Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1867-01-12

/ TORY, ullrNCls llllcNch Nnu HlUTucTtTH'
and sooner or later, purgcs itsell
through the swift terrible vengeance
of lynch law. | do not learn that
these "Vigilantcs' ever executed
any man of whose guilt there was
reasonable doubt, and they have
rendered life and property compar-
atively safe. But only the most
imperious, dircful necessity can
justify, oven for brief period, this
irregular and dangerous administra.
ton ofjustico, In California, a mi
ner gave n good illustration of the
general sentiment of the frontier.
When he was called up as juror in
o murder case, the judge asked him
the usual question.
"Have you any conscientious
scruples about capital punishment
He responded;
II have, in all cases when it ia
not administered by a Vigilance
Committed"
In summer, the mails bring let
ters from New York to Montana in
twenty-five days. During winter
SHOWS, the time isindofinite. About
half the freight of the Territory is
brought up the Missouri, from st.
Louis to Fort Benton, the nominal
head of navigation, twenty miles
below the Great Falls, one hundred
and forty miles from Helena, and
two hundred and sixty five from
Virginia. None but boats of light
draft can reach Fort Benton, save
upon the spring floods. The river
trip from st. Louis consumes from
thirty-fve to seventy days. The
summer boats stop at Fort Union,
four hundred miles lower, near the
mouth of the Yellowstone. The old
trading post is well known to the
trappers and merchants of the early
days. 1t stands on the bank of the
clear rivera SsttGc""kaded fort with
two towers at opposite corners, the
United States flag flying, Indian
lodges in the rear, little cottonwood
groves in ravines on either side, and
light batteauX upon the shining
stream in front. / am indebted to
Major Culbertson, an old Indian
trader, for view of the fort in its
palmy days, painted upon bed tick
ing. by an unskilled employee of the
American Fur Company, with such
brushes and colors rs he could OBJ
tain in Wilderness This unique
work of art---in somo respects more
meritorious than many pretentions
paintings-is reproduced upon the
first page Of the present paper, as
faithfully as photography, cngrav-
ing and printing can ropy it.
The Great Falls of the Missouri
twenty-five hundred miles above
Saint Louis, and forty above Fort
Benton, which have been seen by
few tourists, are bold and striking.
In thirteen miles of cascades and
rapids, the total fall is three hundred
and eighty feet. The Upper Cata-
ract, forty feet high, extending
across the river like q slightly bent
bow, is picturesque and beautiful
Among the rapids below arc several
smaller falls, of from one to five
yards, while the banks on either
side form deep, narrow gorge, one
thousand feet below the general lev
el of the bare plains. These trcmu-
lous walls of yellow sandstanc give
peculiar grandeur and impressive
moss to the wild, rocky, rugged scene.
The lower or Great Falls, are eighty
four feet. The stream is nearly
one-third of a mile wide. The
southern half leaps in perfect sheet
oversandstonerocks. TAe northern
half, broken and porturbhi, desccnds
into the basin at its feet, q series
and labyrinth Of rapids and chutcs.
On the southern side, the sandstone
presents a sharp face; on the north
ern, it is worn into plateaus and
benches. A projecting point Of
rock affords the best view. The
thunder of the falling water, veiled
in snowy foam, the bold, wild banks,
the dazzling rainbows, and the i'm
mense volume Of water, will make
the spot a favoritc one for tourists
in all coming time.
Rich beds of coal-the 'portablc
climate" of our civilization--eXists
on the Upper Missouri. The gap
from the head of navigation here,
to its head on the Columbia, sheuld
soon be filled by rail way. Accord
ing to Captain Mullan's survey, the
distance from Fort Bent IN to Wal
lula, Washington Territory, regu-
larly reached by all steamers on the
Columbia, is less than six hundred
and fifty miles, through a region
which, opened by railroad, would
sustain a large farming population.
Montana is the young daughter
of young mothcr-the child of
Colorado. Thence came most Of the
pioneer settlers. Among the later
immigrants, every Lew clatc anu
Territory is represented, for frontier
life, once known, inspires restless
ness. like the shirt of Nessus. A
large majority of the inhabitants are
Missourians, at whose expense the
settlers of eastern origin relate
many droll stories. In street dis
cussion. loungcr was defending, as
correct. the rural southern phrases
ave 'uns" and "You 'uns." One Of
the bystanders asked him:
"Are you a grammarianY
(Which" was his bewildercd in
quiry.
"Are youA grammarian
"why, no. I'm a Missoarian
Itwas a distinction with a differ
ence. But the fan is not all on one
side. During the early Kansas
troubles, the Missourians posted a
guard at the ferry on the great riv- 4
ar and whenever an immigrant