The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-10-31
SHOSHONE FALLS.
Their Locality-The First Loca-
tors-SubseQuent Purchasers
Old Tom Bell-His
Tragic Fate.
The Niagara of the West-It!
Indescrlbable Grandeur
The Falls.
Diana's Beth-room-Twin Falls
Etc, Etc.
special Correspondence OF the MINER.

| Spcclal correspondence OF the MINER.
SHosHoSE, Idaho. Oct. 1880.
The Falls of Shoshone, which have
been appropriately termed the Mag.
ara of the West, are situated on
Snake river, 25 miles south of the
town called Shoshone which is loca.
ted ninety miles west of Pocatello on
the Oregon Short Line railway.
This remarkable locality has been,
until recently, comparatively un.
known to the travelling world and
prior to the completion of the rail
way was accessible by vehicle only
from the south side. Rock Creek, a
station on the Kelton and Boise stage
road, is twelve miles to the south.
ward. The whole country round
about is a lava plain thickly covered
with sage brush and the river for a
distance OF twenty-five miles flows
through gorge with almost perpen-
dicular walls five to seven hundred
feet in height. The gradual disinte-
grafton Of these walls has caused
lines of debris to be formed at their
base which slope down to the rivers
edge.
When, with the building Of the
railway Shoshone sprang into exis-
tence, an enterprising pioneer stage
driver conceived the project of turn
ing the eccentricities of nature into
account. He proceeded to locate all
of the available land near the falls on
the, north side and broke a wagon
road through the sage brush and
reefs of lava. Finding the south
side already claimed by young mar
ried couple who had built themselves
a humble cabin and were nurturing
| their first baby in that lonely re-
treat beside the lullaby of the ever
falling Shoshone, overtures were
made and accepted whereby they
were to unite their talents and for
tunes with the stipulation that one
was t. drive tiae stage, the other to
keep the hotel. A few months
passed in this manner when a gen.
tleman from Omaha who had seen
much of the old world and was now
seeking the wonderful and the beau
tiiul in the new was attracted hither
and was so much impressed that his
visit resulted in the purchase by
company, of all the squatters' privi-
leges and locations with scrip of
all the land about the Shoshone and
Twin falls, which are three miles
above. The road to Shoshone is now
being improved and a stage line is
established. Next year it is proposed
to build large hotel by a clump of
cedars on commanding spot near
the very brink of the falls.
On a soft and lovely September
morning I. with a little party, took
passage on the stage at Shoshone
City, determined to estimate for my
self the grandeur of the scene which
had been so enthusiastically described
to me. A few hours ride through
the desert where we saw ne living |
thing, save now and then a half fam
ished rabbit, brought to view dark !
line produced in the great lava plain
by the first glimpse of the edge of
the precipice OH the farther side of
the river. Several miles before !
reaching the falls heavy sound like
distant thunder is heard and on a
clear day the spray rising up
ward is clearly seen. Upon arriving
at the brow of the precipice the
horses were detached from the coach
and they and the passengers entered
narrow gateway where the wall was
broken down little and began their
descent over a difficult and precipi-
tous trail to the river at a point just
above but not in view Of the falls.
AS we approached the modest hotel
by a great spring and near little
the air was yedolent of cook
ing viands and never was ampler
Justice done, than by our little party
with whetted appetites, to an excel
lent dinner Of which fresh trout was
the most delicate feature, prepared
for US by the mother of the baby al
luded to.
After dinner and brief repose we
walked out few hundred yards to
see the great cataract, and I am free
to confess my utter inability to con-
ey with words even faint impress
sion of the matchless beauty and mai
esty of the scene that burst upon my
vision as ascended table of trach-
vte q hundred feet above the brink
of the preciplce over which the river
falls two hundred feet perpendicu-
larly. The face of the falls is in the
form of an obtuse angle, the side to-
ward the south being much the long
er. Above this for about 800 feet
extends a group of rock islands.
which divides the stream into several
channels and produce two series of
rapids and cascades, comprising a
great number, all varying in height
and force, and which heighten the
effect of the scene and break the wa
ter into foamy whiteness prepara-
tory to its final leap. Amongst these
islands the water descends about 100
feet.
On this side of the river and $50