The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-07-18
VISIT TO GREAT FALLS.
na wayside-The Situation OF
Fotss Corning Mstropolis-How III
-" Will be Laid Out.

+hp mouth or sun river, anu ilau y,
Ds'' 1oosure of beholding for the first :,
lp'. tba falls of the Missouri and other .
liDo ,o,s that i. ,ture has congregated at :,
n". .. favored spot We took the south Y
w. D,o IF the river route, going directly to X
sN palt creek bridge, thence to BOX j.
w. L,lor creek. and then the regular route
"hich we followed returning) taxes
olonr the edge of Sand coulee by
,,ndid road to the ferry at the mouth
= cun river, or, if you please, to Great
rolls We took 2. Longer cut, now
,ror and had the pleasure OF traverslng
.S.nd coulee almost its entire length,
n,oatinn with surprises at every hand
IN the first place the valley j. ten Tunes
- extensive as we supposed it to be, ana
:. the home of quite large and pros
norous community. The entire valley
!. one grand meadow and thousands OF
tons of hay will be put up there TINS sea-
son, Wherever crops of any klno nave
hoDn sown the return is simply wonder
ml We have not seen such grain ana
oorden "truck' elsewhere this year.
yat there is no water in this valley save
whore wells have been sunk ana Whefe,
nou, and then, a spring bubbles out OF
tbe hill side. At Mr.. Joseph Aliens IS
we'll fifteen feet deep containing seven
foot Of water, and it never goes dry,
ruhiIa tbe same is true elsewhere. Ihefe
is doubtless an abundant supply OF wa
far near the surface, from which source
comes the never falling moisture that
nroduces the rank blue joint and crops
Of all kinds. We saw some Wohderlul
orovths of wheat in the coulee, ana
were led into the reflection that this Ter
fila valley-distant but from three 70
fifteen miles from Great Falls-woula
he a good feeder for the Touring drills
that will some day, and before very long,
la established at the falls, producing
Ao,r for the thousands in the new north
west.
Sand coulee is also rich in mineral re-
sources Several veins OF coal nave
been opened up which promise We1'
and being so near manufacturing clty'
where coal is most important product
thav cannot fail to be of value AFTER
awhile. But there is no limit to coal III
this region. That whole section IRON
Relt creek to Deep, and from the noun
tains to the Missouri river, IS uhoeflaie
with coal, and this fact will exercise
nowerfnl influence in bringing railroad
into that country.
Leaving Sand coulee slight ascen
takes MS on to the bench again, anu
drive of two or three miles brings us i
full view of the future great. Al
what a picture! There is no town ye
to be seen, but more beautiful slte Il
q citv would be difficult to find IN MOI
tana the land of delightful valleys. M
Gibson drove to near the top OF 'oose
yatory hill,' near the upper line OF u
townsite. where splendid view OF u
surrounding country was had. hlg,
here we ought to state that Great Fal
will he located on the south SIDE OF u
river, beginning at a point nearly opp
site the mouth of Sun river ana exten
inc down the valley about two niile
taking in the Black Eagle falls, the III
to be utilized for manufacturing po
poses. The townsite will lnciuae aoo
three sections of land, all finely locate
But we must go back to "obserValo
\ hilln and take view OF the sufIouN
ings BEFORE us flows the mighty M
souri, and the Sur rivers with gre'
wide valleys, forming pretty landscal
Along the banks and on ISLANDS VIII
\ sight are clusters Of cottonwood tfe
| which add charm to the view, aC le
/ when seen by citizen OF treeiess To-
like Fort Benton. The Missouri at
I or three points is unusually VIDE, Ioi
\ ing something like bays, and as there
! scarcely any current these Will De spi
did places for boating in summer a
skating in winter. The sun river !.
lev. wide and beautiful, stretches Oh
| the northwest, and from the hill IS > :
with fine effect. AS yet this lower :
river valley is not pecpled to any 81
extent, but soon will be, with the gro'
II of Great Falls.
The toynsite is certainly well selec'
Beginning at the upper line it rises g
ually to the Black Eagle falls, Its 10
| extremity, but the slope is 50 gfao
and easy that, from distance
| ground anpears to be level. One I'M