Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1903-12-24
TRIP TO CALIFORNIA.
Scenes on the way Described by Mr.,
Kasper Sippel.
POINTS OF INTEREST NOTED.
Down Lake Erie, on the Rock Island Railroad, to
the Land ofSunshine and Flowers


the Land of Sunshine and Flowers
EDITOR PREss =
Aura, Cal, Dec. 9.-It will probably be of
some interest TO our friends IN Cameron county
to resd partial account of the points ofinterest
as noted by myself and SOD along the way, from
Emporium to California.
We left Emporium, ~ sday, Nov. 23d, arriving
al Buffalo about one click, p. m. Snow fell to
considerable depth and At some places sleighs
were being used.
At two o'clock we LEFT Buffalo, on the Rock
Island Railroad, down Lake Erie. Here the
country was interesting to US; the land is mostly
level, with thousands ofacros Of vineyards. We
soon found ourselves to be in our own State again
and at eveningItime the city of Erie was reached.
Erie is a very pretty city and at night is blaze
Of light from the thous Inds OF electric lights.
It being dark as we passed through the state
Of Ohio,we could see nothing of the scenery along
the line, but ClcveIand's railroad system was
wonderment to us, one track passing a lum-
Der yard, was at least so feet above ground and
another track as far above that one.
We reached Chicago about eight O'Clock in the
morning-Wednesday- spent the day in
sightseeing-a wonderful city for business, every
body in hurry-my neck became famed looking
at the tall buildings They certainly have sky
scrape.s in Chicago. We visited the great store
of Montgomery Ward & Co. and ascended to the
twenty,ffth story in elevator, from which
point one can "have-a-look'' at the city and the
tall buildings without breaking his neck or lean
ing against lamp post to maintain his eqUilib-
rum.
At 1920 p. m., Wednesday, left Chicago by
the Rock Island route, in tourist BERTH riding all
night through Illinoise, r.is.ng many interest
ing points but making the acquaintance of
number of fellow travellers the night passed
pleasantly. Right here I will touch the matter
of the tourist car, and ones privileges, for the
benefit OF any who have not, but may sometime
wish to travel this way across the continent:
Two seats are opened and the cushions are
converted into mattresses. These seats are ar
ranged eight each side, above and below,
sufficient to accommodate 81 people Sheets,
blankets and pillows are provided. Provisions
are made for light cooking, therefore tea coffee
eggs may be added to your lunch. The palace
car is more luxurious but e1pensve-the privil.
eyes are the greatest in the tourist car and you
feel more at home-cooking your own meals.
We pulled into Newton Iowa, Thursday m orn-
ing, and soon reached DesM oines, the Capital,
beautiful and business teeming city. The soil in
this locality is very rich. The next cities of i'm
portance reached was Atlantic City and Avoca.
Then came to Council Bluffs, with its high
electric tower which lights the whole town,
magnificent town surrounded by range of hills
from the west around to the northeast. Omaha,
thriving manufacturing city, and Lincoln, Neb.,
the Capital, and Fairbury are next reached.
Through this section the lands are more fertile
than we had yet seen, and just rolling enough to
carry off the water. 1t is during our slumbers
that we pass through the State of Kansas but at
about day break we wake up in Colorado, and by
the aid of good moon we began to take in the
great planes, and in the day light we could see
cattle and sheep ranches, thousands of head of
stock, and that the lands high and dry, no
irrigation, consequently wild grass, poor pasture
and swarms of kyotes and jack rabbits. We
passed through Lymon and Colorado Springs the
latter being one OF the finest towns on the route.
Here strike a, warm air for the first time and
the atmosphere is pure and light. We are in
sight of the Rocky Mountains and Pixies Peak.
This is where we change cars, or divide our party,
some going via. Midland railroad while we take
the Rio Grand railroad to Grand Jc. where we
join our party again. The route we took is GER
tainly grand, going south to Pueblo, thea west
through the grand canyon, the mountains and
| thrilling scenes on the cars as ne rolled along
over hanging bridges, through solid rock cuts
and great tunnels, viewing the grandest scenery
of nature, and l tried to scale the monster
heights my lame neck reminded me again of the
| Chicago skyscrapers.
We next touch Utah, near Salt Lake City, but
| soon reach the land of milk and honey-fine
fruit and fertile soil, where herds of thousands of
| sheep and cattle are grazing. Ogdon is next,
| where some Of our party change cars for WasL
| ington, and we go west around the lake, through
desert country of sage brush and alkali fats,
| toward Nevada mountains, the greatest sight on
| the trip. The winding, horse shoe curves as we
climb to the top, adds and gives zest to the beauty
! of dame nature, and the snow sheds and tunnels
makes the trip more thrilling. At last we are at
altitude of lO,O 600 feet and viewing beautiful,
| sparkling lake, the highest in the States. Here
| the mountains are covered with pine and fur
! timber. We descended the mountains and at
| nine o'clock, Sunday evening, reached Sacrimen-
| to, Cal, where we saw, for the first time, palm,
| orange and lemon trees, and where roses and all
| kinds Of flowers are in bloom.
| KAsPER SIPPgL,