below this, are the " Kettle Rocks " huge gray-
looking boulders, nearly to the top of the ledge,
looking like immense caldron kettles. Behind
them are some sharp-pointed projections like
spires. These rocks are capped with red, but
gray underneath. Then comes " Hood Rock "
a single angular rock about half way to the top
of the ledge, worn out in the center, and resem-
bling the three-cornered hoods on modern ulster
overcoats. About a mile before reaching the
next station, the rocks are yellow in appearance
and rounding a point you will notice sandstone
layers with a dip of more than 45 degrees, show-
ing a mighty upheaval at some period in the re-
mote past.
TBE ®&€IFIG TQWMIBW.
117
Banging Rock, — a little over seven miles
from Castle Rock, and 9S3.7 miles from Omaha;
elevation, 5,974 feet. The descent has been
very rapid since we struck this canon. This
station is wrongly named. All books and guides
which represent the rocks of Echo Canon over-
hanging the railroad, are erroneous. Nothing in
the shape of a hanging rock can be seen,
but as you pass the station, you will notice how
the elements have worn out a hollow or cavity
in one place, which is bridged by a slim gray
rock, nearly horizontal in position, forming a
natural or hanging bridge across the cavity,
about 50 feet in depth. It can be seen as you
pass around a curve just after leaving the sta-
tion. Going a little farther, you notice what is
called " Jack-in-the-Pulpit-Rock," at the corner
of a projecting ledge, and near the top there-
of. A round gray column, flat on the surface,
stands in front ; this is the pulpit, while
in close proximity rises the veritable " .Jack "
himself, as if expounding the law and gospel to
his scattering auditors. Then comes the
North Fork of Echo Canon, — down
which more water annually flows, than in the
main canon. Now bending around a curve, if
you look forward, it seems as though the train
was about to throw us directly against a high
precipice in front, and that there was no way of
escape ; but we keep onward and finally pass
safely on another side. We now approach what
are called " the narrows." The rocky sides
of the canon seem to draw together. Notice
the frame of an old rickety saw-mill on the
left, and a short distance below, still on the
left, see a huge, conical-shaped rock rising
close to the track. We are particular in men-
tioning these, because they are landmarks,
and will enable the traveler to know when
he is near the ledge on the right of the
track, upon which the Mormons piled up
stones to roll down on Gen. Albert Sidney John-
son's army, when it should pass here, in 1857.
The canon virtually becomes a gorge here, and
the wagon road runs close to the base of the high
bluffs, (it could not be made in any other place)
— which the Mormons fortified after a fashion.
Now you pass these forts ; high up on the top,
on the. outer edge or rim you will still see small
piles of stones which they gathered there for of-
fensive operations, when the trains and soldiers
of the army went by. They look small — they
are so far off, and you pass them so quickly —
not larger than your fist — but nevertheless they
are there. They are best seen as they recede
from view.
At the time we speak of, (1857) there was
trouble between the Mormons and the United
States authorities, which led to the sending of
an army to Salt Lake City. It approached as
far as Fort Bridger, where — the season being
late — it went into winter quarters. It was ex-
pected to pass through this canon, however, that
same fall, and hence the preparations which the
Mormons made to receive it. Their army — the
Nauvoo Legion, redwiuus, under the command of
Gen. Daniel H. Wells, had its camp near these
rocks, in a little widening of the valley below,
just beyond where you pass a " pocket " of
boulders, or detached parts of the ledges above,
which have sometime, in the dim past, rolled
into the valley. The rocky fort being passed,
with the pocket of boulders and the site of the
old camp, the traveler next approaches " Steam-
boat Rock," a huge red projection like the prow
of a big propeller. A little cedar, like a flag of
perpetual green, shows its head on the bow,
while farther back, the beginning of the hurri-
cane deck is visible. It slopes off to the real - ,
and becomes enveloped in the rocky mass
around it. By some, this is called " The Great
Eastern," and the one just below it, if anything,
a more perfect representation of a steamer, is
SENTINEL K
ECHO CANON.
called "The Great Republic." They are really
curious formations, and wonderful to those who
look upon them for the first time. "Monument
Rock " conies next. It is within a cove and
seems withdrawn from the front, as though shun-
ning the gaze of the passing world, yet in a posi-
tion to observe every thing that goes by. If the
train would only stop and give you more time —
but this cannot' be done, and your only recourse
KOCK SCENES NEAR ECHO CITY.
l.—Witehes Rocks. 2.— Battlement Rocks. 3.— Egyptian Tombs. 4.— Witches Bottles. 5.— Needle Rocks, near Wahsatch.
TME &&@IFI@ W®W ( MISW.
119
is to pause at Echo and let it pass, while you
wait for the one following. This will give you
ample opportunity to see the natural wonders
congregated in this vicinity. We have almost
reached the mouth of Echo Creek, and the
Weber River cornea in from the left, opposite
" Bromley's Cathedral," in front of which stands
-Pulpit Rock," on the most extended point as
you turn the elbow in the road. This " Cathe-
dral " is nam sd in honor of J. E. Bromley, Esq.,
who has lived at
Echo since 1858,
and who came
here as a divi-
sion s u p e r i n-
tendent of Ben
Holladay's
Overland Stage
and Express
Line. It extends
some distance
— a mile or more
— around the
bend in the
mountain, and
has numerous
towers and
spires, turrets
and domes, on
either side.
" Pulpit Rock "
is so called from
its resemblance
to an old-fash-
ioned pulpit,
and rises in
plain view as
you go round
the curve into
Weber Valley.
It is a tradition
among a good
many people,
that the "Proph-
et of the Lord,"
who now pre-
sides over the
church of "The
Latter Day
Saints," in Salt
Lake City, once
preached to the
assembled multitude from this exalted emi-
nence ; but, while we dislike to spoil a story
that lends such a charm to the place, and
clothes it with historic interest, nevertheless,
such is not the fact. The oldest and most
faithful Mormons we could find in Echo,
know nothing of any such transaction. Our
cut is a faithful representation of this re-
markable rock. It is estimated to be about sixty
feet high — above the track. You will desire to
know how high the ledges are, which have been
so rapidly passed. We are informed that Mr.
S. B. Reed, one of the civil engineers who
constructed this part of the railroad, stated that
the average height of all the rocks of Echo canon,
is from 600 to 800 feet above the railroad.
As you approach the elbow referred to, there
is an opening through the mountains on the left,
and in close proximity to "Pulpit Rock," the
waters of Echo Creek unite with those of Weber
River, which
here come in
through this
opening. If not
the southern-
most point on
the line of the
road, it is next
to it. You have
been traveling
in a south-west^
erly direction
since leaving
Evanston ; you
now round the
e 1 b o w, t u r n
toward the
north-west, and
arrive at
K rlio, — a
beautiful spot —
a valley nestled
between the
hills, with evi-
dences of thrift
on every hand.
This station is
nearly nine and
a half miles
from Hanging
Kock, 993 miles
from Omaha,
and 5,315 feet
above the level
of the sea. The
town and the
canon are right-
ly named, for
the report of a
gun or pistol
discharged i n
PULPIT BOCK, ECHO CANON— LOOKING WESTWARD. fjjjg canon w jl]
bound from side to side, in continuous echoes,
until it finally dies away. " Bromley's Cathe-
dral " rears its red-stained columns in rear of
and overshadowing the town, while opposite
is a lofty peak of the Wahsatch Range. To
the right the valley opens out for a short dis-
tance like an amphitheatre, near the lower ex-
tremity of which, "The Witches," a group of
rocks, lift their weird and grotesque forms.
They are about half way to the summit of the
120
FMM W&€IFW T@W®IST,
ledge behind them. Weber Valley, from its
source to the Great Salt Lake, is pretty thickly
settled with Mormons, though quite a number of
Gentiles have obtained a foothold in the mines
and along the line of the railroad.
Upper Weber Valley. — From this station
there is a narrow gauge railroad up the Weber
Valley io Coalville, seven miles in length.
The town has two or three stores, hotels,
saloons, ete., and a school-house is to be
built this year. Accommodations for fish-
ing parties, with guides, can here be obtained.
The Echo and
Weber Rivers,
with their tribu-
taries, abound
in trout, while
thei'e is plenty
of game, elk,
deer, bear, etc.,
in the mount-
ains. Richard
F. Burton, the
African explor-
er, visited this
canon and Salt
Lake City in
l.Slill, anil wrote
a book called
"City of the
Saints," which
was published
by the Harpers,
in 1862* He
speaks o f the
wonders of this
valley as fol-
lows : "Echo
Kanyon has but
one fault ; its
sublimity will
make all simi-
lar feat ii its
look tame."
. Weber River
rises in the
W a h s a t c h
M ountai n s,
aboutoO milrs in
a south-eastern direction from Echo, flows nearly
due west to Kammas City, when it turns to the
north-west and passes in that general direction
into the Great Salt Lake, not far from Ogden. Go-
ing up this river from Echo, Grass Creek flows in
about two and a half miles from the starting
point. This creek and canon runs very nearly
parallel to Echo Creek. Very important and ex-
tensive coal mines have been discovered from two
to four miles up this canon. It is not as wild or
rugged in its formation as Echo Canon. The
mines are soon to be developed. Two and a half
miles abov; the mouth of Grass Creek is
Coalville, — a town of about 600 people, with
a few elegant buildings, among which are the
Mormon bishop's residence and a tine two-story
brick court-house, which stands on an elevation
near the town, and can be seen for a long dis-
tance. The town is situated on the south side of
Chalk Creek where it empties into Weber River.
This creek also runs nearly parallel with Eclio
Cam hi. and rises in the mountains near the head
of the Ililliard Lumber Company's flume. It is
called Chalk Creek from the white chalky ap-
pearance of the bluffs along its banks. Coalville
is a Mormon
village, and its
inhabitants are
nearly all em-
ployed in min-
ing coal from
two to three
niili-s above the
town where the
railroad ends.
This road is
called the Sum-
mit County
Railroad, and is
owned by some
of the wealthy
Mormons in
Salt Lake City.
Four miles far-
ther up the
Weber, and you
come to Hoyts-
ville, another
Mormon village.
It is a farming
settlement. The
town has a
grist-mill. Four
miles still far-
ther is located
the town of
Wanship, nam-
ed after an old
Ute chief. It
has about 4(10
inhabitants,
with a h o t el ,
It is located at
the junction of Silver Creek with the Weber.
Still going up the Weber, in about three miles
there is another Mormon settlement called Three
Mile. It has a "co-op" store, bishop's resi-
dence, and a tithing office.
I'eoa. — Leaving Three Mile, and pursuing
the course still up one of the most beautiful val-
leys in the country, the tourist will reach Peoa,
a nice little farming town, in five miles travel.
Evidences of thrift and of the successful cultiva-
tion of the soil, are visible all along the val-
ley, but it is a wonderful matter to eastern
%
PtTLPIT ROOK AND VALLEY.— LOOKING SOUTHWARD.
stores, grist-mill, saw-mill, etc.
SCENE AT Mul'TH OF ECHO CANON.
men who know nothing of the characteris-
tics of the soil, and see nothing but sage
brush and greasewood growing thereon, how
crops can be raised amidst such sterility.
Irrigation has done it all. The labor to accom-
plish it has been immense, but thirty-five to
forty bushels of spring wheat to the acre attest
the result. The soil has been proved to be very
prolific.
Kamnifts City. — Next on this mountain
journey comes Kammas City, eight miles
beyond Peoa, on Kammas Prairie. This is
an elevated plateau about four miles by ten,
and affords some very fine grazing lands
and meadows. It is nearly all occupied by
stockmen. Here the Weber makes a grand de-
tour; coming from the mountains in the east, it
here turns almost a square corner toward the
['22
TMM &g$€IWI@ W@WStmW,
north, and then pursues its way through valleys
and gorges, through hills and mountains to a
quiet rest in the waters of the Great Salt Lake.
Above this prairie the river cuts its way through
a wild rocky canon, lashing its sides with foam
as though angry at its confinement, out into the
prairie where it seems to gather strength for its
next fearful plunge in the rocky gorges below.
In the lofty peaks of the mountains, east of
Kanimas Prairie, in the frigid realms of perpet-
ual snow, the traveler will hud the head of Weber
River, and the route to it will give him some of
the grandest views to be found on the American
Continent.
Parley's Park. — The old stage road to
the " City of the Saints," after leaving Echo
passed up the Weber to Wanship, at the
mouth of Silver Creek ; thence nine miles
to Parley's Park, a lovely place in summer,
where a week or two could be whiled away
in the beauty of the valley and amidst the
grandeur of the mountains. There are three
things in nature which make a man feel small —
as though he stood in the presence of Divinity.
These are the ocean, with its ceaseless roar ; the
mighty plains in their solitude, and with their
sense of loneliness; and the mountains in their
towering greatness, with heads almost beyond
the ken of mortal vision, and crowned with
eternal snows. Parley's Park is nearly round in
shape, about four miles in diameter, and almost
surrounded by the rocky domes of the Wahsatch
Range. The old stage road leaves Park City to
the left, and reaches the summit on the west side
of the divide; thence, it follows down Parley's
Canon to Salt Lake City, forty-eight miles, by
this route, from Echo. The mountain streams
along this road abound in trout, while elk, deer
and bear, will reward the hunter's toil. There
are ranches an I small farms by the way, which
will afford abundaut stopping places for rest and
food ; there are mines of marvelous richness, to
reward one's curiosity, if nothing else will do it;
and, in fact, there is probably nothing which can
be gained along the line of the Union Pacific,
which will afford so much gratification, at so lit-
tle expense, of either money or time, as a lei-
surely jaunt of a week or two up the river and
its tributaries from Echo.
Characteristics of Echo and Weber
Ciiii oils. — The massive rocks which form Echo
Canon, are of red sandstone, which by the steady
process of original erosion ami subsequent weather,
have worn into their present shape. Their
shapes are exceedingly curious, and their aver-
age height, .lint to 800 feet. At the amphithe-
atre, and the Steamboat Rock, the height is
fully 800 feet to the summit. There is a bold
projection in the wall of rock near the Pulpit,
called Hanging Rock ; but it is composed of a
ma^s of coarse glomerate, which is easily
washed away, and is not very easily noticed.
Pulpit Rock overlooks Echo City and the val-
ley of the Weber, through which flows a pure
beautiful mountain stream. In one of our
illustrations is shown a railroad train passing
through this valley and descending to the en-
trance of Weber Canon just below. This is the
sketch of the special excursion train of the New
York and Eastern Editorial Excursion Party
of 1875, who, at this part, the center of the val-
ley, midway between the two canons, were pro-
fuse in their exclamations of delight at the
scene of beauty.
A curious feature of Echo Canon is that its
scenery is entirely on the right or north side,
and that the Weber Canon has, also, upon the
MONUMENT ROCK.— ECHO CANON.
same side, its wildest and most characteristic
scenery. The entrance and departure from
each canon is distinguished with great abrupt-
ness and distinctness. Travelers who can enjoy
the fortunate position of the lowest step on the
platform of each car, can witness all the scenes
of Echo and Weber Canons, to the best advan-
tage. The view is particularly fine, — as when
the train describes the sharp turn, under and
around Pulpit Rock, the view from the last plat-
form includes the whole length of the train on
Hi,, curve, — and overhead the jutting point of
the rock, and. farther above, the massive Rock
Mountain, the overlook to the entire valley. Just
as the train rounds at Pulpit Rock, passengers
tMM &&€IFIG T@W@H®%°.
123
THE CUFFS OF ECHO CANON, UTAH.
BY THOMAS MORAS.
124
on the south side of the train, will have a pretty
little glimpse of the upper portion of Weber
River, with its green banks and tree verdure — a
charming relief to the bare, dry plains, so con-
stant and even tiresome. A curious feature of
this little Weber Valley, are the terraces. Near
Echo City is a low, narrow bottom, near the
river; then an abrupt ascent of 30 feet; then a
level plain or bottom of 200 to 400 yards ; then
a gentle ascent to the rock bluffs.
The AVeber River is exceedingly crooked in
its course, — originally occupying the entire width
of the little space in the canon — and in construct-
ing the railroad at various points, the road-bed
here has been built directly into the river, to
make room for the track. The average angle of
elevation of the heights of Weber Canon is 70
to 80 degrees, — and the height of the summits
above the river is 1,500 to 2,000 feet. In this
canon is found a thick bed of hard, red
sandstone, of great value for building stone,—
which can be wrought into line forms for culverts,
fronts of buildings, caps, sills, etc. Emerging
from the mouth of Weber Canon — and turning
to the right, every vestige of rugged canon
scenery vanishes, and the scene is changed
into one of peace and quietness of valley life.
Here the Weber River has a strong, powerful
current — with heavy and constant fall over beds
of water-worn stones, and fallen rocks of im-
mense size. In the spring and summer months,
it is swollen by the melting of snow from the
mountains, and is of great depth, — though usually
it averages but four to six feet in depth and its
width, at the mouth of the canon, is usually
120 feet.
The remainder of its course to the Great Salt
Lake, is through a large open bottom of increas-
ing breadth, along which gather little villages,
grain fields, meadows, brilliant with flowers of
which the Indian l'ink, with its deep scarlet
clusters, is most luxuriant. The hills are smooth
in outline, and as we approach Ogden, the grand
summit of the Wahsatch Mountains, with snowy
peaks, arise behind, in front, and northward,
around us bold and impressive. This is the range
of mountains which border the east side of the
Salt Lake Valley, and will accompany us, as we
go southward to Salt Lake City.
Bocks of Weber Canon. — Returning to
the road ; after leaving Echo you will soon
notice, on the north side of the track, two
curious formations. The first is a group of
reddish-colored cones of different sizes and
varying some, in shape, but on the whole
remarkably uniform in their appearance.
These are known as Battlement Rocks. They
are about one mile, perhaps not that, be-
low Echo. Next come the wierd forms of " The
Witches " — looking as though they were talking
with each other. These are gray, and about
this place it seems that the formation changes —
the red-colored rocks disappearing — dark gray
taking their place. How these columns were
formed will ever be a question of interest to
those who are permitted to see them. One of
the Witches especially looks as though she was
afflicted with the " Grecian bend '' of modern
fashion, a fact which does not at all comport
with the dignity or character of a witch. Worn
in fantastic shapes by the storms of ages, and
capped with gray, they stand as if "mocking the
changes and the chance of time." Four
miles below Echo, we lound a rocky point,
nearly opposite to which lies the little Mormon
Village of Henniferville, on the left side of
Weber River, with its bishop's palace — the largest
brick building in sight — and school-house, also of
brick, nestled under the mountains which lift
up rugged peaks in the background. The valley
now narrows to a gorge, and we approach Weber
Canon proper. It has high bluffs on the left,
with a rocky castle towering up on the right. If
Echo Canon was a wonderful place in the mind
of the traveler, wonders, if possible more rugged
and grand, will be revealed to his gaze here.
High up on the face of a bluff to the left, as you
pass through the gorge, see the little holes or
caves worn by the winds, in which the eagles build
their nests. This bluff is called "Eagle nest
Rock." Every year the proud monarch of the
air finds here a safe habitation in which to raise
his young. It is beyond the reach of men, and
accessible only to the birds which fly in the air.
Passing this home of " Freedom's Bird," before
we have time to read these lines hardly, we are
at the
Thousand Mile Tree, Devil's Slide, ,(r.,
— on the left side of the track. There it stands,
spreading its arms of green, from one of which
hangs the sign which marks the distance traveled
since leaving Omaha. It is passed in a moment,
and other objects of interest claim your attention.
High upon rocks to the right, as you peer ahead,
see how the winds have made holes in project-
ing points through which the light and sky be-
yond can be observed; now looking back see
another similar formation on the opposite side —
one to be seen looking ahead, the other looking
back. Now we come to Mate Cut — where photo-
graph rocks without number are found. The
rocks are so called from the pictures of ferns,
branches of trees, shrubs, etc., which are seen
traced in them. They remind one of moss-
agates, only they are a great deal larger — mag-
nified a thousand times, and are not in clear
groundwork like the agates. Lost Creek Canon
now puts in from the right, and around the
curve you can see the houses of the little Mormon
Town, Croyden. It is only seven miles from
Echo. Tliis canon runs parallel with Echo
Canon for quite a distance, and is said to be
rich in the scenery characteristic of this region,
with a narrow valley of great fertility when cul-
rmm &&cifw r@cr<m$r.
125
tivated. But right here on the left side of the
road, pushing out from the side of the
mountain, is t he "Devil's Slide" — one of the
most singular formations to be seen on the en-
tire route from ocean to ocean. It is composed
of two parallel ledges of granite, turned upon
their edges, serrated and jutting out in places
fifty feet from the mountain side, and about 14
feet apart. It is a rough place for any one;
height about 800 feet.
H'eber Quarry, — 1,001. 5 miles from Omaha,
and 5,250 feet above the sea. It is a side track
where fine reddish sandstone is obtained for
building purposes, and for the use of the road.
The sandstone is variegated, and is both beauti-
ful and durable when cut, or polished. The
gorge still continues, and devils' slides on a
smaller scale
than the one
noticed, are
visible on
both sides of
the road. A
little below
this station,
Dry Creek
Canon comes
in on the
right. The
road now
passes round
short curves
amidst the
wildest scen-
ery, when it is
suddenly
blocked to all
human ap-
pearance ; yet
tunnel No. 3
gives us liber-
ty. Crossing
a bridge ob-
serve the ter-
raced mountain on the right, and by the time
it is well in view, we enter and pass through
tunnel No. 4, after which comes Round Valley,
where a huge basin in the mountains is formed,
and where man again obtains a foothold. On
the right of the mountain, as you enter this val-
ley, there is a group of balanced rocks, that seem
ready to topple over into the valley below. Still
rounding another point farther down, and we