Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1882 — ON THE WING. [ARTICLE]

ON THE WING.

Red Bluff, Cal., Deo. 23,1891. Dear Republican:—lt is by request and in fulfillment of a partial promise mode before leaving Rensselaer that I write you this communication, which, if you have room and deem it worthy of a place in your paper, vou ma/ publish. It is customary for he who scribbles to write a preface. The preface, if read at all, is read in the light of an apology, wherein the writer is expected to state why he did no better or why he wrote at all. We write these lines for love and not for money ;-rfor love of the broad plains and lofty mountains; for the magnificence of the unrivaled scenery along the long line of railway over which We have passed ; for the beauties and grandeur of the tropical clime to which we have been transported, and we shall endeavor to take our many friends in Jasper along with us in a chatty way over the long line of railroad over which we have traveled, spanning the broadest plains, the loftiest mountains, the finest agricultural and grazing lands, and the most barren deserts in the new world. We will climb from sunrise to eternal snow, only to glide down into perpetual summer, made beautiful by its orange groves and vineyards. We will pass through the celebrated Echo, Weber and Humboldt canyons; pass the Devil’s Slide, the Grand Sink of the Desert, a descent into total darkness thrbugh the Devil’s Pass, and landing safely at last at the Golden Gate. We have given you a synopsis of the journey we ar<* about to take. The appointed day—the 14th of December—has arrived; we bid adieu to our dear friends at home, hastened to receive a parting blessing from our aged mother, when we proceed to the train. All aboard is shouted, and the croaking wheels beneath their load of human freight, adthonish us that we are starting on our journey, and as we cross the open grounds as we speed eastward from our depot, we take the last look towards that spot dearest of all else beside—the home of our loved ones; we breathe a prayer for their protection and our safe return, and now we are on our journey. Pleasant Ridge is the first station passed. Nothing worthy of note has transpired here. The bell rings, and three and a half miles bring us to Hanging Grove Station. Here lias been much change since bur last visit, prominent among which is the commodious “club house” being erected by A. McCoy, on the plaoid waters of the grand tributary of the Wakarusha. A warehouse, stock-yards, store, &c., are to be erected here soon, and no one but live business men who are willing to buy all the products of the surrounding country, paying tbe highest market prices, need apply. The club house iB not n magnificent structure but is pleasantly and conveniently located for the hunting and spearing of bull-frog&. Just how this establishment is to be operated we know not, but the founder and proprietor informed us that it would be propelled by under-sbot water-power. The business men of Rensselaer should note veil the unequal leverage of competition—water instead of steam.

Arriving at Bradford, we were compelled to forego the pleasure of an eight-hours’ atop for dinner, oa our party decided to boards freight rain going north. With suspicious glances at the dimensions of our lunch baskets, we step onboard and at 3:30 arrive at Wanatah. The train on the P., F. W. & C. railroad is an hour late, but it comes at last and once more we are on the wing. At Wheeler, Porter county, we step off to spend the night with relatives, while our proceed to Chicago, where we join them in the morning at breakfast, at the Commercial. After a pleasant call among the firms with whom we are acquainted, at 12:30 p. m. we find ourselves seated in one of the magnificent coaches of the Pacific Express, moving from the depot Jv ia the C. & N, W, railway, via Clinton and Cedar Rapids Tins was tin first road constructed/to the Missouri river, and it is one of the finest equipped lines in the country. We enter lowa a ; Clinton, a city of about 9,000 population. We lunch, and then betake ourselves to the task of trying to sleep amidst the rumbling of wheels, ringing of bells, screaching of the engine, etc., whichwe found to be no easy mat-

ter. At 1 a. M., on the 1611, wd are haulted at Boomesboro, *he#» we are side-tracked for five hottup, in consequence of a wreck on the track a short distance ahead, oritho Dos Moines river. Prom this we pass through a broken Country, the Dos Moines river on oi* fight and the hills and gulches on our left, some of whioh almost deeurro the name cf mountains aud osn< yons, until we come to the junction of the C. jB. & Sioux City wfflh road. Hore we turn east of south, following down the Missouri ritor with a magnificent scenery of lowering bluffs, of rich brown loon on our left and the Missouri river on our right, for a distance of 26 mOm when we arrive at Counoil Bluffs, at 1:30 p. m. instead of 9:30 a. 1., the schedule time. Council Bluffs is in the western part of lowa, about three mflmi from the Missouri river, shunted at the foot of the hills. It oo&teini a population of about 20,900, and is four miles from Omaha, Neb., by which it iB connected by steam and horse lailwaye. Her# Dtwic and Clark, the explorers, ffibld e council with the Indians in iBOi, and called it Council Bluffs. The

surrounding country is rich in agriculture, for these hills! when they can be tilled, product! abundant crops. By actual test the dirt taken from a depth of 60 feet produces equal with the soil of the vfflley. By a decision of the U. % Supreme Court, the eastern bent of the Missouri river is the terminus of the Unhn Pacific railroad. The terminus is now kaown aa the transfer grounds, and is abont i/wO miles west of Council Bluffs and a half mile from the Missouri river bridge. Here all passengers, baggage, express and mail from the east change, cars for the U. P. railroad. The U. P. company her* erected a large building lor the transaction of businesl connected with the transfer. The tracks ftf he four eastern roads terminate at the eastern front of this building. But now I must come to e atop. Will write you from this piece og in my next. Jfitk