Year: 1869

dition Of PART of the Track-cencra
Order of the Road Tho Staiions--The DE
teniion oil DIR. Durant by the Workmen-
Summary.


OMAHA, Neb. May 8, 1869.
THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD.
in my last from wahsatch did not hesitate to 81
| all that saw OF the railroad from that point Il


lis western terminus. fully set forth all ITS short


coming but at the same time I explained tn


reasons therefor. and gave every reasonable hop


that in q few months the defects would be rcmedie,


aud the road put in first rae order and ready for al


the business Offering. Now that have gone over IL


entire length, will not fail to give my mpre ons


OF everything, and viii try come as near the ith


as Is possible ior one who has not examined 1t il


detail.


From Wahsatch to Piedmont the road was in th


same horrible condition as the western portion anC
for the same reason. The rails were up and dowl
ike miniature waves and the track in anything bu
straight lines. For miles on either side were wrecks


OF cars that had either over themselves or wer,
thrown over to get them OF the way after having
broken down. In one place locomotive was lyins
bottom up some thirty feet down an embankment
and from its rusty condition l should think it hac
been there for some time. Indeed, can say moth
ing in favor OF this thirty mine miles, it was horrible
and unfit Tor anything but temporary use. strong
1
when 1t will be safe for any work Whatever.


From Piedmont there Is a rapid Improvement and
by the time we reach Wash-a-kie, 2l5 miles. and
from there 10 Omaha 900 miles, 1t is equal In all re
spects to any road have ever passed over in the
United States. Indeed, 1 never moved a
high rate Of speed with so much ease
as on this portion Of the Union Pacific
Railroad; nor do l think it possible to Obtain
anything much better. There was no Earring, lot
ing or excessive lateral motion. We appeared to
glide along the iron as If sliding and really en-
Joyed the ride by reason Of Its being such contrast
to what we had passed over on the western end. II
the company deserve censure for the last division
they certainly deserve credit for the first 500 miles
and doubt If even the greatest fault finder could
IND word to say against 1t. To be sure, on very
large portion The construction Ia quite easy in fact
there Is little else to do than lay the rails and when
laid, they are easily rendered permanent; but with
all this some difficulties had to be encountered and
they have been surmounted in o very credltable
manner.


The maximum grade Of the Union Pacific road
excepting where the temporary track is laid to
cross the Wahsatch Mountains, Is ninety feet to the
mile. even wnen crossing the summit OF the Rocky
Mountains, at an altitude Of over 5000 feet and the
officers contend that II they had confined them
selves to the grade allowed by the law
VIZ, lis feett would have saved S. OOO 900 IN the
construction Of the road but they Thought this to be
lalse economy, and preferred to cut down as much
as possible In order to work the line more economi
cally by being able to haul heavier trains, and
STOCK The bridges on this portion of the line ap-
pear to be permanent structures, although the
builder complained OF bad masonry by reason OF
poor stone being used in the abutments.


THE COUNTRY.


May be preserved from ever passing through
again such wilderness as l did between Piedmont
and Bitter Creek. Bad as the sage brush and akali
were, this was far worse. Nothing could euual this
scene OF utter desolation Mountain and valley were
all the same rock, and sand and alkal without one
kedeemlng feature, without one blade Of grass to
make an oass in this great desert. There Is sta
ton beyond Bitter Creek called Red Desert and well
deserves its name. Here for miles, as far as tile eve
can reach, Is level country Of dark red color that
is nohing but EARTH earth earth; not sign OF vege
lation In sight. was glad when night came on aud
ND such desolate dreary locality from view.


AT da yllght the next morning we were at Lara
ME- aa,t herap.he view had somewhat improved;
here was some sign OF grass growing aud It was
indeed u easant to view u few cattle grazing that
could find enough to sustain life. Soon after leaving
Laramie We commenced the ascent OF the Black
Hills, and ~ 6:25 A. NJ. sherman, little
village on the summit thousand feet higher than
nately dense log had set in, which obscured every
thing ut any dA tance from the road. Enough could
very hne vieA' could be obtained from this
point. Those WHO have been here say that the
sight is very gra nd and that Pixies PEAK,
hundred miles or more TO the southward, Is
distinctly visible nere was the turning point and
We went rapidly dow n hill, reaching Cheyenne at
lalf-past eight A NJ, on time, Thirty hours from
Nahsatcb. / neglected TO say tnat on passing the
summit some few patches Of SLOW were fallen
n with, but they will soon meNt. We saw
lothing like the quantity we did the Sierra
Nevada Mountains. Snow sheds have not been
dopted this road fences have been made on
'revent drift snow from blowing in and filling them
p, which was the cause Of the blockade last win
er. They have been found 10 answer well on other
Dads and may here, but Tor my part prefer the
npd8. x

CHEYENNE appears to be thriving place. 1t is the
'ort Of entry for Denver CITY, to winch point Wells,
largo a Co. run daily line OF stages. Near II u
'ort Russell military post OF some extent but hav
ng at present only small garrison, merely enough
o keep the Indians in check should they feel ds- |
'osed to make raid in this vicinity. Leaving |
'heyenne we are on the Plains proper and in the |
and OF the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians the tribes |
hat have for so long gwen us much trouble. Here
he bufiao used to In his native freedom by the
ems OF thousands, and the numerous skulls that are
net with show where some bull has fallen by the ar
Ow OF the Indian or the unerrng rife OF the hunter
We had gone but few miles out when, on our left,
lx anteopes were seen about half o mile from the |
rack. AS as the sound Of the train was heard
II they started nearly parallel with 1t. The race
vas tough, for they are very feet, faster than |
cry fast horse; but the iron animal dstanced them,
nd the last we saw OF the beautiful creatures they
Tere still ieeng from what they doubtless supposed |
Tas some great danger Another herd was seen in |
he afternoon but they are getting scarce or rather
hey keep away from the line oil the road, like the
uiialo scarcely one OF the latter being ever seen





swarm In this vicinity and they still do north and
outh; but they Keep away from where the white |
lan has made such inroads upon their domain.
Here where expected 10 see Indians, not one was
o be seen except the Pawnees who acting /
ncle sans scouts. These being dressed In his livery
lst all their cnarIn; they became nothing but DARK
JOking, dirty soldiers. Ii Is the friendly and low
.rade OF lndiaDs only that hover about the camps
md stations; the warke trbes-those OF the Sioux /
rder VINO although at peace mean war whenever /
be opportunity oners-keep away, and II they make
heir appearance It is only on an unfriendiY VISIT
mere the chance is offered to take one or more |
calps, or run or more or less stock.
10 describe one mile OF "the Plansr Is 10 describe
H. vast expanse OF territory almost as level as o
oaru covered by growth OF coarse grass, without
to he seen anywhere Will give pretty correct
lea Of them. occasionally nil or ex-
mt OF high table land may be seen 70 the
outward, and glance may be caught
the Platte river, but beyond this IL
as much like the ocean as possible. St with all
= monotony, It was barely preferable ~ the desert |
e had passed through the day before OF course,
o slgn OF nabtaton Is visible beyond the com /
any's station and section houses, and you ride
undreds Of miles through this singular country
Imost alone where If an accident were 10 happen,
lere would oe none 10 come To your aid until word
oald be sent to the next station. ON this road, ike