Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1910-02-03

which are the Mormon Temple aud
Tabernacle. The Salt Palace, The
Catholic Cathedral. the City aud
County building and Fort Douglas.
To the westward ccould be seen the
waters OF the Great Salt Lake spark
ling like myriads OF diamonds as the
setting sun cast its last glimmering
rays upon them in one Of those glori-
Gus golden sunsets so striking in
the west. These waters are six
times more salty than that OF the
ocean and are only inhabited by q
minute shrimp. After a pleasant
visit hsre, We went 10 OGDEN and
remained there few days. From
Ogden We went TO Logan and spent
more than two weeks there visiting
friends and old acquaintances OF
Mr.. Nelson. While there We at
tended a College ball and banquet
and went on several rabbit hunts
The rabbit hunts are noted features
peculiar TO the west. Often several
thousandraooits are killed in DAYS
hunt by large number OF men and
boys who form q semicircle on the
prairie and closed into a large cor
raj or stocksde driving the rabbits
before them. We enjoved this s. port
immensely. On the afternoon OF
Dec. Is, while sitting in the plrlor
pleasantly talking Of our success 10
the rabbit hunts. everything 10
the house began shaking violep.
tly and we realized quickly
that 1t was an earthquake shock.
People said this was mild one how
ever compared with some of the
forty shocks which had been felt in
Salt Lake Valley in the last three
months. These shocks are usually
preceded by about one minute by a
fearful noise resembliugthe approach
OF high wind. This was a novel
sensation and one which is entirely
different from any o. her disturbance
l have ever experienced.
After a very pleasant visit in
Cssche county. wading in deep snow
and seeing the thermometer regis
ter Is degrees below zero, we left on
Southern Pacific at Ogden for Cali
fornia. We took the new route over
Great Salt Lake. which crosses for.
ty-two miles of water, many parts
OF which are 30 feet deep. This is
remarkable piece Of scane-y cod
is the greatest mileage of railroad
over water in the United States. On
small steamboat near the track
could be seen thick sheet OF crys-
tslized salt which had been deposit
ed there by the brinv water OF the
Lake. Great salt cicIes were seen
hanging from every projection along
the lake S edge. After crossing ,he
lake, we crossed a great barren
waste known as the Great Ameri-
can Desert" where everything is
waste and desols:ion, and no form
OF life could be seen save an occa-
sionsl lean and hungry coyote stink
Ing away in the underbrush. The
following morning found US slowly
climbing the great Sierras amidst a
heavy snow storm. Great groves OF
pine could be seen along the track
which looked like ghosts in their
mantles OF white. For forty miles
near the summit OF this range IL has
been found necessary to erect grea.
snow-sbeds over the track 10 keep
1t from becoming buried in snow in
the winter time. Here, were ten
feet OF snow. The clouds seemed n
cling close to the mountain tops. and
when sometimes they rose for a short
pnc' OCooiiuI pdDOTd'nd W. u q
present itself to cur gaze While
passing down the western slope we
soon passed below the snow line.
and could see numerous bills which
had been washed away by the early
placer miners. AS we approached
the Sacramento Valley, the snow
changed TO rain and he ground was
covered with green grass and fow-
ers. Great orchards stretched be-
yond our vision in every direction.
These were replaced by extensive
VINEYARDS. lower down in the VALLEY
aud also by orange and lemon trees.
bending low with their heavy load
OF go den fruit.
After remaining in Sacramento
sometime, we travelled south TO Ma
dera. our headquarters, for the win.
ter months. Here the air is warm
and inviRorating and always filed
with sweet perfume from the ever.
blooming roses and myriads OF other
flowers that abound. Here also the
beautiful palms and Eucaly ptus tow.
er high into the sky and grea, ouan
titiec OF fks. olives, lemons, oranges
peaches and grapes are produced
The valley is almost four hundred
miles long and about one hundred
miles wide. 1t is level and is sur.
rounded bv the Sierras on the E,s,