The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-09-28
In the Far West.

ty years OnductOr on the southern 1tall-
way and still in the service. S. 5. Sllackle.
ton financial agent OF tho Consolidated
Mining Company, 5. S. Jones Engineer OF
the Seaboard road.
The morning after our departure our
train ran into a freight train at Barnesley,
Kentucky, demOlishing q cabOOse and four
box cars. We left st. Louis In the sleeper
which the night before had been held up
on leaving the yards by a solitary robber
who killed the fiagman and robbed all the
passengers OF the car.
We travelled by way of Nashville, st.
Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Salt Lake
City, Ogden to Battle Mountain a station
about $50 miles East Of Reno.
Except as to the character OF crops the
country east Of the Mississippi River does
not differ materially from South Carolina
and Georgia. After crossing the Mlssiss-
ippi some new phase OF soil and vegetation
wa constantly before the eye. The por,
lions of Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois aud
Indiana over which we travelled, we be-
lieve constituted the garden spot OF the
can raise corn enough to supply the world;
and the crop this year is exceptionally
good. Soil conditions change on passing
into Colorado. The greater portion OF this
state lying along the railroad seems bar
rem and sterile except near the water
courses, and through irrigated regions.
These irrigated areas produce bountiful-
places, and are usually bordered on either
side with desert sand. On all the cnltiva-
ted land seen from Colorado to Salt Lake
city, the principle crops were sugar beets
and alfalfa.
Except for these occasional irrigated
sections Of land, the city of Denver seems
to rise out of the desert. Denver, Is q
beautiful city. The streets are broad and
sanitary. The buildings are unsurpassed.
world. Large as it is, 1t is still wide open
as are all smaller mining towns.
It is doubtful II there. is a city
In the United States, where the
work Of the Salvation army is worse need
ed and where it would accomplish less.
Leaving Denver our way lead along the
Rocky Mountains for about 200 hundred
miles. The mountains on either side are
at varying distances from one to fifteen
miles from the road.
Such fantastic shapes as Eagle Rock,
Elephant Rock and Castle Rock, bearing a
striking resemblance to the things from
which they are named are pointed out be-
tween Denver and Colorado Springs. Time
and the process Of erasion have wrought
these figures out Of the towering noun
Pixies Peak, with its perpetual snow cap
Is pointed out near Colorado Springs.
yon city. Here we began crossing the
Rocky mountains through the Royal
Gorge.
It Is impossible to imagine a grander
sight than that which greets the eye In
passing through this gorge. Nature,
through the agency Of q river OF consider
able size, parted the solid rock, and open
ed the way to the great undeveloped west
The rail road track Is laid at the foot Of
the mountain along the river banks, wind
ing with the tortuous path Of the river.
On either side Of the river. and;almost per-
pendicular, the rugged mountain of solid
rock, rises in places to the height Of more
than 5000 feet.
Boulders as large as q small houses,
hang over the track here and there, ap-
parently so unsettled that one %involuntari-
ly squirms In passing under them. At
one point, known as Tennessee Pass. where
the train gains the higher elevation for
the western planes, the road bAdthreetimes
be seen at three places at one time. In
fortunately, u party passed this point
In the night going and coming.
Thu trip from Royal Gorge to Eutah
Valley, q distance Of several hundred miles
is the most desolate stretch Of land that
can be imagined. Over q stretch Of three
hundred miles we saw not a living crea-
ture saw one prairie dog. Desert on
mountain and prairie-desert everywhere.
would see what appeared to be q com pact
city OF towers and temples, Of which only
a partial view could be had between tall
peaks. Blu as with the mirage, the decep-
ton was only too plain on nearer ap-
proach. The spires and towns and tenn
Piles and arches are but the work Of nature
on the everlasting hills.
Emerging from this scene we're at last In
sight OF the irrigated lands of Utah Valley,
the land Of Brigham Young. For forty or
fifty miles below Salt Lake City and for
about the same distance above the city to
Ogden, our turning point, the country is
ideal. The valley is from ten to thirty
miles wide, and the most beautiful moun-
tains piled one on another, shut it'in. The
valley is literally an intaglio setting Of
green, bordered by mountains OF every
conceivable color, below whose submits
the very clouds may be seen resting.
cannot say whether or not the lower
valley vas sterile before the Morman's set
tied there. It is likely that they found con-
siderable vegetation there, for Utah Lake,
a fresh water lake. about twenty miles
long, lies along a good part Of the way.
This lake empties into Great Salt Lake.
We did not see Great Salt Lake until we
were approaching Ogden about 40 miles
north Of Salt Lake City. From that point
we crossed Great Salt Lake q distance Of
about 81 miles.
The construction of this road across
Great Salt Lake Is n Of the greatest
triumphs Of engineering that this country
has to Its credit. Over much OF the way
whole sides Of the mountain range have
been torn away and dumped into the sea
for a road bed; and In the deeper parts
trestling has been done. There is a rail.
way station building and other structural
work on made earth and trestle outin the
centre OF the lake. 1t 1t known as Mid.
lake
No living thing is found in the waters OF
this lake. Occasionally the fish out OF
Utah lake find their way into the Salt lake
They struggle out with the current until
they reach the salt i~mpregnated water
Such is the specific gravity OF the water
that a nan can not sink it. Without o
motion Of the body the salt water will
bear him up so that his head and shout
ders will be above the water.
After leaving Ogden, except for an Occa'
sional railroad station, the country to Bat
tie Mountain, our destination, is practical.
ly uninhabited. The State OF Nevada is
about three times as large as South Car
olina, and it has just a little larger popula.
ton than Abbev1lle County.
Much Of the valley land between Salt
Lake and Reno. by irrigation, may some
day be made very profitable, but it looks
rather forbidding at present. Look where
you will your vision Is hemmed In by
barren mountains. II is said that Nevada