Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-09-16
ACROSS TIE CONTINENT.

Portland Wrapped in Smoke, Dust, and
Fog-IIeIena and Livingston Head
Centres-Rich Gold Mine Discovered in
the Latter CIty-GoIden Spike junction.
Attorney General W. j. Hahn aud wife
returned on Wednesday from trip to
Yellowstone Park and Portland, Oregon.
They left the city several weeks in advance
Of the Willard party and proceeded direct
ly to the Pacific coast and had very
enjoyable trip. Gen. Hahn says that
when ne arrived at Portland that section
had been 120 days without rain, and owing
to the drouth and dust and the preva
lence of great forest fires the air was filed
with smoke and dust combined causing
great discomfort which being accompan-
led by dense fog caused darkness and
| sombreness which rivalled that of Pitts
burg in its dirtiest and darkest days.
Portland was making preparations to
90 honor to Willard and guests and was
fully awake to the benefits which would
accrue to it from the opening of the
Northern Pacific road, and was making
rapid preparations to meet the altered
conditions attendant upon the expected in
creased commercial prosperity. Between
the dalles on the Columia river and the
CITY were immense belts of giant trees
and a Portland company had organized
to Immediately commence to manufac
ture them into lumber and ship east
ward into localities on the railway line
which were destitute of forests for build
ing purposes.
The General spoke of the sage brush or
desert land which the road ran through
beyond Mullen Tunnel and said that the
country was desolate aud cherries enough
though he learned that fifteen miles back
from it the lands were fine, fertile and
fruitful. In many places in Oregon, be-
fore reaching the dalles on the Colum-
bia river, barriers had to be erected on
the side of the railway tracts to prevent
the winds drifting fine white sand upon
the rails which was fully as affective to
railway locomosion as ever was the heavy
SHOWS in Minnesota.
In his estimation Helena was about as
wide awake a city as he ever put foot
in and the people were brimruIl of en-
terprise. It is located in a mountain
gorge, but it is full mile from the city
to the depot in descending grade, the
land thus intervening having been dug up
uninviting appearance. He said that the
inhabitants of course thought they
were to be E'the halfway" metropolis
between st. Paul and Portland, but on &C.
count of the city's location on high ground
and its inhospitable looking and steep
front yard he didn't feel fully assured as
to its ultimately becoming the head cen
tire.
- - hnc q
rapid growth in three years has been so
phenomenal, struck him, situated as it is
at the foot of the mountains as peculiarly
charming, with the Yellowstone river law
ing its lose slope and the high mountains
surrounding it in the distance, the latter
giving a beautiful effect. Everybody in
Livingston of course insisted that that
thrifty, booming young city was to be the
great stopping place between the waters
of the Pacific and the Mississippi, and
from the commanding the northern gate
way to the great National park and its
natural advantages of location he did not
think the expectation very much on the
order Of wildness. While stopping there
he was informed that a prospector had re-
Gently discovered a gold mine in the i'm
mediate vicinity, and that specimens of
the ore had just been assayed at Helena
which gave a $3.50 result to the ton.
Gen. Hahn was delighted with his visit
to the National park, but said that no one
had any business to try TO give descrip-
ton of it and its phenomenal and scenic
wonders, for such an attempt was of the
nature of trying to wrestle with physical
impossibility. From thence he proceeded
to and was attendant upon the ceremonies
of the driving of the golden spike, at which
he estimated fully 1000 people were pres
ent, coming hither by rail, wagon, horse
and muleback and on foot. Golden Spike
junction was a picturesque spot, with its
tiny stream winding through narrow
valley, with dark fringe of high noun
tains in the background, and the celebra-
ton Of the great event by the people Of
two hemispheres, Welding, asst were, con-
tinent to continent with a steel band, was
an event never to be forgotten By any
witness of the sublime event.
DON'T DIE IN THEHOUSE-