CROFUTT’S

NEW OVERLAND TOURIST

teen ene

heard-of severity. The snow caused annoying
delays to passenger and freight traffic, as well as
oe the company alarge amount of money to
Keep the road open. But the lesson taught was a
good one in enabling the company to take such
measures as Were necessary to protect their road
arent all possible continge: cies in the future.
which they Aave done, byraising their track and
building additional snow-sheds and fences.

On the “‘Central’’ there are nearly 50 miles of
snow-sheds ; one continuous of 28 miles in length.
On the “Union” there are about 20 miles, and
innumerable snow-fences.

No. 14 Annex. Garden of the Gods—|

This large illustration, number five, is a bit of
nature, among the wonders of the country where
itis located. In the distance, Pike’s Peak rises
to view. (See further description on page 82 of
this book.

No.15 Annex. State Capitol of Cali-
fornia—This is one of the first objects
which meets the eye when approaching Sac-
ramento from the east. It is a conspicuous
landmark. The oe occupies the center of
four blocks, bounded by 10th and 12th, and
by Land N streets. The grounds form three ter-
races, slightly elevated above each other, and con-
nected by easy flights ofsteps. They are regularly
laid out, and covered with a beautiful sward,
closely shaven by the lawn-cutter. They are in-
terplanted with shrubs and evergreen trees. The
outer border of the lowest terraceis studded with
flowers. Its front is towards 10th street, and is
320 feet in length. Approaching it from this point
you may regard it as a great central building, from
which rises the lofty dome, and having on each
side a large wing. A flight of geanive steps, 25
feet high by 80 feet in width, leads to a front por-
tico of ten columns, through which, and a large
hall, the rotunda of 72 feet diameter is found in the
center; and from this, in each story, halls, ele-
gantly arched, extend through the front and wings,
the State offices being on either side. Five female
figures ornament the front above the columns.
The central one is standing, the remaining four
are in sitting postures. They represent war, sci-
ence, agriculture and mining. The wings form-
ing the flanks of the building are 164 feet above the
first or basement story. The north and south
flanks of the peg respectively, the As-
sembly and Senate chambers, the former being
82x72, and the latter 72x62, In the rear center, a
circular projection of 60 feet diameter forms the
State Library. The first story of 25 feet is of white
granite, from neighboring quarries, and is sur-
mounted by acorniceof the same. Above this
the body ofthe main domeis surrounded by anopen
balcony, which is supported by 24 fluted Corin-
thian columns and an equal number of pilasters.
\bove this balcony the body of the dome is sup-
ported by an equal number of ornamental pilas-
ters. From these rises the great metallic dome.
From the top of this dome in turn rise 12 fluted
Corinthian pillars, which support the final or
small dome, and this is surmounted by the statue
of California.

The whole interior is one solid mass of iron and
masonry. The dome of the interior rotunda, which
is of iron ornaments and brick work, is exceed-
ingly handsome, The panels and pedestals under
the windows are of the beautiful laurel, well
known in California for its susceptibility to re-
ceive a high polish. All the first floor doors are of
walnut, with laurel panels, as are also the sashes
throughout the building. The stories are, respect-
ively, 21 feet 6 inches, 20 feet and 18 feet in height.

It covers, with its angles, nearly 60,000 surface feet
of ground, and measures over 1,200 lineal feet
ro in all the angles. Se large illustration
INO. ie
No. 16 Annex. Castellated Rocks at
Green River—ass the subject of the large
illustration, No. 2, is described, on page 106 of the
book, it will be unnecessary to repeat it here.

No i? Annex. Memories of Fort
Bridger—which were handed tous by one of
our friends, who was with the first party of sol-
ee eo arrived at the place where the fort now
stands:

“Early in the winter of 1857, on the 23d of No-
vember, the winds were blowing cold and bleak
over the snow-covered ridges surrounding Bridger
—a town with a significant name, but Dothing but
a name except an old stone building with the ap-
pellation of fort attached toit, built by the Mor-
mons, and surrounded by a small redoubt and
chevaun de frise pierced for three six-pound moun-
tain howitzers.”

“The U. 8. forces, comprising the fifth, seventh
and tenth Infantry, second dragoons, and four com-
panies of the fourth artillery, the whole under
command of Brigadier-General Albert Sidney
Johnson, were on their way to Salt Lake City.
The fifth, under Major Ruggles ; the seventh, un-
der Colonel Morrison; the second dragoons, un-
der Colonel Howe; the fourth artillery, under
Major Williams, entered Bridger on the 23d of
November, and established acamp; while a part
of the supply train accompanying the expedition,
numbering at least 160 wagons, was behind, de-
layed by the heavy snows, entirely separated from
the command, and forced to encamp about one
mile from each other on the Big and Little Sandy
Rivers.””_ [Norze—These streams are tributaries
of Green River on the east, rising near South Pass,
about 160 miles north of Bridger.]

“While encamped there, a party of Mormons,
under command of Orson Pratt, the generalissimo
of the so-called Mormon Legion, assisted by one
Fowler Wells, another formidable leader of the
Mormon church militant, dashed in and sgur-
rounded the trains in the dark hours of the night,
completely surprising the entire party, not one
escaping to give the alarm. After taking the
arms and equipments from the men, they gave
them a very limited amount of provisions to last
them through to Leavenworth, Kansas, allowing
them at the rate of five head of cattle for twenty
men, and then started them off in the wilderness
to reach that place—about 1,000 miles distant—
with no weapons other than their pocket knives
with which to protect themselves against the In-
dians, or to procure game when their limited
supply of provisions should become exhausted.
After accomplishing this soldierly, humane and
Christian act, the Mormons set fire to the train,
burning up everything which they could not carry
away, and retreated, driving the stock with them,
while those left to starve turned their faces east-
ward. There were ‘souls in that despoiled
party, only etght of whom ever reached the border
settlements; the knife of the savage, and starvation,
finishing the cruel work begun by the merciful
Mormons. The suryivors reached Leavenworth
in June, 1858, bringing the sad intelligence of the
fate of their comrades.

“The loss of these trains necessarily cut short
the supplies in Bridger. The troops were put on
short rations, and, to add to their horror. the beef
cattle accompanying the expedition had nearly
all frozen to death, ‘eaving but a few head in

camp.
‘At Black Fork, the command lost over 300 head