The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-07-13

The following letter from j. II. Shrine, Of
Manean, OAK, will doubtless be of interest
to such of our readers as desire to learn more
OF the tar west:
When at home in March last, | was re-
quested by some of my friends 10 write some
thing for publication in the NoRTHFRNER, al
there were several who wished 10 know o.
this western country, and l could not fnd
the time to write them individually.
The car Missouri, in which l live. move
and have my being, left Mandan Friday
morning with Gen. and Mrs. G.. II. Tompkins
OF Washington, ID. c., on board, and after a
thirty-six hours ride, arrived in this city,
Helena, Montana. ! wish | could give des-
crptior OF this place so that your readers
might see il as ! have seen it to-day. But
space and time will not permit and will
content myself with few Of the most prom
;nent fact.
Helena is eleven hundred and fifty miles
west from ST. Paul, is nearly twenty years
old, and has six thousand inhabitants. Don't
for one minute think that the city is made
up OF a rough class of people carrying dirk
knives and revolvers, for such is not tue
case. Everything around shows luxury,
taste. and refinement. | attended the N. T..
church and Sabbath school to-day, and while
listening to the elegant choir and pipe organ,
could easily have imagined myself in one of
your modern eastern churches. The people
look, dress and appear, as in Michigan.
They have dudes" here, as well as at the
east. l am certainly surprised to see city
with elegant private residences, churches,
school buildings, factories business blocks,
etc., OF modern design, and built largely of
brick, situated away out here in the Rocky
mountains, hundred and twenty-five miles
west OF the Yellowstone National Park and
until yesterday without railroad. We lad
the pleasure of having our car attached to
the first regular train entering the city. In
passing along the various streets / noticed
that all kinds of business are represented;
nice stores, well filed and upon inquiry
found prices as reasonable as in the states.
For illustration, dined at the International
hotel. had splendtd dinner, with all the del
icacies of the season. including peaches,
pears. plums, and ice cream; bill, 80 cents.
j noticed at all the groceries and markets
plenty of peaches. pears, plums, Strawberries,
etc. OF course these fruits came from Cali
fornia. The railroad is so nearly through
that there is but little staging to be done,
and fruit can be had quite cheaply.
will say for the benefit of some in Paw
Paw, that we passed through Bozeman. the
home of Alb. Tanner, a former resident of
Paw Paw. BoZeman is ninety-eight miles
east of Helena. We leave here at a. IL. to-
morrow, 60 east as far as Fort Ellis where
we shall remain one day, and then east 10
Fort Custer for one or two days, then 20
Fort Keough for about the same length of
time, and shall arrive at Mandan about the
eleventh or twelfth. Wish l could have
some of my friends from Paw Paw with me.
for the scenery along our route is grand.
After leaving Mandan going west, you see
beautiful undulating prairie for about 100
miles, then ride of about fifty miles through
the wonderful bad Lands then about 800
miles along the bank of the Yellow Stone
river. then you come TO the mountains, then
the point where the Gallatin, Madison, and
Jefferson rivers unite, forming the head
waters of the Missouri. and you ride along
tine banks of the Missouri nearly to Helena.
Mountain ranges are on either side of the
river, sometimes only just room enough for
the train, and again widening out into a
beautiful valley, dotted with nice farm houses,
beautiful gardens. and herds of cattle. horses.
and sheep. l must not forget to mention
that while going from Livingston to Boze-
man. in conversation with young lady from
Cincinnati the latter remarked: "How
strange il seems, such palace coaches away
out here: why, such coaches as they run on
their trains out from Cincinnati, you call
second-class, out here. | always had an idea
that the coaches you had out here in the
west were old ones sent from the east
believe it would surprise some of the read
ers of the NoRTHERNER to see a train of
eight coaches, consisting of new Pullman
sleeper, Pullman dining car, and the balance
new, first-class coaches, baggage, express
and United States mail cars, headed by as
fine locomotives as there are on the CONT
nent winding its way up and down and
around through the Rocky Mountains.
/ will not take up more of your valuable
space at this time, only TO say that if any
wish to ask questions, l will willingly reply
il they Will address me at Mandan, ID. T.
o yes. / want to say that | look out and see
the mountains covered with snow, on nearly
every side of me, and yet il is so warm here
in the valley that ! am uncomfortable with
coat and vest both off, windows on both
sides of the car up, and plenty of ice water
in the tank.