The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-05-25
A TRIP TO TIE PACIFIC.

| new away DNch III the oI
the present century, legions began the toll
some march across the plains and over the
mighty mountain barriers to the land OF
| promise and gold, journey which required
months OF toll and privation and the con-
fronting of innumerable dangers. With
| In period of time so brief that many now
! living made this Journey in the early days
to the wonderful West, what marvellous
| changes have been wrought IN methods OF
transportation. To-day, surrounded by
every luxury and comfort of modern eN-
istence, making it veritable holiday OF
| pleasure, the Journey Is delight rather
! than a task and as one is swiftly carried IN
palace sleeping cars through to destination
little thought is given to the labor, effort
and privation attending such a journey IN
days gone by.
The Chicago, Union Pacific & North
| Western Line comprises the Chicago q
! North Western, Union Pacific, and South
ern Pacific railways-the direct through
car route every day in the year between
Chicago and the Pacific Coast.
The Chicago & Northwestern Railway
was the pioneer line west of Chicago, and
the first engine run over its rails was
named the Pioneer" The Union Pacific
Railroad from Council Bluffs to Ogden was
the pioneer railway from the Missouri River
across the plains and the Rocky Mountains,
while the Central Pacific, from Ogden to
San Frai rsco, was the pioneer hne from
he Pacific Coast across the fertile Sacr-
mento Valley and Sierra Nevada Noun
tains. The route traversed by these trans
continental trains is virtually the same as
| that travelled by the thousands of pioneers,
who rode or tramped over prairie and
| mountain.
That part of the country traversed by
! the trans continental trains of the Chicago,
| Union Pacific & Northwestern Line i'm
mediately after leaving Chicago, is the Mis-
sissippi Valley, an ideal agricultural region,
with evidences of prosperity on every hand
After leaving Illinois, the trains cross the
Mississippi River to Clinton, Iowa, the gate
way to the "Hawkeye" state. The entire
! distance across the boundless pra.ries lying
between the Mississippi and Missouri Riv-
ers is a succession of fertile fields, pros
porous cities and thriving towns. Between
Council Bluffs and Omaha, the overland
traius cross the Missouri River, which sep
arates the states OF Iowa and Nebraska.
| 1t is ATS miles from Omaha to the state
! line of Wyoming, the route being through
Nebraska all the way except for the dl'
version of a few miles into Colorado to
reach Julesburg, and the direct gateway to
| Denver. All the way the traveller sees
country rich in its production OF wheat,
corn aud cattle. North Platte, near where
Colonel W. r. Cody, Buffalo Bill" has his
! famous ranch, is the center of a district
! from which great quantities of live stock
are shipped, and from North Platte west
ward cattle-raisng predomlnates, crops
gradually giving way to grazing until when
Cheyenne is reached, there is little seen
in the way of diversified farming, while
cattle, horses and sheep are everywhere.
Cheyenne, the capital of Wyoming, is
city worthy of more than passing glance,
and from here, as well as from Julesburg.
one can make detour to Denver, Colorado
Springs, Pueblo, and other Colorado points.
Tho first m town west of ('hp(pDnp
is Laramie, with $500 people, and the
next is Rawlins, thirty miles west OF which
the train crosses the Continental Divide
The purity and rarity of the atmosphere
is stimulating and refreshing, and mountain
ranges, hundreds of miles away, deceive
the vision by their seeming nearness-the
Sweetwater Mountains, Wind River Noun
tains and Rocky Mountains all being IN
sight. Evanston, Wyoming, is halfway be-
tween Omaha and San Francisco and from
here nearly all the way to Ogden the
traveller may see succession OF scenery
marking the grand as well as the curious
and grotesque in nature. The train glides
swiftly through Echo Canyon and past Cas-.
tie Rock, Steamboat Rock, Great Eastern,
Giants Teapot and Pulpit Rock, into Web.
er Canon, where Witch Rocks, Devils
| Slide, 1000 Mile Tree and Devils Gate are
points of interest eagerly watched for by
travellers; then, almost before the transi.
ton can be realized, the mountains are
left behind and the train speeds through
a fertile valley with farms and orchards
on every side, and shortly comes to a stop
ht the fine union station at Ogden, the sec
ond city in importance III Utah, and the
junction point of the Union Pacific and the
Southern Pacific lines. Salt Lake City, the
Zion of the Mormons, is but thirty-slX miles
to the south, with frequent train service,
and is the principal city of Utah.
From Ogden to San Francisco the journey
is one of notable contrasts. Immediately
after leaving Ogden the route lies through
valley made productive by irrigation.
Next, the traveller obtains splendid view
of Great Salt Lake, and afterward come
the Sierra Nevada Mountains with varied
scenery unrvaled for picturesqueness.
West of Reno, Nevada, where the United
States experiment station is located, the
steady climb of the mountain continues,
and a few miles west of Verdi thesstate line
between Nevada and California is crossed
Truckee is the first important station in Cal.
Norma and Is starting point for beautiful
Lake Tahoe and Bonner Lake, which lie
hidden in the mountains short distance
away Fourteen miles west Of 1ruckee is
Summit Station, the highest point reached
by the train in the Sierra Nevada Noun.
tains, and after a most enjoyable ride
around Cape Horn" where the train is
a thousand feet above the smiling valley
beneath, the descent is rapidly made to
ColfaN Leaving ColfaX the route lies
through the fertile Sacramento Valley, and
no region can surpass the wheat fields and
fruit orchards to be seen Sacramento, the
capital of the state, is in the midst Of this
rich region, and it is ii journey of but nine.
ty miles to San Francisco. From Sacra-
mento, Los Angeles and all of delightful
Southern California are reached by the
Southern Pacific Railway.
Excuraonists desiring to return via Port.
land and the northern routes, can have
choice of the Shasta route of the Southern
Pacific, which is renowned for its marvel
Gus scenery through the Shasta Mountains,
or an ocean voyage between San Francisco
and Portland, on the magnificent steamers
of the Oregon Railway & Navigation Com
pany. Portland is delightfully."- situated, and
is the chief city of the north Pacific coast
From Portland all points of local interest
which are many, as well as those of the
Puget Sound country can be easily reached
From Portland to Chicago, the Chicago
Union Pacific & North Western Line, which
includes the Oregon Railroad & Navigation
Co. and the Oregon Short Line, is the only
line running solid trains of chair cars,