes made on m
western journey may not prove uni
teresting to some of your readers.
will relieve the ted1ousness of the voy
age by psnning you few lines.
started from Staunton Tuesday morn
ing. July 81, with my family on the {
" o. train. To those who have trave
ed on the Vestibule it is unnecessar
to say that no attention or conven
ience that makes travelling comforta
BILE was wanting. and the beautiful
scenery through the mountains ant
down the New River is too well know
to need description. But I canno
omit to mention the kindness of tn,
G. " 0. officials in giving us as mission
aries, greatly reduced rates and larg,
extra baggage allowance over the1l
line
Running through Kentucky, the
road skirting the broad Ohio river,
noticed that the corn fields resembled
very much the Va. fields of this season
in the unequaled growth of the corn
and to my surprise 1 saw that most OF
the wheat was still standing in shock
in the fields.
Cincinnati was reached about 6 P.
NJ. Here we changed cars and contin-
ued our journey. The next morning
we fonnd ourselves running through
the rich farms of southwestern Indi-
ana. Splendid corn fields and fine
clover fields red with the bloom of the
second growth were seen on all sides.
We reached st. Louis by 7.30 A. NJ.
Wednesday morning, crossing the riv-
er on what is known, think. as the
Merchants Bridge, not the famous
bridge of st. Louis, ami were carried
to the Union Station over an elevated
R. R.. instead of through the tunnel.
Union Station, st. Louis, is said to be
the finest in the o. s., and the second
finest in the world. Thirty-four tracks
run into it under cover. How the
trains get in and out without collision
is a mystery to me. Here we were
met by the agent of the Union Pacific
Ry. and given our tickets through to
Shanghai, China.
Leaving st. Louis at 9.20 A. M. we
ran up to Mexico, Mo-, where we stop
ped over until Thursday at noon with
my cousin, Mr.. Ward Trimble, the
Youngest son of Mr.. Jas. Trimble, who
years ago moved from near Swoope to
Monroe Co.. Mo. Thursday evening
found us in Kansas City ready to take
the 7.30 night train for the west. Mis-
souri, with it's railroad facilities, its
rolling or level plains, abundant wood
and coal and fertile land must be the
farmers ideal place. The wheat crop
was nearly a failure this season 1 was
told, but the broad corn fields and
waving hay promise full compensa-
tion. Eastern Kansas, as we saw it
before dark, abounded with corn, oats
and grass. But daylight Friday morn
ing recalled a very different state of
things iu the central and western part
of the State. For hours we ran thro'
a waterless, treeless, cornless, wheat
less. grassless plain. Sedge grass "a
coarse kind of weed) and prairie dogs
were about all one could see. Here
and there forlorn farm house could
be seen. But as no garden, corn or
fruit trees or cattle could be seen l do
not know what the people live on.
The same is true of Colorado until you
get near Denver. There green fields
and crops may be seen. Denver is a.
city that the west may well be proud
of. Broad clean streets, fine houses
and green lawns, large we'll laid out
parks and capitol built of Colorado
granite and marble costing $4,000, 900.
Everything there depends on irriga-
tion. The Rocky Mountains with their
snow capped tops are seen in the dis
tance. The Union Pacific runs north
from Denver to Cheyenne in the south
west corner of Wyoming. This we
passed in the night. But just beyond
Denver it was still light enough to see
the plain clothed with corn, oats,
alfalfa. potatoes and late wheat, the
effects of irrigation. Wyoming was
still more desolate than western Kan
sas, still here and there a green spot
along some river could be seen. Echo
canyon just east of Ogden is one of
the points of interest on this road.
Here the cliffs tower hundreds of feet
above us.
We are now in Utah and soon ar
rived at Ogden beautiful city OF
90, 900 inhabitants. 1t claims an elec-
trio plant second only in power to that
of Niagara. The water for the power
is conducted from one of the canyons
back of the city, giving fall of 45O
feet and 10000 horse power. Salt
Lake City is 81 miles south of Ogden,
and we ran down there to spend Sun
udys A0 PlolA 10 Woll llIlSdtCOs dAu
wheat fields, still green, corn. oats,
and fruit of all kinds abounded. The
city is situated Is miles from the lake,
has 10000 or more Inhabitants, broad
streets, spledid electric and cable cars,
water flows along the side of the
streets, which can be turned at pleas
ure into the yards and gardens, and
broad sidewalks shaded with trees.
We had time Saturday evening to visit
the Mormon Tabernacle and Temple
and take street car out to Fort
Douglas, situated at the foot of the
mountain. From there a beautiful
view of the city and valley is obtained.
In this fort Uncle Sam has 1000 negro
soldiers, the officers are white. On
Sunday we attended services at the
Baptist chapel, that being the nearest
church to our stopping place, the