The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1883-03-01

convenient and direct routes anC
methods of reaching it, etc.
But to the east of this portion O.
the great river, there is an immense
mountainous area, isolated from the
conventional route of tho tourist, 9
part of which is destined, in the
near future, to be known to the
world as an important mining sec.
ton, and within whose primitive
} wild features may be seen some ot
} the grandest and most picturesque
of American scenery.
| Leaving the east fork Of the Vel
lowstone, the route to the mining
camp at the head of Soda Butte
creek, lies through a wilderness of
primeval grandeur, for the most
part a dense pine forest, hemmed
on either side by majestic mountains
on most Of whose SUBMITS the foot
of man has never trod, whose gray
old rocks are marked with the sill
very threads Of myriad beautiful
little cascades flowing from the
melting SHOWS. Here is a veritablc
sportsman's paradise for the wood
is filled with elk and black-tailcd
deer, pheasant and grouse, every
little lake covered by all kinds of
aquatic fowl, and all the streams
filed with trout.
At the head of Soda Butte creek,
between the sources of Clark's Fork
and Sinking River, near the east
boundary Of the National Park, the
Clark's Fork mines are situated.
They are southeast of Hart noun
tains and are distant about one
hundred miles from the Big Horn
mountains. During the Sioux war
of 1876, the smoke of the Indian
signal fires were plainly seen from
the highest points in this vicinity.
Since the discovery of these mines
each succeeding year has disclosed
more and more the enormous
wealth of the district, but only
during the past year have the facts
become generally known and rccog-
nized. The mountain sides Of the
district are covered with a thick
growth of pine and fir as far upas
the timber Understanding 1850
feet above sea level-beyond which
point trees will not grow. Above
shoot up the bald, snowy peaks,
among which some of the lodes arc
situated. The ores arc generally
low grades SO far as yet tested, but
rich assays have been obtained from
''float" specimens, and there is
every reason to believe that other
lodes exist in the vicinity rich in
both gold and silver. That which
distinguishes the camp from other
mineral sections is the quantity OF
the surface slides and deposits. The
only conditions necessary to the de-
and successful; working
,t these mines is u quick and cheap
means Of transportation, and the
establishment of local smelling
works. A Bozeman company, dur
ng the summer Of 1876, erected
but the unavoidably small
Of the machinery used has
been found totally inadequs' a
he wants of the district. TIC
Northern Pacific railroad, haI iy
low' far into Montana, will at crC.
he needed outlet, aud enable be
miners to ship their ores and the
their bullion to the sea
BOARD.
From the SUBMITS Of the noun
aims surrounding the creek, nagni-
icent views may be obtained. Here
md there arc beautiful little lakes
,uried in the solitude Of the upper
regions, whose quiet
,osoms reflect towering cliffs and
rags of granite, and stately pines
md frs, and upon nll sides high
,eaks pierce the sky, and snow fields
litter like lakes of molten silver,
nd tumbling down through crags
II cascades and cataracts are the
myriad streams Of crystal waters,
which find their sinuous course to
he plains below and joining the
reat rivers, the arteries Of the con.
inent, begin their majestic fow to
he sea. "
Parks, tSeir grassy carpets be-
lecked with flowers, mountain
'rooks forded by beaver dams,
prigs bursting out Of deep recesses
nd winding over floors of sand,
ombre pine forests, huge black
masses, crowned with rosy clouds,
leights and depths, snow fields,
DrestS and rocE-lands all are blend