, 1868-01-24
Erom PhiIlip Ritz.
MosrrOs MILLS, HnLLeArr VALLEY, N. T., !
-.ee Dec. 18th, ls67!1

MoS1roR MILLst HELLGATE VALLEY, NJ. T.,
= Dec 10th, 1871
Enron SrATHsMAK:-I have just returned from
| a tour of IL days into tne heart Of the Rocky
mountains, and pleasanter weather nave GER
4 tainly never experienced in any country at this
time of year. There has been but very little
snow yet, and the air is SO light, pure and bra
cling, that though the thermometer may Indicate
below zero yet person will scarcely feel any
Inconvenience from the weather.
The settlers tell me that this is not an unusuais
ly mild season, and the farmers had ploWed and
sowed wheat until up to the 18th inst. The
gold and silver lodges in this country are open
ing out we'll. was up near the Atlantic Cable
and obtained some specimens which l will take
down for you. The Gable is rich thing-some
IS feet wide without any caseing. / don't think
it will prove to be real ledge, but simply .
chimney. The discoverers have been offered
$l75, 900 in gold for it. l think they will yet
regret not accepting the offer, yet they think
they have that amount of gold in view. 1t is so
rich that the company have built barricade
around it to keep parties frem picking up speci-
mems, which in some instances are one-third
gold The discoverers we're poor men, so much
so that one of the party, was told, was refus>
ed a sack of -four short time before the dis
covery, but now feels himself worth 100000 in
gold. Such are some of the freaks which the
sWheal of fortune is liable to make in its revolu>
tions in a country like this. The Anchor Lode,
on the same mountain is found to be 6 feet wide
and quite rich.
The silver lodges on Flint Creek are very rich
and are probably about the best known in Mon
tana at this time.
There has been more gold taken out of Mons
tana this season than during any season previous,
and think that there will be twice as much ta-
ken out next season. | sent you a small lot of
fish by the return train taken from the Missoula
river, near our Touring mill-they are very fine
indeed in the fall and plentiful. One party put
up some 20 kegs this season.
We are selling good -four, almost equal to
the best Walla Walla, at our mill for Sc so per
hundred, and pretty heavy stock on hand.
Montana will be self supporting in a very short
time. The tender feet on the other side don't
exactly understand how it is that we raise such
nice self-raising wheat in the Hellgate Valley
such as they raise in Walla Walla. l believe
we have the only mill in Montana that makes
self'rising -four.
am glad to see by your paper that the Ger
man emigrants have arrived. If another train
done as much WORK on the Mullan road, it would
have been opened up so that team Of four hor-
ses could draw 2 900 pounds over it with ease
Since going over the railroads running over
through the Allegheny mountains, l am more
convinced than ever of the entire practicability
of building and working road through these
mountains. 1t will not be found as difficult to
work road through these mountains as through
the prairies of Illinois and Iowa, as the snow
does not drift so much here as there. The
mountain grades are gradual and the sides less
cut into with raYines, than any other noun
tains which have observed on this coast.
DEC. 24th.-To-day was over to the Flathead
Agency. There are about 700 Indians belong.
this once powerful tribe.
10 returning passed over one of their great,
est battlefelds-where they fought their deadly
enemies the Blackfeet. 1t was on a slope of the
mountain amongst the timber. There were prob,
ably about 100 different piles of stones, many of
them around the trees, indicating the spot.where
one of their braves had fallen From the effects of
disease and war they have dwindled down to n
mere remnant. One old Indian who has lived
here nearly all his life, told me the other day
a mere boy. The whole country was covered,
at that time, with wild horses. He said that
about 10 years ago the smallpox swept through
this country and carried off all the Indians but
a few children, and that the horses were per-
mitted to run wild for several years; that when
he first camO to this valley the prairies and hills
were alive with wild horses, but that hard
winter afterwards killed off most of them. was
told to-day by some of the officers of the reser,
Vation that there is yet quite band of some $50
running perfectly wild about the head of Flat.
head Lake. Last winter some persons went after
them and hunted.them down with good success,
and upon one day they drove some into the deem
snow and caught eight.
To-day went as far as the Flathead Reserya,
ton with the mail carrier, intending to 90 to
"alla Walla via the Lake; but found the rope
broken at the ferry and the river jammed with
ice, and no chance to cross, so | concluded -
60 via Salt Lake, distance of l4oO miles tn os,
$50. o.
II THIS mail contract had been let on the Null.
Ian Road instead Of by the Lake II would bave
Kept open for travel and iu good condition mn tn
this time. The present coutraetors nav sazo
per month to have the mail carried over the
Lake in small boats, aud parties going home or
oack are compelled to pass around the Lake TX
miles. -
Now there are good responsible men living at
the ferry on the Missoula river, who would car.
y Tue mail over the summit ofthe Ceur d. Aleue
winter and summer for less than that smonnt
Iney might be compelled to take it on sleds or
snow shoes during part of the winter, but they
iS wou,J uen'er II promptly and in good time, and
would save nearly hundred miles in distance
me me citizens OF Walla Walla may rest assured
mat as long as the present contractors, Messrs.
Olark q Whitche carry the mail it will be taken
forward with promptness and dispatch. if il Is
possible for men and horses to do so. They have
lalied put once to come in before schedule time
ing in operation.
Inc present contractors are men of the most
unoounded perseverance, and perfect gentlemen
and they will not have an employee who pets
drunk or neglects bis business. At the present
time 1t is not safe at all for less than three or
d