The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-09-01

ping to the skin and carrying our
clothes on our head forded the
Little Missouri. After dressing. |
armed with pole and some stones
with our pistols in reserve.) we beat
the brush for snakes. 1t was awful
hot and rather exciting ut first. but
not finding any rattlers, we left, feel
ing it was too hot for snakes. Near
the dividing line between Dakota and
Montana saw the first prairie dog
town. 1t covered several acres and
nearly every hill had its little dog
standing up on his hind legs barking
at us. They were about the size of
our muskrat, and small owl was
often seen sitting beside them, evi
IDENTIFY keeping house together.
The country becomes more level as
we get away from the river and buf.
falo trails running north and south
are seen quite often. At Glendive
we get our first sight Of the Yellow
stone. 1t is large. swift, yellow,
muddy stream, about four times as
large as the Minnesota at MankatO.
Glendlve Is long struggling town OF
five hundred people, one newspaper,
one hotel. variety theatre, gambling
and dance houses. 1 saw two large
tame black eagles loose in the street
whose wings would extend ten feet.
Glendive formerly claimed to be the
fastest" town in Montana, but since
the road reached Miles City, that
place takes the cake, and Glendive is
condsidered respectable place for a
man to live with his family.
The road. land in this country the
road always means the N p. r. r.,
everything else is trails,) runs on the
south side of the river, and fifteen
miles from Glendive it passes large
mineral hill called "Iron Butte"
This Butte is several hundred feet
high and its foundation is a bed of
clay and the Butte is constantly slid.
ing into the river, the current wash.
ing away its clay foundation. The
sliding motion crowds the track to-
wards the river so fast that it re.
quires large gang of men all the
time to dig away loose earth and keep
the trake in order, and the company
have decided to take 1t up and build
new grade across some islands in
the river, as they cannot conquer a
moving mountain. G. c. Rawlston,
road master of this division, furnished
me with many facts concerning this
section, and also presented me with
specimen shells from Iron Butte,
completely imbeded in mineral.
Bones of the buffalo, elk and deer,
killed by hunters and Indians for ages
past was seen in all directions. In
one place beside the river bank we
saw lonely grave with stick driven
into the ground at its head.
"Many lonely grave is here,
Which marks the spot where the wanderer
fell,
Pierced by the arrow or spear,
Sent by the red rowing friends Of hell;
Whose savage power Is now Oerthrown
In Valleys OF the Yellowstone"
There are no settlements between
Glendive and Miles City, sixty-five
miles, except few shanties or
"shaks," the occupants of which
were nearly the color of a Milwaukee
brick from head to foot; the great
amount of alkali dust blowing render
ing all colors neutral.
was surprised and disappointed
with the Yellowstone Valley. I had
supposed it to be very fertile valley,
In fact perfect "Garden of Eden"
when by merely tickling the soil with
hoe crops would grow and yield
abundantly. saw a large potato at
the Merchants Hotel in st. Paul
tabled, "This is one of aiitter of fifty
grown at Billings, M. T." Thousands
of people saw and handled that potato
and remarked that the Yellowstone
Valley must be good place to raise
potatoes. The fact is it is a Desert,
and you can spell it with a large ID.
The soil is gray soap-stOne clay, the
washings of the bad lands. The grass
only grows two or three inches high
in May and June when 1t dries up and
burns of provided there is enough
to burn.) The few cottonwood trees
that are growing are twisted and
broken off by the terrific wind storms
that sweep down the valley. The
Powder and Tongue rivers and other
tributaries of the Yellowstone are
considered good grazing valleys, but
the lower Yellowstone is not fit for
anything unless the climate changes
and they have more rain.
Miles City contains $500 people,
counting the cow boys and bull
whakers who come into town to spend
their money, as residents. It is de.
cidedly lively, nearly every place
being a saloon, dance house and
gambling room. The dust was ankle
deep and thermometer stood at 100.
in the shade. met James Hubbell
and son, Louie Hubbell, here. former.
ly from Mankato. The firm of Broad.
water, Hubbell & Co., are doing an
immense business freighting, cutting
hay for the forts and getting out ties
for the road, employing about $50
men. Mr.. Hubbell told me that a
certain saloon on the street corner
had not been closed day or night for
four years. the proprietor having
cleared $50, 900 during that time.
The air Is very dry, no dew falling