The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-08-30
THE FAR NORTHWEST
What Schuyler Colfax Saw in His
Journey Through Dakota, Mon
tana and Manitoba--The
Growth Of Winnipep.

express themselves greatly delighted with
their trip, i'll which every possible attention
| was shown them. To reporter Mr., Colfax
spoke enthusiastically about ''the far North
west" he had been visiting for the past three
weeks, and says he never enjoyed trip in
any direction more fully. The finest wheat
fields he has seen in his travels east and we St
this summer, he found in Dakota, Northern
Minnesota and Manitoba. Some few of them
Will not yield as heavily per acre as last year,
but the acreage of Dakota has so increased
that her sx-million crop of 1880 will un-
doubtedly be eclipsed by her eight million
crop this year, all "hard No. l." while in
many OF the old States the wheat yield will
fall OIL one-third to one-half. Driving from
Fargo to the new village of Colfax, he passed
through miles and miles of wheat and oat
fields, and miles more or new ground plowed
up to be seeded next year. immigration is
filling up the Red River Valley, which seems
as fertile as the Nile, with great rapidity.
Fargo, at the crossing of the Red River by
the great rival railroads of that section, the
apolis and Manitoba, is very prosperous,
and appears to be, as her wide-awake citizens
claim, the metropolis of the Red River Val
ley. Her population now is over 1000 and
with the development of the country tribu-
tary to it, must, in few years, reach 10000.
Two well-supported daily newspapers attest
the intelligence of her people. Her leading
citizens, doubtless from the electric atmos-
phere they inhale and which he enjoyed more
than than their water, are FIJI of energy aud
vim, sleep apparently not more than six out
of the twenty-four hours, and put in all the
rest of the time actively.
Mr.. Willard, of the Northern Pacific Rail.
road, kindly proffered their directors car for
a trip to the end of their track, very much
enhancing the pleasure aud comfort Of the
party. And, from Bismarck, the railroad
terminus for several years OIL the Missouri
river and which has developed into an active
business city with lively daily paper, Gen
eral Merrill, who commands in that far-off
regioh, accompanied the party to the front.
The Northern Pacific Railroad has just
been opened to Glendive, ON the Yellowstone
river, Montana Territory, nearly 700 miles
west of Duluth, and, under its present Wig
orous management, will be completed to the
Pacific Ocean at Puget's Sound in 1883.
The Yellowstone river, Mr.. Colfax says, is
far more beautiful than the Missouri, of which
it is tributary, and, in its high banks and fine
beach, reminding of our own St. 10. 1t is
navigated by large steamers for several hun
dred miles above Glendive, and he saw on its
ievee 10000 buffalo robes from buffaloes
slaughtered near there last winter. Glen
dive, although but few weeks old, has near
ly 100 buildings in it, and will probably live
and grow even when the railroad is opened
beyond it. The "Bad Lands" are quite
unique in their remarkable conformation, but
nothing like as ''bad" as the bitter Bitter
Creek region on the Union Pacific Railroad.
Indeed great deal of excellent pasture land
is to be found there, and Mr.. Colfax likes the
suggestion that it be rechristened "Pyramid
Park
Winnipeg, the capital of the British prov
ince of Manitoba, which in 1870 had but
few hundred inhabitants, now numbers l2,-
900, with two excellent daily papers, and is
full of life and activity. Real estate is on a
"boom" there, auctioneers selling lots at
auction on the street every evening,
and business lots changing hands at
$3.50, and even as high as $S25 per
front foot. The city is beautifully located at
the junction of the Assinniboine river with
the Red River, and is the headquarters for the
Canadian. Pacific Railroad, now being rapidly
built toward Vancouver's Island. The man
aser of the Canadian-P Pacific, A. B. Stickney,
very handsomely proffered their directors car
to Mr.. q. and his party, and they went on it
with special engine nearly one numbered
miles to western Manitoba, finding as splen-
did wheat fields out there as further south, in
Minnesota and Dakota. Consul Taylor, VINO
accompanied the party, gave MIR. Colfax some
snecimens of wheat raised in the Peace River
region, 1,2OO,miles northwest Of WinnepeS' III
the almost Artic latitude of 60 north 1t
was planted May 18th and harvested ScFtehl-
bes 1st, maturing IN ID days.
Mr.. Haughey of indianapolis, who with his
wife accompanied Mr.. and Mrs. ColfaS' be-
ing grand treasurer of the Odd Fellows OF
this state, the British Odd Fellows OF Mani
toba welcomed the party with great cordl"ll'y'
meeting them at the depot with procesSloh'
besides having the banners ofthe two nations
stretched across the principal street all" CIV
Ing them two receptions. Hon D. W. lay
lor our United States consul there, accompa-
MED the party 10 the residence OF No'el"o'
Cauchon, the Governor general, who enter
tanned them one afternoon, aud also 10 Inc
residence of tie two bishops oi that reg'el'-
The Episcopal Bishop of "Ruperts Lahu,