08

 

CROFUTT’S NEW OVERLAND TOURIST

 

the eye can see; but the bold, black line—
the dark shadow on the horizon, which will
soon take tangible shape and reality, but
which now seems to bar our way as with a
gloomy impenetrable barrier, is the “Great
Rocky Mountain Chain,” the back-bone of
the American continent, though bearing
different names in the Southern hemi-
sphere. The highest peak which can be
seen rising far above that dark line, its white
sides gleaming above the general darkness,
is Long’s Peak, one of the highest peaks of
the continent. Away to the left rises
Pike’s Peak, its towering crest robed in
snow. It is one of those mountains which
rank among the loftiest. It is one of Col-
orado’s noted mountains, and on a fair day
is plainly visible from this point, 175 miles
distant.

From Atkins it is 5 4-10 miles to

Archer—situated on the high table-
land, where the cars seldom stop—is eleven
miles from Hillsdale; and a little farther
on, the cars pass through the first snow-
shed on the Union Pacific road, emerging
with Crow Creek Valley on the left.

After passing through a series of cuts and
fills, the track of the Denver Pacific rail-
road can be seen on the left side, where it
passes over the bluffs: to the southeast.
Directly ahead can be seen, for several
miles, the far-famed “Magic City of the
Plains,” 8 4-10 miles from the last sta-
tlon—

Cheyenme—which is the capital of
Wyoming, the largest town between
Omaha and Ogden. Passenger trains
from the East and West stop here 80 min-
utes, for dinner—and no better meals can
be had on the road than at the Railroad
House. Distance from Omaha, 516 miles;
from Ogden 516 miles—just ha/f the length
of the Union Pacific road; distance to
Denver, Colorado, 106 miles.

Cheyenne is the county seat of Laramie
county. Population about 6,000. Eleva-
tion 6,041 feet. It is situated on a broad
plain, with Crow Creek, a small stream,
winding around two sides of the town.
The land rises slightly to the westward. To
the east it is apparently level, though our
table of elevations shows to the contrary.
The soil is composed of a gravelly forma-
tion, with an average loam deposit. The
sub-soil shows volcanic matter, mixed with
marine fossils in large quantities. The
streets of the town are broad and laid out
at right angles with the railroad.

Schools and churches are as numerous

as required, and society is more orderly
and well regulated than in many western
places of even older establishment. The
church edifices are the Presbyterian, Con-
gregational, Episcopal, Methodist, Catho-
lic, and several of other denominations.
The city boasts of a $40,000 court-house,
a $70,000 hotel—the Inter-Ocean—many
new blocks of buildings, among which
are, an opera house, banks, and stores of
all kinds, besides many fine private res-
idences, also a grand lake or reservoir for
supplying the city with pure water, con-
ducted by canal from Crow Creek, from
whence smaller branches run along the
sidewalks for the irrigation of gardens,
trees and shrubbery, which will soon make
the city a place of surpassing beauty. It
also boasts of a race-course and some good
“steppers.” It has three daily newspapers,
the Leader, the Gazette and the Sun, all of
which issue weeklies.

Cheyenne has the usual small manufac-
tories, among which the item of saddles
is an important one, as the saddle of
the plains and most Spanish countries,
is a different article altogether from the
Eastern “hogskin.” When seated in
his saddle, the rider fears neither fatigue
nor injury to his animal. They are made
for use—to save the animal’s strength, as
well as to give ease and security of seat to
the rider. The best now in use is made
with what is known as the “California
tree.” The old firm of E. L. Gallatin &
Co., make thesesaddles a specialty, and fill
orders from all over the western portion of
the United States, Mexico and South
America.

The railroad company’s buildings are of
stone, brought from Granite Canyon, 19
miles west. They consist of a round-house
of 20 stalls, and machine and repair shop,
in which are employed 50 men. The
freight office and depot buildings are of
wood. The freight office was opened for
business during the first part of November,
1867, at which time the road was completed
to this station.

No land is cultivated around Cheyenne,
except a few small gardens around Crow
Creek. The soil is good, and the hardiest
kinds of vegetables and grains could be
raised successfully with irrigation. Graz-
ing is the main feature of the country.

he Railroad House, before which all’
passenger trains stop, is one of the finest on
the road, and has ample accommodations
for 60 guests. The dining-room, which