Identifier: appletonsillustr00newy (find matches)
Title: Appleton's illustrated hand-book of American cities;
Year: 1876 (1870s)
Authors:
Subjects: Cities and towns
Publisher: New York, D. Appleton and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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antelope are seen feeding quietly on the verdurous slopes, villages of prairie-dogsbreak the monotony of the level, and occasionally a glimpse is obtained of buffaloes.Sidney (414 m.) is the largest place between North Platte and Cheyenne, and isquite a prosperous village, with round-house, repair-shops, hotel, and eating-house.Just before reaching Archer (508 m.), the first glimpse is obtained of the RockyMountains, whose snow-clad tops are at first mistaken for clouds. Longs Peak,14,000 ft. high, soon becomes plainly visible, and the Spanish Peaks are in the dimdistance; while away to the N., as far as the eye can reach, the dark line of theBlack Hills leans against the horizon. Cheyenne (516 m.) is one of the largesttowns on the entire road, though settled only in 1867. It now has a population of2,500, is the point of junction with the Denver Pacific Railway, and has an extensiveround-house and shops. A few miles beyond Cheyenne, the ascent of the Rocky OMAHA TO SAX FRANCISCO. 119
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Mountains is begun, and for 30 m. the road climbs rugged granite hills, winding inand out of interminable snow-sheds. Sherman (549 m.) is the highest railroad sta-tion in the world (8,235 ft.) and aftbrds grand views. Here commences the descentto the Laramie Plains, a vast wilderness which for the next 200 m. the road trav-erses. Xothing flourishes on these alkaline uplands but sage-brush, while jackass-rabbits, and horned toads with genuine tails, are almost the only specimens of ani-mal life to be seen. Creston (737 m.) is the dividing ridge of the continent, fromwhich waters flow each way, E. to the Atlantic, and W. to the Pacific. At GreenRiver Station (845 m.) the train emerges from the desolate plains, and enters a moun-tain-region, which affords some tine views. Utah Territory is entered at Granger(876 m.). Within this region, between Green River and Salt Lake Valley, we passthrough five tunnels, aggregating nearly 2,000 ft., and cut through solid rock, whichnever crumbles, and

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