Across the continent: a stage ride over the plains, to the Rocky Mountains, the Mormons, and the Pacific states, in the summer of 1865, with Speaker Colfax. By Samuel Bowles.

Front matter

aiBR.AFlY

OF THE U N I VLRS ITY or ILLINOIS

A

Preface to the New Edition

But little more than three years have gone since, in the prefatory letter to this book, the author said, — wildly as nearly every reader then thought, — that the Pacific Railroad could, and, in the name of the public, demanded that it should, be built within five years. The work is now complete ; and the Continent is spanned and bound by the iron rails of steam service. It is a work that, in majesty of undertaking and rapidity of execution, Civilization has never rivaled. It opens a new era in the social, intellectual and business life of the Republic, as well as in the commercial history of the world. Travel will pass freely back and forth from Atlantic to Pacific ; the new nature and the new wealth of the West will be eagerly sought by the East ; and the Nation and its People will be stimulated in every fibre of thought, feeling and action. These letters, originally so unexpectedly welcomed as a fresh revelation and faithful portrait of what lies between the Missouri River and the Pacific Ocaen, still continue to be bought and read by the public ; and as the new interest and increased travel in all that vast and wonderful region, that the completion of the Railroad creates, promise a fresh demand, the publishers present this new and revised edition, and offer it at a lower price. Nothing valuable in the first edition has been omitted ; and though most of the experiences here^ narrated can never be repeated, — the slow and painful stage travel having given place to the exhilarating speed of the locomotive, — ^the volume is still a guide to what is best to be seen and experienced in a journey

XII

PREFACE to NEW EDITION

across the Continent. Its nature is still the same ; its society has but little modified ; the problems of Mormonism and mining continue to have the same provoking yet fascinating interest, — and to these the book owes its chief vitality and widest attraction. The author hopes he has done something towards interesting the great Eastern and Western sections of the Republic in each other ; towards joinings them together in both the iron and the gold bonds of the Pacific Railroad; and, more and deeper, towards their marriage in feelings of mutual respect and affection, and in the close-holding ties of an enlightened, broad-spreading self-interest. In their permanent union, affectionate rivalry and common growth, rest, to-day, the richest hope and the firmest faith of Civilization. Springfield, Mass., March^ 1869, ^

Letter I. Page

FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO THE MISSOURI.-The Railroad Ride behind; the Stage Ride before— Spanning the Continent— Vitahty of Men of the West— The Chicago Wigwam five years ago: History since— Cleveland and Chicago, and their new Life— Atchison and its History and its Position— Pomeroy and Strlngfellow— The Trade over the Plains— Speaker Colfax and his party for the Overland Journey— The Indians break the Line— Senator Foster and the Indian Question— Agriculture in the West— Coach off: Good-bye, . . 1

Letter II

FROM THE MISSOURI TO THE PLATTE.— Atchison to Fort Kearney through Kansas and Nebraska— General Connor and no Indians —The "Galvanized Yankee" Soldiers— How we Rode— The Country and its Fascinations— The Scenery and the Atmosphere— The Modern Caravans on the Plains— A Storm .of Thunder and Lightning and Hail, and how we weathered it, 10

Letter III

THROUGH THE PLAINS TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.— A continuous five days' Stage Ride— The Plains the great National Pasture—The Platte River— Climate and Soil— Natural Highway across the Continent— A natural Road-bed— Population of the Region- How we Fared— Prices on the Plains and at Denver— "The noble Red Man," and our Preparations for him— Life and Death on !he Plains— The Prairie Dogs and their Companions— The Alkali Water—Parting Breakfast with General Connor at Julesburg— His Position and History— Reception at Denver, 18

Letter IV

THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS AND THEIR GOLD MINES.— A Week among the Mountains and in the Mines— The Switzerland of AmCTica— Long's Peak and Pike's Peak— Bierstadt's " Storm in the Rocky Mountains"— Theater of the Gold Development on Clear Creek— xiv

Index To Contents

PAGE.

Central City, Black Hawk, Nevada— Condition and Prospects of the Business— Mysteries of the Sulphurites— Specula'ting Companies— The Gold Production of Colorado— Reports from Idaho and Montana—The United States the Treasury of the World— Questions of the Future, • SO

Letter V

OF PERSONS, NOT THINGS— Reception in Colorado— Grand Gala Supper to Mr. Colfax— Pen Portraits of the Party : Mr. Colfax, Governor Bross, Mr. Richardson, Mr. Otis— Social Life in the Rocky Mountains— The Young Men and the Young Women— Ben Holladay and his Stages— Famous Rides across the Plains, 43

Letter VI

SUNDAY IN THE MOUNTAINS.— Broad Church in the West— Mr. "Lo, the poor Indian"— A Day and a Night at Virginia Dale; its Scenery and its Landlady— Colorado and its People— Movement for State Government— A Mining Story : General Fitz John Porter, Smith and Parmelee, Judge Harding— Lack of "Help" in the Homes— The Blossoming of Eastern Fashions— Lack of Horticulture— Necessity of Irrigation— Canned Fruits and Vegetables— Prices of Food in Colorado and Montana— Vernacular of the Mountains, 56

Letter VII

FROM DENVER TO SALT LAKE— THROUGH THE ROCKY MOUN- TAINS.—The Indians in our Path— Robberies and Murders on the Stage Line— What shall be done with them?— The Quaker Policy versus General Connor's Policy— Our Escape and our Faith— Wild Game on the Route : Antelopes, Elk, Trout, Bears, Sage Hens, etc.— The Desert of the Mountains— The Sage Brush— The Bitter Creek Country— Through Bridger's Pass to the Pacific Slopes— A Night Ride over the Pass— The Curious Architecture of Winds and Sands— The « Church Butte," and its Wonders— Fort Bridger— Arrival at Great Salt Lake City,

Letter VIII

THE WAY INTO UTAH: RECEPTION BY THE MORMONS.— Basin of the Great Salt Lake— The Home of the Mormons— Their Triumphs— Ride among the Wasatch Mountains— Playing Snowball a among Flowers— Yellow the Favorite Color of Nature— Echo Canyon: its Beauties and its Ruins— The Valley of the Jordan— The City of Salt Lake : its Location and its Promise— Mr. Colfax's Reception by Soldier and Saint— The Hospitality of the Mormons- Excursion to Great Salt Lake— Strawberries and a Mormon Harem- Interview with Brigham Young: How he Looked and Acted— Heber C. Kimball, Dr. Bernhisel and other Church' Elders— The Anti Mormons, or Gentiles, and what they are Doing— Death of Governor

INDEX TO CONTENTS.

XV

, LETTER IX.

MORMON MATERIALITIES.— Irrigation and its Results— The Salt Lake City Gardens— Wonderful Crops of Grain— The Mysteries of Great Salt Lake— Extent of the Mormon Settlements— Navigation of the Colorado River— Supplies for Utah by that Route— Policy of the Mormons as to Agriculture and Mines— The Silver Mines in Utah— The Soldiers at Work on Them— Visit to Rush Valley and Stockton, 89

Letter X

SALT LAKE CITY AND LIFE THERE.-The Chief Comraer<;ial City of the Mountains, and the Watering-Plaee of the Continent— Its Hot Sulphur Springs, and its Salt Lake : their Characteristics and their Uses— The Present Status of the City— Profits of its Merchants—Prices of Goods there— Dinner Party at a Mormon Merchant's—Brigham Young's Theater— A Special Dramatic Performance—Brigham Young on " a Good Thing," 98

LETTER XI. m

THE POLYGAMY QUESTION.— Our Opportunities for Studying the Mormons— Testimony from all Interests and Parties— Conclusions — Mormc ^^ism not necessarily Polygamy— The Latter sure to fall Before the Progress of Democracy— Present Duty of the Government towards he Question— Most of the Federal Officers in the Territory Polygamists— An Important Distinction— Conversation with Brigham Young on Polygamy— Points of the Discussion— Suggestion of a new Revelation against Polygamy — Views of Young as to Slavery and the Rebels— A Sardonic Face, > 105

Letter XII

THE MORMON WIVES : OUR LAST DAY IN SALT LAKE CITY.— The Mormon Women and Polygamy— How they Live Together— The Children and the Schools— The Soldiers Stealing the Surplus Wives— Neglect of their Poor by the Mormons— Character of the Mormon Church Audiences— Services at the Tabernacle— Preaching by Brigham Young— Their Rehgion a Coarse Materialism— Mr. Colfax's Eulogy on President Lincoln— Elections in Utah— Judge Kinney and Captain Hooper— Good-Bye to Salt Lake 114

^LETTER XIII,

SOCIAL LIFE AMONG THE MORMONS.— The Cross Relationships of Polygamy— Brigham Young's Wives— Going to Heaven by the Coat-Tails of the Men— Wives the Reward of Merit— Polygamy "a good thing" for Poor Men— Brigham Young's Retinue— No Handsome Women among the Mormons— Brigham Young's Children— The Soldiers and the Mormons— General Connor and Brigham Yaung— Porter Rockwell, the Avenger— The Movement towards the Sandwich Islands, 123 xvi

INDEX TO CONTENTS.

Letter XIV. Page

THE RIDE THROUGH THE SAGE, BRUSH AND THE GREAT BASIN.— The Great Desert Basin of Utah and Nevada, and its Characteristics—A Quick Stage Ride through its Alkali Dust and over its Mountains— The Taint of the Alkali— Experiences of the Ride— Greeley and Hank Monk— Problems as to the Culture of this Region—Its Redeeming Beauties in Mountains, in Atmosphere, and in Exhilarating Breeze, 131

THE SILVER MINES OF NEVADA: AUSTIN AND VIRGINIA CITY.— Nevada the Child of Cahfornia— Austin : its Location; its Soeial and Material Development— Classics in a Cellar— The Silver Mines in and about Austin — Character of the Ore — Mills — Improvements and Expenses — New Mining Discoveries — Virginia and its History and Mines— The Famous Comstock Ledge— The Gould & Curry Mine, and its Statistics — Its Superintendent, Mr. Charles L. Strong— The Ophir, Savage, Empire, Yellow Jacket, and other Mines — Cost and Profit of the Virginia Ores — Number of Quartzj Mills on the Comstock Ledge — California's Account with Nevada — Conclusions as to the Nevada Mines — Advice to Capitalists — A Rhode Island Example in Colorado— Doubtful Things Very Uncertain—

THE CONTINENT ACROSS.— The Ride over the Sierras— The Great Ride Finished— Still the same Republic, the same Flag— Wonderful Homogeneity of the American People — The Civilization of San Francisco and the Pacific Coast— The Material Prospects of City and Country— The Last Day in Nevada— Valleys of the Truckee, Washoe, and Carson — Steamboat Springs — Reception at Carson City— The Sierra Nevadas and their Beauties— Lake Tahoe— The Stage Ride over the Mountains from Lake Tahoe to Placerville — Hard and Watered Roads and Fast Horses— First Views of California Life, . . 159

LETTER XVII.

OVERLAND TO OREGON.— A Pleasant Revelation in Oregon— The Overland Ride from California— Up the Sacramento Valley— Chico— General Bidwell and his Farm— Red Bluffs and the Family of John Brown— The Trinity, Klamath, Rogue, and Umpqua Rivers— Shasta andYreka— The Tower House and its Proprietor— Mount Shasta and its Snow Fields— Jacksonville and its Gold Diggings— Pilot Knob— The Forests— Pines and Firs— Oak Groves— The Mistletoe and the Spanish Moss— Joe Lane and Jesse Applegate— Farming in the Umpqua Valley— Entrance to the Willamette Valley— Its Agricultural Wealth and its Rural Beauties— The Agriculture of Oregon— The Rains— The Summers and the Winters— The Towns and the People of the Willamette Valley— Portland : its Location and its Importance, . 169

LETTER XV. Profanity Discouraged

. . . 141

Letter XVI. Index To Contents

xvii

Letter XVIII. Page

THE COLUMBIA RIVER: ITS SCENERY AND ITS COMMERCE.— The Reach and Importance of the Columbia— Its Breach Through the Continental Mountains — Fort Vancouver and its History — General Grant as Remembered Here— Th^Cascades— The Dalles— The Scenery of Mountain and River — Steamboats on the Upper Columbia— ^A Bit of Private Fun — The Scenery of the Columbia as compared with the Hudson, the Rhine and the Upper Mississippi- Mount Hood— The Great Mountain of Oregon— The Highest Peaks of the United States— The Oregon Steam Navigation Company— Its ' Rise, Progress and Purposes— Oregon's Pacific Railroad Cut Off— New Route to the Carribou Country— Summing Up of Oregon— Its People and Their Promise, 184

LETTER X*IX.

THROUGH WASHINGTON TERRITORY.— From Portland to Monticello by Steamer— A Rough Road— A Hard Ride through the Forests—Ferns, Blackberries and Snakes— Skookem Chuck— Olympia and Reception there— Pacific Tribute to the Stomach— Basis for a Religious Superstructure— Washington Territory— Its Name|and its Capabilities, 198

Letter XX

PUGET'S SOUND AND VANCOUVER'S ISLAND.-Great Lumber Market for the Pacific Coast— Saw-Mills and Ships on the Sound- Victoria, and its English Features— British Taxes and Expenditures—Frazer River Gold Diggings— Prosperity of Victoria— Depot of the Hudson Bay Company— Grand Dinner to Mr. Colfax— The San Juan Boundary Question— Summer Gardens under the Perpetual Snows— The Pacific Coast Climate versus that of New England, .... 204

Letter XXI

SAN FRANCISCO: MR. COLFAX, AND HIS RECEPTION IN THE PACIFIC STATES.-Back to Frisco-Its Fascinations and its Incomparable Climate— The Town always "in the Draft"— The Loss of the Steamer Brother Jonathan— Speaker Colfax's Tour Complete —His Reception Described and Analyzed— His Speeches— The Mexican Question— His Speech at Victoria— Governor Bross and Mr. Richardson, , 2is

Letter XXII

THE YOSEMITE VALLEY AND THE BIG TREES.-First Impressions—The Great Natural Wonders and Beauties of the Western World— Distinguishing Features of the Valley— The Verdure of the Valley— Where the Zebra and Dr. Bellows' Church were Borrowed from— Various Shapes of the Mountain Rocks— The Water-falls of the Valley— The Journey to the Yosemite— Cession of the Valley and the Big Trees to the State of California— Our Party and its Experiences-The Excursion to the Big Trees: their Size: their Age: their Beauty : their Majesty, . „ 223 xviii

INDEX TO CONTENTS.

LETTER XXIII. p^ge.

THE CHINESE ON THE PACIFIC COAST : OUR GRAND DINNER WITH THEM.— Number of Chinese Emigrants— What they Do- Raising Vegetables— Building the Pacific Railway— Servants in Families and Gleaners in jj|e Coal Fields— How the White Men Treat them— Their Habits— Their Religion— Their Vices— How they are to be Reformed— The Chinese versus the Irish and the African —Chinese Merchants— Their Intelligence and their Honesty— A Dinner with them— Specimen of Chinese Pigeon-English— How the Dinner Began, and how it Went On — The Chopsticks, and the Food— The Writer Rescued by the Police, and Taken Out to get "Something to Eat," . • • 238

Letter XXIV

THE GREAT THEME: THE PACIFIC RAILWAY.— How its Need is , Felt— Anxiety for its Construction— The Hunger for "Home"— The Condition and Prospects of the Enterprise— Where Timber and Fuel are to come from— Routes over the Rocky Mountains— From Salt Lake to the Sierra Nevadas— What the Government has Done— What the People are doing at each End— Lack of Enterprise and Progress at the East— Superior Zeal and Progress at the West— Rival Routes over the Sierras— The Wagon Roads and their Business- Mr. T. D. Judah and his Route for the Railroad— Rapid Progress up the Mountains— Four Thousand Chinese Laborers at Work— Five Years Long Enough to Complete the Whole Line— Appeal to the Men of the East, . • ^55

Letter XXV

COUNTRY EXCURSIONS: THE GEYSERS, VINEYARDS AND AGRICULTURE.— The Valleys of the Coast Range— How California is Constructed— Oakland— Fred Law Olmsted and Major Ralph W. Kirkham— The San Jose Valley and its Beauties— Excursion to the Geysers— Petaluma— Russian River Valley— Healdsburg— A Rare Whip and a Rare Drive— The Geysers Themselves— The Embodiment of Hell— The Country in the Neighborhood— Napa Valley— — Calistoga and Warm Springs— Sonoma Valley and its Vineyards- California Wines— Champagne the Mother's Milk in California— FaciUties for Agriculture in California— Illustrative Crops, 274

Letter XXVI

OP SAN FRANCISCO : BUSINESS MATTERS.— How San Francisco is Located— Its Sand Hills and their Fickleness— Lone Mountain Cemetery— The City Gardens— Contrasts in Business and Social Life- Character of the Business Men— The Bankers— The Bank of California—The Wells & Fargo Express and its Various Business — How it Rivals the Government in Carrying Letters— The Machine Shops and the Woolen Manufacturers— The Mission Woolen Mills and their Success with Chinese Labor— Cotton Manufactory and Other Industrial Enterprises— The Commerce of San Francisco, 288

INDEX TO CONTENTS.

xix

Letter XXVII. Page

MINING IN CALIFORNIA: ITS VARIETIES, RESULTS, AND PROSPECTS.— Present Yield of the Mines of the Pacific States- Processes and Progress of Gold Seeking— The Soil Washings, the Deep Diggings, and Hydraulic Mining— Great Enterprises of the Latter— The Large Results— The Waste of Nature by Mining—" Yuba Dam" and its Anecdote— The Quartz Mining and its Status— Grass Valley— Lola Montez, and the Horse Milkman— Condition of Mining in Mariposa County— The Fremont Estate Come to Grief— General Prospects and Condition of Mining in California-The Idaho Mines —Mining in the Various States Compared— The Advantage for California—Personal Experiences in Visiting Mines— How We Went Into the Gould & Curry Mine, and How We Got Out, 302

Letter XXVIII

SOCIAL LIFE IN SAN FRANCISCO: THE WOMEN: RELIGION AND MINISTERS.— Visit to the Cliff House -The Pacific Ocean— The Seals and the Pelicans— A Ride along the Beach— The Chaos of Society in San Francisco— Domination of Materialism and Masculinism— The Women Savored with it— How the Ladies Dress— A Feminine Lunch Party— Activity in Public Morals— Education and Religion- Churches and School-houses— Ambition for Smart Preachers—Rev. Dr. W^ads worth. Rev. Dr. Scudder, Rev. Mr. Stebbins— The Country Parishes— Wide Field for Missionary Labor— The Pacific Railroad the Great Missionary of All— Rev. Mr. Stebbins' Views of California Life, 32i

Letter XXIX

CLIMATE AND PRODUCTIONS: COST OF LIVING: THE CUR- I RENCY QUESTION: THE MINT-Advantage of the Pacific Climate for Invalids— EflTects of the Climate upon the Race— The Fruits and Vegetables of California, Compared with those of the East— Beauty of the California Spring— The Best Time to Visit the Pacific States— Comparative Prices of Living— The What Cheer House— Prices in the Markets— Gold and Silver the only Currency- Question of Introducing Paper Money— The Mint at San Francisco —The World's Settling House at San Francisco, 335

Letter XXX

THE MINING QUESTIONS AGAIN : GENERAL REVIEW.-A New Word of Caution to Eastern Capitalists— Speculators and Swindlers in the Field— Other Authority for these Views; Professor Whitney and Mr.Ashburner— Double Injury of Deception-Importance of the . Geological Survey of California— The Superior Richness of the Col- \ orado Gold Mines— New Mining Discoveries in California— Latest Phase of the Comstoek Ledge— The Gold and Copper Mines in Arizona—Last News from Idaho— The Oil Fever of the East and the Gold Fever of the West— The Copper and Quicksilver Mines of California— The Petroleum Speculation in California— Vineyards Growing on the supposed Oil Beds, , , 34$

XX

INDEX TO CONTENTS.

LETTER XXXI. p^ge.

THE FAREWELL FESTIVITIES : POLITICS AND POLITICIANS.— The Pathos of Parting— Our Final Visit in San Francisco— A Crowded Week— Magnificent Dinner Party— Br iUiant Fai ewell Ball and Banquet, with Orthodox Belles and Hot Beel Tea— PoU tics of the Pacific States— Their Rescue from Secession- -Theii Affiliation with the Union Party— Governors Blaisdell, Lowe and Gil )bs— Senators Stewart and Conness— T. Starr King's opportunity— His Sacred Fame on the Pacific Coast— The California Congressmen— Large Emigration of Rebels from Missouri to Oregon— Anecdote of Senator Nesmith of Oregon— Pacific Loyalty a Passion, and i ts Intolerance—The Indians of the Pacific States— The Indian Question Briefly Summed Up— The Slang Phrases of the Coast— A Parting Word for Cahfornia and her Sister States, 358

Letter XXXII

THE VOYAGE HOME BY STEAMSHIP AND THE ISTHMUS.— An Unique Sea Trip— Your Companions onthe Voyage— The Accommodations and Food on the Steamer— The Crowd— The Mixture— The Babies— Down the Coast on Smooth Seas and in Sigtit of Land —Tropical Weather and its Effects— Stopping at Acapulco— The Town and its Mexican Inhabitants— The Evemng on Shore— Interview with General Alvarez— Poor Prospects for Mexican Independence— The Bartering for Fruits and Shells— Down the Coast Again— Guatemala and its Volcanoes— San Salvador and Nicaragua— Arrival at Panama— Scenes in the Harbor— Burial of one of our Passengers- Day Upon the Isthmus— Panama and its Idiosyncrasies— The Railroad Across the Isthmus— The Ride and its Tropical Revelations— The Natives and their Nudity— Chagres River and the Isthmus Fever— Aspinwall and its Barrenness— The Steamship Service on

, the Atlantic Side— A Fortunate Run to New York— The Trip Summed Up— The Pacific Mail Steamship Company and its new Career- Prices o; Passage— The Moral Unhealth of the Crowd on the Steamers—The Summer Journey Ended: Its Limits Reviewed: Its Triumphs Stated: Its Results Measur^^d* 870

Letter 1. From Massachusetts To The Missouri,'

Atchison, Kansas, May 21, 1865.

A WEEK of leisure traveling ends the first or railroad stage of the great overland trip across the Continent. It is 1,425 miles by railroad from Springfield to Atchison, via Buffalo, Cleveland, Chicago, and the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad through northern Missouri. Here, the outmost post of our eastern railway system, we commence a coach ride of two thousand miles before we meet ^ the projecting arm of the California railways at Placerville. Thence a day takes us down to San Francisco and the Continent is spanned, the national breadth is measured. How this Republic, saved, reunited, bound together as never before, expands under such personal passage and footstep tread: how magnificent its domain ; how far-reaching and upnsmg Its material, moral and political possibilities and promises! There is no such knowledge '^t the nation as comes of traveling it, of seeing

ACROSS THE CONTINENT.

eye to eye its vast extent, its various and teeming wealth, and, above all, its purpose-full people— growing only greater in personal power and activity as they grow fewer in numbers. We think our Yankee leaders have active brains and comprehensive hands ; but the pioneers in the commerce and in the civiHzation of the West impress you as men of broader grasp and more intense vitality. The very breadth of their field expands them.

It is five years since I was last in the West. Then I came to attend the Convention that nominated Mr. Lincoln for President. How long ago that seems ! How dim the almost tragic scenes and excitements and struggles of the Wigwam! Personal preferences were lost and won there, life-long ambitions wrecked, new combinations created, and old ones shattered, whose significance was Httle understood then. What century of other history has held such revolutions, has wrought such influences on the present and the future of the world, as these five years ! What five years of all life, of ours or anybody's else, would you or I exchange for even our witness of these.'*

We had an afternoon and evening in Cleveland, and a day in Chicago. I gathered new impressions of the beauty of the former city. No other place, East or West, unites such a business street as Superior to such a residence avenue as EucHd. It is the gem of the western cities. Springfield has similar union of business convenience and breadth with beautiful rural homes ; but the scale is smallercur Main street is narrower, our Maple and Chest-

CHICAGO AND ATCHISON. 3

nut shorter and less magnificently studded with palatial country residences.

Chicago is still great— to aU Chicagoians. She has indeed made herself the commercial center of all the North-west. Milwaukee gives up the contest, and even her own State, to her old rival ; and St. Louis looks on with envy at the more rapid strides of the metropolis of the free North-west. There is less building in progress, however, than I ever have seen before, and fewer new structures are noticed on the business streets than are usually observed between visits ; though there be spots enough still needing reconstruction. Chicago is getting esthetically ambitious, however; she talks less of corner lots and corn and new blocks than of yore ; and turns her thoughts more to art, to literature and to philanthropy. Already with the great journal of the North-west, she is foui^ding another, and draws from New York, in Mr. Dana, to lead it, one of the most eclectic of American scholars, one of the most executive of American minds. Just now, too, she is vain over a new and beautiful opera-house— reared from the profits on alcohol— and a season of undiluted Italian opera ; and earnest, moreover, with a grand Soldiers' Fair. Fitting it is that Chicago, which led in these monster fairs for the benefit of ^the army, should also close their glorious and holy 'procession. Their history is a proud chapter in our war; and in it the American women write their own nobility and patriotism.

This border town of Atchison is memorable in Kansas experiences. It was first settled and possessed by border ruffians of the worst type. The famous Buford Company of South Carolinians made it head-quarters. ^ Stringfellow was its pater familias. But Mr. Pomeroy, the agent of the New England Emigrant Aid Company, finally got possession of it by strategy — he bought up its newspaper and threw a force of free state men into town during one night, and thenceforth defied the old settlers. Since then Pomeroy and Stringfellow have joined hands, bought up the town as a speculation, and are now growing rich together by its development and prosperity. Stringfellow lives here, and has become gentlemanly and loyal since the war broke out, and Pomeroy is United States Senator from Kansas, and also resides here when not in Washington. The town lies rather incoherently along some broken bluffs on the west bank of the Missouri River, five hundred miles from St. Louis, about twenty above Leavenworth, and the same distance below St. Joseph, the metropolis of northern Missouri. A railroad runs along the opposite bank of the river, and gives communication with St. Joseph and Leavenworth. Lawrence lies off* to the south-west say fifty miles, Atchison being in fact in the north-eastern corner of the State. It is now the starting point of the overland mail for the mining regions and California, and the h^-quarters of the stage company ; also one of the chief points on the border for the transshipment, from cars and steamboats to wagons, of goods of all sorts bound to the mines of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, &c., and the saints of Utah. Nebraska City, Omaha, St. Joseph, Leavenworth and

FREIGHTING OVERLAND. 5

Lawrence are rivals in this great business of freighting to the far West— how great nobody can realize who does not look upon it directly at this the busy season of the year ;— but Atchison lies best as to the roads west, being both upon the river, and, through a great bend in its course, the most western of any town upon it, in the State or in Missouri, and perhaps does more of the outfitting and forwarding than any other one town. Most of the goods are only sent through the town, being bought by the shippers or territorial merchants in Philadelphia, New York, St. Louis and Chicago ; yet a single firm here, in a modest building, is selling one million dollars yearly to small traders, or to fill up forgotten places in large trains. Long trains of heavily loaded wagons, drawn by mules and oxen, are moving out daily, now; but immense warehotises and large yards are still stored full with massive machinery for working the mines, and goods for feeding and clothing the miners, and agricultural implements to cultivate the prairies, waiting for their turn. The mule trains have been in progress for a month, but the ox-teams have had to wait till now, so that the animals could be fed on the grass en route. The Indians made such havoc last year that food for man or beast has been very scarce on the road across the Plains all the winter and spring • the Overland Stage and Mail Company has been 'very much crippled thereby; and the grain that it is now feeding out to its horses on the road has cost it, in purchase and transportation, something like eight dollars a bushel, or eight and ten cents a pound! I*

ACROSS THE CONTINENT.

Speaker Colfax and his friends are gathered here for their long and inviting yet rather rough journey to the Pacific Coast. The party embraces the Speaker, Lieutenant-Governor Bross of Illinois, senior editor of the Chicago Tribune, Mr. Albert D. Richardson of the New York Tribune, and myself. Mr. George K. Otis of New York, special agent of the Overland Stage Line, accompanies us ; and we have laid in every possible mitigation of the j fatigues and discomforts of the long ride. There I are rifles and revolvers for Indians and game ; sar- 1 dines for those who cannot digest bacon ; segars for j the smoking Speaker ; black tea for the nervous j newspaper men ; crackers for those fastidious stomj achs that reject saleratus biscuit ; and soap for those I so aristocratic as to insist on washing themselves en route.

Something of fillip is given to our ride by the overland stage from the West, due yesterday noon, coming in only this morning, and with the news that it had been attacked by the Indians about one hundred and forty miles back, or some half way to Fort Kearney. It is the first raid of the red-skins this season ; and so thorough precautions had been made by General Connor, who has charge of the troops along the route, that it was believed there would be no trouble ; the stages had assumed their old certainty and regularity, came in here everyday within half an hour of the schedule time, and left precisely at eight every morning, and timed their arrivals at the stations along the route so certainly that the keepers had the meals all cooked and warm

INDIANS ON OUR TRACK.

as the stages drove up, all the way from here to Salt Lake City. But to-day's news shows that some of the Indians had broken through or run around the military Hnes. They commenced by ambushing a party of some twelve to twenty soldiers, mostly converted rebels, on their way up from Leavenworth to Fort Kearney, but vrithout arms. Two of these they killed outright, and most of the rest they wounded so savagely that they will probably die. The next day they assaulted the incoming stage, which had some six or eight passengers, men, women and children, circHng around and around the vehicle on well-mounted horses, and shooting their arrows fast and sharp — only one had a musket, and another a pistol — at horses and passengers. The horses were whipped up, the men on the coach had two rifles and kept them in play, and thus the Indians were held at bay until the protection of a station and a train was secured, when the attackins: party, finding themselves baffled, retired. They numbered about twenty-five in all, and their appearance on what was supposed to be the safest part of the route, and the one least protected by soldiers, has made some excitement.