98

decorated, and everything looks clean and
cheerful—one that we are pleased to recom-
mend—and hope we will always be war-
ranted in doing so.

Leaving the station, our course now lies
to the eastward; the train winds around
the spurs of the bluffs, which seem to bar
our way by interlocking with each other,
on through a rough, rolling country, again
turning to the westward, over bridges and
fills, through cuts and snow-sheds, for 7
7-10 miles to

WV ileox—an unimportant station, and
we continue crossing creeks and ravines
for 7 9-10 miles more, of difficult engineer-
ing and middling heavy road-work, and
arrive at

Como — another unimportant little
place. Soon after passing the station we
come to Como Lake, a beautiful little
sheet of water, lying to the right of the
road. Itis about one mile long and half
a-mile wide, and contains a peculiar fish,
a “fish with legs.”
possess gills something like a cat-fish; are
amphibious, being often found crawling
clumsily around on land, miles from the
lake. Quite a variety of peculiar fossil
shells are found around the lake that are
gathered in summer by persons who offer
them for sale to the tourists.

Merpictnz Bow River—is crossed a few
miles after leaving Como. It rises in the
Medicine Bow Mountains, as before stated,
and empties its waters into the North
Platte River.

This river was long a noted resort for
Indians, and several treaties have been
made on its banks between the “noble red
men” and their pale-faced “ brothers.”
The valley of the river, above the railroad,
for thirty miles or more, is broad, fine bot-
tom-land, until it reaches the base of the
mountain. From thence to its source the
course of the river is through immense
forests of pine, which present unrivaled
facilities for lumbering. Fish are found
in great quantities in the stream, and the
various kinds of game which abound in
this country are found in the mountains
where the river has its source. Soon after
crossing the river, and 71-10 miles from
Como, we come to

Medicine Bow—containing several
stores, and saloons, freight house, passen-
ger station, and a five-stall round-house.

Leaving this station, the road is laid
over a smooth, level plain, for about five
miles, when it enters a rough, hilly, sage-

These fish-animals |

CROFUTT’S NEW OVERLAND TOURIST

 

brush country. The train winding around
through deep cuts and long snow-sheds, |
for 4 2-10 miles further, stops at

Carbom—Here was discovered the
first coal on the Union Pacific R.R. Two
banks or coal veins have been opened, the
veins averaging aboutten feet. This coal
is used principally by the Railroad Com-
pany, for their locomotives—the quality
not being so good for domestic purposes
as that mined further to the west, at Rock
Springs and Evanston. During the year
1877, these mines produced 80,000 tons.

The coal is raised from the mine and
dumped into the flat-cars, while standing
on the track—the shaft of the mine being
between the main and side track, close to
the station; a stationary engine furnish-
ing the hoisting power. Another shaft is
to the south of the town, a short distance,
reached by a railtrack.

Carbon contains a population of about
800, and is the county seat of Carbon coun-
ty, which contains a population of about
2,000—most of whom are engaged in stock-
raising.

Sim pson—a small, unimportant side-
track, is reached seven miles from Carbon,
after passing through a succession of cuts,
many of which are covered with snow-
sheds. Passenger cars do not stop. The
road now curves around, and runs almost
due west for 50 miles. To the next sta-
tion it is 4 6-10 miles.

Perecy—tThe station was named for
Perc . Brown, an engineer who was
killed by the Indians, while employed sur-
ag the line.

uring the construction of the road,
this was an important station. Ties, tele-
graph poles, wood and bridge timber, were
landed at this point in immense quantities.

They were obtained at Elk Mountain,
seven miles to the south, The old stage
road winds around the base of the moun-
tain, between that and the railroad. Near
the foot of the mountain, old Fort Halleck
and one of the most important stations of
the Overland Stage Company, were located ;
both are now abandoned.

ELvx Mounrarn—is a noted, landmark,
and quite a curiosity in its way. It rises
to a greatheight, its top being covered
with snow a great portion of the year,
and at any time snow can be found in
places on the summit. It has the appear-
ance of being an isolated peak, though,
really, it is the extreme northern spur of
the Medicine Bow Mountains. Itis, how-