New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-07
AMONG The ROCKIES.

PROSPECTING
lFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE Tribune
HELENA, Mont, April 14.-From the time
one leaves the Union Pacific Railroad at ogden 10 'ahe
the onrs of the Utah Northern be climbs steaohy up ~
slope OF main of the Rockies unoi 'hr .'.
"a And let me commend this same summit 10
the lover OF dreAry solitude Rocks and snow; snow anu
rocks That's the scenery. Then for excitement 'n''
IA always q fo-ty-meS-an-hour wlnd ho"i'nS' no'
around corners for there no corners ont aoIos ~
sumt and back again: also snow flying thcKy throuSH
the air all times. for when 1t is not actualy 'o"S
II might lust as well far the looks OF the thng CO.
a the wind the snow in al! directions III lhis IN
bospitable spot the line is drawn between ldaho ana
Montana There Is sgn-hoard with an inscription On
it in large letters the effect that one hall OF the sau
board belongs to and is in Idaho and the other nall De-
longs and is Montana BY equally happy exercise
of ingenuity the next station is named Monida THIS
is what Humpty-Dumpty in Alice IN WONDERLAND
would call "portmanteau word
Montana is mountainous. There is every known va
riey OF mountain in the Territory from the sandh 70
the huge isolated peak towering six or seven thousand
feet into the air with winding OF giittering snow
draped over ts sum nit Mountain ranges seem TO have
en- thrown mp haphazard They cross each otDer a'
right angles They parallel with each other ana where
one range ends another starts up from the GROUND ana
stretches indefinitely toward the horizon II is over one
~ these ranges that drives after leaving the term
nus of the Utah Northern Railroad at Deer Lodge TO
reach Helena And what a drive 1t Is Fifty miles OF
long zigzag up one side and down the other OF the
range II the depth OF winter when crossed H.
The vehicle huge open sleigh drawn ~ SIX Lorses
engr eered by two mon SO mufed up in bearskn coats
that at first sight IL hard 10 distinguish them IRON
the bears 1t bitterly cold climbing UP
the long slope Once tine top however and started
down the incline sheltered from the wind ana IL
was more comfortable At last the descent was hnished
The horses changed for the last time and after ten
miles across the level plain just o'clock struck FRO
srvfsf, eNfra d
whoa boys from driver the sleigh drew up In front
of the Cosmopolitan Hotel Helena under the familiar
glare OF electric lights.
Helena Is not only the capital city OF Montana but
the city of the Territory in point Of size and population
And the city IL rapiay growing Each spring sees an
influx Of And like the cave in the fable the
tracks all lead in" Opportunities for investment are
any and good-15, 10 and even 20 per cent com
mon rate to get for ones money and IN rea
souaby safe investments tao. The two absorbing In
teress of the Territory stoekraisins and mining
Fortunes have been made in the former pursuit IN an
incredibly short space of The winter just passed has
peep most favorable one and herdow are rubbing
their hands joyfully over the spring outlook.
Helena like most Of the long-setledtowns in the Terri
tory owes its original exisenceto fegsldfeyer Twenty
years ago there fifteen thousand men here hVng
in tents and hastily constructed log huts and eagerly en-
oaced In placer mining" This army OF miners was
scattered and Of nine or ten miles II Is hsTd
to realize walking through the regularly laid out streets
Of Helena noticing the number of well-bniit brick
houses and stores. and above all the quiet and
order OF the place. that II was here that
scene. Of disorder blood enacted only twenty
wears 40 that almost heggar description Here 1t was
that when the spirit of resistance in brave men was at
last thoroughly aroused the Montana "Nlgiiantes
were organized and had their beaduarters And here,
unt1 wear ago. when cut down, the stranger was
sbo IN tall leases and wiheref tree. standing alone
IN little hollow from skeleton at different
times fifteen sixteen bloodstained despeadoea had
met their wedeserved fate OF the hands Of the Vigi
lntes One Of those who assisted IN the hanging OF
sade the famous agent, me vivid account OF
the scene: 80 vivid that he told me could see the
crowd Of eager men clustered around hangmaDs tree
in the moonlight the condemned man standing on the
hox abont launched into eternity; around him III
close knot the Yiganos their rides cooked ana gutter
inc IN the light OF the moon outside crowd Of excited
threatening men, friends and crOnies o. eadr' all
around brandishing their revovers and encouraging
one another 10 the The signal given. sase's
body swung the air. there wild yell from the
crowd the vgantes brought their rides to their shout
ders tie men with great presence Of mind shouted out
- He's dead boys" and knowing that rescue was now
impossible the crowd mutterng threats OF vengeance
| AGAINST the vigiantcs. melted away.
Rut IL Of the Helena OF the present and not of the
mast that am writing The days III which such scenes
as these took place have forever Law and order
reign here now much as In any quiet New ENGLAND
village But must not compare Helena TO a village
part ahead self asserting spirit Of the Nest
10 have cities aud nothing but cities hotel dozen
saloons and stage station may consulate SUI the g@9,
on' yiYtTn'hfse every man Is here ITO rustic And
lie place partakes OF the spirit OF It's settlers year
ettnera Jew deserted houses and the grown sem
blance Of main street or fonrlsllng town with
confidently prOphesyng the irst place III the Territory
io o that in tho East the general prevails
Montana II exactly the birthplace OF the BLIZZARD Is
az .st IL cradle Here II grows and strong until
1 n Sl
Ges Right here would say t,at tie prevailing
idea wrong For weeks this past winter there was an
| nnbrokeu series OF magnificent days Each day the
sun shone without cloud In sight TO 'in H. Eacn
day the mercury stood al JO ID thc sHde ara ~ ~ .e
ann And this for five successiVe weeks Ana II II
not uncommon for IL last nnti well on into May Then
series weeks OF uncouded DAYS and cool nights rnti
Tbe controversy that has been going on between Gov
ernor Crosby OF tins Territory ana kuius hateh IN l1e
National Park matter. has excited great deal OF inter
est VI r the Sstonal PARK than circumstance at
frsI would seem 10 justify. only about one hiteth part
of the park IN Montana. Ghe rest Hes 10 wyoming
Inc tact IS however that the only approach 10 the Park
Is thr@ngh Montana FROM the Wyoming side y is
| pletely Inaccessible Hence Montanas interest IN the
matter wyoming has taken the proposition 10 put tbe
park under the Montana laws greatly 10 heart and some
her papers have attacked @overnr ofos1y ~ mp
measured term for his share the proposllo 11nsrpUa
CrosDys letter 10 Senator Vest ana Senators efforts IN
behalf Of the arb and against monopoly seem To nave
have said little nothing about the mining interests
Territory although they are the most OF
all Bat mentioning mines reminds ire oil curious ,Ou-
| vefsstion nad with Inen here last week. He Is a
eolOred man who in winter works as porter. IN sSen
ger etc and Ia the summer goes prospecting lor mlngs
In speaking hs trips he mentioned the fact OF the
mountains having in the globes even IN August
replied that hal walked for several days IN August
over snow and Ice. TO his natural question OF where IL
xns said In the Alps william puzzled. and after
| cosntatiDg moment said The AsI what are theyt
Mountains" said His face frightened at this ana
| he ,skcd where they ! replied IN switzerland
/ Ever beer prospectedi" his next question.
,na,, ged 90 keep my straight and said that had
never heard them being used Tor anything but climb
| purposes. Not caiHs taken out No gunrtZ
| leads stsked outi No placer mining at the foot OF
thsml were his next questions, and when said that
didn't think that they had been eXpernented on, he
| gave a sigh and shook his head Ogy and regretiuly
aver the golden opportunities that some one had lost
The idea should exist save for mining pur
| noses or a least Tor prospecting, was beyond him
SIMON CAAERON'S LOCUST TREE.