The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-12-27
CROSSING THE ROCKIES.
DR.. SwartzweIder and Family Have Com.
pletcd Their Journey, and are Now
i on the Pacific Coast.
spENrADAY AYSErINGTHEGRAND CANON.

Reedley. Cal, Dec. l5.-We
left Galesturg, ILL.,, at p. M,
4th Inst, IN tourist sleeper.
The weather was fine and the sun
shined nice and warm, as it did
throughout our journey. The
scenery through the Mississippi
Valley is fine and the crossing of
the river is one that we will not
soon forget. The Mississippi Is
the longest river in the world,
but the Amazon the largest body
of water. The Mississippi runs
th' ough level country. Miles on
either side the land lies like a
floor, and rs low water mark Is
not many feet eelow the surface,
it is not strange that during high
water that miles of that beautiful
country isunder water. Wecross-
ed the river at Fort Madison and
the width is nearly one mile, We
crossed the Missouri river, which
is quite different from the former
as is clear water and the latter
ia muddy as our streams are IN
Fulton county after ha' d ram,
due TO the continual changing OF
the river bed 1t was getting
dak when we crossed the MISS
ouri river and dark when we run
into Kansas City. Kansas City
is beautiful place, about one,
fourth the size Of Baltimol e, Md.
but lies better and not so dense
ly built. (I have been there be.
fore). Alter leaving Kansas City
we took our berths Tor the night
and we-saw nGthIng, except in oui
dreams, and when we awoke,
WHICH was before day, we were
close the Colorado line. The land
in west stern Kansas, southeastern
Colorado, New Mexico, and Ari
bzlna IS waste prairie desert. A
distancs of probably 1000 miles.
Occasionally you see 2 herd of cat
lie, sheep or goats, mum berlng
from fifty to'five or SIX hundred
in each flock, and littlerude hut
made of plank, or an adobe house
one stfry high made of midland
poles-or mud alone, with mud
fiat roof. Some have two flat
roofs with a sran Of one or two
feet between. The upper one
some larger to keep the scorch.
ing sun oifths house. The build
ings either plank or adobe, are
built about 10.feet wide, Z high
and 90 to 30 feet long. Each build
lug has two apartments, one part
or about one half of the bulldog,
| presume, is u ed as a cooking
and eating department, and the
other half, for sleeping. The two
g buildings are set some len or
more feet apart, and this space is
covered by a continuous roof over
both buildings. / have seen some
rude buildings in Fulton county,
hut none TO compare with these.
These buildings are owned aod
used by the Mexicans, which Is
their ancient as we'll as their mod
ern method of building and liv,
ing.
In some parts of this desertre'
gion water is very scarce and
must be hauled in by the carload
for the stock as we'll as the people
and, therefore, 1t is bought and
sold at prices from 35 cents tt
81 per bbl. The towns through
this country are composed chief
ly of Chinese ard Mexicans. Oui
train carried no dining car from
Kansas City, and those Of us wht
took no food with us, had to stoI
at dining places along the read
Our fl st stop was alta Junti
(La Honta), Col, for breakfast
Mr.. Fred Harvey, said to be wortl
seven million dollars, owns sys
tenn of hotels from Kansas City
to Los Angeles, which are run OF
the American plan; also, luncl
counters. 1t Is said to be the I'm
est eating system in the world
and have found nothing better
Our next stop was at Trinidad
Co.,, for dinner, and g lunch TO
supper at Ration pass. Here tn
extreme altitude, which Is nearl'
5000 feet above sea level, cause'