The Mineral argus. [volume] (Maiden, Mont.) 1883-1886, 1885-06-11
A Trip to the Railroad.

AN ENJOYABLE ROUND.

AN ENJOYABLE ROUND.
Boarding the Maiden & Ubet coach
at a. m. Wednesday morning, May
e7th, with promise Of a most beautiful
day, slight rain falling the night be-
fore sufficient to lay the dust, We drove
out of the mining camp of Maiden
arriving at Ubet, at the Judith Gap, at
4:,o p. m., distance Of fifty miles in
nine hours and thirty minutes with but
three changes of horses. The roads
were most excellent, the vehicle
a comfortable covered driving wagon,
while the stock on the route was in
fine travelling condition. Most of our
readers are thoroughly acquainted with
the country traversed by this route
but may not be aware that within few
months the conveniences for travellers
have been materially improved.
AS usual we found our esteemed
friend, A. X. Barrows, at home and
knee deep into Uncle Sans mail
pouches, distributing, asserting, tying
and mailing the volume Of mail that
now has to be handled At this office, il
being the conjunction Of four routes,
viz: Benton, billings, White Sulphur
Springs and Maiden. all dailies but
! the one from the Springs, that being a
lri-weekly. He is doing a good bust
ness in the hotel line and deseryedly
so as he has the finest furnished house
and sets the best table on the route
be it said to the credit of Mrs. Bar
lows. by the way. a grand Attn of
July ball will he gwen by the host and
hostess on the evening Of the sd, to
which all their friends and acquainten-
ances are cordially invited.
Our coach bound Billingsward ar
rived Thursday morning at S:3o. the
mail transfer was promptly made and
we were off over anew rc-l a good
jog comfortably seated m 5-passen
ger jerkey-a small sized Concord
coach-wth which this line from the
n. p Ry. to the Big Muddy is now
equipped. drawn by the nearest ap
proach to American horses we have
seen on stage line. Two years ago
and even up to one year back the
road from Ubet run via Okla. a post
office at the foot OF the Belt mountains
about four miles west of Ubet, thence
followed the table lands THAT gradu
ally rise till forming the foot hills OF
the Crazy mountains) until Careless
creek was reached; now the road runs
due south through the Gap striking the
old route at Bercaii p. O.. making 4
saving in distance of fully ten miles
From Bercail the old road IS followed
through to Billings
Some few bridges have been put in
by the stage company and others b,
Measher county this side Ct the Mus.
selshell greatly improving the route
AT Lavina We found commendab!l
improvements fof the time elapsine
since our last visit, two years ago
when there was but one cXtenuatcd
log shack parttioned into dwelling
house, hotel, store, saloon, postoftice
stage office. etc now there are several
neat cottages, = good store. a branch
of the T. T.. Power 81 Bro s Benton
house and a saloon. Walter Burke, well
known to all as ex superintendent OF
the b. Il b. stage line has a homestead
here and is doing well in hisdiversitied
interests
Crossing the Musselshell river VIC
enter Yellowstone county. Though as
yet the baby-till Fergus county ma
ierialiZes-its commissioners are pay
ing more attention to the public high
ways than any county, We venture to
say, in the territory. A new truss
bridge is to be constructed At once at
the mouth of Big Coulee ;cross the
Musselshell, while substantial truss
bridges have been put in or Painted
Robe and other creeks and the roads
SO graded that loaded teams experience
no difficulty in ascending or descend
ing hills and coulees. 4 new road is
about To be graded across the Bull
mountains that will greatly reduce the
distance between Lavina and Billings.
Twenty hours out of Ubet brought
MS TO Billings at ! a. m. Friday morn
ing. Though our nights ride bore no
resemblance to travelling in Pullman
car. 1t was by no means tedious as
compared to the old buckboards and
dead-ax wagons in vogue on this route
few months back. In fact. cush
ioned seats and padded backed jerkies,
of the make run on this line. to oul