The Penn's Grove record., 1899-08-04
A Trip to California.


Los Angeles, Cal, July 26, 1899.
On May 10Th. at $50 a. IN. we left
Denver to cross the great Rocky Noun
tains, or the back bone of our great
country. 1t is from this point l began
TO realize that | was beginning to get 50
lar from my native home birth place
l ieit somewhat home sick as my
company left me at Denver and l was
alone, but my mind was soon carried
away in amazement as ! Look out upon
beautiful snow capped mountains aud
on the other hand was-the lovely green
Valieyespott ed iii places with beautiful
flowers which made a very pretty sight
Colorado is one of the prettiest states
OF The Union. just imagine to begin
with the extent of the immensely Of
this state, 10i 800 square miles-6G, $50,
900 acres of this vast are as large as
New England with IlIionis added. Two
thirds of this is mountain scenery.
The blue ridge has some peak perhaps
$500 feet. The Allegheny probably a
little higher and the peak of Otter in
Virginia Climb to 5000 feet, All of
these could be lost in the Rockies and
never be found again.
The Rockies is the mother of the
largest rivers in the U. 5. This great
water shed gives rise to the Rio Grand,
the two Plates, the Arkansas, the rivers
of central Kansas, the Colorado, that
in Arizona passes for two hundred
miles between those sheer red walls
that are the scenic wonders of the
world and how at last into foreign seas.
Out Of this mighty chain and i'S
banks rise the mighty peaks, some OF
these peaks range from II, GEO tn l3,0po
feet and their lofty peaks are covered
with snow all year round. 70 him who
sees first from "a far, perhaps across
eighty miles of PLAN country where they
suddenly Use against the sunset OF the
iampart range seems impossible to nm.
Affair." these seem not mountains but
clouds. Then one is required to modl-
fy their views Of elevation and to extend
them to the picturesque valleys. For
il one would imagine this
dream as he looks upon the clelts Of
those Itd cathedral towers that were
not reared by hands but are natures "
work, To the top Of the cliffs OF these
huge towers climb the mighty rail roads
of the vast wonders these become a part
Were there nothing else to see but
these towers they alone would repay the
journey for they Illustrate the unabasii-
ed capacities of that which amid nature
wonders, and everywhere is The wonder
about all The mighty human mind.
This is il strange county and ont
can never imagine the beautiful Sights
there is 10 see, until they have seeIl Ion
themselves this beautiful country. Ont
could write IL book of these mountains
with out any trouble.
At 10 A. M. we arrIvei at Castle
Rock. On our left theirs | SAN Il sinai
mountain, upon Tie top OF this noun
tain sets large rock. 1t looked as hit
was about 800 feet high and about 100
feet through the center.
Az the base it is very small and Ii
would wonder how it would set Oh such
small base. 1t is very odd.
At II p. m. we were already about
5000 feet above the level and we are
very near the snoy level. Atthis point
we were along 81 % mountalns of solid
rock. l could 4e the clouds below me
and could see a railroad down below us
that our train passed three hours before
One could hardly believe it possible
For the past two weeks there has been
from 80, 1000 TO so 900 teachers here at
Los Angeles from all parts of the United
States. The convention was largerly
attended, With in the past 4 days we
have had four h eavy shocks of earth
| quake. One of the shocks cracked the
walls of the city hall.
l.. G.. STRAUGHEN,