The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-07-10
THE NORTHERN PacYrrcIS DA.l
KOTA.

On the Missouri Division the track
has now reached point 100 miles from
Mandan, OAK. and Is miles beyond
the late terminus ~ Knife River. TIE
road is TO be completed to the Yellow-
stone this season
The Bismarck (Dak.) Tribune thus
describes the line from Mandan west
ward: Along this entire line not
sign of civilization can be seen, except
a. the few ststioa houses. The track
BID is in excellent condition, and the
srebery is varied. Wild and Interesting.
The road crosses the Heart six times in
fve mjles aud the Sweet Briar q times
in eieht miles. Conanche, tie first
station west of MandA4 10 but s side
tack. and is better known as Rattle
make Station Why it was ever thus
na.nei is best known to the graders
WIN frat established the town. There
never has been but two or taree OF
these reptiles seen over the river on the
line. Tie grade between Mandsn snd
Ceman che IL very heavy. many places
b-ing The na xinun sre'ts. 30 let 10
the miIa. vi ascending from The Heart
Valley to the table-lands above. the
track wind. snske-like around the loot
hills. the curves being so short in some
instances that not over haif'a dozen
cars Can be seen at one time. The
Sweet Brian Is quite an offensive val
ley, but the land is NOT IS good As that
OF shs Cuflews and upiabda farther
vest, but as q stock range it cannot be
excslled. Blue Grass station is Sd
called bscsuse Of the laxurisnt growth
Of blue grass in the immediate vicini-
~. This grass il 70 rank that the vai-
lev locks like . vast Cat fed. Near
Baby Mine 10 spring Tank station.
Water is furnished the tapk from q
beautiful spring bnbbIiDg ont from the
side of bluff about 800 feet from- the
track. The wind mill is placed over
the spring and the water forced ioto
the tank through pipes. AtBsby Mine
there is considerable activity. About
S5 men are now ct work. each man
mining from three to five tons Of coal
per day. Baby Mine IS . bonanza.
and is giving its owners. Messrs Bly,
& Thompson, o neat revenue. The
main passage is now aoout 800 feet
into tho blum. with fall of one inch
70 the foot - The nsbeing worked at
present presents q seven foot face, aud
the quality Of the coal 10 superior to
ordinary ignite. These coal beds un-
derlie ths larger portion Of The Country
wsSt Of Msndsn. cropping out 10
anaAy places on the stTesms and cuts
along tire road. In digging the wells
for ihs water tanks. exteusivs veins are
struck. A few smiles vest sJf Baby
NiBo the road makes a sudden turn to
the northeast aud the beautiful Curew
Valley il reached. This valley is about
10 miles long aud in some places Is
nearly five miles wide. On either
side are ranges of bluffs which resemble
barracks or bsrricades. At thewestern
end of the valley is Curlew station.
and miles further on is the Y. $50
miles from Bismarck. From this point
west TO the supply stsre there is q
gradual rise. The quality of the soil
becomes better as the summit or divide
is reached. and the best stretch of coun-
try west of the Missouri thus far
.trayersed by tho Northern Pacific is
from Young Mans Butte west to the
Bad Lands. The supply store. which
is now about 10 miles west. will re-
move in o few days to Green River,
where t will remain >unil the road is
completed to tue Little Missouri.
Graders are. ut work all along this
line from Green River TO the Little
Missouri. and by the time the contract
for building the second hundred miles
of track is let, the grade will be ready
for the rails"
On the Casselton Branch track is
now laid from OAsselton, Oak north
l6mLss. snd vork is.to be pnshsd for.
waIdl4 miles further. to Elm River