The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-06-16
Letter from Montana Territory.


| readers Almost the frst thing that we inquired
for on our arrival here was the dear old journal
1t seems like old friend and we shall wait W it'll
lmpatience its arrival every week. Well we start
ed from Belfast April 22d. in good spirits arrived
| IN Boston BY rail that evening at o'clock where
| Mr. Morrison met MS at the depot There was
| young lady in our party, Miss Clara Wing from
| Searsmont going to Montana to meet her future
husband. We stopped in Boston over night and
| started Saturday morning for the west Nothing
| occurred worthy of mention until we left the
| States, On yes, must tell you something about
| the floods. and the beautiful farms in Minnesota
and Dakota. Such great level praries acres and
acres Of land under cultivation with perhaps two
dozen men at work seeding it down. Every thing
done in such order. And one can look for miles
and miles, as far the eye can reach and see
nothing hut one level piece of land ithout tree
As neared ST. Paul Minnesota the level conn
TT! was all submerged the water had risen so that
! houses were all aloat and for long distance on
our left as far could see was one vast stretch
OF water the trees rising from ii with the tops as
green as IN sumner 1t was grand and awfu
sight The cars ran very slowly for long time as
the water came up within two or three feet OF the
track. and they afraid OF washouts When
we arrived at st Paul it was indeed an awful
looking sight The whole lower portion of the
town was aioat. ana about one thousand Of the
inhabitants turned ont Of doors The depot was
full OF people, who had no place to 90 looking for
boarding places. piece OF the railroad track had
been washed out and a train of freight ears tipped
| over. which We're in the water almost out of sight
1t was novel experience to stand on the shore
and see the people stepping ont of doors and win
dows into the boat that were ready to receive
them. Boats were running from the shore to
their relief all the time. The water ran with great
rapldity, and as we s.ood on shore saw. among
other things that loated by small house the roof
of which MAS only visible. Everything YOU can
think of floating down stream The water
rose two feet during the night before onr arrival
and during the three hours that we remained it
rose three inches and was still rising
For a long time after we lett St. Paul we could
see the raya5es ot The flood, We arrived in Bis
marck Friday, 4Sth. : H. M and such a place as it
is The principal occupation OF the men Is whskey
drinking aud gambling. They say ID man is not
safe there after dark unarmed The most of the
buildings little. low, crazy booking houses a
great many of which are built OF logs There are
not many ladies ii the place We had to wait
there a week for boat. The floods did great
damage 70 the boats, and they were delayed We
took passage on the first that iu the Far
West. very nice, pleasant litte craft with very
good accommodations. We sailed THURSDAY. NAV
9TH, at 1 a. NJ and | must say that some of the
! ~, a.
thing have seen read about. We saw all kinds
Of game-l50 bulaloes III one herd-anteIope
deer, elk mountain sheep, beaver, ana lots of dit
trreut kinds of birds. one day we passed through
twenty miles OF most beautiful scenery In places
re banks of the river rose two or three hundred
feet straight up on both sides of the boat and at
| the top looked like the ruins of Old temples and
| !ou could imagine you saw all kinds of statues
1t almost impossible to believe that it was the
work of nature There are twelve rocks called the
twelve apostles. and they look Just like statues
| Two others called mother and child ana these
are close to the waters edge Then away up. two
| hundred feet or more is large wall with a hole
that looks to be about foot and half in dame
ter. bnt the captain told me that it was actually
large enough to drive a SIN mule team through 1t
is called The Hole III the Wall We passed the
runs Of Fort Peck. which was about a mile from
the sholr when built, but uow Il within fifty feet
the banks having washed away THIS some Of the
pecuharties of the Missouri The banks are con
stantly washing away, and the water is always
muddy. never clear and the channel is always
changing. The water runs quite rapidly. The
captain said il d person fell overheard It was al
| most impossible to save him or her, as the mud
and dirt in the water took THEM 10 lie bottom and
held them there soaking into their clothing 50 il
would be impossible tor them 10 rise 1t Il a bad
treaeherous river
At Fort Butord where we stopped there were
about 200 Indian tents. as we would call them. but
they are called lodges here The Indians are
hideous, dreadful looking creatures There was
quite little army OF them assembled on the shore
20 witness the arrival OF The trst boat OF the season
W What We hear and read abolt Indians does not
give a correct impression oi them Their faces are
all painted with red and yellow to the places
where their hair is parted and their clothing con
slss chiefly OF a blanket thrown around them. A
dreadful, evil treacherous trighttul looking set.
We arrived at Fort Benton the 10Th of May and
|
ing the picture Of health, and well tanned as are
all the men IN this country He very much
pleased to see his boy. We started from Benton
to 20 the country home on Friday At 4
NJ riding in large two horse canvas covered
wagon We slept in the wagon at night and
cooked our meals on the road We we've five DAYS
and four nights making the Journey. travelling
two days without seeing cabin We passed from
the JUdith into the Mussclshell valley. through
tAe Judith Gap, between the Snowy and the Belt
mountains About J miles trom tile Gap live j
Severance and family, MIR 5. is one OF the promi
nent sheep men OF this country, owning herd OF
between 1000 and 5000 head Mr. 5 was for
merly of W aldo Co. Me Three miles farther down
live Fred Alden and family also engaged in sheep
business formerly OF Camden Fifteen miles
further on is Scammon, Ballard a Stones ranch
George Stone. Of Belfast, being one Of the partners
They are engaged IN the sheep business and have
a very pretty location on the Musselshell river
The cabin, of two rooms is situated inst under
lovely little HILL iii front is large level piece of
land; next the river with beautiful green trees on
the banks and beyond that are the old Rocky'S
covered the year round with snow. 1t is Il beau
tfu sight from the front Of the cabin As sit here
can look across the river ana thousand
head of cattle wish you might take a trip this
way, You could find much to interest you
About one and ii halt miles below here is Mr.
Thomas Gurney. from Belfast who has a sheep
ranch Eight miles below him is the Berry
brothers sheep ranch, formerly OF t nifty. j j
Hennessey is doing thriving business in d shoe
store at White SuIpur Springs, where he i, much
liked
think this mnst be a beautiful country torpeo-
pie in poor health, the air is so pure and invigor
ating We have such lovely mornings and even
ings, cool and clear. What deceives people most
is distance. For instance, mountain one would
think was about two miles away, is in reality fl
teen or twenty miles distant. The air is SO clear
you can see a great distance. FLORA | Bl-lrk