The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-04-26
NED KELLER ABROAD

He is NOW dt n0n0IuIu Seeing the
Sights and Writes Interesting
ly of His Journey.
DEAR ONES AT HoME-Tll just jot down
a few of the impressions of my westward
trip, as perhaps they may interest some
of you. do not as yet feel enough
familiar with these islands to write my
impression of them.
We left Salt Lake City, March End.
Utah then was having tho most severe
snow storm of the season, six inches Of
snow covering the ground and more
falling. Arriving at Ogden, we found
all traffic delayed by recent heavy snow
in Montana, Wyoming and Colorado.
Getting out of Ogden some three hours
late, we crossed the famous "Lucien
cut Off on the S. P. r. r. which short
ened the route to San Francisco some
sixty miles at a cost of $3,000,000. The
lake at this point is about forty miles
wide and the road bed consists of a
trestle built upon solid rock foun-
dation formed by dumping train load
after train load of rock into the sea.
Now we begin speeding across a por-
tion of Americas great desert, and a
desolate barren waste it is, sand, alkali,
sage brush, the home of the coyote and
jack rabbit.
Nevada has the least population Of
any state in the Union and her re-
sources have been, until recently, con-
sidered as practically mill. But who
has not read with amazement of the
gold fields of Nevada, or of the govern
ment irrigation project, just completed,
in the Trullee river valley, opening to
settlement thousands of acres of arid
lands? These lands are mostly very
fertile when watered properly and pro-
duce crops to astonish one who has not
seen farming done under irrigation.
Nevada's store house of wealth has just
been opened, her deserts are made to
"blossom like the rose," and as the
irrigation project is in it's infancy. who
can say what the end may be? If this
can be said and truly said of Nevada,
the least of resourceful western states,
what cannot be said of the rest, where
every valley is "a garden spot" and
every mountain "a thing of beauty and
joy forever? Hidden in their depths
are untold quantities of the richest
minerals and ores, awaiting only the
ingenuity of man to commercialize.
With the coming of new railroads this
untold wealth will be developed. One
is builded, another is in course of con-
struction, two more are assured which
any one can confirm by consultig the
newspapers. And when the Panama
canal is completed thereby opening a
direct water way from coast to coast.
to say nothing of facilitating exporta-
tion and Importation, then will the west
receive her own and her natural re-
sources be fully developed. With a
climate and scenery that is known
world wide, and famous. Sought by
thousands in search of the beautiful and
health. The west has disappointed but
few.
Saturday morning, March Sd, we
reached the foothills and began climb
ing the Sierras. The scenery is pictur-
esque and beautiful. Pines and cedars
being the chief vegetation. Soon reach
ing the snow line with forty miles of
snow sheds at the summit. The snow
being from two to fifteen feet deep.
Thence down the other side reaching in
the early afternoon the region of Grass
valley where a great deal Of placer min
ing was done in the early fifties, and
where one yet secs, occasionally, miner
working placer claim. Whole mount
aims have been washed away in search
of the free gold that did abound along
the streams, but not being found in pay
ing quantities far back from the streams
bed. These lands on the California
slope are now being converted into
grape vineyards and peach groves. The
land, owing to the amount of oxides Of
iron found in it, being we'll adapted to
the growing of hardy variety of
peaches.
Soon we reached the sunny California
proper with her green trees, green
grass, peach blossoms, flowers and birds
galore and many evidences of the rainy
season as we neared Sacramento. The
Sacramento river overflowing the low
lands and swamps. Just beyond Sacra-
mento the railroad ran through what
seemed to be lake of water, and sure
ly here is the sportsman's paradise, for
the waters were black with ducks,
geese, snipe, cranes and various other
| water fowls.
AS we neared San Francisco the
evidence of California's excellent clim-
ate became more manifest. The grass
greener and more luxuriant, more bios
SONS and flowers and warm sunshine,
with plowing and seeding we'll under
way. Fall wheat and rye looking fine
and spring wheat most all sown.
Reaching Oakland pier about $3.50
o'clock Saturday evening we were fer
ried across the bay to San Francisco,
landing at the foot of Market street.
One may see other cities and other
streets and forget them, but there is
only one "Frisco" only one Market
street and once seen will never be for
gotten. Some people do not like San
Francisco, but let me say you can find
anything for which you look there, and
the good and the beautiful are every
where in evidence. San Francisco is
cosmopolitan from the water front on
the bay to the Cliff House on the Pacific
shore, and for me to attempt to describe
it would be folly.
Wo 4 = l,oJe -