Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-03-19
Letter From }. }. Ferguson.

LettCE TIOu1 De y. TcTSuSUu.
The late J. ]. Ferguson, formerly
of Lincoln township, who died at
Spokane recently from blood poison
caused by amputation of his leg.
wrote this letter home to his folks in
this county shortly before his death:
Spokane, Wash.
Jan. %, 1903.
We left Grand Junction at 200 p.
m. and.we could see nothing until day
light when we pulled up at Helper
We now pass through desert country
very similar to that we left in Grand
Valley, marked now and then by
small railroad towns. We now glide
on through canon after canon, seem
ingly surrounded by rough lands COW
cred with rocks and brush. Just be-
fore arriving at Thistle Junction we
passed a wreck of yesterday. Smoke
and debris marked the spot. We now
enter the Utah Valley, dotted with
good farms and farm buildings, fine
herds of cattle that indicate the
wealth of the country, in which is To-
Gated the town of Springoak. The
great Utah lake is also in this valley.
Salt Lake City is now reached, the
valley lying low. A great part 1T is
at present covered with wat9r Only
stopping few minutes here, we only
got a glimps of the city. Leaving Salt
Lake City, we enter into fine. but
rather poorly improved valley. Ar
rived at Ogden three hours later,
leaving there we soon enter the Bear
river country a very large and fine
valley, we'll stocked with cattle and
sheep.
Pocatello next reached is fine APP
pearing city, where one might well
pass the seven hours spent in waiting
for our train, only for the darkness of
the night with some rain.
After long night spent in waiting
we leave Pocatello, running for dis
lance of 245 miles of almost unbroken
desert. When we reach Nampa, which
shows some prosperity. we find are
some very nice places. We now pass
another wreck, another long stretch of
desert is passed and we reach Payette
of which so much has been said. On
leaving Payette we enter into what is
seemingly a pretty good farming
country; this land is watered by
Snake river which is very nice river
at this point. Now we have a canon,
now Skunk River Valley large and
very rich one, covered with a heavy
growth OF grass, large stack yards OF
wild hay, with upwards of twenty
thousand head of cattle, another can
on for few miles and Round Valley
is reached On the south edge OF this
valley is found the famous hot lakes
with fine large hotel and several
other buildings for the accommodation
of the great numbers which visit the
place.
As we leave this valley La Grande
confronts us, beautiful village, with
many fine buildings-here enter an
other canon. the mountains here are
not very high or rocky but covered
with nice growth OF pines, it is now
six O'Clock Pacific time and dark so
we cannot see much more until morn
ing.
We reach Umitalla Wash, at Up. m.
1t is sandy place on the Columbia
|river where SO. many of the fine fish
are found that eastern people have.
Five and half hours are spent in
waiting here then we take the 0. r. &
N. for Spokane, Wash, pass through
some very fine farming country with
extensive wheat fields that are green
and. nice, striking pine timber again
before reaching Spokane. This we
reach at 10:45 a. m. and are met by
relatives who give US drive over
the city and we view the beautiful
Spokane Falls which furnishes one oil
the best water powers in the world.
j. j. FERGUSON.