Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-09-12
LETTER PROM MONTANA.

BUTTE CITY, MON., Aug. 70, 1850.
EDITOR INTELL1aENCER:-In my last
letter promised you some news about
our rivers. which geographers can
look upon as the sources of the Mis-
souri, and the Columbia. The former,
formed by the Jefferson, Madison and
Gallatin rivers, while the latter, Col
umbia, (once the Oregon) has for its
principal tributary Clark's Fork, which
is called from Deer Lodge city to the
mouth of the Little Blackfoot, Deer
Lodge river, then from there to Bitter
Root, (St. Mary's), Hellgate river,
thence to the mouth of Flathead river it
is called Missoula river. In all OF the
streams west of the range trout, salmon
and grayling fish abound. have often
caught pail full of speckled trout in
few hours, from gulches where the
water was very shallow.
In the south central part of Montana,
226 miles above Fort Benton, and lit
tie south of latitude 46 degrees is Gal
latin City, the place where the Missouri
loses its name. The trio of streams that
form the turbulent muddy Missouri
come rushing down the gorges and
mighty peciplces of the Rocky Noun
tains, carrying sand, logs and debris in
their course, all to be emptied into the
great muddy stream which flows
through the state of Missouri. Since
have seen these swift tributaries of
the Missouri river, l do not wonder
that it is muddy river.
Tho aconQrv 10 QvoooHinu1v fina oil
along these rivers and their beautiful
valleys. Boats do not run above the
Missouri Falls, which are less than
These falls alone would pay any one to
visit. Only twice in my life have l
looked upon Niagara river and its ma
jestic falls, but give me a glance of
Montana's Peak, Eagle, Bridal Veil,
Rainbow, Crooked Falls and Great
Falls, the last breaking over precipice
close to one hundred feet in height.
From the Great Falls to the junction of
the three tributaries boats run at this
season, and nowhere have l seen a
ford that would risk crossing. The
river averages 1000 feet in width, some
places it appeared to be about mile
across. lhe Great Falls with their
rapid currents take in distance of
about fifteen miles, although the main
rapids occupy only about six miles,
with descent over AIS feet, which
is said to be the greatest water power
In the world.
The Missouri flows due north from
Gallatin City to Fort Benton, where it
turns and flows almost due east to Fort
Buford where it joins forces with the
Yellowstone and bids farewell to Mon
tana.
The Yellowstone river rises in q lake
by the sane name in the National Park
and is navigable to Coulson, dis
tance Of 400 miles. This is said to be
the straightest, and hence the sWiftest
river in the world. 1t has remarkable
rapids where the water flows over
| precipice upward of 400 feet i'm per-
pendicular height. 1t has magnifi-
cent canyon, which is twenty miles in
length and half mile in depth. All
the tributaries of the Yellowstone
abound in delicious fish. The valleys
and mountain sides have plenty of wild
game; just now the hunters are going
out to spend month or two. Here
camp life is delightful. The big horned
sheep, the elk, deer and bison can be
seen grazing ad Hbitum evening and
morning. 1t is not law full to kill these
animals yet, but beside these there are
plenty of grouse and sage hen. The
shooting of bear is fine sport now, and
| they are plentiful too. In this locality
the country is wild and picturesque,
and yet there is charming loveliness
about it that will ever hold dear to
memory. Here are dozens OF rivers
that l cannot now describe, beside
hundreds of creeks and gulches. We
| call streams as large as Davis creek of
your county gulches. The gulches have
plenty of water, sometimes enough to
turn mill. No state of the Union is
better Watered than is Montana. Since
l have been here three months past, we
have had abundance of rain, and crops
never had a better yield. The old set
| tiers say that since the country is be-
coming settled, the seasons are better.
The water will always be inexhaustibIe
| seasons as this the land needs but little
irrigating. In my next letter | will
| tell something about the wonderful hot
springs, the climate and soil
should like to correct the erroneous
statement going the rounds of the east
ern papers that destructive grass-hop-
pers are numerous here. The fact is
we can't get enough for fish bait. Prof.
| Riley is very fond of grasshoppers
cooked, baked in his corn cake. am
sure he would starve if he depended
| upon that food for his sustenance i'm this
part of Montana. 1t has been rum
ored that some grasshoppers were about