, 1906-02-06
WRITER HAD
FACILE PEN
EASTERN PAPERS ACCOUNT OF A
TRIP TO CHEYENNE THIRTY
EIGHT YEARS AGO.
Wyoming Was Then Part of Dakota
Territory and Cheyenne Was
Worse Than Julesburs-Major
General Sheridan and Spotted Tail
Were Passengers on the Train.

Were Passengers on the Train.
Friday The Republican printed a por-
ton of a note received from Mrs. Net
tie NJ. Jones of Rockton, Ill, referring
to a clipping she had found in an Did
newspaper in ner garnet. She did not
send the name of the paper and its
name is not revealed by the clipping.
The letter wal dated at Cheyenne "Da-
kota Territory" April s, 1868, and was
headed, Cheyenne, the Magic City.
1t is given Delow:
C%hroniclers of events .characterizing
past ages tell us that Rome was not
built in a day" but western cities alive
with western enterprise and the wild
est possible schemes, frequently are.
Cheyenne, termed the Magic City,"
located on the Union Pacific railroad, is
something over five hundred miles west
of omaha, in the exertme southern
part of Dakota Territory. Last July
not a house marked the spot; now the
population is estimated from five to
seven thousand, and rapidly increasing.
While Julesburg was, this is consider
ed one of the wickedest cities in the
world. Shooting is a very common oc-
currence. The vigilance committee has
already hung seventeen desperadoes.
This is the class hat wanders west
ward to deal with Indians. Walking
from the depot into the city Sunday ev-
ening, by the side of Father De Smet,
an eminent Catholic clergyman from
st. Louis, we passed dance-houses,
gambling dens and strolling theaters,
all in full blast. The venerable priest,
casting his eye into a filthy dance
house, said sighingly, and this is
Palm Sunday" The sight was dis
gushing to our civilization.
Entering the City Outskirts.
The grade OF the Pacific railroad
from Omaha west averages a little over
eleven feet to the mile; hence the al
titude of Cheyenne is over six thou
sand feet above the level of the ocean.
A few miles outside the city, in pas.
sing through railroad cuts, the snow
cars. Merging therefrom, the scenery
in the distance was absolutely magnif-
icent. The sky, first red, then purple
and crimson by turns, and then again
all afame like a measureless sea of
fire, beggars our descriptive powers. A
little to the southwest were the snowy
mountains, a spun of the Rocky noun
tains, in full view. Sunbeams yearly
coax and kiss them in vain. They are
mantled in perpetual SHOWS. The vast
plains nj foot hills about Cheyenne,
covered with buffalo grass, are timber
less, and through them move the slow
yet clear waters of Crow creek, making
for the South Platte.
Rush At the Depot.
The news preceding that four major
generals, with sundry other army Off
GERS decked in buttons, bars and stars,
together with Spotted Tall and some
fifteen of his warriors, were aboard
the train, the crowd at the depot was
immense and wildly b%oistrous. General
Sheridan and the Sioux chief, Spotted
Tail" were the two lions of the occa-
sion. The multitude would not be pac-
flied till the general had spoke a few
words from the balcony. Be it said to
his praise he favors the peace policy
of the government toward the Indians.
The Summit.
The commissioners holding a private
session yesterday for future arrange
ments the present Dakota governor, A.
~. Faux, who Joined the party at
North Platte, proposed that We accom-
pany him to the summit. Conserving,
after a few hours ride, tiresome, yet
really romantic n grand, we stood
upon the summit-the highest railroad
eminence in the world, and the high,
est point Of crossing between Omaha
and a Francisco. 1t is fourteen miles
west of C~armichael's station; the grade
ninety feet to the mile from Cheyenne;
the situation is on Evans pass, and
the location eight thousand two hun,
bred and ninety feet above tide-water
actually higher, batting the peaks,
than the main ridge of the Rocky
mountains. The prospect from this lof-
ty eminence was truly sublime. The
sky clear, the atmosphere bracing and
eXhilarating, the mountains fringed
with clouds and capped with SHOWS;
the whole scene was t~ranscendently