From Explanatory Notes: Clemens returned to New York “in an express train ... a distance of nearly twelve hundred miles by the route I came,” He stays at the Westminster Hotel.
Mark Twain explained, in another Alta dispatch, that on 17 March he had been asked to “make a few remarks” to a Sunday school, and that he “told that admiring multitude all about Jim Smiley’s Jumping Frog,” which in turn led to a more formal invitation. “I did not intend to lecture in St. Louis, but I got a call to do something of that kind for the benefit of a Sunday School.”
Railroads from New York to St. Louis, 1867:
Scharnhorst ( The Life of Mark Twain: The Early Years, 1835-1871, page 383) has Twain entering St. Louis after a transfer of trains in Terre Haute. These seems unlikely as the only line to East St. Louis from the east in 1867 was the Ohio and Mississippi. The Indianapolis and St. Louis was the second line to reach St. Louis and it was not completed until 1870.
On the point of departing San Francisco and a return to New York, Twain in his farewell to the west coast offered an image of what he thought the future would bring. It also provides a window on his view of the industrialization occurring in the world around him. From his impromptu farewell address to San Francisco:
Flora (sternwheel steamer): The ship was built for the company's trade with Marysville, and thus had an exceptionally shallow draft of 11 inches. She was launched in 1865 then acquired by the California Pacific Railroad Company in 1871.
From Sacramento, "They steamed inland on the Flora to Marysville on the Feather River..." (pg 356 Scharnhorst V1)
From Marysville, "They then took a stage to Grass Valley..."
Scharhorst reports that Twain spent the night in Meadow Lake, a mining camp where Orion had previously lived. It is currently a ghost town on the map called Summit City.
The trip from San Francisco to Sacramento was made by river boat, Mark Twain choosing this type of transportation rather than stagecoach not only for nostalgic reasons, remembering his Mississippi steamboat days, but because it was more comfortable, more scenic, and because the boat had a bar.
Metropolitan Hall in Sacramento on October 11
Tuesday, Aug 13.—Arrived at Carson Sink where Carson river loses itself. It is a beautiful lake, 25 miles long by 15 wide, and 60 miles from Carson City.
Wednesday, Aug. 14,—Arrived at Carson City 580 miles from Salt Lake, or 1700 miles from St. Joseph (Orion)
Sunday, Aug 11.—Passed points declared by the driver to be the highest we had crossed. Saturday and Sunday nights were very cold, though the days were very warm. (Orion)
On the seventeenth day we passed the highest mountain peaks we had yet seen, and although the day was very warm the night that followed upon its heels was wintry cold and blankets were next to useless.
On the eighteenth day we encountered the eastward-bound telegraph- constructors at Reese River station and sent a message to his Excellency Gov. Nye at Carson City (distant one hundred and fifty-six miles).