The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-09-22
DAILY INTELLIGENCER.
Thursday, Sept. 90. 1881.
INTERESTING LETTER FROM
TESDERFOOT.
SPoKAS FALLS, Sept 10th.
EDiToE ISTELrlGKxcER:

DURAN FALLS, sept lOtb-
EDiroE IsTELLGExcER.
Returning TO Spoksn Falls after an
absence of two mo5ths, found that
pretty town still growing. with many
signs Of improvement. The railroad
depot being in tue hands OF the paint
ers. already improves that part Of town
wonderfully. The bridge across the
river is completed and ready to be
thrown open to the public as soon a.
paid tor. This will materially add to
the prosperity of the place Hotel
keepers AMI merchants all ccmplain of
good times, and. although the place
lacks the hustle Of some two months
since. every one is busy, and things
have settled down TO 9 more solid basis.
After spending day 10 town, start
back for L,ke Pen dOreille. and /
will endeavor TO give description of
the country the road passes through
aud such items as may interest the
readers who have followed me so far
on the line.
Leaving Spokan Falls at 4I%a.m
the road runs up the valley nine miles,
where We come TO the crossing of the
Spoksn river. The original intention
was to throw across Howe truss on
stone piers, but at the time the track
reached the river the water was still
too high to build piers. so q Temporary
bridge was constructed to allow the
passage of material, and which answers
all purposes at the present stage of
water. The bridge is simply a trestle
of three decks, the lower deck of which
was put in and braced; and large
amount of rock dumped in to secure
the foot OF each bent, as the river at
that time had depth of about f6 feet
and the current was very swift; this
was rather slow Job. but the second
and third decks were soon placed. and
heavy trains are crossing daily. At the
preaent stage of water the track is
about so feet above the surface of the
river. s
After crossing the BRIDE the road
follows up the west side of the valley
which is level gravelly plain. with q
heavy growth of bunch grass. In places
just at the foot Of the hills, some
patches of good soil are found, but the
bulk of this valley is only fit for light
grazing.
At 7 am. we reach Westwood, 81
miles from Spokau- Falls, where we
stop for breakfast. At this point the
line enters the timber. and, with one
exception, there 10 no more open coun-
try on this division. Westwood is very
prettily located just in the edge of the
timber, but with open country to the
south and east. Ceur d'Alene Lake is
distant about six miles. with a good
wagon road.
After breakfast we roll ont, and Jog
ging along about Is miles an hour,
soon come to what Is called Eight. mile
Prairie, it being eight miles from
Steamboat Landing. on the south end
of Lake Pen d'Oreille. The soil of this
prairie is better than any this side OF
Cheney. but still the pits along the
roadbed show that it is very thin and
grayelly. From Westwood up TO the
end of the track the land is much the
same as Steilacoom plains. substituting
scrub pine for scrub fir. The trees are
rather scattering and the ground is en-
tirely free of underbrush, but grass
grows everywhere and gives it park
like appearance.
-Four miles this side of Dry Lake,
and about forty.six from the fails, we
reach the end of the track, and take
stage in. Here we find the largest
trestle on the road. il being in some
places three decker, and containing
1870 bents. or q length of 20S0 feet. At
this writing there is q large force of
men at work. The lower deck is nearly
up. and. by the time this reaches you,
it will be about finished. The four
miles of track is being laid to Dry
Lake. where there will be- a freight
house.
A line of stages run from Dry Lake
to Sandy Poiut Crossing every other
day, but as the road is in rather bad
condition. the hurricane deck of cay
use is the pleasantest way of travelling.
Getting dinner here, we start ont, with
twenty five mile ride ahead. The
wagon road runs along as near the
right Of way as possible. The charac-
ter of the country now changes very
much; the general nature being O mar
low valley. with water running to the
northeast; beaver dams have formed
small lakes and swamps. The timber
is heavier. and 10 great variety; pine is
confined 10 occasional trees here and
there on the lower land, cedar, birch,
tamarack. cottonwood and some fir on
the hillsides; pine. hemlock, fir, and q
few cedar underbrush appears, and
there Is more resemblance to the Sound
country. The low mountains ON either
hand are generally well wooded TO their
SUBMITS. We pass some small parties
of graders finishing up rock cuts, etc.,
and thirteen miles out of Dry Lake we
come 10 the camp In charge of G V Ste-
phens. Superintendent of Construction.
There are at present nearly seven hum
dred Cinnamon and about two hundred
whites ct work grading. and in week
there viii be another batch OF Chinese.
running their number up to twelve
hundred. The grading party being so
large and under efficient management,