Helena weekly herald., 1885-05-28
A JAUNT NORTHWARD.
John McCafferty,s Notes OF a S'"se
Tnp from Helena to Benton.
TcoRREsPoxpEycE OF THE HERALD ]

driver, alongside of whom sat MI W.
Rowe, former proprietor of the line' Oh
one of the elegant coaches OF the feiena
and Benton Stage Company, en- ro@e LOT
this old town, founded by the American
Fur Company. at The head OF Missouri
river navigation. Ii was charming
morning, and, a. we skipped away TO the
north, the metropolis of the Territory, win
all its angularities loomed out IN bold re-
lief 1t looked embematical OF the charac-
ter of the men and women who, in those
early days replete with innumerable oo-
stacles, grappled with the golden couiee
and fashioned il with the form and con-
dition of the ornamental and useful bee
hive They are, by the right of God, the
noblemen and Spartan women of the city
and should be held in lofty esteem.
/ Reaching the Seven Mile House in fifty
minutes the horses were watered, while
/ the other animals exhilarated IN the sun
\ shine of the interesting landlady. 1t Is
\ headquarters of good horse range, and
necessarily proves an agreeable halting
\ place The mail pouch was exchanged
/ three miles beyond then on to Silver
\ City, the original shire town of Edgerton
\ now Lewis and Clarke county. 1t Is only
a little village, situated at the crossing OF
I Silver creek, thirteen miles from Helena.
Y There is quite "A stretch of farming land
I 1. oil m
trotted northward From my elevated
perch got a very desirable view OF the
country, and from the driver / received all
necessary information. As far as the eye
could reach the valley seemed better
adapted for cattle and horses than farming.
But as we drew near Prickly Pear creek
a fine agricultural belt opened out, stretch
ing away to the mountains with a north
and south trending. At 12:i5 p. m. we
reached Mitchell's station, where we
stopped for dinner. IL is situated on the
Prickly Pear creek and is twenty-seven
miles from the Capital. The proprietor
has several hundred acres of farming and
hay land fenced in, for which he holds per-
feet title from the v T. L. u. Mr.. Mitchell
owns quite a band of horses also a small
herd OF cattle. The Prickly Pear valley
could be made to support at least 900
families. There are many worthy immi-
grants rushed to other sections of the north
west who would do much better on and
along the many mountain streams flowing
into the Missouri, including the Prickly
Pear.
After partaking of a very substantial
dinner, enlivened with spirited discussion
of the question of wOmans rights, which
the grizzly horrids" finally tabled, we
cantered into PIickly Pear canon. have
seen great variety Of mountain scenery,
but nothing in its line ever pleased me
more than the picturesque and ever-vary-
ing panoramas of this canon. Tourists
visiting this section Of Montana should
ever arrange to take il in. Ii IL certainly
one of natures delightfully."- waRton freaks
Arriving at Ellis lumber yard. we traded
mail pouches; thence on TO Ca-tersviilei
where we again swapped L. 5. bags. Carriers
willie il a neat little village, situated IN the
vortex of Wolf creek and Prickly Pear.
There is quite range OF good farming land
along both streams. Rolling into Rock
creek station, we received relay !; thence
on TO Dearborn, where mail, express and
some freight were left. The village ~ To-
Gated at the crossing of the Dearborn river
and will surely develop into business
centre. A. it is backed up by AN exten-
sive farming and stockgrowing bet. Cross
Ing the Dearborn, we were soon at Flat
creek station, where we had supper. The
station may he regarded as headquarters
for an extensive horse range. This being
the season tor a general roundup oil all
kinds of stock, the horses and cattle on ths
range are being driven TO common centre
With fresh horses we pulled out on thu
night drive over the Bird-Tail mountain
II is more or less dangerous, owing to. th'
many slidings, and is, perhaps, the mos
. irving piece of stage road in Northwestern
, Montana during the winter seasca, as tn
, snow-drifts frequently obliterate all trace
of it for miles therefore the Helena an
( Benton stage company deserve the geneE
! Gus consideration of both the governmen
and the people for the uniform regulaEt
with which the mails have been delivered
Doubtless this is the natural result OF th
able management of the companys Ter
eral Superintendent, j. Nj. Powers. Ito"
ever. about midnight, we reached Eag
Rock station, having made the trip aero;
the mountain without accident. Receivin
another relay. we dozed the time away NJ
I'll Fort Shaw was reached, whei
four companies OF infantry a
stationed Mail bags being du
exchanged. we cantered on to Sun Xiv
village. 1t is situated on the southwe
in bank of the river, and its population ms
K be rated at 800. Ii is the trade centre I
m the valley, where there are still thousan
rt of acres of good farming land unoccupie
I'd In fact. there is still room for thousal
re additional families. After an exchange
"A naes. we trotted on to the Leaving static
a, where we had breakfast. Mr.. Reinic
nd not only runs this station, but he Is al
IN the owner OF herd of cattle and bal
of horses. and has several hundred acres