Year: 1874

several mountain ranges which foge.hel

 constitute the Rocky Mountains. which

 are sometimes denominated the back.

 boae of the Continent. The frs eleva-

 ton reached is Sherman, on the Black

 Hills. which is more than five hundred

 miles from Omaha and more than eight

 thousand feet above the level of the sea.

 These hills, though higher than any other

 on the route, are not the main cham of the Rocky Mountains, but spur which leads of from them in Mexico and which

 terminates in abrupt cliffs many miles north of Sherman. The next elevation attained is the summit of the main range, and IS reached by 8 passage through the celebrated Laramie Plains. The station here is named Creston, probably from the fact that it is on the crest of the noun tains. Between this elevation and that next named, the surplus waters are car ried by the Green river into the Gulf Of California. The next elevation attained is at Aspen, which is on the summit of the ridge dividing the waters which flow into the Gulf of California from those which flow into the Great Salt Lake The wri- ter of this article visited the Pacific coast in 1873. and perhaps some note of that journey, which included a visit to the city of Salt Lake and the trip across the Mormon territory. may he of interest to some of the readers Of the Enquirer:

 Tine distance from Aspen to Ogden, on the shores of the Salt Lake is, 1s5 miles, and the descent in that distance is more than twenty-five hundred feet. Leaving Aspen we soon fall into the valley of the Weber river and that conducts us to the shores of the great inland sea. The east ern boundary of the Salt Lake Valley is high range of snow-capped mountains known as the Washita range, and the pas sage of the Weber through this range of mountains is wild and wonderful. The water was at high flood which added great ly to the interest and wonder of the scene. A lonely pine tree stood at one point of the narrows, which is exactly one thousand miles from Omaha and sign board with very large lettering attached to the tree, indicates that fact. The rap- i'd transit of the train gave us very little time to read the sign, but enough was discovered to show that We were rapidly nearing the territory of the .Mormons. For forty miles the river rushes rapidly down to its banks on either hand, and at the outlet we reach Unita station, and are fairly within the Salt Lake Valley. Just before reaching this station we catch the first view of the Lake itself, some eight or ten miles distant. '

 The entrance into this valley discloses an instant change of scenery and of geo. graphical topography. Under Mormon industry it has become fertile and pro- ductive to remarkable degree The river had become placid, moving towards the great receptacle of it's waters in gen tie current and its banks were dotted with comfortable farmers residences. Crops of corn, wheat, oats and potatoes, gave promise of an abundant harvest, and all these were in sight of immense snow fields which crowned the summits of the bor- dering mountains. It is the melting away of these snow fields during the heat of summer which furnishes the supply of water for the irrigation of the valley, and which has converted it from n barren waste into garden Of fertility. Eight miles farther on we reach Ogden, from which place we take the cars for Salt Lake City. '..

 The great Salt Lake is about one hun dred and twenty-six miles long, and about forty-five miles wide, and embosoms sev- eral islands which appear from the shore to be all covered with wood. The gener- eral lay of it is from northesat at Ogden to southwest. A railroad was constructed from Ogden to the city immediately after the completion of the Pacific railroad, SO that communication with the great city is now very easy. The distance is thirty-six miles, and the course of the road, which runs for few miles near the lake, and for the remainder of the distance through very rich and highly cultivated country, is nearly south.

 The city is ten miles from the lake, and was laid out by Brigham Young in 1947, while it was yet in Mexican territory. He, with his associates had been driven from Iowa, and sought refuge in this seclud- ed valley, believing that he WAS beyond the reach of further intrusion. Large numbers of Mormons followed him and the last census shows that the territory then contained eighty thousand inhab- itants and Salt Lake City some ten or twelve thousand. It has most admira- ble location, descending very gently northeast, and it's wide streets are laid out with the greatest possible precision, at right angles with each other, and are kept in a very neat condition. A brisk stream O4 WuJCA A0A5 OA CtsCA 0I0C O1 t4C SbEOGt next to the curb stone, giving refreshing appearance to every part of the city.

 The tabernacle, the Mormon house of worship, is an immense building two hun dred and fifty feet long and one hundred and fifty wide, and over the whole inte- rior is spread single arch with no sup port but such as is furnished by the walls of the building. It will seat comfortably eight thousand worshippers, and it is we'll filled every Sabbath afternoon. The or gan is the largest in the world, save one, and the choir of singers is admirably trained. We attended an afternoon ser vice at this tabernacle, and the usual form of worship such as prayer, psalm singing and preaching, were observed. They eel