Ter mu. Five Dollarti a Y< 
Ten Cents a Copy. 
NEW YORK, THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1876 
Volume 6, Numbei G. 
17 Chatham SMCityHnll hqr,) 
Fop Fonst and stream. 
(j^verlmpl $oter*. 
NUMBER TWO. 
F ROM Omaha to Cheyenne there is not much calling 
for remark. As the train draws out, the passengers 
settle into Iheir places, and aware that the car is to he their 
home for some time, arrange themselves as cosily as may 
he, disposing of maps, drawing out work, books and games, 
and opening the long time-tables that give distances, ele¬ 
vation, etc. The road, after a time, reaches the north bank 
of the Platte, and follows in the broad, low, bottom laud 
of that wide, shallow, and sandy stream for many miles. 
A tew houses are seen, some in natural groves of cotton 
•wood, others surrounded by new plantations made for 
shelter. The winds here are evidently very severe, and 
many small buildings are propped up on the eaBt side with 
timbers, to bear them against the western gales that Come 
in unbroken sweep from the Rocky Mountains. The sta¬ 
tions are not important—mere remains of tile temporary 
towns that had successive life in turn, as each was the ter¬ 
minus of the road when being built, when, for a time, 
they were gay, busy, and rioLous with the strange conglom¬ 
eration of wild characters who were the ruling spirits of 
these canvas camps, where many of them met violent 
deaths, and society suffered no loss, nor were refinement 
and culture impeded in their progress. 
Vast flocks of wild geese stretehed their regular ranks 
ip flight over the plains, passing from the sand-bars of the 
Platte, to remote feeding grounds, and many fat prairie 
hens flitted leisurely away from the track and dropped into 
the stubble. It was tantalizing to pass them without a 
shot, and revived our wish that cars could be more cheaply 
chartered, that halla could be made at points where there 
is abundant game, but no resting-places. 
The road is here a constant up-grade, but it is unnoticc- 
able, as the plains, although apparently level, are descend¬ 
ing to the east, and the elevations given seem incredible, 
so imperceptible is the great slope from the foot hills of the 
mountains to the Missouri. The needle of our aneroid ba 
rometer fell constantly, and persons sensitive to light air 
often feel the discomforts attendant upon a rarified atmos 
phere. 
The train speed is not high, and in this moderate motion, 
and in the freedom from noise and reverberation arise great 
abseence from fatigue, and a day’s travel results in less 
nervous wear and tear than is often felt in a few hours 
! pnssed upon one of our fast Eastern trains. The Pullman 
| cars—a great source of rest and comfort—are not yet all 
they are capable of becoming. They are so warmlj laud¬ 
ed by all tourist writers, that a little critical spirit on the 
part ot one may do no harm. To be frank, they need sev¬ 
eral changes for these very loug routes, when people are 
really housed in th«-m for days. Their heating and ventil¬ 
ation should be more regular. Some passenger in warm 
dress asks the porter for more air. Openinga window by the 
front healer- and two ventilators at the rear would make a 
current of warmed fresh air, and carry off the foul air; but 
the porter is uninformed, and simply opens every ventila¬ 
tor at once, pouring in gusts of cold air upon healed and 
perspiring beads. Apiotest results fiom the least patient 
sufferer, when every ventilator is shut, and soon the mer¬ 
cury marks ninety. Bo it goes, from heat to cold, cold to 
heat, and the person employed is totally incompetent to 
protect the invalid or weary traveler from the most serious 
consequences. 
The toilet rooms for ladies are not at all well arranged, 
for the basjns and mirrors are in the open cur, affording no 
retirement for dressing; nor are the ends of the cars prop¬ 
erly distinguished as ladies’ ends and gentlemen’s ends. 
Another point could be made, that single gentlemen he as¬ 
signed cars other than those used by ladies, aud parties 
with ladies, for those gentlemen accompanying ladies are 
far more guarded in manner than those who are alone. It 
is not pleasant to carry a critical spirit before your read¬ 
ers, but do reforms are commonly made in advance of pub 
lie demand, and so long and weary a route as to California 
needs every arrangement possible for comfort and conven¬ 
ience. Usually travelers are good companions, kind and 
mutually obliging, and exceedingly considerate; but some 
are encountered that are so much the reverse, that at times 
they seem to forfeit their claims to go in first-class cars. 
Borne of the latter need strong restraint from conductors in 
the free way in which they disregard the presence 
of ladies as they dress and undress themselves—a 
point where a good deal of limit is needed; 
and others who do not smoke should be Bent 
to a cattle car, for chewiug and spitting to such 
an extent as to disgust every one. A man’s habits are his 
own, hut when they become a positive annoyance to oth¬ 
ers, he should not complain if the restraint comes to him 
that others exert over themselves. 
Our second morning found us in snow—a wide, white 
waste all about, with a gray sky that blended with the dis 
tanee and hid the low horizon. We were behind time, and 
would not- reach our breakfast point until near noon; but 
we were prepared for the emergency, as all should be, and 
soon had cups of Borden's excellent coffee steaming over a 
spirit lamp, and made a fair breakfast, rendered more 
agreeable by a pleasant interchange of coffee, fruits, etc , 
with onr neighbors. By the second day all formality wears 
away, and parties mingle sociably, and many charming 
acquaintances are thus founded. 
There was hardly a feature now to the landscape—snow 
and sky were all, no tree or bush, hill or valley, ami no 
living thing to excite interest until, as we neared Chev - 
eune, we saw bands of antelope, beautiful creatures, which 
moved away without m cli haste, half-alarmed, but more 
curious. They often pay a death penally for their inquis¬ 
itive nature, being in the summer often tolled within shut 
by a rag waved ou a ramrod. Before reaching CUeyi uue, 
some bluffs rise south of the track, and claim attention 
from the evidence lltey bear of having been exposed to tln- 
action of waves. No sea shore that is being vyom away by 
the buffeting of waves could more perfectly evidence I heir 
action. What was the cause of this, and when it was in 
action, your correspondent cannot opine but would gladly 
see the opinion of some of the eminent geologists who 
read these records so truly and so clearly. 
At Cheyenne we stopped, intending a detour to Colora¬ 
do. Here we were over six thousand feet above tide— 
fairly iu the thin, pure air of the great upland of the con¬ 
tinent. A clear idea of the outlook about Cheyenne is not 
easily conveyed; but all about us recalled the fanciful de¬ 
scriptions we read of the moon, where, astronomers assure 
us, there is no vegetation, no air, no shadows, and no lire. 
Looking Out from our hotel the horizon seemed below us 
at all points, except at the west, where a rugged range of 
mountains white as snow cut the twilight sky. All was 
snow clad—no object beyond the few houses of the village 
aided in estimating location; perspective, there was none 
over the white boundless plain, aud distance did not seem 
to exist, so clear was the air. A speck might be a dog half 
a mile away, or a cow two miles distant, or a house still 
more remote—there was nothing to determine the differ¬ 
ence, and one’s eyes, wearied of seeking to compass the 
scene that was so devoid of optical certainties, come back 
to rest upon some immediate object, rather than sc .n a dis¬ 
tance that seemed without beginning or end. The rarity 
of the air becomes noticeable here in pressure upon the 
ears, more or less severe in different persons, aud some 
times a humming noise fills one’B bead. The porter brought 
up our small trunk, puffing like an engine on an up grade, 
aud said it was the lightness of he air, not the weight of 
the baggage, and we found ourselves equally out of breath 
at the head of the stab s 
Cheyenne is favored with good hotels and a pleasant pop¬ 
ulation, rendered agreeable by many army men; aud one 
wishing a hunting point would find it here, and good com¬ 
panions for an unteiope or tmffalo hunt on the plains, an 
[expedition to the Black Hills for elk and deer (scalps to be 
well guarded here), or for a camp south of the railroad, 
where, as a hunter, Mr. A. Miller told us game of all kinds 
abounds—noble game, too, elk, deer, mountain sheep, bi¬ 
son, etc., with now and then a cinnamon bear of large 
oize. Pleasant souvenirs of (be mountains are found in 
the form of agates—moss agates in particular—many of 
them being of great beauty, and they are set here with 
great taste in the native gold. 
From Cheyenne to Denver the plains are less level, but 
no less monotonous. On the west, fine mountain views are 
constant, and as the sun sets the effects are beautiful of 
bold peaks and snow-clad ranges in clear outline against 
the sunset colors. The only point of note is Greeley, a 
town incorporated to prohibit all drinking places, A good 
system Of irrigaiion does away with all excuse for unnat¬ 
ural thirst, and the place is pronounced successful. We 
reach Denver af er dark, but by abundant gas lamps see 
fine streets and many substantial buildings. No suow was 
on the ground here, and the air mild and agreeable The 
city is arranged with forethought, and its ambition is not, 
as yet, limited. A complete system of irrigation carries 
open streams on every street, bearing, water to the roots of ev¬ 
ery shade tree, of which there ate thousands, while hyorants 
are all about. Fine lots are it served lor t-elmols and play¬ 
grounds, and I he school buildings are more complete und 
permanent in character than lu most Jia.--iern cities. A 
new feature iu the public schools—and a very excellent one 
—is daily military drill. Squads of boys may be seen 
marching, having iheir awkward wits drilled out of them, 
aud good beating made habitual. Fine mountain views 
are before the eyes all the time, changing hourly with cloud 
and sunshine, and often at all times vitrj ing with more or 
less snow. To miues among them run narrow gauge rail- 
•vuys, some of them lining Won lerfuliy engineered ami cut 
through caflons an l ravines, ami bearing .the tudiisl to 
•eaulilul places. 
The road to Central, via Clear Creek Caff m, is much ad¬ 
mired, and, anxious to see it and 11 k wild ftistuess it pene¬ 
trates, we went to the station and a-ked Ion x ursion 
tickets, which were widely advertised. We were informed 
that they were withdrawn tin Get. 15 h, and fit)liar found 
that it would cost us (parly of two) to run up aud hack, 
some thirty or f„rty miles, some eighteen or twenty dol¬ 
lars—a large price for a part of a day’s experience—so we 
concluded to loregothe trip The rates of tiaverare very 
high iu all the Territory, and ihere must he great reduction 
iu them before any can travel here freely who bo not own 
shares in the Big Bonanzas among the loot hills. A gieat 
many invalids are making a winter home hete, and the re¬ 
sult seems very encouraging; indeed, many active men iu 
Denver are unable to live comfortably at the East, aud en¬ 
ter into business, and choose it as a permanent home, of 
which they seem very fond, 
The following table is Irom the Weather Report of Lieut. 
Fenton, U. S. Signal officer at Denver, for 1818. From it, 
it will be seen that the extremes of temperature are very 
great; but from some quality of the air, may be its elty- 
ne<s, or rariness, they are by uo means as severely felt us 
would be feare.d:— 
July ... 
AutfiiHt. .. 
H piriub. r 
•Rain and 
MelUd oiiuvv. 
.13 
■: : 
.75 
Star 
X oo 
Ui 
,T3 
je 
.53 
Mean for the year. 99 —17 43 11.73 
From Denver we go by a wtll managed, narrow-gauge 
line, the Denver anu Rio Grande, 10 Colorado Springs and 
Manilou, as mentioned itr our first letter So much of in¬ 
terest clusters about us here that it must deserve a letter to 
describe it even partially. L. W. L. 
—There was skating ou tue Capituline Lake on Friday 
and Saturday, March 3d aud 4th, 1878. It was the last <)£ 
the season, 
