The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-10-12
ON THE ROAD.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, Oct. 6

Since [ left Benton, more than q Wtek
ago. I have been but very little 'on me
road" and it strikes me just nov that the
heading is not a very appropriate one Tor the
subject matter following. When travelling
by stage one can get at lest but q very d.
definite idea Of the country he passes over,
and particularly so il the storm drives him
inside where passengers are altogether too
/ thick for comfort. This was the case with
me during tie ride from Benton to Helena,
aod I nay as well record the fact just here,
that the first snow Of the season: in the vi
cinity of Benton, fell on Monday, Sept. 26!h.
Az we approached the Twenty-Eight Miles
Strings the ~"beautiful' came down IN .copl-
ms flakes, but soon afterwards the snow
changed to a cold, drizzling rain. While
passing through the
SUN RIVER VALLEY
braved the elements and took 8 seat BESIDE
Mike, who can manipulate the ribbons as
dexterously as any driver ia the west. by
the way Mike is no novice. DE has been
driven. west fron one point to another,
chased by the whistle of the locomotive, ana
is soon Anticipating another move from civ
liz .tion, or, to tell it in his own language
s.Yous see I started in to drive some twenty
years ago at st. Paul, bull it wasn't long until
the COMPOUNDED keers came along and left
me without q job. ! moved on towards the
frontier. But the locomotive was on my
track. had to leave Omaha, Cheyenne and
Salt Lake in turn. | drove on the Overland
to Helena, but the narrow 'gouge' came along
and [ couldn't stand it. Finally | got over
here, but my days on this route are num-
bered. Only the other day | saw them en-
eineer fellers stalking off 3 railroad track,
and that settles it. lpropose to hle notice
on Billy Rowesbefore long that he had bet
ter look for another driver. That's what
do
"But where will you 90, Mike, the rail
roads have you almost hemmed in?'
"Wel, blast me if I don't go to Alaska or
Greenland if necessary to keep out Of the
way Of the keers."
Mike is like a good many other pioneers.
He has passed the greater portion OF his life
on The frontier and doesn't relish the change
that must necessarily follow the advent Of
the iron horse.
But this is q DEPRESSION. I intended to
speak of the Sun River Valley. ] had heard
much of the beautiful wales of Montana and
had frequently pictured them forth on imag-
nations canvass. But q ride ct sunset
through Sun River valley convinced me that
the ideal was not equal to the original. lt
would require coordination strong as
proofsof holy writ" to convince me That
! there vas a more delightful valley in Mont
ana, and of course it would be needless 70
LOOK elsewhere for one. While passing
through it one is reminded of some OF the
fertile and thickly settled valleys OF the
East. On every hand are fac farms, we'll
fenced and watered, and possessing all the
conyenlences that 8 farmer could wish. The
G residences as rule are large, and built in
accordance with the modern style OF archl-
lecture. Orchards have been started and,
allt1hongh now an attractive vale, IN the near
future lts beauty viii be much enhanced. II
"oulo De 100 great a task to al.ude separately
TO ehe prosperous farmers of this valley, and
! neea only say that from one end to the
3 other y ls dotted over with farm houses that
sho" ioSth abundant evidence that thell
d Owners are prosperous aud happy. | learned
e 'na' Inc crops Of the valley this season were
exceiient, and the numerous stacks of grain
along the road fnly at,ested he fact. Al
+ Inas 'ine %threshing had but fairly begun.
d but agriculture is not the leading interest Of
thls valley. 1t is headquarters for the cattle
kings OF Montana, ana M finer herds can be
s'nah nose on the Sun River ranges.
80 ofosslng $ growing some this season,
ana When the Benton and Helena railroad il
3 completed will doubtless deyelon into quite q
0 WI ! have 8 Standing invitation from
Jon hsrgent, one Of the pioneers of thu
!, valley, to take 9 big drive Win him through
d the various settlements, and IL the weathe,
and other contingencies narro;, ! shall cer.
tainly do 50.
HELENA.
me Capital has improved 10 i great exten
b TINS year, and V likely 10 continue her stead,
p-ogress towards prosperity. The adoptio,
OF the hs1eha route BY the Northern Pacih
? Railroad has resulted in a reo,ine boom "a
$ that town. The citizens Of the. CAPITAL hav
d d favorable record for enternr,sas ~ a.