canyon of the Tenaya is situated this beautiful little lake, called
"Mirror Lake," which is an expansion of the Tenaya Fork. It is
generally visited early in the morning, for the purpose of seeing
the reflection of the overhanging rock, which is known as Mount
Watkins. Mirror Lake is one of the principal points of interest
of this marvelous depression of nature.]
[Illustration: GLAZIER POINT, YOSEMITE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA.--Glazier
Point, one of the most remarkable and striking features of nature
in the world, is composed of solid rock, thirty-two hundred feet
in perpendicular height. It is reached by a trail from the floor
of the valley, and the time generally consumed is from four to six
hours. From this great point of interest, a general view of the
whole valley can be obtained, and nothing is more soul-stirring
to the beholder than to look at the great and marvelous wonders
of nature abounding in the Yosemite Valley.]
[Illustration: BIG TREE, CALIFORNIA.--The big trees of California
are known the world over and are specifically termed the _sequoia
gigantea_, and abound only in California. They occur in groves
or patches, which are scattered over limited areas. They grow to
a great height, ranging from two hundred to three hundred feet,
and attain a circumference from seventy-five to one hundred feet.
The above is a photograph of one of the trees, showing the trunk,
through which a four-horse stage coach passes. This tree measures
twenty-five feet in diameter, and it stands in the Mariposa Grove.]
[Illustration: GREAT MORMON TEMPLE, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.--The
Mormon religion was founded by Joseph Smith, at Manchester, New
York, in 1830, and the same year was published "The Book of Mormon,"
in which Joseph Smith was declared to be God's "Prophet." He soon
removed, with his followers, to Kirtland, Ohio, which was to be
the seat of the New Jerusalem. Several years later the Mormon band
emigrated to Missouri, and later to Salt Lake City, Utah. After the
death of Smith, Brigham Young succeeded, until 1877, when he died
and left a fortune of $2,000,000 to seventeen wives and fifty-six
children. Here they prospered and started to build the great temple,
which is not yet quite finished.]
[Illustration: PULPIT TERRACE, YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.-The
Yellowstone Park has in the vicinity of the Mammoth Hot Springs
many remarkable terrace-building springs, which are situated one
thousand feet above the Gardiner River, into which they discharge
their waters. The water finds its way to the surface through deep-lying
cretaceous strata, and contains a great deposit of calcareous material.
As the water flows out at the various elevations on the terraces
through many vents, it forms corrugated layers of carbonate of
lime, which is generally hard while wet, but becomes soft when dry.
While these springs are active, vegetation dies in their vicinity;
but when dry, grass and trees again grow on the crumbling calcareous
deposit.]
[Illustration: OBSIDIAN CLIFF, YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.--This
noted and volcanic glass mountain, situated in the Yellowstone
Park, glistens like jet, is opaque and rises like basalt in almost
vertical columns, from the shore of Beaver Lake. It is unequalled
in the world, and is about two hundred feet high and one thousand
feet in length, being variegated with streaks of red and yellow.
When the carriage road was constructed over the side of the mountain
along the lake, great fires were built upon the masses of Obsidian;
and after they had been sufficiently expanded by the heat, cold
water was thrown on them, which fractured the blocks into fragments
that could be handled. Thus a glass carriage way was made one-quarter
of a mile in length, which is without doubt the only piece of glass
road in the world.]
[Illustration: MAMMOTH PAINT POTS, YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.--Among
all the geysers and hot springs in Yellowstone Park, there is nothing
more striking to behold than the Mammoth Paint Pots, which measure
forty by sixty feet, with a mud rim on three sides from three to
four feet in height. The whitish substance in this basin, which
looks like paint, is in constant agitation, and resembles a vast bed
of mortar with numerous points of ebullition. There is a constant
bubbling up of this peculiar formation, which produces a sound
similar to a hoarse whisper. Its contents have been reduced by
the constant action to a mixed silicious clay, which in former
years consisted of different colors, but is now active only in the
white portion of its formation.]
[Illustration: OLD FAITHFUL GEYSER, YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.--Of
all the geysers in the Yellowstone Park, this is one of the most
interesting and noted on account of the great regularity of its
eruptions, affording splendid opportunities for observation. It
is located in the Upper Geyser Basin, and is situated on a mound
of geyserite built by its own water. The eruptions begin with
preliminary splashes, and continue for several minutes, becoming
more powerful as they follow in rapid succession, when all at once
the steam and water are thrown to a height of one hundred and fifty
feet; this action occurs at intervals of every sixty-five minutes
and lasts from four to five minutes.]
[Illustration: YELLOWSTONE LAKE AND HOT SPRINGS, YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL
PARK.--This large and beautiful sheet of water is nearly one-half mile
higher than the summit of Mount Washington, N. H., and is surrounded
by snow-capped mountains. It covers an area of one hundred and fifty
square miles, and has a great depth. Trout are so plentiful that
there is little pleasure afforded in capturing them. The lake is
fed by numerous large tributaries and a score of smaller streams.
A number of boiling springs, charged with sulphur, alum and alkali,
dot its shores; and the fishermen can cook their trout by dropping
them into the boiling springs without walking from the spot where
they are caught.]
[Illustration: YELLOWSTONE FALLS, YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.--After
the water of the Yellowstone releases itself from the deep, symmetrical
pool at the foot of the Upper Falls, the river turns to the left and
flows through high bluffs for a short distance, until its sea-green
water leaps from the top of the Great Falls, three hundred and
sixty feet deep, into the profound, abysmal solitude of the Grand
Canyon. This great mass of water breaks into fleecy columns and
sheets of glistening foam as it descends; but it strikes the pool
below with such a great concussion that it is forced upwards in
fountains of spray and clouds of mist.]
[Illustration: GRAND CAÑON OF THE YELLOWSTONE, WYOMING.--This wonderful
gorge, whose scenic beauty is not equaled anywhere, has a scene of
enchantment surpassing all expectations. From the Lower Falls it
reveals the most varied groups of crags and rock ever beheld. It
passes through a volcanic plateau, forming broken walls of barbaric
richness of coloring that almost defies description. Red, purple
and yellow predominate, and with the white foam of the rushing
river through the bottom, and the dark green of the forest upon
the plateau, form one of the grandest natural sights in earth.]
[Illustration: ANIMAS CANYON, COLORADO.--This canyon is between
Durango and Silverton, and the scenery through it is of surpassing
grandeur and beauty. The railroad follows the course of the Animas
River (to which the Spaniard gave the musical but melancholy title
of "Rio de las Animas Perdidas," or River of Lost Souls) until
the picturesque mining town of Silverton is reached. To the right
is the silvery Animas River, which frets in its narrowing bed,
and breaks into foam against the opposing boulders, beyond which
rise the hills; to the left are mountains, increasing in rugged
contour as the advance is made, and in the shadow of the rocks
all is solitary, weird and awful; the startled traveler loses all
apprehension in the wondrous beauty and grandeur of the scene.]
[Illustration: GRAND CANYON Of THE ARKANSAS RIVER, COLORADO.--There
are no words which can properly describe this great and magnificent
canyon, the crowning attraction, the wonder of wonders, the marvel
of marvels, in Colorado's scenery. This canyon is seven miles in
length, and presents the grandest scenery in the world. This photograph
represents the Royal Gorge, where the canyon is three hundred feet
deep. As it is not sufficiently wide for railroad and river to
pass through, the road is carried above the river, on a hanging
bridge, which is shown in the picture.]
[Illustration: MOUNTAIN OF THE HOLY CROSS, COLORADO.--This mountain
is without doubt the most remarkable and the most noted of the
Rockies, on account of the cross from which it received its name.
Near the top is seen the cross, formed by deep crevices in its side,
which are filled with perpetual snow and ice. The sight of wildwood,
of tree-crowned slope, of rocky heights, of silvery cascades whose
white threads of water are occasionally seen wearing away rifts
in the rocks, renders the mountain one of the most enchanting of
the many mountains in Colorado.]
[Illustration: MANITOU AND PIKE'S PEAK, COLORADO.--Manitou was
known to white men long before Major Pike discovered the peak, and
is noted for its famous soda springs, whose health-giving properties
were familiar to the Indians from time immemorial. To this favored
spot they made their pilgrimages, and in grateful recognition of
the beneficent characteristics of the waters, they named the place
in honor of the Great Spirit, and bestowed upon it the musical and
significant title, Manitou. It is visited by thousands of tourists
every season, and many make the ascent from here to the top of
Pike's Peak, which is seen in the background.]
[Illustration: SUMMIT OF PIKE'S PEAK, COLORADO.--In 1806 Major
Zebulon Pike first described this wonderful snow-capped peak, which
now bears his name, and which he called the "Great Snow Mountain."
When the mountain first dawned on his view, he was one hundred
miles east on the plains. This noted peak towers to the height
of 14,147 feet, and its top is covered with perpetual snow. This
photograph represents the U. S. Signal Station on its summit. The
top is now reached by an incline railway from Manitou, and from it
the traveler may behold one of the grandest sights in Colorado.]
[Illustration: GATEWAY TO THE GARDEN OF THE GODS, COLORADO.--Why
this wonderful valley, which has not the appearance of a garden,
was named the Garden of the Gods, no one knows; but, no doubt, by
reason of its apt alliterations, the name has become so popular
that it would be foolish to change it. There are many remains which
show that Titanic forces have been at work here. It does not require
a lively imagination to discover in the garden an endless variety
of beings, such as the lion, the seal, the elephant, birds and
reptiles of imitative forms. The most noted object is the Great
Gateway.]
[Illustration: CATHEDRAL SPIRES, COLORADO.--The stranger passing
through Manitou should not fail to visit the Garden of the Gods, in
which are located the Cathedral Spires, wonderful rock formations,
standing upright, with pinnacles several hundred feet high. The
wonderful region in which these spires are, in point of attraction,
ranks with the sunny slopes of Italy, and the rugged grandeur of
the Bernese Oberland. The scenery in this locality is so varied,
so grand, and so impressive, that contemplative pauses must be
made in order that the eye may grasp all the charming details of
the view.]
[Illustration: LIFE IN OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.--Oklahoma
Territory is a beautiful stretch of country, abounding in vast
and fertile plains. In the eastern part, the soil is particularly
rich and well irrigated, making it almost as productive as a garden.
The territory was formerly the special domain for all the Indian
tribes, but this original race seems to be gradually becoming extinct.
The above photograph represents a scene in Oklahoma County. This
county is nearly in the centre of the territory, on the line of
it railroad which has recently been opened. Owing to its admirable
adaptability for agriculture, it is fast becoming populated. The
picture suggests the most primitive rural simplicity.]
[Illustration: INDIAN WIGWAM, INDIAN TERRITORY.--The red man, the
original inhabitant of American soil, is represented here at his
hut, with his gun and the reins of his horse in his hands. He has a
universal belief in a Supreme Being, though his religious attributes
are associated with various manifestations of natural phenomena.
He believes in the immortality of the soul, but his conceptions
of the future system of reward and punishment are confused. The
American Indians are slowly diminishing in number on account of
the progress of the white man. Their present population is about
255,000, and the greatest number are gathered upon their reservations
in Indian Territory.]
[Illustration: CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.--This city, which is now the
most important centre of commerce in the Northwestern States, is
situated at the mouth of the Chicago River, on Lake Michigan. The
first inhabitants known to have been in the locality were the
Pollawatomie Indians, and the earliest Europeans were French fur
traders, who visited the site in 1654. Fort Dearborn was built
in 1804, when the first attempt was made to settle here; but the
Indians destroyed and massacred most of the garrison in 1812. In
1816 the place was rebuilt and to-day stands as one of the leading
cities of America. The above represents State Street, one of the
principal thoroughfares, and the Palmer House, one of its leading
hotels.]
[Illustration: NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK.--The above falls constitute
perhaps the most striking natural wonder in the world. Above the
falls, the river is divided by Goat Island, forming the Horseshoe
Falls, with a perpendicular descent of one hundred and fifty-eight
feet. The height of the American Falls is one hundred and sixty-seven
feet. Below the cataract, the river is very deep and narrow, varying
from one hundred to three hundred yards, and flows between perpendicular
rocks, two hundred and fifty feet high, into a gorge, which is
crossed by several suspension bridges. These falls are world-famed,
and are visited by thousands of tourists from different parts of
the world.]
[Illustration: BUNKER HILL MONUMENT, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.--On an
elevation of one hundred and ten feet, in the town of Charlestown,
one mile from Boston, towers the above-named monument to commemorate
one of the most celebrated battles of the American Revolution,
fought here on the 17th of June, 1775. The British remained master
of the field after a long and bloody contest, but their victory
was dearly bought. The monument, two hundred and twenty-one feet
in height, stands in the centre of the ground, included within
the redoubts on Breed's Hill.]
[Illustration: NEW YORK, N. Y.--The metropolis of the United States,
is considered the headquarters of the stock and money market. It is
here where the greater number of foreign vessels land and depart,
and where the majority of immigrants first step upon our shores.
The city is built on Manhattan Island, which is 13 miles long, and
from 2 to 4 miles wide. This picture represents Park Row, and the
New York Times' Building in the front, and the general Post-Office
on the right, which is a large granite structure, and an ornament to
the city. New York has a population of nearly two million people,
composed of all nationalities. This city gives to the student of
human nature an excellent opportunity to observe the life and habits
of the different nations.]
[Illustration: BROOKLYN BRIDGE, NEW YORK.--This bridge, connecting
New York with Brooklyn, is by far the largest suspension bridge yet
constructed. The work commenced in 1870, and opened for traffic
on May 24, 1883. The central span, from tower to tower, measures
fifteen hundred and ninety-five and one-half feet. In the centre
is a foot-way, fifteen and one-half feet wide, and raised twelve
feet above the other passages, affording an open view on both sides.
There are tracks on each side for cable cars, worked by a stationary
engine on the Brooklyn side, and on the outside are wagon-ways.
The entire cost was $15,500,000.]
[Illustration: ELEVATED RAILROAD, NEW YORK, N. Y.--The steam cars,
the street railway and the electric road are the three modern modes
of transportation. The motive power of the elevated railroads of New
York City is steam, and the quick facilities afforded exceed that of
any other country. These elevated railroads are sufficiently high so
as not to interfere with street traffic, stations are located every
four or five blocks apart, there is little delay, and a passenger
can ride from one end of the city to the other in a very short
time. It is said that one million people ride daily on the elevated
railroads of New York giving the company an income of $50,000 per
day. The above photograph represents the railroad at Chatham Square,
where it branches off into different directions.]
[Illustration: STATUE OF LIBERTY, NEW YORK HARBOR, N. Y.--This
magnificent monument, the work of Bartholdi, was presented by the
French Government to the people of the United States as a token of
sisterly love and respect, and as a means of still further cementing
the good feelings of the two greatest republics on the globe. The
statue stands on Bedloe's Island, in New York harbor. The torch
of liberty, held in the right hand, is illuminated at night by
a huge electric light. The pedestal on which the statue stands
was built by voluntary contributions, solicited by the New York
_World_.]
[Illustration: CHESTNUT STREET, PHILADELPHIA,
PENNSYLVANIA.--Philadelphia, the third city of the United States and
the metropolis of Pennsylvania, often called the City of Brotherly
Love, was founded in 1682 by William Penn. This picture represents
Chestnut Street, the principal retail business street and the avenue
on which the leading banking institutions are located. The building on
the right is Independence Hall, in which was declared the independence
of the United States. The liberty bell is still preserved and found
at the entrance of the building. The structure in the background
is a banking house.]
[Illustration: MARKET STREET, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.--Perhaps
no street in the world furnishes an avenue for so much business as
does Market Street. The street from this point, which terminates
at the Delaware River, making a total of fourteen squares, is full
of wholesale houses. There are times during the day when it is
packed with teams and pedestrians, presenting an interesting sight
for a stranger. The building on the right-hand side is considered
the largest store of its kind in the world. The cars on Market
Street are run by cable, a system introduced a few years ago.]
[Illustration: FORT SAN MARCO, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, U. S. A.--St.
Augustine, having the distinction of being the oldest city in the
United States, was founded by Europeans and has recently become
a popular winter watering-place. It is thirty-six miles from
Jacksonville, and stands on a sandy peninsula. Along the sea-front,
for nearly a mile, extends a granite-coped sea-wall; and, at its
northern end, stands the Fort of San Marco, a well-preserved specimen
of Spanish military architecture, built in 1756. The fort has a
moat and outworks, and its walls are twenty-one feet high. It is
in the form of a trapezium, and covers four acres.]
[Illustration: PONCE DE LEON, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA.]
[Illustration: THE CAPITOL, WASHINGTON, D. C.]
[Illustration: WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, D. C.--The official residence
of the President of the United States, is beautifully situated at
the western extremity of Pennsylvania Avenue, about a mile and a
half west of the Capitol. It is constructed of Freestone, painted
white. Its dimensions are 170 feet front and 86 feet deep. The
garden-front is very beautiful and admirably kept, the lawn sloping
down to the Potomac River. In the square in front of the Mansion,
stands the celebrated equestrian statue of General Jackson. Very
close to the White House are located the State Treasury, and Navy
and War departments.]