HHV
THE HESPERIAN.
t 4
TWO THOUSAND MILKS ON A VIllilClllT THAIN.
Chehaus, Washington, Dec. i, 18S9.
To My University Friends: When the notion of com
ing to the coast first struck 111c I concluded to wait and settle
the matter before mentioning it to my most intimate friends.
Then there would lie no disapointments. As they know I de
cided to make the trip. Thinking a hurried detail of a trip
of this kind might interest The Hesperian readers I will tell
as best I can, some of my experiences during a ten days ride
on a freight train. For the occasion I will presume to own the
train. My train left Lincoln at noon November 16. It took
till 7 o'clock to make the run to Valley. This began to look bad.
I thought that ii it took seven hours to go fifty-seven miles the
chances were that I would get through about Christmas. Hut
v the reflection that on the main line of the U. P. there are several
fast freights consoled me for the time being. At Valley I learned
that my next train would not be due until 11 o'clock. Con
sidering the fact that 1 had been out rather late, or early if you
please, the night before, I deemed it only proper to retire. In
my car I had left out a lounge upon which I had hoped to
sleep many happy hours. But I was doomed to utter disap
pointment. I cannot tell what time it saw when I was awak
ened All that I can tell is that I found myself lauded on the
floor of the car. The train seemed to be making good time.
I laid down again on the sofa and soon discovered the cause of
my rude awakening. There were springs to the affair and
the rocking of the car and the actions of the springs made it
almost impossible for mc to lay there even when awake. I
slept no more for an hour or two. That was a fine place to
muse on things that bad happened since I had .entered school.
I thought of all the departments of the University from the
first prep year to the Senior oration. I arose and seated
myself in a large rocker. Here was comfort indeed. Iliad
no further difficulty trying to sleep that night. I reached
Grand Island at 10:30 Sunday morning. A new time table
went into effect that day and my train could not leave there
till 1 p. m. Here was the first "lay out" for mc. The ride
from Grand Island to North Platte was more pleasant than
my ride from Valley to Grand Island. I reached North
Platte at 10:30 p. m. Left there about 12 M. I decided to
try sleeping in the caboose, and I can recommend a caboose
cushion to anyone who wishes to enjoy a good night of rest.
Sidney, my former home,, was reached about 9:30 a. in.
This is another division station. I went over in town here
to call on some of my friends for a few moments and my train
left mc. A passenger train which soon arrived from the cast
was boarded, and after about an hour's ride I caught up Villi
the freight.
Cheyenne was reached at foui that afternoon. It took
four hours to get a start out of there. On the caboose there
was a passenger in whom I became somewhat interested.
After he had learned that I was from the U. of N. he sccineu
very much interested in mc also. He wished the details ol
how our institution was progressing and seemed very much
interested. I afterwards learned that the gentleman was ex-
Governor Hoy t of Wyoming. He is at present president of
the Wyoming university at Laramie.
I reached Laramie 1:30 a.m. Left there at 4:10 a.m.
I had now begun to realize what a "fast" freight really was.
The best description I can give after my experience with them
is that Jhey derive ths name "fast" from the fact that when
they reach a division station they arc generally held there,
"fast," from one to five hours.
Itctwcen Laramie and Rawlins I met Fred Micklcwaitc,
who was formerly a conductor on the M. P. out of Lincoln.
He made my ride very pleasant for mc. Rawlins was reached
about 9 p. in. The ride was very monotonous. The country
is not at all pretty, and our train had to stop at nearly every
siding to pass a train or wait for orders.
On the road from Rawlins to Green River I met Mr. L. E.
Shaw. He was a student in the U. of N. in 1SS3. This made
my ride more pleasant than it would otherwise have been.
I reached Green River at 7:45 the next morning. It was
after noon when I got out. While sitting in the hotel at
Green River I met George Lee, who was a student last year
in the U. of N.. The train from the cast soon arrived bring
ing on it Mr. Oscar Stout, '88. They are surveying for the
U. P. company. From them I learned that Frank Manlcy,
"89, is chief civil engineer in the company's coal mines at
Rock Springs; also that V. C. Knight, '87, is general manager
of the Sartoria gold mining company in northern Wyoming.
The ride from Green River was very monotonous until
Soda Springs, Ida., was reached. Here a person catches the
first view of any scenery worthy of mention. .The ride along
the Hear river is quite pleasing. Wild game was seen in
abundance coyotes, antelopes, sage hens, and ducks and
geese. The mountains arc more beautiful along through
that region than further cast. For hundreds of miles in Wy
oming nothing is to be seen excepting the sandy prairies, ap
parently matted with sage brush, and far in the distance the
snow on the mountains. It seemed to me that a more dreary
place could not be found anywhere. The beautiful moun
tains of Idaho, covered with evergreens, with here and there
little mountain streams and waterfalls dashing down the can
yons forms quite a pleasing contrast to the bleak, dreary
plains of Wyoming.
At Glenn's Ferry, Idaho, a marked change in the temper
ature becomes noticeable. From there to Bisuka a heavy
grade made it necessary to use three engines. From Bisuki
westward the fall is gradual, excepting a short distance be
tween La Grande and Pendleton. There was a great deal of
snow in the mountains. At Pendleton and from there west
ward the weather was warmer. No snow was visible except
ing in the distance on the mountains. The grass was green
and everything had the appearance of spring. Wild flowers
were blooming in abundance.
But the most beautiful scenery is found between The
Dcllcs and Portland on the O. R. & N. road. My train left
there at 7 a. 111., and I had the pleasure of this delightful ride
in the daylight. Leaving The Dalles the road winds along
the bluffs by the Columbia river. Looking toward The Dal
les on the right arc the cliffs, on the left the river. The
cliffs arc covered with a beautiful green growth of, mosses,
ferns and lichens. The water from the snow on the moun
tains keeps them moistened continually and this vegetation is
always beautiful. In many places great cuts have been made
to make room for the railroad In two or three places the
cut has been made into the cliffs so that they now rise almost
perpendicularly for a height of nearly two hundred feet.
Oaks, box elders and other trees with their foliage just begin
ning to turn arc growing between the road bed and the river.
On the opposite shore of the river arc other beautiful cliffs
and bluffs. The first rays of the morning sunlight striking
these makes as beautiful a picture as the mind can conceive.
All the way to "Portland beautiful sights arc to be seen and
the traveller never wearies of looking at them.
I arrived at Portland at 3 p. m. After making the neces
sary arrangements I got out of there that night at 11 o'clock
on the N. P. I arrived at this place Monday morning at 7
o'clock, somewhat tired, but entirely satisfied that I had
made no mistake in making the trip.
Dan W. Bush.