Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 November 1893 — OVER THE NORTHERN PACIFIC. [ARTICLE]

OVER THE NORTHERN PACIFIC.

Editor Republican ! We are back to our Oregon home again, and have fairly began the work of another Conference year. While we enjoyed our visit to the old Hoosier State very much indeed, yet we are glad to be back to our own home and to dur cherished work. We were impressed with the indications of thrift and enterprise which we saw in Rensselaer. The amount of material improvement in the few years since we left Rensselaer, gives evidence of push and enterprise nearly equal to that which abounds of the Pacific Coast. It seems but a little while ago since I knew every man, woman and child in Rensselaer: but how different now 1 As I stood before an audience in the M. E. Church thS Sabbath I spent there, I really think that seventy five per cent of the congregation were strangers to me.

At the end of our visit we had the privilege of spending a few days at the World’s Fair. To say that we appreciated the privilege and made the best use of the limited time we could give to this great show, is but stating the truth in the case. The most marvelous thing to be seen at the Fair, I think, is the great Ferris wheel. As I stood in the shadow of this latest wonder of the world, I thought, “who but this young westerner, Mr. Ferris, would undeitake such a daring feat as swinging on an axis 140 feet in mid-air such a thing as this—a wheel 250 feet in diameter and weighing 2,200 tons? It is estimated that at least 92 per cent, of all the visitors at the fair take a ride on this revolving monster. Excuse me if you please 1 I think I will keep my fifty cents and remain on terra ftrma. Ido not want to go up so high until I must. The “White’City” is truly the wonder of the ages. I only regret that we could not spend more time there. We left Chicago Oct. 2, at 10:40 p. m. via the Northern Pacific to our western home and arrived here at noon Saturday. The day after we left Chicago, we reached the beautiful cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, perched on the rocky bluffs of the Father of Waters.

Near to the city of St. Paul and connected therewith by electric car lines, at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, is situated Fort Snelling, ajiistoric and beautiful place. Contiguous to the city of Minneapolis are the noted Minnehaha Falls, with their “laughing waters.” In Minnesota the landscape is most beautiful at this season of the year. The rolling hills of the timbered lands are profusely covered with the beautifully tinted leaves of Autumn. The farms are clean and thrifty looking. We pass out of Minnesota and into North Dakota by crossing Red River at Moorehead oh the east bank and Fargo on the west. Passing out of the Red River Valley we reach the broad prairies, stretching as far in all directions as the eye can reach. Surely with the development and cultivation of these broad and fertile plains, the mouths of the accumulated millions shall be filled with bread. Crossing the Missouri river near Bismarck and Maud - an we follow a crooked little stream called Heart river, for a considerable distance, when we finally pass into the Bad Lands, which to my mind constitute the most spectacular piece of landscape scenery along the entire route from Chicago to Albany. Tbe Bads Land is a dreary waste of naked hills with rounded conical forms, composed of sand or sandy clay and fine fragments of shaley rocks. In color these barren hills are gray, blue and blue and red and seem carved in a grotesque manner. They look as though they might be hugh ash piles of American cities which have perished from the earth in the flames. Passing into Montana we soon come to Glendive, where we touch the most beautiful river I ever saw—the Yellowstone, along whose banks we travel a distance of 340 miles, until we reach Livingstone. At this point we are just 52 miles north of the famous Yellowstone Park. Between Livingstone and Helena we pass through the Bozeman tunnel which is 3,600 feet long, the bottom of which is 5,565 feet above the level of the sea. Helena, called the “Queen City of the Mountains,” is situated in the center of a mining region, and has a population of about 15,000. It is peculiarly a western town. Leaving Helena the backbone of tbe Rockies rise across out path. This we can cross by means of the Mullan tunnel, named in honor Lieut. John A. Mullan, of the United Blates Army, who was one of the engineers when the original survey of the Northern Pacific was made. This tunnel is 3,850 feet lon& There was quite a snow on the ground as we passed over the Rockies. It is 400 miles from Helena to Spokane and the scenery is varied and beautiful. Spokane is tbe pride of eastern Washington. Leaving Spokane we bear to tbe southwest till we cross the Columbia, then soon we enter the Yakama canon. It is 75 miles through this canon and not one mile of straight track* The rocky clififts rise steep and high. on each side of us as we wind our way

through this narrow defile. Now an extra engine is attached to our train and we ascend the Cascade Mountains under whose summit we pass by means- of the Stampede tunnel. When we are through one of the monster engines is detached, and we glide down the western slope with great speed. Tacoma, the Sound and the Columbia river where we cross it on a.ferry boat, are the only other places of much interest, We'stopped but 30 minutes at Tacoma and of course saw but little of the city. Puget Sound is a great inland sea, and makes Tacoma and Spattie the great cities they are. As we went east we crossed the great Columbia at mid-day, but we crossed it in the night as we returned. The long train is cut up into three sections and run into the great boat which glides across the river so smoothly that one sitting in the coach can not discern that he is moving. The river where we cross is two and a half miles wide. With this meager description of our trip I must close. The illness of our baby boy on the way home, marred somewhat the pleasure of our journey. We send kindly greetings to all our friends. Yours very truly. j> J. T Abbett. Albany, Or. Oct. IGth, 1893. Warner and Shead, the new grocery firm. Give them a trial.