GIFT OF 
 
 tV 
 
 mfru^ 
 
 University of California Berkeley 
 
A SOUVENIR 
 
 OF THE 
 
 mitron 
 
 OF 
 
 RAILROAD AGENTS, 
 
 1870. 
 
 BY ONE OF THE PARTY. 
 
 ALBANY: 
 
 WEED, PARSONS AND COMPANY, PRINTERS. 
 
O F 
 
 57 
 
 438943 
 

CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Introduction, 5 
 
 Initiation of Excursion, - 7 
 
 Chicago to Omaha, - - IO 
 
 Arrival at Omaha, - - 12 
 
 Officers and Offices of U. P. R. R., 14 
 
 The Start, *4 
 
 Fac Simile of Tickets (opp.), *5 
 
 List of Excursionists, 15 
 
 Platte River, - - 20 
 
 Cheyenne, 23 
 
 Denver, - 23 
 
 Rocky Mountains, - 27 
 
 The Inside of the Train, - 28 
 
 Fort Fred. Steele, 3 1 
 
 Evening Pleasures, 3 2 
 
 Echo and Weber Canons, - 34 
 
 Salt Lake City, - 3 6 
 
 Ogden, - 38 
 
 Programme, .---------39 
 
 Central Pacific Railroad, - - 4O 
 
 Central Pacific Divisions, - 4 1 
 
 Indians, - ... 43 
 
 Humboldt Canon, - - 44 
 
 Approaching the Sierras, - 45 
 
 The Summit, - 47 
 
 Cape Horn, 49 
 
PAGE. 
 
 Sacramento, - . 5 1 
 
 San Francisco, - - 52 
 
 Sight Seeing, ...54 
 
 Neilson's Speech, _ . 55 
 
 Chinese Quarters, --.--.... eg 
 
 Trip down the Coast, - 60 
 
 San Mateo, - 61 
 
 Fair Oaks, Merilo Park and Belmont, 64 
 
 The Bay and the Golden Gate, - . 66 
 
 Last Day, - . 7I 
 
 Resolutions, ---.--..-..72 
 
 Dinner, Grand Hotel, --74 
 
 Return, --------..._ 75 
 
 Alta and Donner Lake, -------- 77 
 
 Presentation, Humboldt, ---.---. 77 
 Arrival at Ogden, - - .... - 81 
 
 An Affecting Incident, --------- 82 
 
 Ogden to Sidney, _ ... - 83 
 
 Railroad Material and Lands, _,__-__ gc 
 Incidents, -----..__. -87 
 Near the Terminus, --.-.._. 88 
 
 Pacific Roads, ----.__. - 89 
 
 Separation, - ..-.... gi 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 F I "AHE excursion of September, 1870, of railroad 
 -" officials over the Pacific Railways, was so perfect 
 and so pleasurable to its participants, that, before the 
 breaking up of the party at Omaha, many of them 
 requested the author to compile and write a brief his- 
 tory of that wonderful trip. 
 
 The writer pretends to no peculiar skill as a chron- 
 icler of events. He hopes, in these few pages, only to 
 bring to mind and preserve some of the pleasurable 
 incidents, and a general outline of what was to the 
 participants the brightest and most enjoyable tour of 
 their lives. 
 
 The route, which the party traversed, has in guide 
 books and by correspondents been described, both 
 generally and in detail. There will be, then, no 
 attempt in the within to any thing more than a mere 
 glancing description of the places and scenes along 
 
the route, as necessarily connected with the history 
 of the excursion. 
 
 In preparing these pages the writer acknowledges 
 his indebtedness to the reports of newspaper corre- 
 spondents for many connected facts as regards time 
 and place in relation to the excursion. 
 
INITIATION OF EXCURSION. 
 
 The following invitations were issued by the Union 
 and Central Pacific Railroad Companies to the general 
 passenger, ticket and freight agents of the railroads 
 of the United States and Canadas: 
 
 CENTRAL AND UNION PACIFIC R. R. LINE. 
 
 GENERAL PASSENGER OFFICE, U. P. R. R., ) 
 OMAHA, Nebraska, August 15^, 1870. ' 
 DEAR SIR : 
 
 The general officers of the Central and Union Pacific Railroads unite 
 in extending to you a most cordial invitation to join in a special excur- 
 sion of the general passenger, ticket and freight agents of the railroads 
 of the United States and Canadas. 
 
 A special train of palace sleepers will leave Omaha fifteen days 
 previous to the sitting of the general ticket agents' convention at 
 Milwaukee ; and return in time to accommodate those wishing to attend 
 that meeting. 
 
 The train will pass, en route, Great Salt Lake City, the canons of the 
 Rocky Mountains, the passes of the Sierras, and other points of interest 
 by daylight. 
 
 Please intimate to the general passenger office of the U. P. R. R. at 
 Omaha, by September 1st, your acceptance of this joint invitation, that 
 suitable arrangements may be made. You will be notified of the day 
 and hour of departure from Omaha, as soon as the date of the general 
 ticket agents' convention is definitely fixed. 
 
 We trust you will find it convenient to join the excursion, and unite 
 pleasure and rest with business, while studying the new relations exist- 
 ing between the great states and territories west of the Missouri river, 
 and the older states of the South and East ; and more especially the 
 questions and necessities arising from the new routes opened up by the 
 Pacific Railway, in connection with the several steamship lines estab- 
 
8 
 
 lished between San Francisco and the Transpacific ports of India, 
 China, Japan, Australia and the Sandwich Islands ; and the ports of the 
 North and South Pacific. 
 
 A correct knowledge of all the important facts connected with these 
 new developments can only be obtained by personal investigation. 
 Every railway on the continent is intimately interested. Union and 
 co-operation is required to utilize the advantages arising from the posi- 
 tion of our country in relation to the carrying trade between the con- 
 tinents on either side. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 T. H. GOODMAN, FRANCIS COLTON, 
 
 G. P. A. C. P. R. R. G. P. A. U. P. R. R. 
 
 C. W. SMITH, WM. MARTIN, 
 
 G. F. A. C. P. R. R. and G. F. A. U. P. R. R 
 
 President General Freight Agents' Association. 
 
 I heartily indorse and recommend the above invitation. 
 
 A. A. BARNES, 
 President General Ticket Agents'* Convention. 
 
 NOTE. The wives of the invited officers are included in the above 
 invitation. 
 
 Sixteen days after the issue of the foregoing invita- 
 tion, the time of the general ticket agents' conven- 
 tion at Chicago being fixed, the following notification 
 was sent forth : 
 
 UNION AND CENTRAL PACIFIC RAILROAD LINE. 
 
 GENERAL PASSENGER DEPARTMENT, UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD, ) 
 OMAHA, Nebraska, August yist, 1870. ( 
 
 DEAR SIR : 
 
 Respectfully referring to the invitation from this line of August I5th, 
 1870, asking you to join in an excursion to the Pacific, you are hereby 
 notified that a SPECIAL TRAIN, for the conveyance of those invited, will 
 leave Omaha, September 1 3th, arriving in San Francisco, Sunday, i8th, 
 or Monday, iQth, according to stops en route as the party may wish to 
 make. Returning, leave San Francisco, Friday evening, 23d, arriving 
 in Omaha 27th, and Chicago 28th. 
 
If you should wish to remain in San Francisco a longer time than that 
 indicated above, you can come earlier than the regular day of starting. 
 
 Jos. YOUNG, Esq., General Superintendent of the Utah Central Rail- 
 road, unites in the invitation, and will take the special train over his 
 road to Salt Lake City and return. 
 
 Very respectfully Yours, 
 T. H. GOODMAN, FRANS. COLTON, 
 
 G. P. A. C. P. R. R. G. P. A. U. P. R. R. 
 
 Immediately on the issue of the foregoing notifica- 
 tion, the following generous invitations from roads in 
 immediate connection with the Union and Central 
 Pacific, were sent to all who had been invited by the 
 latter : 
 
 CIRCULAR No. 22. 
 
 CHICAGO, ROCK ISLAND AND PACIFIC RAILROAD, ) 
 CHICAGO, September ist, 1870. ) 
 
 DEAR SIR : 
 
 This road, in connection with the Union and Central Pacific Rail- 
 roads, extends to the general freight, ticket and passenger agents of 
 your road a cordial invitation to join in the excursion to the Pacific 
 coast, leaving Chicago on Monday, September I2th, and arriving at 
 San Francisco, Sunday, September 1 8th, or Monday, September igth. 
 Returning, the special train will leave San Francisco Friday evening, 
 23d, arriving at Chicago in time for the general ticket agents' conven- 
 tion on the 28th. 
 
 The ladies of the officers mentioned above are included in this invi- 
 tation. Respectfully, 
 
 E. ST. JOHN, 
 
 General Ticket Agent. 
 
 Approved, LEWIS VIELE, 
 
 HUGH RIDDLE, General Freight Agent. 
 
 General Superintendent* 
 
 CHICAGO, BURLINGTON AND QUINCY RAILROAD COMPANY, \ 
 CHICAGO, September 5, 1870. ^ 
 DEAR SIR : 
 
 Presuming that you will accept the invitation of the Union and Cen- 
 tral Pacific Railroads for their excursion from Omaha to San Francisco, 
 it gives us pleasure to extend the courtesy of the Chicago, Burlington 
 and Missouri River Railroad line from Chicago to Omaha and return, 
 for yourself and lady. 
 
 2 
 
IO 
 
 Our train, with Pullman's palace cars will leave Chicago, Monday, 
 I2th inst., at 10:45 A - M -> and connect with special train from Omaha on 
 the 1 3th. 
 
 Hoping to have the pleasure of your company, 
 
 We are, very respectfully, 
 
 SAM'L POWELL, 
 
 General Ticket Agent. 
 E. R. WADSWORTH, 
 
 General Freight Agent. 
 
 A similar generous invitation was issued from the 
 office of the Chicago and North-western Railway, 
 signed by H. P. Stanwood, G. T. A., and other offi- 
 cers of the road. 
 
 CHICAGO TO OMAHA. 
 
 By the I2th of September there had gathered at 
 Chicago a majority of the party destined for the Pacific. 
 On that morning, bright and beautiful, extra palace 
 cars were attached for the accommodation of the ex- 
 cursionists, on each of the three railways leading to 
 Council Bluffs. 
 
 Some chose one route and some another, more from 
 local curiosity and companionship than from partiality 
 to either route. The party was about equally divided. 
 The writer went by the Chicago and Rock Island road, 
 and was a recipient, with twenty other favored ones, of 
 the kind attentions and multiplied favors of Mr. E. St. 
 John, the gentlemanly general ticket agent of that road. 
 It was a day of unalloyed pleasure. 
 
II 
 
 How could it be otherwise ? Passing through the 
 two great agricultural states, Illinois and Iowa, in a 
 regal car, perfect in all its appointments, surrounded 
 by a genial, sensible company, and a perfect autumn 
 day, and you have all the conditions possible for enjoy- 
 ment. And we did enjoy it, thanks to the road and 
 the gentleman who acted as our host We shall never 
 forget him, and his amiable and intelligent wife. 
 
 Equally pleased and elegantly cared for were those 
 of our number who took the other routes. Mrs. 
 Evarts, in the Chicago Journal, thus speaks of their ride 
 over the North-western : " In the first place, a brand- 
 new car. No second-hand upholstery no dingy 
 hangings and battered wood-work for us. The wheeled 
 palace we occupied was fresh from the shops. We 
 were the sharers of its virgin trip. H. P. Stanwood, 
 the courteous ticket agent of the North-western, lost 
 no opportunity of making us feel at home and com- 
 fortable. The day sped delightfully away in chatting, 
 reading, or looking out upon the beautiful country, 
 as it flashed by in endless panorama of hill, forest and 
 meadow." 
 
 A like report did we hear from those who took the 
 Burlington and Quincy route, under the charge of Mr. 
 Samuel Powell, general ticket agent. All spoke in 
 the highest terms of attentions shown them, and the 
 comfort and pleasure experienced on that road. 
 
12 
 
 ARRIVAL AT OMAHA. 
 
 At ten o'clock on the morning of the I3th, we 
 reached the banks of the Missouri at Council Bluffs. 
 As we stepped from our palace home, on the landing, 
 we heard the whistles of the trains which bore our 
 fellow excursionists from Chicago, and saw them with 
 us, carpet bags in hand, hastening for the same ferry- 
 boat to cross the river into Omaha. We thought to 
 ourselves, well, railroading is at least approaching 
 perfection, when three trains coursing over five 
 hundred miles, often separated in their routes an 
 hundred miles or more, traversing a widely different 
 region of country, and yet reaching a given point 
 within ten minutes of each other. There are not, 
 probably, in this country three better equipped and 
 worked railroads than the Chicago and Rock Island, 
 the Chicago and North- western, and the Chicago, 
 Burlington and Quincy. 
 
 Crossing the river, we were met at the landing by a 
 committee of the Common Council of the city. Car- 
 riages were furnished us, many of them private. 
 Here we spent two hours riding through the streets 
 of this wonderful town a town of but a few brief 
 years, yet now with all the appointments of an old 
 city substantial buildings, fine blocks of stores, 
 street railroads, elegant hotels, etc. We rode to the 
 
13 
 
 court-house hill, where we enjoyed a fine view of the 
 country. Council Bluffs lying at the foot of the hills 
 from which the town takes its name, the winding 
 Missouri for miles around us, the swarming town and 
 the busy levee, met the vision. 
 
 At twelve o'clock we were driven to the Wyo- 
 ming House, where dinner was prepared for us. While 
 the party were partaking of this ample repast, G. W. 
 Frost, Esq., who had acted in the capacity of purchas- 
 ing agent for the Union Pacific road, and by whose 
 persevering efforts the road was furnished with early 
 supplies, in a short and appropriate speech introduced 
 the councilmen to the excursionists. Mr. E. A. Allen, 
 president of the city council, followed. They both 
 extended the cordial greeting of the city to us all, 
 regretting that our stay was to be so short and our 
 opportunities for seeing so limited. Some of the party 
 expressing the wish to make some acknowledgment 
 for this unexpected reception, Mr. Allen replied: 
 " Gentlemen, the train leaves at 12.20; we will do the 
 talking; we expect you to do the eating." 
 
 It would be difficult to exaggerate the courtesy, the 
 heartiness of our reception in the city of Omaha. It 
 was as gratifying as unexpected. Long flourish Oma- 
 ha and her generous citizens. 
 
 The Union Pacific Railroad Company, to whom, in 
 connection with the Central Pacific, we were indebted 
 
for the grand excursion upon which we were about to 
 enter, have their principal offices at Omaha, the east- 
 ern terminus of their road. Its officers and offices are 
 as follows : 
 
 OFFICES AND OFFICERS OF U. P. R. R. 
 
 OLIVER AMES, President, Boston, Mass. 
 JOHN DUFF, Vice-President, " 
 J. M. S. WILLIAMS, Treas., 
 
 E. H. ROLLINS, Secretary, 
 
 C. G. HAMMOND, General Superintendent, Omaha, Neb. 
 C. W. MEAD, Assistant Gen'l Superintendent, 
 J. R. NICHOLS, Assistant Superintendent, 
 S. H. H. CLARK, Supt. Platte Division, 
 
 C. H, CHAPPEL, Supt. Lodge Pole Division, Cheyenne, W. T. 
 L. FILLMORE, Supt. Laramie & Utah Divs., Laramie, W. T. 
 T. E. SICKLES, Chief Engineer. 
 
 F. COLTON, General Passenger Agent, Omaha, Neb. 
 B. R. KEIM, Assistant General Passage Agent, 
 WM. MARTIN, General Freight Agent, Omaha, Neb. 
 H. BROWNSON, Assistant General Freight Agent. 
 A. S. DOWNS, Local Treasurer. 
 
 JOS. W. GANNETT, Auditor. 
 
 I. H. CONGDON, Superintendent Motive Power. 
 
 GEO. E. STEVENS, Master Car Builder. 
 
 D. MARTIN, Supt. Bridge Building and Water Departments. 
 T. W. COOKE, General Agent, Ogden. 
 
 J. J. DICKEY, Supt. Telegraph, Omaha, Neb. 
 O. F. DAVIS, Land Commissioner. 
 
 PRINCIPAL OFFICES: Railroad Building, Omaha, Nebraska. Sear's 
 Building, Boston, Mass. 
 
 The Union Pacific road comprises the Platte, Lodge 
 Pole, Laramie, and Utah Divisions. 
 
 THE START. 
 
 After leaving our hospitable friends, we were driven 
 to the train, which was to convey us to Ogden, Utah 
 Territory, the terminus of the Union Pacific. Even to 
 railroad men that train was a pleasant novelty. It was 
 
RAILROAD LINE. 
 
 OF THK 
 
 (General g auget, irfeet and Jreigltt 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNITED STATES AND CANADAS. 
 
 Omaha to San Francisco and Return. 
 
 Joriflr. 
 
 T. H. GOODMAN, 
 
 G. V. A. C. P. R. R. 
 
 FRANS. COLTON, 
 
 Good until Sept. 15, '70, Westward. \ Good until Oct. 10/70, Eastward. 
 
 ^M 
 
15 
 
 truly, as Mr. Colton, the passenger agent of the road, 
 designated it, " the fancy train." It consisted of five 
 Pullman palace drawing-room and sleeping cars, one 
 smoking car and one baggage car. Two of the coaches 
 were new, with stationary organs, couches and easy 
 chairs and all of them palaces of luxury and comfort. 
 
 In these splendid residences, on wheels, we were 
 soon comfortably housed. Before moving off on the 
 long road before us, a ticket was handed to each one 
 of the party. It was elegantly gotten up, and inclosed 
 in book covers, with appropriate superscriptions on its 
 lids. (See fac simile of ticket on opposite page.) 
 
 The following list of the party was consummated at 
 San Francisco, most of whom were on the train at 
 Omaha. A few joined us at Denver, Salt Lake City 
 and Ogden. 
 
 LIST OF EXCURSIONISTS. 
 
 Joseph W. Allen, General Ticket Agent W. J. and C. M. and M. Rail- 
 roads, Camden, New Jersey. 
 
 W. R. Allen, General Ticket Agent Iron Mountain Railroad, St. Louis, 
 Missouri. 
 
 Chas. H. Abbott, General Freight and Ticket Agent Cincinnati & 
 Muskingum Valley R. R., Zanesville, Ohio. 
 
 James F. Aglar, General Manager Far West Fast Freight Line, St. 
 Louis. 
 
 Mrs. Jas. F. Aglar. 
 
 John N. Bofinger, President St. Louis and New Orleans Packet Co., 
 St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 Mrs. John N. Bofinger. 
 
 Wm. H. Bryant, General Ticket Agent Rutland and Burlington and 
 Vermont Valley Railroad, Rutland, Vermont. 
 
i6 
 
 E. B. Byington, General Ticket Agent Merchants' Southern Packet 
 
 Line, St. Louis. 
 
 Geo. A. Brown, General Ticket Agent Cheshire Railroad, Keene, N. H. 
 H. P. Baldwin, General Passenger Agent Allentown Line, New York. 
 Mrs. H. P. Baldwin. 
 Mrs. O. L. Baldwin. 
 Mrs. M. E. Barnes, La Porte, Indiana. 
 
 E. A. Brown, General Ticket Agent Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg 
 
 Railroad, Fitchburg, Mass. 
 Mrs. E. A. Brown. 
 O. E. Britt, General Freight Agent Milwaukee and St. Paul R. R., 
 
 Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 
 Mrs. O. E. Britt, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 
 Miss Kate E. Britt, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 
 James C. Boyden, General Freight and Ticket Agent Saint Paul and 
 
 Sioux City Railroad, St. Paul, Minnesota. 
 W. W. Botkin, Correspondent Chicago Times. 
 
 F. Chandler, General Ticket Agent St. Louis, Vandalia, Terre Haute 
 
 and Indianapolis Railroad, St. Louis. 
 Miss M. L. Chandler, Chicago. 
 Mrs. Henry Crocker, Memphis, Tennessee. 
 E. J. Cartledge, St. Louis and St. Joseph Railroad General Freight 
 
 and Ticket Agent, Saint Joseph, Missouri. 
 Mrs. E. J. Cartledge. 
 D. O. Calder, General Freight and Ticket Agent Utah Central Railroad, 
 
 Salt Lake City. 
 
 Ann H. Calder, Salt Lake City. 
 
 W. W. Chandler, Agent Star Union Line, Chicago, Illinois. 
 Mrs. W. W. Chandler. 
 Lewis Carvell, General Superintendent Government Railways in New 
 
 Brunswick, St. John, New Brunswick. 
 
 George Q. Cannon, Editor Deseret Evening JVews, Salt Lake City, Utah. 
 Mrs. George Q. Cannon and child. 
 George W. Cobb, Superintendent Mineral Point Railroad, Mineral 
 
 Point, Wisconsin. 
 Mrs. George W. Cobb. 
 H. H. Courtright, General Freight Agent Hannibal and Saint Joseph 
 
 Railroad, Hannibal, Missouri. 
 Mrs. H. H. Courtright. 
 John T. Caine, Managing Editor Salt Lake Herald, Salt Lake City, 
 
 Utah. 
 Mrs. John T. Caine, Salt Lake City, Utah. 
 
Geo. A. Dadmun. General Ticket Agent Philadelphia, Wilmington & 
 Baltimore R. R., Philadelphia. 
 
 Mrs. George A. Dadmun. 
 
 A. C. Davis, General Ticket Agent Belvidere, Delaware and Fleming- 
 ton Railroad, Lambertville, N. J. 
 
 Miss M. L. Everts, Correspondent Chicago Evening Journal, Chicago. 
 
 J. G. Everest, South-east Passenger Agent C. & N. W. Railway. 
 
 Miss Mary Fisher, Sister of the Superintendent Denver Pacific Rail- 
 road, Denver. Colorado. 
 
 A. H. Fracker, Master of Transportation of the North Pennsylvania 
 Railroad, Philadelphia. 
 
 Mrs. A. H. Fracker. 
 
 Wm. S. Freeman, Assistant General Freight Agent Camden & Amboy 
 Railroad, Philadelphia. 
 
 Chas. E. Follett, General Passenger and Ticket Agent Ohio and Mis- 
 sissippi Railroad, St. Louis, Missouri. 
 
 Mrs. Chas. E. Follett. 
 
 John B. Fleming, St. Louis Times, St. Louis. 
 
 A. A. Folsom, Superintendent Boston and Providence R. R., Boston, 
 Mass. 
 
 Mrs. A. A. Folsom. 
 
 A. B. Garrison, St. Louis and Pacific Express Freight Company Gen- 
 eral Freight Agent, St. Louis, Missouri. 
 
 Jno. H. Grant, President Eng. Atlantic and West Point Railroad, 
 Atlanta, Georgia. 
 
 J. W. Gore, General Ticket Agent Camden and Amboy Railroad, Phila- 
 delphia, Pennsylvania. 
 
 Mrs. J. W. Gore. 
 
 P. B. Groat, General. Ticket Agent Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad, 
 Hannibal, Missouri. 
 
 L. P. Grant, Superintendent A. and W. P. Railroad, Atlanta, Georgia. 
 
 Charles S. Gauntt, Master Trans. Camden and Amboy Railroad, Bur- 
 lington, New Jersey. 
 
 C. G. Hancock, General Ticket Agent Philadelphia and Rdg. Company, 
 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 
 
 Amos T. Hall, Treasurer Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, 
 Chicago. 
 
 Mrs. Amos T. Hall and two sons. 
 
 A. B. Hull, General Freight Agent Danbury and Norwalk Railroad, 
 Danbury, Connecticut. 
 
 Mrs. A. B. Hull. 
 
i8 
 
 John Hinton, General Freight Agent L. & B. R. R., Kingston, Penn- 
 sylvania. 
 
 Mrs. John Hinton. 
 
 W. F. Holwill, General Ticket Agent Delaware, Lackawanna and West- 
 ern Railroad, New York. 
 
 Starr S.Jones, Bt. Agent Morgan Line and Mobile and Ohio Railroad, 
 Galveston, Texas. 
 
 E. St. John, General Ticket Agent Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific 
 
 Railroad, Chicago, Illinois. 
 
 Mrs. E. St. John. 
 
 Thos. L. Kimball, General Western Passenger Agent Pennsylvania 
 Central Railroad, Chicago. 
 
 Beverley R. Keim, Assistant General Passenger Agent Union Pacific 
 Railroad, Omaha. 
 
 Mrs. Beverly R. Keim. 
 
 Frank A. Mackenzie, Passenger Agent General Transatlantic Com- 
 pany, New York city. 
 
 F. R. Myers, General Passenger and Ticket Agent Pittsburgh, Fort 
 
 Wayne and Chicago Railway, Chicago, Illinois. 
 
 Mrs. F. R. Myers. 
 
 John McMillan, European & N. A. Ry., St. John, New Brunswick. 
 
 A. J. Mead, General Freight and Ticket Agent, Winona and St. Peter 
 Railroad, Winona, Minnesota. 
 
 Miss M. E. Mead, with the above, Genesee, Illinois. 
 
 M. Mills, General Freight Agent West Jersey Railroad, Camden, N. J. 
 
 D. A. McKinlay, General Ticket Agent Dubuque South-western Rail- 
 road, Dubuque, Iowa. 
 
 Mrs. D. A. McKinlay. 
 
 Mrs. Mayall, St. Paul, Minnesota. 
 
 Loyal S. Nye, President Nye Forwarding Company, Denver, Colorado. 
 
 Mrs. L. S. Nye. 
 
 George Olds, General Ticket Agent Kansas City, St. Joseph & C. B. 
 R. R., St. Joseph, Missouri. 
 
 Mrs. George Olds. 
 
 C. P. Oakley, General Ticket and Freight Agent Mississippi and Ten- 
 nessee Railroad, Memphis, Tennessee. 
 
 Mrs. C. P. Oakley. 
 
 Master Walter D. Oakley, Memphis, Tennessee. 
 
 Samuel Powell, General Ticket Agent Chicago, Burlington and Quincy 
 Railroad, Chicago, Illinois. 
 
 Mrs. Samuel Powell. 
 
19 
 
 John U. Parsons, General Ticket Agent Toledo, Wabash and Western 
 Railroad, Toledo, Ohio. 
 
 Mrs. John U. Parsons. 
 
 Fred. W. Rankin, Secretary of the New Jersey Railroad and Transpor- 
 tation Company, New York city. 
 
 Mrs. Fred. W. Rankin. 
 
 J. Roberts, of General Freight Department Belvidere, Delaware and 
 Flemington Railroad, Lambertville, New Jersey. 
 
 Wm. Rhodes, General Freight and Ticket Agent North-western Union 
 Packet Company, St. Paul, Minnesota. 
 
 Mrs. Wm. Rhodes. 
 
 Justus E. Ralph, General Ticket Agent New Jersey Southern Railroad, 
 Red Bank, New Jersey. 
 
 Miss Gussie Shewell, St. Louis, Missouri. 
 
 H. P. Stanwood, General Ticket Agent Chicago and North-western 
 Railway, Chicago. 
 
 Mrs. H. P. Stanwood. 
 
 Jno. Shaw, Traveling Agent Inman Steamship Company, New York. 
 
 C. A. Savage, President Quincy, Missouri and Pacific Railroad, Quincy, 
 Illinois. 
 
 Mrs. C. A. Savage. 
 
 Henry Starring, General Baggage Agent Pittsburg to San Francisco. 
 
 L. M. E. Stone, Superintendent P. W. & B. R. R., Providence, Rhode 
 Island. 
 
 Mrs. L. M. E. Stone. 
 
 E. S. Tracy, General Freight Agent Chicago, Cincinnati and Louisville 
 Railroad, La Porte, Indiana. 
 
 Morris E. Ward, correspondent, Denver, Colorado. 
 
 Miss K. Wheedon, St. Louis, Missouri. 
 
 George S. Wright, General Ticket Agent Worcester and Nashua Rail- 
 road, Worcester, Massachusetts. 
 
 J. M. Williams, General Freight Agent Worcester and Nashua Rail- 
 road, Worcester, Massachusetts. 
 
 Thos. A. Weed, Scottsville, New York. 
 
 Wm. H. Weed, General Ticket Agent New York and Oswego Midland 
 Railroad, Oswego, New York. 
 
 E. N. Winslow, Superintendent and Treasurer Cape Cod Railroad, 
 Hyams, Massachusetts. 
 
 Mrs. E. N. Winslow. 
 
20 
 
 Having been assigned our respective places in " the 
 fancy train," on we moved, and the continental trip 
 was fully initiated. 
 
 As we slowly ascended the bluffs of the Missouri, 
 and began to look out on the vast prairie that sweeps 
 up to its shore, we were silent, thoughtful, meditative. 
 Soon from the windows of our palace homes there 
 stretched before us and around us, an ocean of land 
 nothing but the curve of the earth itself obstructed the 
 vision not a hill, shrub or tree met the eye. There 
 was almost an ominous stillness over that vast plain ; 
 only the low rumbling of our train, as it sped, arrow- 
 like, over its bosom, broke the silence. At times, in a 
 kind of soliloquy, you would hear the exclamation, 
 " How grand ! " " How beautiful ! " 
 
 PLATTE RIVER. 
 
 Soon we reach a " station " like a stopping place 
 mid-ocean an acre-island in the Atlantic. We take 
 in fuel and water, and speed on. Then it is announced 
 that the far-famed Platte river is in view on our left ; 
 all rush to the windows to get a sight of a stream 
 of which we had heard and read so much. What a 
 relief to the eye was its placid waters, and the few 
 cotton woods that skirted its banks. Then, as we 
 ran along its shore for hundreds of miles, there came 
 to our minds the scenes that had been enacted so 
 
21 
 
 recently on its banks the emigrant trains that had 
 sunk in its treacherous fords the Indian butcheries 
 by its side the vast herds of buffaloes and horses 
 which had roamed from its mysterious sources, in the 
 fastnesses of the Rocky Mountains, to where it mingled 
 its waters with those of the turbid Missouri. We 
 never got wearied in those hundreds of miles of looking 
 at its waters, and following its track by the low shrub- 
 bery on its banks. 
 
 Night came upon us, shutting us up to ourselves. 
 We had been thrown together, mostly strangers to 
 each other, hailing from nearly every state of the 
 Union, and the Canadas. The usual stiffness and 
 unsociableness characterizing such circumstances soon 
 began to give way. We were to be the companions 
 of weeks, and sought early to know and fellowship 
 each other. Before the retirement that first evening, 
 much had been done to make us one family, with the 
 usual cousins, uncles and aunts. We closed our eyes 
 in sleep, on that first night, with the comfortable feel- 
 ing, that we had a propitious beginning and a joyful 
 prospect before us. 
 
 The morning broke upon us beautiful and inspiring. 
 All had been refreshed by sleep undisturbed. So 
 smooth was the iron track, and so comfortable our 
 couches, that we scarcely realized our absence from our 
 accustomed places of sleep. 
 
22 
 
 Still all around us were the trackless plains. Occa- 
 sionally we discovered in the distance highlands or 
 bluffs. Now, too, we began to see a few wild animals, 
 for which we had been straining our eyes ever since 
 leaving Omaha. Now and then a few antelopes could 
 be seen, literally "dusting" to clear the terrible loco- 
 motive and the less terrible " shooting-irons " of the 
 party. Scarcely one was passed that did not receive 
 the compliment of a dozen or more pistol shots. At 
 first this shooting at the poor innocents was considered 
 by the ladies and the older gentlemen of the party as 
 cruelty in the extreme. But all soon learned to spend 
 no sympathy on the antelope, as from Omaha to San 
 Francisco and back, not one was hit, or seemingly 
 disturbed by the bullets hurled at them. We learned 
 this fact, that whatever else railroad men could do, 
 they could not shoot. And we here offer this admo- 
 nition to them, never to become involved in an affair 
 of honor, where shooting may be the sequel. 
 
 During the day we passed what was called " Prairie 
 Dog City." Here, for miles beside the track, we saw 
 the holes of these "dogs." On the approach of the 
 train they would come out and sit at the mouth of their 
 holes, and look with a sort of inquiring wonder at the 
 passing train. One of our number, a near-sighted 
 gentleman, exhibited a great anxiety to see these 
 "dogs," but was unable. We assured him that the 
 
23 
 
 failure was not afflictive, as he had only to imagine a 
 magnified gutter rat, of the dirtiest hue, and he had 
 the " prairie dog." We were told that the Indians 
 used to subsist almost entirely on these animals when 
 grasshoppers became scarce. Individually we should 
 prefer the grasshoppers for a " steady diet." 
 
 CHEYENNE. 
 
 After passing many places of interest, and scenery 
 attractive and beautiful, we reach Cheyenne, the capi- 
 tal of Wyoming territory, and the largest' town out of 
 Omaha on the Union Pacific Railroad, five hundred 
 and sixteen miles from the Missouri river. Here we 
 found a city with its bustle and business, and here we 
 had a capital dinner, and availed ourselves of the 
 generous privilege tendered us by the Western Union 
 and Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Companies of send- 
 ing communications free to our friends. In this town 
 are extensive shops of the railroad company ; a round- 
 house and machine and repair shops, substantial build- 
 ings of stone. 
 
 DENVER. 
 
 Here, too, is the junction of the Denver Pacific 
 road with the Union Pacific. At the request of the 
 officers of the former our train was transferred to their 
 road, and the party taken to Denver, the capital of 
 Colorado, where we arrived at 4 P. M. on Wednesday. 
 
24 
 
 The country through which we passed on our excur- 
 sion into Colorado was a little more diversified, but 
 mostly a vast plain, inhabited by the antelope, wolf, 
 and prairie dog. Some of the way our road ran 
 along in sight of the south fork of the Platte river, its 
 course marked by the only shrubbery or green vegeta- 
 tion in the whole sweep of the eye. This fork of the 
 Platte has its sources in the eastern, as the north 
 fork has its in the western, slope of the Rocky Moun- 
 tains. Each of them pursues a generaly north-east 
 course for about three hundred miles, and then 
 turns to the eastward, uniting some three hundred 
 miles eastward of the mountains, where the plains 
 melt into the prairies. Between these two rivers and 
 the eastern base of the mountains, there is formed an 
 immense triangle, upon which, in common with our 
 present territories and the states of Nevada and Cali- 
 fornia, no rain falls between April and November, yet 
 from the facilities for irrigation from the Platte and its 
 tributaries, the depth and richness of the soil, it will 
 no doubt, at an early day, be ranked among the finest 
 agricultural portions of our country. 
 
 Half way between Cheyenne and Denver is the 
 town of Greeley, named after the far-famed Horace. 
 Here, under the lead of Mr. Meeker, the founder of 
 the colony, a village has sprung up since April last 
 of some five hundred inhabitants. Our party spent 
 
25 
 
 an hour in rambling about this mushroom place. 
 The inhabitants seemed a little homesick, and ap- 
 parently relished our raid among them. Mr. Meeker 
 told us that they were " probably on the best piece 
 of land in the United States." He had had before 
 him the American continent, and this was the spot 
 above all other ; and so taking leave of Greeley 
 we took the train and moved on toward Denver. 
 
 Soon the Rocky Mountains appeared in the dis- 
 tance, some fifty miles away to our right. This, to 
 some of us, was our first sight of mountains. As 
 seen in the misty distance, lying along the horizon, 
 with their irregular peaks or hommocks touching the 
 skies, we could think of nothing but a vast caravan 
 of gigantic dromedaries lying down for the repose of 
 night. As we approached Denver we were within 
 fifteen miles of the foot hills of the mountains. While 
 in that city we caught a view of the noted Pike's 
 Peak, sixty-five miles south of us. 
 
 At Denver we partook of a good dinner at the 
 American House and then "did up the city." 
 As we walked around the place with one of the 
 citizens, he gave us many reminiscenses of the 
 early history of the town, its gambling dens, the 
 desperate encounters of the early miners, the mur- 
 ders, etc. Occasionally he would point to a bridge- 
 post, or an old stub of cotton-wood and tell us that 
 
26 
 
 they were favorite hanging places, in the olden times, 
 (i. e. eight years ago) ; we felt a slight uneasiness, and 
 a few chills, but said nothing. Here is now a city 
 of io,OOO inhabitants, well laid out streets, fine blocks 
 of stores, well appointed hotels, and all the stir and 
 activity which so characterize western towns. The 
 country around is open and rolling. A few miles to 
 the west, and the Rocky Mountains raise their tow- 
 ering peaks. Denver can be said to lie at the foot 
 of these mountains. To the east stretches the vast 
 plain, without a break, six hundred miles to the 
 Missouri river. 
 
 While in Denver, Col. T. J. Carter, President of 
 the Colorado Central Road, invited the party to take 
 a trip on his road, as far as completed. About 
 twenty accepted the invitation, and went as far as 
 the rails were laid, where they were met by almost 
 the entire population of Golden City, who loudly 
 cheered and welcomed them as being on the train 
 which had first passed over their road. 
 
 A few of the party, who remained in Denver, in- 
 dulged in a dance at the American, which, judging 
 from the price paid for this luxury, was considered 
 a clincher on the old adage " he who dances must 
 pay the fiddler." 
 
 At midnight, we left the capital of Colorado for 
 Cheyenne, having added to our number the genial 
 
27 
 
 L. S. Nye and his amiable wife; also, the companion- 
 able and very acceptable Morris E. Ward, Esq., citizens 
 of Denver. 
 
 ROCKY MOUNTAINS. 
 
 When we awoke on the morning of the 15th, we 
 had ascended the Rocky Mountains. As we stepped 
 out at Sherman, 8,000 feet above the level of the sea, 
 there was a frosty crispness about the air. We gath- 
 ered our outer garments closely around us, and ran 
 about the place, enjoying hugely the rarefied but inspir- 
 iting atmosphere. Here, at this elevation, we had a 
 grand view of the surrounding country : 75 miles to the 
 south, Long's Peak towered above its fellows; 165 miles 
 away is Pike's Peak, both visible to the unaided eye, or 
 at least so we were told, and so read in the guide-book. 
 We are confident that we saw them, for we distinctly 
 saw the man and the book that told us we did. 
 
 Soon we were at Laramie, having passed, after leav- 
 ing Sherman, many places of interest, among them the 
 noted Dale Creek bridge, 650 feet long and 126 feet 
 high. At Laramie we partook of a most excellent 
 breakfast, at as well kept a hotel as can be found on the 
 line of any eastern road. Here we should have been 
 glad to have spent a week. It was the most liveable 
 place we had met since leaving the Missouri. 
 
 After a ramble of an hour about this home-like town, 
 the train moved on across the Laramie plains, said to 
 
28 
 
 be the finest pasturage ground on the continent. Elk 
 mountain, seen from Laramie, was in sight for hun- 
 dreds of miles in this passage over the Rocky Moun- 
 tain range. It was, with its rugged sides and snow- 
 capped summit, a conspicuous landmark. 
 
 Among us there were some genuine lovers of nature, 
 those who could take in a scene of grandeur and sub- 
 limity. In this passage, through the gorges and over 
 the plains of the 500 miles of the Rocky Mountain 
 elevation, all such had a rare treat. 
 
 THE INSIDE OF THE TRAIN. 
 
 And this leads us to take a view of the inside of the 
 train. We had the usual make up of a country vil- 
 lage, the different characters of a well-ordered commu- 
 nity ; so that we were not dependent for pleasure and 
 enjoyment alone on the moving panorama outside of 
 our wheeled home. When night shut in upon us, we 
 had our enjoyments, our calls from car to car, our little 
 circles where we talked over subjects grave and comi- 
 cal. Choirs were extemporized, and better singing we 
 have rarely heard. All the variety of cultivated mind 
 was with us, which made the excursion one continued 
 enjoyable picnic. Not for a day, or even an hour, did 
 time drag heavily upon our hands. There were the 
 shrewd, comical, discriminating and companionable 
 Chandler, Boyden, Powell, St. John, Hinton, Court- 
 
29 
 
 right, Aglar, etc. There were the matter-of-fact and 
 genial Hull, Brown, Cobb, Dadman, Davis, Myers, 
 Mead, Folsom, etc. Then there were the grave, dig- 
 nified and quietly shrewd Savage, Follett, Carvell, Stan- 
 wood, Rankin, Stone, Freeman, etc. For a marvel, 
 there was not a single wiseacre aboard. 
 
 But the excursion would have been greatly deficient 
 without the presence of the ladies. A more genial, 
 intelligent company of ladies were never brought 
 together on an excursion. They made those palace 
 cars splendid homes, with all the pleasures and refine- 
 ments of the best fireside. 
 
 Let no man make this great continental trip without 
 his wife or lady friend. Some of us, in thoughtlessness 
 or otherwise, left ours at home. It was an oversight 
 a mistake ; and were it not that others of our party 
 had been more thoughtful and wise, much of our pleas- 
 ure would have been wanting. The journey is too vast, 
 the scenery is too varied, to be enjoyed fully, without 
 such genial influences. And then, too, an intelligent 
 lady is a greater admirer of nature, has a keener dis- 
 crimination, and can point out more readily than man 
 the sublimities, grandeur and beauties of passing 
 scenes. 
 
 And now with such a company of ladies, fertile in 
 expedients to make every hour contribute its pleasure, 
 we had, to round out the whole, Beverley R. Keim, the 
 
30 
 
 assistant passenger agent of the Union Pacific, watch- 
 ing over our comfort with unceasing diligence, antici- 
 pating our every want, and supplying them before we 
 had imagined them. He ever presented a cheerful, 
 sunny face. Quick in perception, prompt in action, he 
 was a sine qua non, which, liberally rendered, means an 
 indispensable. In all his efforts for our comfort and 
 pleasure, he was warmly seconded by his amiable wife, 
 who accompanied us in this journey. 
 
 While crossing the mountain ranges, through the 
 kindness of the conductors and engineers, many of us 
 enjoyed the privilege of riding on the engine, which, in 
 that region of plains, gorges and canons, was a rare 
 treat. It was the place to take in the whole scene, in 
 its picturesque beauty and awful grandeur. Never 
 shall we forget the ride upon the engine in the Rocky 
 and Sierra ranges. Now coursing like a bird over table 
 lands now suddenly dashing through a canon between 
 lofty ledges of rocks and mountain sides then sud- 
 denly enveloped in the darkness of a tunnel stunned 
 by the roar of the train, pent up by its narrow sides 
 such a ride was worth, alone, a trip across the continent. 
 And none of our party enjoyed it more appreciatingly 
 than many of the ladies. So firmly bedded was the 
 track, so powerful and perfect the engines, that our 
 confidence was soon secured and all fear banished, no 
 emotion being elicted but that of awed pleasure. 
 
At Carbon we make a stop. Much interest was 
 manifested by all in examining the coal mines at this 
 point, several of the company descending the shaft and 
 viewing this valuable and indispensable article in its 
 native state. This mine of coal, of valuable quality 
 and inexhaustible in quantity, must be of immense 
 importance to the railroad company and to the in- 
 habitants on its line. 
 
 FORT FRED. STEELE. 
 
 After passing through some wild and weird 
 scenery, resembling the ruins of a great city or 
 abandoned massive fortifications, the train brought 
 up suddenly at Fort Steele, one of the most impor- 
 tant military posts on the Pacific road. The rail- 
 road skirts one side, and the North Platte the rear, 
 of this really beautiful spot. Naturally a wild and 
 rough place, it has been rendered attractive by the 
 industry and good taste of the companies stationed 
 here. The party alighted and walked about the 
 grounds, visiting the quarters of the soldiers and 
 calling on the officers. 
 
 The colonel in command, a celebrated Indian 
 fighter, showed us through his quarters, filled with 
 the spoils of his contests with the red men. He 
 gave us, in detail, the mode of Indian warfare 
 
32 
 
 their manner of approach and attack, and the tac- 
 tics most successful in meeting them. 
 
 Upon the walls around us hung the weapons of 
 Indian warfare and torture. The full dress of a 
 chief, a trophy of the gallant colonel, was trans- 
 ferred from the wall to one of our party, a large 
 and powerfully built man. The disguise was almost 
 perfect. Thus equipped, he set forth with a whoop 
 and a ugh, and made the tour of the grounds, to 
 the astonishment and consternation of many of the 
 party, not aware of the disguise. His shrewd wife, 
 however, soon detected the cheat, not by the ears, 
 as of old, in the fable, but by the formidable mus- 
 tache of her lord. , She promptly proclaimed the 
 imposition, and thus vanished the painful illusion, 
 and the thoughts of rent chignons and lost scalps. 
 
 An hour was delightfully spent in this interesting 
 station. Thanks to the colonel for that pleasant time 
 at Fort Steele. 
 
 EVENING PLEASURES. 
 
 Night comes upon us while gradually descending to 
 the valley of the Salt Lake. The scenes without are 
 shut in by impenetrable darkness, but all is light and 
 cheerful within our rushing train. Here and there, in 
 gathered circles, we hear the" ringing laugh, the result 
 of a well-told anecdote or the pertness of a well-put 
 
33 
 
 repartee, or the sharp solution of a difficult conun- 
 drum. In one corner, comfortably reclining on sofas, 
 is a party of gentlemen in the afternoon of life, talking 
 up railroads generally, and the Pacific roads in particu- 
 lar. In another car all have resolved themselves into 
 a singing-school, and are discoursing agreeable music. 
 
 And then, when conversation begins to lag and the 
 singers grow hoarse the porters about to prepare our 
 sleeping apartments here comes the "excursion 
 band," under the lead of Mr. Starring. The instru- 
 ments are of the most simple class the violin, fife, 
 flute, tambourine and bones instruments hastily gath- 
 ered at Omaha, form the equipment of this unique 
 band. Thorough rehearsals were had during the day 
 in the baggage car. Passing through each car, with 
 measured tread, and discoursing timely music, each 
 night, this never-to-be-forgotten band put us all in the 
 best of humor for our night's repose. 
 
 At the break of day the porter arouses us with the 
 welcome information that in half an hour we shall 
 reach our breakfast station, where brook trout will form 
 the staple of the meal. All is astir instantly in the 
 cars. At the station we make a rush, fearing the trout 
 will not " go round;" but our fears are soon quieted 
 by the sight of the long tables laden with these deli- 
 cious fish in superabundance. On leaving that station, 
 pricking our teeth, we said, "That was not a very 
 5 
 
34 
 
 bad breakfast that Green river trout breakfast not 
 very." 
 
 ECHO AND WEBER CANONS. 
 
 Pushing on westward, we soon enter the famous 
 canons leading into the valley of Great Salt Lake. 
 Here the scenery was absorbing, grand and sub- 
 lime. Echo and Weber canons, gorges cut in the 
 mountains by the Weber river, cannot be described 
 in words ; seated in the observation car, the eye 
 alone can measure the sublimity. The river, along 
 which our road lay, flows with a rapid current over 
 a bed of water-worn stones and fallen rocks of all 
 sizes, from pebbles to immense blocks of the adja- 
 cent mountain. At some points the precipitous 
 sides of this passage become almost vertical. The 
 mountains rise, we judge, from 1,500 to 2,500 feet 
 above the river, and are separated at the base by 
 different widths, in which the river winds from side 
 to side, frequently impinging against the base of the 
 mountains. Down through this awful gulf our train 
 moved swiftly and smoothly ; while we were en- 
 tranced by the granduer and sublimity of the scene 
 passing like a swiftly unrolling panorama before us. 
 
 Besides the absorbing scene around us, our thoughts 
 reverted to the thrilling adventures which had trans- 
 pired in this now celebrated passage. How here 
 many an emigrant had met in deadly encounter" 
 
35 
 
 the savages how here, the Mormons had piled up 
 rocks to roll down upon Johnston's army, should it 
 attempt this passage into their valley. Here we 
 remembered the thrilling incident related by a Utah 
 Indian, characteristic of the nerve and war habits of 
 his race. He was threading this pass at midnight, 
 accompanied by his squaw only, both mounted upon 
 the same horse, and the night so dark that he could 
 neither see the outlines of the mountains, nor the 
 ground at his horse's feet, when he heard a sound 
 so slight as scarcely to be perceptible to an Indian's 
 ear, of an arrow carried in the hand, striking once 
 only with a slight tick against the bow. Stopping, 
 he could hear nothing, but instantly dismounted, 
 his squaw leaning upon the horse that she might 
 by no possibility be seen, and placed his ear to 
 the ground, when he heard the same sound re- 
 peated but a few feet distant, and was, therefore, 
 satisfied, that, however imminent the danger, he had 
 not yet been heard or seen, for no Indian would 
 make such a noise at night in approaching his foe ; 
 he therefore instantly arose, and took his horse by 
 the bridle close to its mouth to lessen the chances 
 of his moving or whinnying, and one hundred and 
 seventy of his deadly enemies, the Sioux, on a war 
 party, filed past him within almost arm's reach, while 
 he remained unobserved. 
 
36 
 
 Emerging suddenly into the valley of Utah, we 
 are surrounded on every side by the pasturage 
 grounds of the Mormons. At noon on Friday we are 
 at Ogden, the terminus of the Union Pacific and the 
 junction of the Central Pacific and Utah Central roads. 
 
 Here the party were received by the officers of 
 the Central Pacific. After an interchange of con- 
 gratulations and introductions, our train was switched 
 on to the Utah Central, and we were on our way 
 to the " city of the saints." 
 
 For a while our course was near the east shore of 
 the famous Salt Lake, which, of course, attracted the 
 attention of all a lake, 20 by 140 miles, containing 
 seven islands, all of rugged mountains, and its surface 
 4,200 feet above the level of the sea. 
 
 SALT LAKE CITY. 
 
 Soon the train rounded its head and was moving into 
 the city of the prophet; all rushed to the windows and 
 the platforms to catch a view of the far-famed place. 
 Equally anxious, apparently, were the inhabitants to 
 see the "fancy train," whose arrival had been announced. 
 The streets were filled door-yards and fences were 
 covered with children. One irreverent fellow, sitting 
 beside us, involuntarily cried out, " Jerusalem ! see the 
 young ones." We nudged him, and suggested that we 
 were the guests of the city, and should utter nothing 
 
37 
 
 suggestive of disapprobation ; he promised to restrain 
 himself. Carriages were at the depot to convey us to 
 the hotel. President Young being absent from the 
 city, and the next in authority, Joseph Young, being 
 sick, we had no public reception. But while partaking 
 of a most excellent dinner at the Townsend House, a 
 message of welcome was received, and guides furnished 
 to show us all places of interest about the city. Thus 
 guided, the party visited the tabernacle, city hall, 
 museum, theater, etc. We found the city orderly, neat 
 and beautiful. Industry and good taste were exhibited 
 in all that met the eye. For location and surroundings 
 we doubt whether, in beauty and grandeur, it has its 
 equal in the United States. All fully realized the de- 
 scription given by a recent traveler, who, standing a 
 little to the west of the city, says : " Behind us were the 
 great Salt Lake and the greater mountains. On our 
 right was the shining Jordan. Beyond it was a strip 
 of valley, then smooth mountain slopes, blending and 
 intermingling, sea-green at the base and dark slate 
 toward the summits. Before us was the city, with its 
 flashing streams, its low, drab, adobe houses, with trel- 
 lised verandas ; its green gardens and deep shade-trees 
 of locust, aspen, poplar, maple, walnut, elder and 
 cotton wood ; its bustling marts of trade and cloistered 
 retreats for the offices of a strange religion. 
 
38 
 
 " Beyond it, for many miles, stretched the green, 
 flowery valley, with its blue lakes shimmering in the 
 sun, and bounded at last by an abrupt wall of moun- 
 tain. On our left still towered the range, rough and 
 jagged with crevices ; its solid base green and gray ; 
 its rugged summits white with eternal snow. Side by 
 side, grouped and blended, were summer and winter, 
 Italy and Switzerland ; the dreamy orient and the 
 restless heart of the west." 
 
 Such is Salt Lake city and its environs. We would 
 have gladly spent days in this favored place of nature. 
 But after treading its streets, visiting its shops, 
 stores, museums, theater, city hall, and standing upon 
 the dome of its great temple and looking down upon 
 the whole and off upon its mountain walls, and after 
 receiving, on all sides, the courtesies and good cheer 
 of its citizens, at 7 P. M. we were on our way to 
 
 OGDEN, 
 
 Where we were transferred from the Pullman pal- 
 ace cars of the Union Pacific to the silver palace 
 cars of the Central Pacific railroad. Six of these 
 magnificent coaches, with smoking and baggage 
 cars, were provided for us. In addition, the super- 
 intendent's car, laden with refreshments and fruits, 
 the gift of the generous San Franciscans, brought 
 up the rear. A more beautiful train never stood 
 at a depot to receive a more grateful party. 
 
39 
 
 Here, at Ogden, were added to our company sev- 
 eral railroad and newspaper officials of Utah, and 
 some few others who missed the train at Omaha. 
 Here, also, Mr. J. C. Furgeson, correspondent of the 
 Alta Californian, joined us, and remained with us 
 until we left the pier at Oakland, on our return. 
 Mr. F. contributed greatly to our entertainment by 
 his affableness and general knowledge of the country 
 through which we passed, and the Pacific coast. 
 
 Mr. T. H. Goodman, general passenger agent, and 
 Mr. Chas. W. Smith, general freight agent of the 
 Central Pacific, took us in charge. Mr. Keim, who 
 had been our acceptable host thus far, subsidied into 
 one of the happy party. 
 
 The following programme was distributed through 
 the 'train : 
 
 PROGRAMME. 
 
 GENERAL PASSENGER TICKET AND FREIGHT AGENTS' 
 1870. JOINT CALIFORIA EXCURSION. 1870. 
 
 Special Train. C. P. R,. R, Programme. 
 
 FRIDAY, September 16, leave Ogden - - - 8:00 P. M. 
 
 SATURDAY, " 17, arrive Elko - - IO:OOA. M. Breakfast. 
 
 " " " " Battle Mountain - 3:00 P.M. Dinner. 
 
 " " " " Humboldt - - 8:00 " Supper. 
 
 SUNDAY, " 1 8, " Summit, - - - 7:00 A.M. Breakfast. 
 
 " " " " Colfax, - - - 2:00 P. M. Dinner. 
 
 " " " " Sacramento - -6:30?. M. 
 
 And arrive at San Francisco Sunday evening or Monday morning. 
 
RETURNING. 
 FRIDAY, September 23, leave San Francisco 
 
 " " " " Oakland Pier 
 
 SATURDAY, " 24, arrive Alta - - 
 
 " " " " Humboldt, - 
 
 SUNDAY, " 25, " Ogden - - - 
 
 - 6:45 p - M - 
 
 - 7=3 " 
 
 for breakfast. 
 
 - for dinner. 
 
 IIlOO A. M. 
 
 The gentlemen of the party, while in San Francisco, are respectfully 
 requested to meet, daily, in the "Museum" room of the Mercantile 
 Library Building, on Bush street, between Montgomery and Sansome 
 streets, at II A. M., for consultation, and also whereby notice can be 
 given of any possible change of the programme. 
 
 The following list comprises the officers and princi- 
 pal offices of the 
 
 CENTRAL PACIFIC RAILROAD. 
 
 PRINCIPAL OFFICES. 
 415 California St., San Francisco. 56 and 58 K St., Sacramento. 
 
 54 William St., New York City. 
 
 303 Broadway, New York City. 
 
 LELAND STANFORD 
 C. P. HUNTINGTON . 
 CHARLES CROCKER - 
 MARK HOPKINS - 
 E. B. CROCKER - 
 
 E. H. MILLER, JR. - 
 W. H. PORTER - 
 
 S. S. MONTAGUE - 
 B. B. REDDING - - - 
 J. R. WATSON - 
 
 F. L. VANDENBURGH 
 A. N. TOWNE - - - - 
 JOHN CORNING 
 
 E. C. FELLOWS - 
 
 - - President. 
 
 - First Vice-President. 
 
 - Second Vice-President. 
 
 - - Treasurer. 
 
 - Attorney and General Agent. 
 
 - Secretary. 
 Auditor. 
 
 - - Chief Engineer. 
 
 Land Commissioner. 
 
 - General Supply Agent. 
 Superintendent Telegraph. 
 
 - General Superintendent. 
 
 - Ass't General Superintendent. 
 
 - - Sup't Western &Visalia Divisions 
 
F. W. BOWEN - Sup't Sacramento & Oregon Div's. 
 
 C. D. MONTAYNE ----- Sup't Truckee Division. 
 
 C. E. GILLETT Sup't Humboldt Division. 
 
 JAS. CAMPBELL - - Sup't Salt Lake Division. 
 
 F. KNOWLAND - - - General Eastern Agent. 
 
 HENRY STARRING - General Baggage Agent. 
 
 CHAS. W. SMITH ..... General Freight Agent. 
 
 T. H. GOODMAN General Passenger Agent. 
 
 THE CENTRAL PACIFIC RAILROAD 
 DIVISIONS 
 
 COMPRISE : Mi]es 
 
 The SALT LAKE DIVISION, Ogden to Toano ........ 182 
 
 HUMBOLDT DIVISION, Toano to Winnemucca - - - 237 
 
 TRUCKEE DIVISION, Winnemucca to Truckee ...... 204 
 
 SACRAMENTO DIVISION, Truckee to Sacramento ... - 120 
 
 WESTERN DIVISION, Sacramento to San Francisco - - - - 138 
 
 OREGON DIVISION, Junction to Soto 92 
 
 (Now building to the Oregon State Line.) 
 
 VISALIA DIVISION, Lathrop to Stanislaus River 12 
 
 (Now building to Visalia and south.) 
 
 SAN JOSE BRANCH, Niles to San Jose - - 18 
 
 S. F. AND OAKLAND RAILROAD, San Francisco to Brooklyn 8 
 
 S. F. AND ALAMEDA RAILROAD, San Francisco to Hay ward's 21 
 
 Total now being operated - 1,032 
 
 And now the train moves on, around the head of Salt 
 Lake, passing, during the night, many places of inter- 
 est, among them Brigham city, Corrine, Bear river, 
 noted in the reports of early discoverers, and the 
 scenes occurring to the early emigrants. During this 
 night's ride, we passed over much territory worth 
 seeing, which was viewed with deep interest on our 
 return by the light of day. 
 
 
42 
 
 The morning broke upon us coursing over the great 
 "American desert," an area of about sixty miles 
 square. It was desolate and lonely the bare beds 
 of alkali or wastes of gray sand alone meet the eye. 
 It is plausibly conjectured that this desert was once 
 the bed of a saline lake, perhaps a portion of the Great 
 Salt Lake itself. 
 
 As we looked out upon these shoreless wastes, there 
 came to us forcibly the words of scripture : " The whole 
 land thereof is brimstone and salt and burning, that it 
 is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth 
 therein." 
 
 On this desert, as all along the road from Omaha, 
 we see the low mud huts of the Chinese laborers the 
 division hands of the railroad. They would step aside 
 from the track and give us a mere passing look, return- 
 ing to the track instantly, shovel in hand, giving the 
 retreating train not a glance. So far as our observa- 
 tion went, they were models of industry and faithful- 
 ness. By their appearance and a peep into their 
 abodes, we judged scarcity of water in that desert was 
 not a serious drawback to these celestials. If cleanli- 
 ness is a part of godliness, then "John Chinaman " is 
 certainly a godless fellow. 
 
 Late in the morning we arrived at Elko, the most 
 important town in Nevada, and the most prominent 
 station on the Central Pacific, east of Sacramento. 
 
43 
 
 Its importance arises from the fact of its being the 
 center of the White Pine trade and travel. 
 
 Here we had an excellent breakfast at the Cosmo- 
 politan Hotel, well kept by Mr. Treat. Many of us 
 met old friends at this station, and spent a most agree- 
 able hour in chatting with them and walking about 
 the town. 
 
 INDIANS. 
 
 Moving on we soon reach Carlin, a place of impor- 
 tance to the road. Here we first met with Indians in 
 any considerable number. They sat upon the ground 
 near the station. In one circle eight or ten of the males 
 were gambling for money. Near by sat an equal num- 
 ber of squaws, gambling for beads and bears' bones, 
 their children playing about them. We were told that 
 they belonged to the tribe of Shoshones. A more 
 stolid, degraded, filthy, thievish-looking set of vaga- 
 bonds in human form we had never seen. From 
 others which we saw at different places along the line 
 of the railroads, we had fears that we should never 
 have our eyes gladdened with any specimen of the 
 " noble red man " pictured to us by Fenimore Cooper 
 and hundreds of his imitators since. From all that we 
 saw and heard, the noble red man is " played out," 
 and a mere remnant is left, half brute, half savage, lin- 
 gering in a greatly modified human form. 
 
44 
 
 HUMBOLDT CANON. 
 
 Soon after leaving Carlin, we enter Humboldt canon, 
 twelve miles in length. The Humboldt river cuts its 
 way through this defile of rocks, running rapidly and 
 angrily along its pent-up sides. This cafion, though 
 not so grand as some we had passed, still was a scene 
 long to be remembered. In the fantastically piled up 
 rocks, without much imagination, we saw castles, 
 bowers, vast fortifications, immense breastworks of 
 contending armies, fallen temples, and abandoned, 
 crumbling cities. The party, in that half-hour "run" 
 through "twelve-mile canon," lived months in feast 
 of eyes and emotion of heart 
 
 Here many thrilling incidents have occurred during 
 the "emigrant times." Near this canon a party from 
 Arkansas were surprised by hostile Indians, while rest- 
 ing at noon, and instantly killed, with the exception of 
 one of their number, who snatched up his rifle and 
 retreated to the nearest cover, and there battled with 
 all the energy of despair, killing several of the savages 
 before being dispatched by the arrows of his assailants. 
 
 At Battle Mountain station we dined with the 
 oldest hotel keeper of Nevada, Mr. N. H. Gardner. 
 Before approaching the station, bills of fare were 
 scattered through the cars. As we read over this 
 metropolitan bill of varied luscious dishes, we thought, 
 what would the emigrants, toiling and starving over 
 
45 
 
 this region, only a few years ago, have said, if as- 
 sured that immediately on their heels the iron horse 
 would draw up a train of passengers to a first-class 
 eating station, within sight of the very spot of their 
 deadly encounter with the savages ? But so it is 
 with this Yankee nation " you can't most always 
 tell, sometimes, when you least expect it the most" 
 From here on to Humboldt station, we pass over 
 a country of not much interest except in its past 
 history of Indians and emigrants, mines and hot 
 springs. No vegetation meets the eye but the sage 
 brush alkali beds are frequent and the impalpable 
 dust stirred up by the rushing train penetrates through 
 the double windows of our cars, and produces some 
 sore throats and lips. 
 
 APPROACHING THE SIERRAS. 
 
 At a late hour in the evening we supped at Hum- 
 boldt, and push on in high spirits, knowing that in 
 the morning our eyes are to be gladdened with the 
 sight of the Sierra Nevadas. 
 
 We gather in our usual groups, and talk over the 
 days incidents, the coming scenes of mountain and 
 plains, and our advent into the metropolis of the 
 Pacific on the morrow. We can never be grateful 
 enough to that party of ladies, who made even the 
 alkaline plains a sort of oasis, by their smiles, good 
 
4 6 
 
 cheer and uniform vivacity of spirits. Those even- 
 ings across the continent can never be forgotten. 
 We watched this forced female society upon two vet- 
 eran old bachelors gradually we noticed their hard- 
 ness begin to soften, the rigidity of face give away, 
 and reticence breaking into a kind of chattiness. 
 From the influence of that trip we are looking con- 
 fidently in the list of marriages for the announce- 
 ment that Mr. E. S. T. or Mr. A. J. M. were, etc., etc. 
 
 That night we retired to our beds oppressed with 
 summer heat, somewhat restless and dusty. In the 
 morning we awoke at Truckee with frosty windows, 
 a crisp and bracing air about us. We had com- 
 menced the ascent of the Sierra range. 
 
 The ascent from Truckee mingles the grand with 
 the beautiful. The first rays of the sun added bril- 
 liancy to the landscape and tinged the mountain peaks 
 with gold. All were pointing out objects of beauty 
 and grandeur. As we rounded a mountain peak, or 
 pursued our course through a gorge, or darted 
 through a tunnel, on every side, and ever, scenes 
 awing, grand and beautiful, passed before us. The 
 weight of the rails, and the solidity of the track, 
 and the ease with which the locomotive moved our 
 heavy train in this wild region of mountain canons 
 and peaks, drew forth unstinted praise from our prac- 
 tical party of railroad judges. 
 
47 
 
 We mounted the engine and rode along this track 
 among the clouds now moving along on sideling 
 rocks now upon the edge of dizzy precipices, look- 
 ing down a thousand feet upon patches of grass and 
 silver streams. " Ah, but," said the engineer, " you 
 ought to see it snow here coming down in flakes as 
 big as a pancake to a depth of feet in an hour." 
 We suggested that it was not really natural snowing, 
 but that the clouds drifting along these mountains 
 were punctured by their peaks, and their contents 
 abnormally emptied. He expressed himself gratified 
 with this new explanation of the heavy snowing of 
 these mountain regions, only, he said, the less abnor- 
 mal snowing the better for him and all concerned in 
 railroading on the Sierras. 
 
 THE SUMMIT. 
 
 The summit was reached at an early hour, where 
 we were met by Mr. S. P. Holden, Mr. Roe, Mr. Pat- 
 ten of the Cosmopolitan, and Mr. Ridgeway of the 
 Grand Hotel, San Francisco. At the " Summit 
 House," a most excellent breakfast was provided ; all 
 were in capital eating order, and did the good things 
 provided ample justice. 
 
 After breakfast the party, guided by Mr. Goodman, 
 who, since his meeting the party at Ogden, had been 
 most indefatigable in his efforts to make us all perfectly 
 comfortable, proceeded through the long tunnel on the 
 
4 8 
 
 summit (1,659 feet) to the mountain tops overlooking 
 Donner lake. Here the party were for a moment lost 
 in silent admiration of the beautiful landscape reposing 
 in serene beauty far beneath them. However awe- 
 inspiring the scene and sublime the spectacle of so 
 large a number of persons thus quietly doing homage 
 to the great Creator, it could not long continue. The 
 pent up feelings of the party must have vent, and so 
 with one accord they sang 
 
 " Praise God from whom all blessings flow." 
 
 The party then scattered among the rocks in search 
 of lichens, mosses and ferns, of which each lady 
 brought away large selections. 
 
 A stay of two hours was allowed us at the summit, 
 during which time we enjoyed ourselves as children, 
 rambling over the mountains. 
 
 As we were on the point of departure, an agreeable 
 surprise was given to us by our hostess, who presented 
 four of the party, viz., C. W. Smith and lady, A. Hull 
 and wife, Mrs. Evarts and Mr. G. L. Grant, with 
 handsome cakes, neatly ornamented with sugar orna- 
 ments, and having the name of each fortunate recipient 
 put on with the same sweet material. Much satisfac- 
 tion was shown by the entire party for this marked 
 kindness, and no jealousy was shown by those who 
 were not recipients from the hostess. All understood 
 the names were selected at random. 
 
49 
 
 Refreshed and delighted by their stay at the sum- 
 mit, the party again set out on their journey westward. 
 
 After getting clear of the almost interminable snow- 
 sheds, the grand scenery around us was greatly 
 enjoyed. 
 
 A little above the forks of the American river, the 
 observation car was attached to the train. In this the 
 ladies, and as many gentlemen as could get comfort- 
 ably inside of it, took up their places of observation. 
 On went the train, at first at good speed, but latterly 
 slower and slower, until it stopped on the brink of a 
 precipice ; and, as the magnificent view of the forks 
 of the American river burst upon our delighted gaze, 
 expressions of admiration broke forth from all. 
 
 After halting sufficiently long to give every person 
 present an opportunity of feasting their eyes upon the 
 grand mountain scenery, the train again moved 
 rapidly on. Fifteen miles more of the same enchant- 
 ing scenery, in which the long ridges of the Sierras, 
 bristling with pine trees like huge cheveaux-de-frise 
 filled up the back ground, we arrived, after several 
 false alarms, at the real Cape Horn a scene of sub- 
 lime grandeur, unequaled on the whole transcon- 
 tinental railroad." 
 
 CAPE HORN. 
 
 It is difficult to describe in words the sublimity of 
 this scene. Our first sensation upon its bursting into 
 
50 
 
 full view was that of faintness, not from fear, but 
 from intense awe. Here our train rested upon the 
 side of a mountain away up near its summit, like a 
 statue in a niche high up on some old tower. Down, 
 down the precipitous sides of our mountain, 2,500 
 feet below us, we saw a silver stream plats of grass 
 great trees that looked like garden shrubbery. 
 Across a brief valley and mountain sides intervened, 
 and on and beyond them peaks on peaks piled 
 themselves to the skies. 
 
 Lengthen out that valley, raise those mountains 
 but a little, and you look down on Yosemite from the 
 track of the Central Pacific. We gazed long and 
 enchanted on that scene of sublimity and beauty, 
 and entered, our train, saying, audibly, " Oh ! Lord, 
 how manifold are thy works, in wisdom hast thon 
 made them all." 
 
 We move on, surrounded on every side by scenes 
 of grandeur ; descending rapidly the Sierra range, 
 we pass through mining towns, looking upon hun- 
 dreds of acres of " surface diggings " where man has 
 toiled and sweat for the shining ore; we see miles 
 and miles of " sluice ways " running parallel with us, 
 over us and under us, across gorges and through 
 mountains sides and all for gold. Now we begin 
 to catch glimpses of the plains of the Pacific. We 
 are rapidly descending into the valley of the Sacra- 
 
mento. With what interest did we look out upon 
 this land of the extreme west. We should soon gaze 
 upon the waters of the Pacific and walk the streets of 
 its metropolis. 
 
 SACRAMENTO. 
 
 Sacramento is reached at 5 P. M. Here we stop 
 an hour and look about the capital of the Golden 
 State. Mr. Towne, General Superintendent, and Mr. 
 Corning, Assistant General Superintendent, of the 
 Central Pacific had joined us in the morning, and 
 added much to our enjoyments by their attentions 
 and care for us. And here we would remember with 
 gratitude, Messrs. Kohler and Floring, and Messrs. 
 Eberhart and Lachman, for sending refreshments for 
 the use of the party. 
 
 On leaving Sacramento we were happy to find 
 on board E. C. Fellows, Superintendent of the West- 
 ern division of the C. P. R. R. We had rode many 
 hundred miles in former years under his conductor- 
 ship on the New York Central Railroad. The passage 
 from this city to San Francisco Bay was through a 
 beautiful and fertile plain, dotted here and there with 
 an oak, which in the distance greatly resembled vigor- 
 ous orchards. This ride of one hundred and thirty-six 
 miles, under the guidance of Mr. Fellows, showed con- 
 clusively that "tall running" could be made on the 
 Pacific roads as well as those of the Atlantic. 
 
52 
 
 At Oakland many of the party were met by 
 old friends, residents of California. Passing on 
 to the ferry boat, the lights of San Francisco, five 
 miles across the bay, presented a beautiful sight ; the 
 city being built on a side hill, giving at one view 
 the gas-lights of numerous streets. 
 
 SAN FRANCISCO. 
 
 On the wharf at San Francisco we were met by 
 carriages which conveyed us to the various hotels 
 where we had been previously assigned. At these 
 abodes of comfort and luxury we were at once 
 at home ; though our trip had been so comfortable, 
 so well arranged, so leisurely made, that no one felt 
 the sense of weariness. The writer, with some forty 
 or fifty of the party, were located at the " Grand 
 Hotel." We can say, heartily, this hotel well de- 
 serves its title. In its appointments we believe it is 
 not excelled by any in our country. The especial 
 attentions shown us by Mr. Ridgeway, one of the 
 proprietors, was appreciated. Those of our party 
 located at the " Cosmopolitan " and " Occidental " 
 report genial hosts and luxurious accommodations. 
 
 On Monday, according to a notice issued by Mr. T. 
 H. Goodman, the party met at 1 1 A. M., in the mu- 
 seum of the Mercantile Library, to form a permanent 
 organization for the purpose of carrying out most 
 
53 
 
 effectually the different visits and excursions to be 
 made. After a handsome welcome by Mr. Goodman 
 to the Pacific coast, W. W. Chandler was called to 
 the chair, and in due form appointed Messrs. Weed, 
 Rhodes and Cannon a " committee " to nominate per- 
 manent officers. They reported C. E. Follett for pres- 
 dent, and Sam'l Powell for secretary. 
 
 Hereupon Mr. Goodman read numerous invitations 
 to the party : From the proprietors of Woodward's 
 Garden ; a general invitation from the managers of the 
 California Theatre; an invitation from the Superin- 
 tendent of the San Jose Railroad to pass over the road 
 through the Santa Clara valley to San Jose ; from Mr. 
 Ralston, to accept his hospitality at his private resi- 
 dence at Belmont, on our return from San Jose ; an 
 invitation from the officers of the Agricultural Park. 
 
 A hearty vote of thanks for all these invitations was 
 tendered by the party. 
 
 A committee was appointed to procure a suitable 
 badge for each of the party. 
 
 The chairman appointed the following gentlemen as 
 a standing committee : J. F. Aglar, L. Carvell, F. N. 
 Myers, A. A. Folsom and L. P. Grant. 
 
 It was announced that the managers of the Mercan- 
 tile Library extended the freedom of the entire insti- 
 tution to the party during their stay in the city. 
 
54 
 
 SIGHT SEEING. 
 
 After adjournment, all of the party, eager to know 
 something of the objects of interest in and around the 
 city, scattered in every direction; some to the Cliff 
 House, to look out on the Pacific, and to view that 
 wonderful sight, the sea-lions working themselves up 
 upon a ledge of rocks, a few rods from the shore, bark- 
 ing and sporting with each other, and then plunging 
 into the deep. Others visited Woodward's Gardens, 
 and were delighted with the sight of his wonderful 
 collection of animals, and with the beauty and variety 
 of his trees and flowers. 
 
 Others, still, visited " Lone Mountain," the city of 
 the dead. The vast area covered with graves showed 
 that death had its numerous victims on the Pacific 
 shore. Among the monuments most notable we 
 noticed those of Senators Broderick and Baker two 
 men with a favorable national reputation both dying 
 tragically. At Mission Dolores (the original San 
 Francisco) we saw the little chapel, with its tile roof 
 and its rough walls, cracked and scarred by repeated 
 earthquakes, but still serviceable. Around this quaint 
 church is a cemetery filled to repletion with graves. 
 Here are the graves of Corry and Casey, who died 
 of hanging by the vigilance committee. On the 
 tombstone of the former is engraved, " May God have 
 mercy on my persecutors." It was remarked by our 
 
55 
 
 guide, an old citizen and one of that celebrated vigi- 
 lance committee, " Poor Corry should have spared no 
 prayers on others; he needed them all for himself." 
 
 On Tuesday our party met again, in the museum of 
 the Library building, at 1 1 o'clock, and were called to 
 order by Mr. Follett, the president An invitation 
 was read from the Mission and Pacific Woolen Mills, 
 requesting a visit from the party to inspect their 
 works, and to note the improvements made on this 
 coast in the woolen trade; which was accepted. 
 
 Tickets for the Agricultural Park Fair were distribu- 
 ted among the excursionists. 
 
 NEILSON'S SPEECH. 
 
 Mr. Neilson was introduced by the president, and in 
 a few remarks referred to the benefits that would 
 accrue to the United States and the Australian colo- 
 nies by the railroads, and also by the establishment of 
 a subsidized steamship line between the two countries. 
 
 Mr. Neilson said, in substance : The Pacific rail- 
 way has been ostensibly constructed to accommodate 
 the traffic of some 700,000 persons, residents of the 
 Pacific slope. But there were over 2,000,000 in the 
 golden lands of Australia and New Zealand, as active, 
 enterprising, wealthy, as fond of travel, as we are, to 
 whom our great transcontinental railway is destined 
 to become an accommodation fully as great as it is to 
 
56 
 
 us. These colonies have an immense passenger 
 traffic with Great Britain. That traffic had hitherto 
 passed along two routes : first, by steamers up the 
 Red sea, thence by railroad across the isthmus of 
 Suez, and then again by steamers up the Mediter- 
 ranean. This voyage was accomplished in fifty-six 
 days, at a cost of not less than $600 for a first class 
 passage. Second class passengers are not taken 
 along this line at all. The other route was by sailing 
 vessels around the " Horn." The passage was a 
 stormy, uncomfortable and tedious one, that averaged 
 100 days, and cost $400, first class. 
 
 The Red sea route, during three or four months of 
 the year, was so exceedingly unhealthy as to deter 
 all persons, not absolutely compelled by business, 
 from traveling along it. For a moment let us con- 
 sider what we have to offer as a substitute for these 
 two routes. From England to New York we have 
 the finest steamers in the world, averaging the trip in 
 nine days. Then we have our grand transconti- 
 nental railway, with all the varied experiences it opens 
 up to the traveler, accomplishing the space, from ocean 
 to ocean, in less than seven days. Steamers averaging 
 twelve knots per hour on the mild Pacific, and that, 
 though much less than is now steamed on the more 
 stormy Atlantic, would, nevertheless, reach Melbourne 
 in twenty days. Thus, the whole voyage between 
 
57 
 
 England and Australia would occupy but thirty-six 
 days, or, if to allow for stoppages, say forty days, we 
 still accomplish the distance in at least a fortnight less 
 than by the unhealthy Red sea route. 
 
 He need not tell business men that such a saving 
 of time, to say nothing of the other great advantages, 
 would, of itself, settle the whole question as to which 
 channel the trade would take. To show what that 
 trade amounted to, he would mention that the imports 
 and exports of Australasia equaled $75,000,000 per 
 annum. Last year, $6,000,000 were paid for first 
 class passages alone, between Australasia and Great 
 Britain. 
 
 Much might be said of the ultimate advantages 
 that would flow to this country from such a stream of 
 wealth passing through it as would be induced to pass 
 this way. His present purpose, however, was to 
 show that a large railway traffic might be expected as 
 the result of the establishment of a first class steam 
 line from San Francisco to the colonies. 
 
 A bill was already before congress granting a sub- 
 sidy to such a line, and would come up early next 
 session. It was in the interest of the railway men to 
 use their influence to secure the passage of that bill, 
 as, without a subsidy, no steam line could compete 
 with the wealthy Peninsula and Oriental Company, 
 which was so largely subsidized by the English govern- 
 
58 
 
 ment, and took the mails and traffic via the Dead sea. 
 Then it might be a matter for railway men to consider 
 how far it would be wise to make special arrange- 
 ments to encourage and open up this special traffic. 
 
 Mr. Neilson was listened to with intense interest in 
 the portrayal of his feasible project. He was invited 
 to address the railroad convention about to meet in 
 Chicago. He there made a clear, convincing and 
 exhaustive speech upon the same subject 
 
 Mr. Goodman announced that Messrs. Eldridge and 
 Irwin had tendered a steamer for the use of the excur- 
 sionists Thursday. A letter was received from the 
 N. P. T. Co., offering a steamer for Friday, but on 
 account of the departure of the party on that day, it 
 could not be accepted. 
 
 Col. Albert S. Evans and others offered to escort 
 the various members of the party to the different parts 
 of Chinatown, and the principal warehouses in the city. 
 
 An invitation was received from Messrs. Kohler & 
 Frohling, and Messrs. Eberhart & Lachman, to visit 
 their wine establishments. 
 
 CHINESE QUARTERS. 
 
 Immediately after the adjournment, the party 
 formed into various small squads, and wandered off, 
 some to the Pacific Mission Woolen Mills, while a 
 larger party still, under the guidance of a few gentle- 
 
59 
 
 men of the city (who volunteered), proceeded down 
 town, to pay a visit to the Chinese quarters, and to 
 inspect the wholesale houses in that neighborhood. 
 The first place visited was the house of Chy Lung & 
 Co., on Sacramento street, where the party inspected 
 the various fancy goods, silks, satins and articles of 
 ornament, sold by this firm. After a thorough exam- 
 ination, the gentlemen proceeded up the street to 
 the store of Tong, Chong & Co., 743 Sacramento 
 street, where China teas and articles of household use 
 are kept for sale. Here the Chinese money, denomi- 
 nated " cash," was freely distributed among them. 
 Cups of tea were also passed round. At this place, 
 YeeTeen, one of the firm of Yu Yuen & Co., opposite, 
 invited all comprising the party to visit a Chinese res- 
 taurant, and, accepting his offer, the excursionists 
 adjourned to the Hong Fa Low, on the west side of 
 Dupont, between Sacramento and Commercial streets. 
 Here the party partook of a lunch which was gotten 
 up impromptu, consisting of various styles of cakes 
 and teas, and also of cigars. Yee Teen, who is one 
 of the proprietors of the restaurant, amused his guests 
 with several airs, among which was "John Brown," 
 on a three-stringed fiddle. 
 
 Thanking the proprietors for their kindness, and 
 feeling a desire to see the mode and place of wor- 
 ship of these people, the party proceeded to the 
 
6o 
 
 " Ning Teong " temple, on Dupont alley, near Pacific 
 street. A request to view the interior having been 
 extended, all mounted the stairs, and, on the second 
 floor, were greeted with a sight of some newly landed 
 immigrants, who had not yet been assigned to work. 
 Still up, on the third story, the visitors were fairly 
 amazed at the sight which was presented. Curious 
 carvings and castings, the image of " Joss " in satins 
 and silks, the panoply and various dresses, curious 
 inscriptions and other objects, were to be seen in all 
 directions. The most attractive object, however, was 
 the "Antique Bell," cast some 2,000 years since; 
 which is rung during festival service, to keep off 
 the evil spirits. From here the party went to the 
 wine establishment of Messrs. Landsberger & Co., 
 on Jackson street, where they were courteously re- 
 ceived by Mr. L., and the various operations of bot- 
 tling, corking, removing sediment, and all the various 
 manipulations of champagne manufacture, explained. 
 
 TRIP DOWN THE COAST. 
 
 Wednesday morning, according to arrangements, 
 we were to make an excursion on the San Jose rail- 
 road. At 12:30 o'clock, the party congregated on 
 Market street, in front of the " Grand Hotel " where 
 they were taken by the Market street cars to the San 
 Jose depot. Here four cars awaited us, and we 
 
6i 
 
 started on our trip propitiously and pleasantly, T. 
 H. Goodman still acting as master of ceremonies, 
 as he had done since our arrival. We considered it 
 fortunate that we had fallen into the hands of a 
 gentleman so thoroughly competent, and so inti- 
 mately acquainted with the characteristics of the 
 coast. All felt the peculiar appropriateness of pur- 
 chasing and presenting some token of our apprecia- 
 tion before, the breaking up the party to Messrs. 
 Goodman and Keim. Accordingly, the matter was 
 easily accomplished, under the suggestion and lead 
 of Mr. St. John of the Chicago and Rock Island road. 
 We were all delightfully surprised by the evi- 
 dences of agricultural wealth in the San Jose valley 
 through which we were passing. Substantial farm 
 houses and elegant country residences dotted the 
 view on either side, and the evidence of refinement 
 and luxury were visible everywhere. 
 
 SAN MATED. 
 
 The first halt was at San Mateo, at the princely 
 residence of Alvinza Hayward. The cars stopped 
 within a few hundred yards of the house. Our 
 course led us through a beautiful winding avenue, 
 cleanly graveled, and bordered by flowers of the 
 richest hue, and shrubbery of the most rare and 
 beautiful varieties. 
 
62 
 
 Then we were conducted to the stable, which is 
 a palace of itself, being far more elegant in all of its 
 appointments than the residence of many a wealthy 
 man. 
 
 On one side of the gallery are single stalls, and on 
 the other, double ones, or rather rooms, for each 
 double stall is completely inclosed like a room, having 
 a door, with a lock and key, and appearing more like 
 a private apartment set aside for the use of a guest, 
 than quarters for the equine pets of the princely pro- 
 prietor. The stalls are littered with the cleanest straw, 
 the rear of which is bordered by a rush matting 
 extending the whole length of the range of stalls, and 
 evidently placed there more for ornament than utility. 
 No kitchen floor is more scrupulously clean than the 
 floor of the main gallery between the ranges of stalls. 
 The wooden divisions between the stalls are each sur- 
 mounted by tasteful designs of iron -work. The whole 
 visible wood-work, except the floor, is composed of 
 alternate strips of red-wood and Oregon white pine, 
 which are varnished, presenting a very rich and 
 finished appearance. No paint is to be seen around 
 the stable. Water is brought into the stable by pipes. 
 Gas is supplied from the same source which supplies 
 the house a gasometer. A telegraphic instrument 
 connects with the house, so that the proprietor may 
 give orders to his hostlers without commanding their 
 
63 
 
 presence. Few of the guests had seen any thing to 
 compare with this in elegance, and all were enthusiastic 
 in praise of the consummate taste displayed. The 
 hostlers brought out of her private apartment (one of 
 the double palatial stalls referred to) the little beauty of 
 a bay colt, " San Mateo Maid," of Hambletonian stock, 
 three years old, which excited the admiration of the 
 judges of horse-flesh, of which there were many 
 along. 
 
 Leaving the main stable the visitors entered the 
 carriage-room, which was well stocked, in accordance 
 with other appointments. Opening from this to the 
 right is the harness-room, carpeted and furnished with 
 chairs and a sofa. The harness are kept in the most 
 complete order, and are preserved from dust by a glass 
 case with black walnut frame, which occupies two 
 sides of the room. Up stairs is an immense hay-loft, 
 with a capacity for several hundred tons of hay. 
 
 It was said that " Old Ben. Wade " was here not 
 long since, and remarked, after looking over this 
 extravagant horse-house, " Well, if I was not a man, 
 I would like to be a horse in California." 
 
 Leaving the stable, we strolled around the grounds, 
 the pleasure part of which occupy twelve acres. Sur- 
 rounding them is a private race track, always in fine 
 condition. The ample grounds are laid out with the 
 most artistic skill. Water is supplied from a large 
 
6 4 
 
 reservoir, distant four miles in the mountains, and 
 brought in for the special use of Mr. Hayward's 
 princely mansion and grounds. 
 
 Every variety of vegetation that money will pro- 
 cure may here be seen. Evergreens of all descrip- 
 tions, twenty or thirty varieties of the acacia, beautiful 
 bunches of pampas grass, immense bay trees, and 
 flowers and foliage of almost innumerable variety, 
 combine to produce an effect akin to fairy-land. 
 Indeed, it was more than once remarked by the 
 visitors, during the course of the day, that the tale of 
 the Arabian Nights was realized. 
 
 After a thorough tour of inspection of the grounds, 
 the course of the visitors brought them, by the 
 natural law of attraction, as it were, to the shade of a 
 wide spreading bay tree, where were spread in tempt- 
 ing display a bountiful supply of the finest of fruits, 
 huge bowls of iced punch, and the finest of wines, 
 all of which received due attention from the thirsty 
 and already somewhat fatigued guests. 
 
 FAIR OAKS, MERILO PARK AND BELMONT. 
 Again taking the cars, we proceed as far as Fair 
 Oaks, where we found carriages awaiting us. In these 
 the party took a rapid detour to the right, passing 
 around and through the country seat of Mayor Thos. 
 H. Selby. The limited time allowed gave us but a 
 
65 
 
 hasty glance at the fine orchard and beautiful sur- 
 roundings. 
 
 On resuming the cars we were soon at the residence 
 of Mr. Edward Harron, at Merilo park. Here we 
 alighted and spent half an hour in rambling around 
 the delightful grounds and through the large and sump- 
 tuously furnished house. The grounds of this resi- 
 dence are not excelled by any in point of attractive 
 beauty. Their chief feature is their huge shade trees 
 and velvety lawns, which more than atone for the lack 
 of a large variety of flowers and shrubbery, as they 
 are far more suggestive of retiring comfort. 
 
 Returning then toward the city, the party stopped at 
 Belmont, the residence of Mr. Ralston, the cashier of 
 the Bank of California. Carriages conveyed us to this 
 elegant private residence. Here we spent two hours, 
 walking through the spacious house, yard, stables, etc. 
 
 At about 6 P. M. 200 guests sat down to a most 
 sumptuous dinner. Every delicacy and variety of 
 food of that prolific country and clime found a place on 
 those burdened tables. 
 
 After partaking of these regal hospitalities to the 
 full, we were conveyed to the cars and set our faces 
 cityward. Never had we spent a day of more 
 unalloyed pleasure than the one we were now closing. 
 All were in high spirits. A discovery had been 
 made which was of some value to us, and that was, 
 
66 
 
 that the word " California " was a true shibboleth to 
 test the articulation of a mouth that had sampled the 
 native wines of the Pacific coast. We heard several, 
 even of the more sedate of our generally exemplary 
 party, attempt in vain the enunciation of that word. 
 In the evening the Chinese theater was visited by a 
 portion of the party, many of them being ladies. 
 They remained about an hour, after which they took 
 a trip through Jackson and Pacific streets, viewing the 
 delectable locality known as " Chinatown " or " Bar- 
 bary Coast." They wended their way through these 
 streets and adjoining alleys, laughing merrily at the 
 strange and uncouth sights, and apparently in as high 
 glee as when at the country seats of San Francisco's 
 financial princes. They delighted in peering in at the 
 windows, and with childish merriment would knock at 
 the doors and windows of the close rooms, and laugh 
 to see the astonishment of the inmates. 
 
 THE BAY AND THE GOLDEN GATE. 
 
 The next morning was the set time for the trip 
 outside the Golden Gate, around the harbor, and the 
 lunch on the P. M. S. Co.'s steamer America, Here 
 we insert entire Mr. J. C. Furgeson's description of 
 the trip, as given in the "Alta Californian." 
 
 " At nine o'clock the ladies and gentlemen of this 
 party, with their friends, numbering in all about four 
 
67 
 
 hundred persons, embarked on board the splendid 
 steamer Chrysopolis, which was tendered to the party 
 by the California Steam Navigation Company. This 
 handsome vessel, always kept in the best of trim, 
 was particularly inviting. Gaily decked with flags, and 
 got up expressly for the occasion, her appearance was 
 such as would tempt even the most timid person to sail 
 in her over our beautiful bay. Every thing on board 
 was arranged so as to afford the greatest possible 
 amount of comfort and pleasure to the excursionists. 
 As those privileged to embark in her drew near to 
 where she was moored, it was quite apparent that both 
 her captain and crew were solicitous to receive their 
 guests with all the warmth and free-heartedness of 
 Californians. 
 
 "The officers of the California Steam Navigation 
 Company, careful that their guests should enjoy 
 themselves to the utmost, had secured the valuable 
 services of the Second Artillery band, which was on 
 board before the guests arrived. A liberal supply of 
 choice refreshments had also been provided. 
 
 "THE WEATHER WAS PROPITIOUS, 
 And the arrangements complete ; and so, amid the 
 stirring strains of music and the heartfelt welcomes 
 of the ship's officers, the party was received on board. 
 Shortly after nine o'clock the Chrysopolis steamed 
 
68 
 
 from her moorings, and bore gracefully away across 
 the placid waters of the bay. The band struck up 
 and the merry dance began ; refreshments of every 
 kind were freely circulated around, and happiness 
 beamed on every countenance. Many of our most 
 prominent citizens had come on board to add to the 
 pleasure of the party, and courtesies and congratu- 
 lations were the order of the day. 
 
 " The Chrysopolis drew gracefully along-side the 
 landing at Alcatraz, where it was intended the party 
 should go on shore and inspect the fortifications. The 
 tide being rather low, this was not done, but some of 
 the officers of the garrison came on board and joined 
 the excursion party. As the Chrysopolis steamed away 
 from the island, the guns of the fort fired a salute, as 
 if to add their deep voiced welcome to the many 
 given to the excursionists before. 
 
 " After leaving Alcatraz island the steamer steamed 
 down the bay past Fort Point, 
 
 THROUGH THE GOLDEN GATE, 
 
 And out a short distance on the Pacific. Going 
 down, the fort, bristling with guns, and the rocky 
 headlands of the southern peninsula, were much ad- 
 mired. The smooth waters of the broad Pacific 
 especially pleased the excurtionists, each one of whom 
 seemed glad to be able to say that they had sailed 
 
6 9 
 
 on its placid bosom. Mount Tamalpais and the 
 light-house were both subjects of remark; and the 
 beautifully situated town of Sancelito was pronounced 
 ' real cunning.' San Quinten and San Rafael also 
 received encomiums. Having sailed up the Racoon 
 straits and round the Two Brothers, the Chrysopolis 
 headed back toward the city, passing to the west 
 of Goat island along the city front in full view of the 
 shipping. Continuing this course, she sailed up Mis- 
 sion bay to a point from which a view of the Pacific 
 rolling mills and dry docks could be obtained, 
 when she turned back, and landed her much delighted 
 passengers at the Folsom street wharf. Here they 
 were conducted on board the 
 
 PACIFIC MAIL STEAMSHIP COMPANY'S MAGNIFICENT 
 STEAMER 'AMERICA.' 
 
 Captain Warsaw, and the officers of the company 
 received them on board, and led them through her 
 splendid cabin. The interior fittings of the Chrys- 
 opolis had been considered elegant, but those of the 
 America were absolutely dazzling. A splendid col- 
 lation had been prepared for the excursionists. On 
 entering her grand saloon, the display of crystal, 
 silver, fruit and other dainties seemed quite over- 
 whelming. All admitted they had never seen so 
 much magnificence before. 
 
;o 
 
 "After the ladies and gentlemen of the party had 
 inspected the tables, the guests were invited to take 
 their seats and partake of the good things provided 
 for them. 
 
 " Although two hundred of the excursionists sat 
 down to the first table, there was still a large number 
 who could not be accommodated. The officers of the 
 company had foreseen that this would be the case, and, 
 in order that there might be no weariness felt by those 
 who had to wait, had prepared amusements for them. 
 On the upper deck a large awning had been stretched 
 to keep the rays of the sun from those who might be 
 inclined to join in dancing, and here the band was sta- 
 tioned. Quadrilles, waltzes, polkas, etc., were entered 
 into with greatest zest, and it would have been hard 
 to decide who enjoyed themselves most those enjoy- 
 ing the dance, or those enjoying the dinner. 
 
 " In a short time, so complete were the arrange- 
 ments on board, and so efficient the large staff of 
 Chinese servants who attended at the table, a fresh 
 table was set, and those who had been dancing changed 
 places with those who had already partaken of the 
 princely hospitality of their entertainers. 
 
 " Nothing could exceed the complete success which 
 attended this effort of the officers of the Pacific Mail 
 steamship to entertain our railroad friends from the 
 east. One and all, they express the most enthusiastic 
 
gratitude for the honor done them, which they say 
 was beyond their imagination ; had they not experi- 
 enced it they never could have realized it. 
 
 " The size, strength and superb finish of the America 
 were all objects of admiration to our railroad friends 
 from the east. With our great transcontinental rail- 
 road, and such steamers as the America and others of 
 the same fleet, what a vast Oriental trade can be 
 developed ! All the wealth of India and China must 
 necessarily pass to the great markets of the world by 
 this route. Reduced through-rates on freight will 
 cause a much greater traffic than any that has yet 
 passed over this route. The same far-sighted policy 
 will also largely increase our passenger trade. The 
 steamers similar to the America plying between this 
 port and Australia and New Zealand, all the Austra- 
 lian travel to England, and vice versa, can be diverted 
 through this country. Happily, our railroad friends 
 can see all this for themselves. They have come here 
 and seen our wants and capabilities. They have 
 made our acquaintance in our own homes, and are 
 able to judge of our energy and enterprise." 
 
 LAST DAY. 
 
 FRIDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 23. We realized 
 that this was our last day on the Pacific coast. Our 
 stay here had been one of unalloyed pleasure. Nothing 
 
72 
 
 had occurred to mar for a moment the overflow of 
 pleasurable emotions. So attentive to our every 
 want, so given up to our comfort, had been the rail- 
 road, steamboat and newspaper officials, and so gen- 
 erous and unselfish the hospitality of the citizens of 
 San Francisco, that our stay on the Pacific coast was 
 one of, if not the, brightest spot in our lives. One of 
 our number expressed the feeling which pervaded all 
 hearts, when asked on that eventful morning, " How 
 have you enjoyed yourself, so far ? " He replied, " My 
 cup is full to overflowing ; and when a thing is perfect 
 I have nothing to say." 
 
 RESOLUTIONS. 
 
 At 1 1 o'clock of that day the party met at the Mer- 
 cantile Library. Mr. Follett, our president, in calling 
 the meeting to order, reminded us, as this was our last 
 meeting in San Francisco, care should be taken that 
 nothing requiring our attention should be forgotten. 
 
 Mr. Lewis Carvel, in behalf of the committee on 
 resolutions, reported the following, which were heart- 
 ily adopted : 
 
 I. Resolved, That the thanks of the general passenger, ticket and 
 freight agents and other railway officers of the United States and Can- 
 ada, now upon a visit to San Francisco, be tendered to the general 
 officers of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railways, at whose 
 instance they were induced to make the trip to California, for the kind 
 consideration and courteous attentions so uniformly extended to them 
 during the entire journey. 
 
73 
 
 2. Resolved, That the thanks of the whole party are specially due and 
 are hereby tendered to T. H. Goodman, Esq., the general passenger 
 agent of the Central Pacific Railway, to Beverly R. Keim, Esq., the 
 assistant general passenger agent of the Union Pacific Railway, 
 and to John Corning, Esq., the assistant general superintendent of 
 the Central Pacific Railway, whose presence, considerate kindness and 
 attention have rendered this instructive and important trip one of unal- 
 loyed pleasure. 
 
 3. Resolved, That the thanks of the general passenger and freight 
 agents and other railway officers of the United States and Canada, now 
 upon a visit to San Francisco, are hereby tendered : 
 
 To the officers of the Denver Pacific Railroad ; to the officers of the 
 Utah Central Railroad; the mayor and corporation of the city of 
 Omaha ; to the officers and agents of the California Steam Navigation 
 Company ; to the officers and agents of the Pacific Mail Steamship Com- 
 pany ; to the general officers and employe's of the Western Union 
 Telegraph Company and to the Pacific and Atlantic Telegraph Com- 
 pany, for the free use of their lines ; to the officers of the Mercantile 
 Library, for the use of their museum, and the privilege of using the 
 various departments of their institution ; to the managers of the Cali- 
 fornia Theater; to R. B. Woodward, Esq., the proprietor of Wood- 
 ward's gardens ; to the officers of the Mechanics' Institute ; to the 
 officers of the San Francisco and San Jose Railroad ; to Messrs. W. C. 
 Ralston and Alvinza Hayward ; to the managers of the Agricultural 
 Park; to the officers of the California Pacific Railroad; to the superin- 
 tendent of the Mission and Pacific Woolen Mills ; to the officers and 
 agents of the North Pacific Transportation Company; to Messrs. 
 Gamble and Evans, who escorted the party to the Chinese business 
 houses ; to the officers of the California Immigrant Union ; and to the 
 Alta Calif ornian and the San Francisco press, as well as to the citizens of 
 San Francisco generally, for the courtesies, hospitalities and attentions 
 they have so liberally extended to this party. 
 
 4. Resolved, That we leave the metropolis of the Pacific coast with 
 the most pleasant recollections, and with enlarged views of her won- 
 derful growth and commerce. 
 10 
 
74 
 
 5. Resolved, That we recognize the vast agricultural and mining 
 resources of the Paciric slope, and trust that the dissemination of such 
 information as we may be enabled to impart at our own distant homes 
 may result advantageously to the people who have so heartily enter- 
 tained us. 
 
 6. Resolved, That printed copies of these resolutions, signed Dy the 
 president and secretary of this organization, be presented to each of 
 the general officers of the Union and Central Pacific Railroads, and to 
 each member of this party. 
 
 7. Resolved, That the press be furnished with a copy of the fore- 
 going resolutions. 
 
 CHARLES E. FOLLETT, 
 
 President. 
 SAMUEL POWELL, Secretary. 
 
 DINNER BY THE PROPRIETORS OF THE GRAND 
 HOTEL. 
 
 Messrs. Johnson & CD., proprietors of the Grand 
 Hotel, desirous of showing those of the party residing 
 at the " Grand " a parting courtesy, invited them to a 
 sumptuous dinner at five o'clock in the evening. 
 
 About sixty persons, composed of the ladies and 
 gentlemen of the party residing at the Grand Hotel, 
 and their friends, sat down to a dinner got up es- 
 pecially for them in Messrs. Johnson & Co.'s splendid 
 style. The table looked unusually brilliant and at- 
 tractive. At regular intervals along its entire length 
 a number of beautiful bouquets were placed in 
 glasses. These floral gifts were kindly presented to 
 the ladies of the party by their entertainers as sou- 
 venirs of their stay at the " Grand." A noticeable 
 
75 
 
 feature of the dinner was the large variety of Cali- 
 fornia wines supplied for the use of the guests. There 
 were nine different varieties, all of the best quality. 
 
 The dinner was a complete success. Many toasts 
 were drank, and many good-natured responses made. 
 " The Prosperity of California," " The Press of San 
 Francisco," "Johnson & Company," and other toasts 
 appropriate to the occasion, were drank with enthu- 
 siasm, and fittingly responded to by gentlemen 
 present. 
 
 RETURN. 
 
 After this sumptuous repast the party were taken 
 in carriages to the steamer which was to convey 
 them to Oakland, the Brooklyn of San Francisco. 
 
 On this steamer we found our Pacific friends 
 those who had rendered our visit so pleasurable 
 assembled to bid us good-by. On landing at Oak- 
 land, there was a shaking of hands and mutual re- 
 grets expressed at the parting. Entering the cars 
 many of us received from these generous friends 
 lunch -baskets filled with the most palatable refresh- 
 ments ; to many of the ladies beautiful bouquets were 
 given ; and thus it was that we left the metropolis of 
 the Pacific and its ever to be remembered hospitable 
 citizens. 
 
 And now the " Silver Palace Train " moves on, and 
 we commence again to ride "across the Continent." 
 
7 6 
 
 Mr. Neilson, an attache of the Alta Calif ornian, 
 gives the following account of the return trip as far 
 as Humboldt. 
 
 "HUMBOLDT, September 24th. "The railroad 
 excursion party arrived safely at Humboldt at six 
 o'clock this evening. The almost exclusive topics 
 of conversation hitherto have been : California, her 
 resources, and the magnificent hospitalities of her 
 people. The party admit that they had been led 
 to expect much from all they had heard of the 
 Golden State previously, but they confess that they 
 had totally failed to realize all that they had wit- 
 nessed. The ladies say, that the trip has been quite 
 an event in their lives, and that it will long continue 
 to be the subject of pleasant conversation and remi- 
 niscence around many a fireside in their dear old 
 homes. With one accord they pray ' God bless 
 California and Californians !' 
 
 " Leaving San Francisco at 7 P. M. on Friday, the 
 party arrived at Sacramento at 12:30 this morning. 
 At that early hour the Sacramento Record had been 
 put to press, and the proprietors kindly supplied the 
 party with one thousand copies of the number, con- 
 taining all the news of the morning. 
 
77 
 
 " AT ALTA AND DONNER LAKE. 
 
 " Alta Depot was reached at 9 o'clock in the morn- 
 ing. Here a substantial and welcome breakfast was 
 provided, to which the party did ample justice. 
 
 *' Donner Lake was reached at half-past n. Here 
 Mr. Goodman, with his usual kindness and courtesy, 
 arranged that the train should stop for fifteen minutes, 
 in order to give all an opportunity to alight and 
 drink in one long inspiration from one of Nature's 
 masterpieces : the grand, the sublime and the beau- 
 tiful. When the superlatives of the English language 
 were well-nigh exhausted in giving expression to 
 the party's admiration of the scene, they all with one 
 voice and with swelling words and full hearts gave 
 vent to their feelings by singing ' America.' Never, 
 perhaps, was that noble strain rendered in more 
 impassioned tones. At its conclusion, a venerable 
 member of the party, with head uncovered, exclaimed 
 with evident feeling : ' That scene should be a 
 voice of assurance to us all of the existence of the 
 Supreme Being ;' to which there was a response of a 
 hearty and emotional ' Amen' 
 
 " PRESENTATION. 
 
 " Off again, and at six o'clock in the evening the 
 party arrived at Humboldt, where an elegant dinner 
 was provided. Before the guests had arisen from the 
 
78 
 
 table, Mr. Follett, the president of the party, called 
 the company to order, and requested Messrs. T. H. 
 Goodman and Beverly R. Keim, passenger agents 
 of the Pacific roads, to step forward, when they would 
 be addressed on behalf of the party by Mr. T. A. 
 Weed. 
 
 "Mr. Weed said: 'Messrs. Goodman and Keim: 
 Gentlemen, It gives me pleasure, on behalf of this 
 greatly obligated party, to address you, the represent- 
 atives of the two great railroad corporations which 
 have afforded us this treat one of the grandest 
 excursions of the age. On returning us to the shores 
 of the Missouri you will have conveyed us by loco- 
 motive and palace cars over 4,000 miles across the 
 continent, over vast plains, through awful canons, 
 around the summits and through the bowels of grand 
 old mountains, until at last we passed the Golden 
 Gate where the Occident and the Orient blend. Our 
 hearts are full, our ideas enlarged, our conceptions 
 of our country's extent greatly increased. It is a 
 grander and more beautiful land to us, for this your 
 favor. Our loyalty is doubly assurred by this con- 
 tinental trip. We shall never be content to dwell 
 hereafter in any "pent up Utica." We know now 
 how to sympathize with our countryman, who, having 
 traversed this land from ocean to ocean, and from 
 the great gulf to the great lakes, visited England, and 
 
79 
 
 declined an evening walk with his host for fear of 
 falling off in so contracted a country. 
 
 "'No country, without these vast plains and far 
 rolling rivers, snow capped mountains, Golden Gate 
 and Union and Central Pacific railways, will be big 
 enough to hold us in the future. 
 
 " ' Gentlemen, after all that we had read and heard 
 of this collossal enterprise of laying the iron rail 
 across such vast regions, and upon and around such 
 frowning mountains, we confess our anticipations are 
 exceeded. We are agreeably surprised at the com- 
 pleteness of your grades, at the perfection of your 
 track, and the equipment of your road. In these 
 latter respects you can favorably compare with our 
 best eastern roads. 
 
 " ' It will give us pleasure, on our return, to commend 
 the road for safety and comfort to all transcontinental 
 travelers. 
 
 "'And now, gentlemen, as a slight memento of our 
 appreciation of your unwearied attentions, and your 
 care for our comfort and pleasure, you will please 
 receive these precious jewels the spontaneous 
 expression of the gratitude of the whole party.' 
 
 " The cheers of the ladies, as well as the gentlemen, 
 of the party, followed the delivery of this address. 
 
 " The pin presented to Mr. T. H. Goodman has a 
 very beautiful garnet in the center, and is surrounded 
 
8o 
 
 with diamonds. The presentation to Mr. Beverly R. 
 Keim, assistant general passenger agent of the Union 
 Pacific, is a very beautiful diamond ring. The 
 presents cost $700. Mr. Goodman seemed greatly 
 taken by surprise, as the gifts were entirely unex- 
 pected. He said ' he felt that he had only done his 
 duty, which was to entertain his friends then present; 
 he was a better worker than a talker ; he was glad 
 that this excursion had given him an opportunity to 
 renew many old acquaintances among his early rail- 
 road friends. The beautiful pin would ever be treas- 
 ured as a memento of their kindness and good feel- 
 ing.' Cheers, of course, followed this speech. Mr. 
 Kiem said, ' he would always treasure the beautiful 
 gift as a memento of the happy hours they had spent 
 together ; it would be esteemed as one of the most 
 precious of his household goods. The trip, to him, 
 had been a season of unbounded delight; he was 
 sure it would continue so to the end. He thanked 
 them for their kind expressions of good will.' 
 [Cheers.] 
 
 "The party then again sang 'America' in right 
 hearty style. " 
 
 No one not present on this occasion at Humboldt 
 could imagine the picturesqueness of that scene. 
 The place, the station, standing isolated and alone in 
 a vast, uninhabited region ; lofty mountains, plains and 
 
8i 
 
 deserts near and in the distance ; the station-house 
 crowded with intelligent men and women ; the beau- 
 tiful train in front ; the dining room filled to repletion 
 by the hungry tourists; a score of " celestials" with 
 servers in hand ; the presentation ; the enthusiasm ; 
 the good cheer, all conduced to make it one of the 
 scenes to be remembered. 
 
 Too much credit cannot be given to Mrs. Meacham, 
 of the Humboldt house, for the really perfect arrange- 
 ments she had made. 
 
 The whole party were profuse in their praise of the 
 really splendid entertainments they received at this 
 oasis in the desert. Marvelous, indeed, is the trans- 
 formation the industry of Mr. Meacham has worked at 
 this place. Here the effects of irrigation on a sandy, 
 sage-brush country can be seen. To look at the 
 garden of Mr. Meacham, full of rank, luxuriant vege- 
 tables, and know that only a short time ago it was the 
 home alone of the sage brush, we were led to believe 
 that all of our western deserts could and would be 
 brought to fruitfulness at no distant day ; and that the 
 lines of the Pacific roads would ere long present to 
 the eye the fruits and grains of the tropical and tem- 
 perate zones. 
 
 ARRIVAL AT OGDEN. 
 
 The night of -leaving Humboldt and the succeeding 
 day we passed again through the alkali region, causing 
 11 
 
82 
 
 some inconvenience to the ladies, into whose throats 
 and nostrils the dust penetrated. We reached Odgen, 
 the eastern terminus of the Central Pacific road, at 
 3 P. M. on Sunday. The Sabbath had been spent 
 quietly and in a way befitting the day. Services were 
 held in coaches, at which there was reading of the 
 Scriptures and singing of hymns. 
 
 At Ogden we partook of the first regular meal in 
 nineteen hours. Here Mr. Goodman resigned the 
 party into the hands of Mr. Keim. It was a pleasure 
 for us to know that, though out from under the pleasant 
 reign of Mr Goodman, he and his amiable and intelli- 
 gent wife were to be our companions the remainder 
 of the journey eastward. Here our Salt Lake City 
 friends left us, and we bade them a regretful good-by. 
 Here, too, Mr. Carvell and Mr. McMillan, of New 
 Brunswick, left us to visit Salt Lake City, they having 
 failed to make connections so as to visit that city with 
 the rest of the party. We parted with these gentle- 
 men with reluctance, as they had made themselves, by 
 their geniality and companionableness, very agreeable 
 to us all. 
 
 AN AFFECTING INCIDENT. 
 
 Parting with these friends reminded us of an affect- 
 ing incident which occurred on our way west. One 
 of our party, the representative of a brief road of 
 twenty-five miles in the east, here gave out. The road 
 
83 
 
 was longer than he had calculated on The separation 
 between him and wife and child and home was widen- 
 ing hourly. And then, too, the mighty stretch yet to 
 be traversed ; there was no telling whether we should 
 ever get back over this interminable, almost endless, 
 road. Many of the company had their wives with 
 them, and, thus supported, felt a kind of reckless glee 
 behind locomotives headed for a week in one direc- 
 tion. To such our friend could not look for sympa- 
 thy ; he therefore clung to a benedict from St. Paul 
 and the writer for consolation and advice. We 
 assured him of the similarity of our situation with his ; 
 spoke affectingly of the dear ones we had left at home ; 
 but that, however trying to the heart, we were now 
 going through on the mere force of the will. Our 
 friend heard us attentively and reverently, but never- 
 theless bade us, with choking throat and damp eyes, 
 an affectionate farewell, and took the first train east. 
 Under the genial influence of our ladies, and the 
 happy faces of their husbands, my friend and I soon 
 rallied from the temporary somberness thrown over us 
 by this touching and very home-suggestive incident. 
 
 OGDEN TO SIDNEY. 
 
 From Ogden, we soon enter the lower Weber 
 caiion, enjoying, as if fresh and unseen before, this 
 pass in the mountains, and the whole ascent and 
 
84 
 
 crossing of the Rocky Mountain range. How we sat 
 and mused and drank in and feasted on the mountain 
 scenery over which we were rapidly rolled. Nor did 
 the Laramie plains lose any of their beauties and 
 pleasing diversities by a second view we saw all 
 from a different stand-point, and new sublimities burst 
 upon us at every turn. As we descended the moun- 
 tains into Cheyenne, the view was grand and im- 
 posing; on one side "Alps o'er Alps" arose on the 
 other, stretching far away with indistinct boundaries, 
 or merging into the horizon, was the great delta of 
 the Platte, which, melting into the prairies, reaches 
 unbroken to the shores of the Missouri. 
 
 "And the heart swells, while the dilated sight 
 Takes in the encircling vastness." 
 
 And now we are again, at night-fall, at Cheyenne. 
 We rush to the telegraph office and assure our friends, 
 in the far off east, of our safe and happy progress 
 homeward. Here again our party is depleted. Our 
 Denver Pacific friends part with us. Mr. Nye and 
 wife, Mr. Ward and lady friend, bid us good-by. A 
 pleasant remembrance of them will linger long in our 
 hearts. From their joining us to the separation, they 
 formed an integral part of our enjoyment. 
 
 The party are to supper at Sidney, one hundred and 
 ten miles east; the track is straight, the grade descend- 
 ing; the country through which we pass said to be one 
 
85 
 
 of the best grazing sections in the world ; stock thrive 
 at all seasons of the year, without care, upon the 
 " bunch " grass which covers the valleys,- bluffs and 
 low hills. This ride to Sidney that evening will not 
 soon be forgotten. The train was whirled along at a 
 rapid rate the first hour making fifty-six miles, and 
 should have accomplished the whole distance at the 
 same rate, but for the heating of a journal. So firm 
 and well bedded was the track, so substantial the 
 rolling-stock, that we hardly realized the rapid rate 
 we were moving, and felt more than the usual safety 
 under such speed. 
 
 RAILROAD MATERIAL AND LANDS. 
 And here let us say that nothing surprised us more 
 than the abundance of good stone for masonry, at short 
 intervals, upon all points of these Pacific roads. 
 Water is also found in abundance for railroad purposes 
 throughout those portions of the Sierra Nevada, 
 Wahsatch and Rocky mountains, through which the 
 road penetrates ; also, water is found at every few 
 miles intervals in the basins, where it usually occurs in 
 springs at the bases of the mountains, and in small 
 streams descending from the higher peaks and ridges 
 to the adjacent plains. A simple reference to the 
 map of the Pacific railroad route will exhibit an 
 important feature in this respect, in the fact that in its 
 
86 
 
 remarkably direct course, for its great length, from 
 the Missouri west to the Pacific, it follows the ascend- 
 ing and descending valleys of permanent rivers and 
 their tributaries for more than two-thirds of its entire 
 length, and that water is abundant on all the inter- 
 mediate spaces. 
 
 Thus, it will be seen further, that the means of irri- 
 gation is at hand, to a large extent, wherever the 
 lands are suitable for it. And we believe that most 
 of the sage plains are suitable, from the fact of the 
 rich odor and resinous property of that plant, and 
 from the exceedingly nutritous character of the grass 
 occasionally scattered through it. It is now an estab- 
 lished fact, that the Mormons produce some of their 
 finest crops from reclaimed sage plains. 
 
 We see no reason, in view of these facts, why, in a 
 few years, the lands of the Pacific railway company 
 will not be sought with avidity by intelligent agri- 
 culturists. The fact that irrigation will be necessary 
 is no discount on the value of those lands. It is fast 
 coming to be understood that irrigation is the only 
 safe way of insuring a steady yearly crop, and that 
 every farm crop can be produced cheaper by its help 
 than on lands where it is not thought necessary. A 
 recent writer has truly said : " There are not many 
 acres laid down to grass in New England, whether for 
 hay or pasture, that would not have justified an 
 
8; 
 
 outlay of $10 per acre to irrigate them simply for this 
 year alone" (1870). So much for railroad material 
 and farming. 
 
 INCIDENTS, ETC. 
 
 At Sidney we sat down to a good supper. Here 
 we met with our first and only unpleasant occurrence. 
 While one of our ladies was at supper, a straggling 
 soldier stepped into the car and walked off with her 
 satchel, containing valuables, worth some $3,000. The 
 loss was not discovered until we were many miles on 
 our way. The deep sympathy manifested by the 
 whole party toward the loser showed to what extent 
 the party had become bound up in each others' interests. 
 The husband took the first train west, and recovered 
 the satchel and contents intact, telegraphing the good 
 news in the morning to our on-moving eastern train. 
 This removed all clouds from our faces, and we 
 resumed our usual cheerful state. 
 
 Among those of our party who, from Omaha to San 
 Francisco and return, exerted themselves to contribute 
 to our pleasure and comfort, was Mr. Henry Starring, 
 general baggage agent of the west. He was fruitful 
 in expedients to relieve the monotony of the plains or 
 the later hours of the evening. He, together with 
 Col. Moore, who presided in the baggage car, exhib- 
 ited such care of our valuables, such patience with 
 questions about " the baggage," that the ladies pre- 
 
88 
 
 sented each of them with a handsome memorial gift 
 of appreciation. 
 
 Mr. Brown, the superintendent of the palace cars, 
 will be remembered for his gentlemanly demeanor and 
 accommodating spirit He was a decided favorite 
 with the company. 
 
 But we cannot discriminate among so many from 
 whom we received attentions and favors. The grati- 
 tude of the entire party is due to all the officials and 
 subordinates of these railways, who contributed so 
 much to the happiness of the company and toward 
 making the excursion an unequaled success. 
 
 NEAR THE TERMINUS. 
 
 And now we are drawing near to the terminus, 
 where the party are to break up and disperse over our 
 broad land. As we near the shore of the Missouri we 
 gather in groups, and recall the varied scenes and 
 marked incidents of our happy excursion. We speak 
 of visits to be made to each other in our far-separated 
 homes of the renewal and continuance of the pleas- 
 ant acquaintances made in this prolonged trip of 
 beauties and wonders. We do not, however, lose 
 sight of the mighty prairie over which we are gliding, 
 and which sweeps up to the city of our separation. 
 It was grand and beautiful. Far-lengthened and 
 
8 9 
 
 wide-extended, a prairie is ever an object of surpass- 
 ing interest and beauty. 
 
 "Lo! they stretch 
 In airy undulations, far away, 
 As if an ocean in its gentlest swell 
 Stood still, with all its rounded billows fixed 
 And motionless forever. Motionless ? 
 No, they are all unchained again. The clouds 
 Sweep over with their shadoM's, and beneath, 
 The surface rolls and fluctuates to the eye ; 
 Dark hollows seem to glide along and chase 
 The sunny ridges. * * 
 
 The great heavens seem to stoop down upon the scene of love ; 
 A nearer vault, and of tenderer hue 
 Than that which bends above the eastern hills." 
 
 PACIFIC ROADS. 
 
 And now we have passed over the Pacific roads. 
 We had comprehended something of the grandeur 
 of this collossal enterprise of laying the iron track 
 across 2,000 miles of plains and mountains. We had 
 seen that the road was a fixed fact. Passing and 
 repassing, we saw it firmly bedded, strongly culverted, 
 bridged, splendidly equipped and efficiently worked. 
 We had seen villages springing up on its lengthened 
 sides, and cities laid out which will soon bear the 
 name properly and justly. With its eastern railroad 
 and its transpacific steam connections, we saw that, 
 by an enlightened view and a liberal policy on 
 the part of all concerned, the most sanguine ex- 
 pectations of far-seeing statesmen would be realized, 
 12 
 
90 
 
 viz. : of making the American continent the highway 
 from Europe to Asia, and to the ports of the North 
 and South Pacific. 
 
 All felt, as we coursed over this great railway, and 
 saw its connection with the splendid transpacific 
 steamers plying with Japan, China, and the far east, 
 that the prophecies of Thomas H. Benton, uttered 
 fifteen years ago in the United States Senate, in a 
 plea for the Pacific road, were on the verge of fulfill- 
 ment. 
 
 Said that patriotic statesman : 
 
 "The Pacific road will be made. To reach the 
 golden California, to put the populations of the At- 
 lantic, the Pacific, and the Mississippi valley into 
 direct communication, to connect Europe and Asia 
 through our America, and to own a road of our own 
 to the East Indies; such is the grandeur of the 
 enterprise, and the time has arrived to begin it. The 
 country is open to settlement, and inviting it and receiv- 
 ing it. The world is in motion, following the track of 
 the sun to its dip in the western ocean. Westward 
 the torrents of emigration direct their course, and 
 soon the country between Missouri and California is 
 to show the most rapid expansion of the human race 
 that the ages of man have ever beheld. It will all be 
 settled up, and that with magical rapidity ; settlements 
 will promote the road the road will aggrandize the 
 
settlements. Soon it will be a line of towns and vil- 
 lages, cities and farms. And rich will be the man 
 that may own some quarter section on its track, or 
 
 some squares in the cities which are to grow upon it. 
 
 * ******** * 
 
 " Twenty-five centuries have fought for the commer- 
 cial road to India we have it as a peaceable posses- 
 sion. Shall we use it ? or wear out our lives in strife 
 over minor matters, while a glorious prize lies neg- 
 lected before us ? Vasco de Gama, in the discovery 
 of the Cape of Good Hope, and the opening of a 
 new route to India, independent of the Musulman 
 power, eclipsed, in his day, the glory of Columbus, 
 balked in the discovery of his well-divined route by 
 the intervention of a new world. Let us vindicate the 
 glory of Columbus by realizing his divine idea of 
 arriving in the east by going west. " 
 
 SEPARATION. 
 
 On Tuesday, September 27, 2 P. M., we reach 
 Omaha. We had journeyed to the Pacific and 
 returned, without the slightest accident without a 
 marring circumstance. All are in as good spirits as 
 on the day we left this hospitable city en route for the 
 Pacific. 
 
 Nothing in the way of an excursion could have 
 been more perfect in detail or as a whole. All fell- 
 
9 2 
 
 that this trip would individually be repeated at an 
 early day. We shall be disappointed if, in the coming 
 season, there is not a great increase of tourists over 
 this wonderful road, and through this wonderful 
 country. Our people will not much longer, we 
 believe, flood the old world to visit places and scenes 
 that have been crowded and described ad nauseum, 
 while their own land, in its vastness, its plains, its great 
 mountain ranges and rivers sweeping over thousands 
 of miles, have never met their eye. 
 
 Let every man and woman in the east, who desires 
 to make the one trip of life, cross the continent to the 
 Pacific coast. 
 
 Passing over the Missouri to Council Bluffs, we 
 separate. Here we bid each other farewell a 
 regretful good-by to many of whom, we fear, we 
 shall never see again. Taking the four railways that 
 lead out of Council Bluffs, we arrive in Chicago the 
 following day at 2 P. M., accomplishing the return 
 from San Francisco in four days and sixteen hours 
 the quickest time on record. And the great railroad 
 excursion of 1870 is ended 
 
nxs 
 
 i fe 
 
Souvenir of the t rans- 
 
 continental excursion or 
 railroad age mtSjl870 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY