The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-09-17

In the morning we got carriage and were
driven around the city, and II was amusing to
IN To see how many of the business buildings
were called "rhe Royal" and 'Hcr Majesty's."
We went out five miles Ia Esquimault where
the dry dock IL and expected to see British
man of-war, but u had gone out on the bay Ia
practice. We saw the government buildings
AMI drove by the fair grounds and through the
park. Reaching our boat at 10 II. M, We soon
started up Puget Sound for Port Townsend,
where we arrived at p. IN. We had fine
chance Ia see tho town while nearly 900 tons
of freight were being unloadcd. The business.
portion of the town is situated near the water
and the residences upon high blum short
distance back. We walked II mile along the
shore finding shells and came to nm Indian
village, where we saw Il sea lion on thc,waters
edge and IL tried To follow us. We visited diff
fercnt parts Of the town. In the evening the
Idaho. bound for Alaska, came I'm and during
the evening there was music and singing on
both that boat and ours. Remaining here all
night We started nj o'clock Ia the morning
and reached Seattle at $3.50 Il. H., where we
staid Till p. m. Here we got n carriage and
drove tn Union Lake two miles distant. Our
road led M by the Territorial University, the
Central and North school buildings. the Sisters
Academy and many fine residences. We then
went 10 Lake Washington, which is three miles
away AMI there is fine drive all the way with
sidewalk on each side. This lake IL % miles
long and 3 or miles wide, and away beyond
in the distance rises MI. Baker. The city of
Seattle has $4,000 people ana is situated on the
had of II from our ship was beautiful. AS we
leave the city we have grand view of both
shares Of the Sound, which In places are high
ana are covered with cvcrgrccns. Fir, pine,
cedar, etc, grow here In abundance and To u
great height AS we near Tacoma, resolutions
were drawn up by the passengers, thanking
Capt Alexander and the ship crew for the at
tcntion they showed us on our way and recon-
mending the Queen Of the Pacific to others
taking this trip. H,a, hing Tacoma AT y. M,
salutes were fired from our ship ana from the
land. We soon babe good bye To the Queen"
and went ashore and To our hotel, but I'm IL
short time we were out viewing the city,
which has Il population Of 5000 At o'clock
I'm the evening there was u reception in the q.
A. L. hall and we listened To music ana speech
cs 10y Gen. Logan and others until 10 o'clock.
Aug. 18TH we started from Tacoma at Z IL. IN.
on tho train for Portland, stopping at several
small towns along the road. BDuntiful crops
of wheat, oats and potatoes are produced IN
! this territory and an abundance of fruit Our
| train crossed the Columbia river ON ferry nj
Kalama and reached Portland ut 3 p IN. Ar
| ter II short rest we went by street car To the
| Portland Natural Park, two miles or more
| from the main street. From tins high cicya-
| ton we can get view of the whole city of
| ~, O0d inhabitants, and IT the sky had heen
clear from smoke we could have seen MI
Hood, Mt. St Iiclens, Mt. Tacoma and other
high mountains with snowy tops.
| Stopping over one day al Portland, II party
of eight of us took n trip Of twelve miles up
| tn" Willamette river, To Oregon City. The
scenery of this river is lovely. The fir clad
! hills slipping down To the river side in some
places, and in others high banks stand boldly
out. Several large orchards of plum pear and
apple trees, appear nn either side. Just above
Oregon city, are the Willamette Falls, which
| are beautiful, ana afford great water power
Several mills are located here. We reached
the top Of the high bank overlooking the river
| by stairs. A gentleman from the place kindly
accompanied Us, and gave MS much intnrma
ton concerning the place, and showed us an
old Indian cemetery. Boats run above In,
| falls as well as below, hut they have to trans
| fer their passo myers at Oregon City from one
boat To the other, until the locks are repaired
| We went back Ia Portland in the afternoon
and next morning Aug. q we took passage on
| the steamer Wide West for the Dalies Of The
Columbia. The first twelve miles are down h,
| Willamette, then we turned eastward up tn,
| Columbia. 4 short stop at Vancouver, tn,
military headquarters of the department OF
| the Columbia, ana then the bont begins to en-
| ter the great gorge through which the river
crosses the Cascade mountains. From thi'
point the scenes of beauty and grandeur pas.
| before Ms in one continuous, bcwildcring pro
| ccssinn, Now on this side and now on that
| our eyes are directed, and before we &c
| through looking at ono object our attention il
attracted by another We pass in succession
| the Pillars Of Hercules between which tn,
| railroad runs, then Rooster Rock and Cap,
| Horn II towering clin of rock thousand fee
| high, around which the river runs washing il,
wy "..'i DOWN t''" o.-i.-5 which ias-
| been carved by the elements into various
| shapes, dash several misty waterfalls Onconti
| Gorge, the Multnomah Falls pouring over Tn,
cliT and 'iashing in spray over the rocks oo
| feet below, Bridal Veil and several others
each possessing its peculiar charm and beauty
| Castle Rock is another charming sight of tow
| cring rock. AT several places canncrics an,
iishwhccls are located along the river. and II
| one place our boat stopped To unload frcgh
and several of us went ashore ana had onl,
| time io gather bouquet and take n look int,
| the canncry. AS we pass on, the mountain.
| are scanned with gorges and canyons, who's,
| sides are ornamented with many curious
| rocky forms of natures carving. At the Cas-
| cades, where the river Is confined Ia Il marrow
place, and divided by an Island the water dash
es wildly down its steep and rocky channel
| and presents fine sight Here we leave on
boat and take the ears for u six mile trip Ia q
point above the falls, where we again take one
Of the company's steamers, named IIarves
| Queen. We are now on what is called Middl,
Columbia, which reaches for 30 miles bctwecI
| the Cascades and the Dalics. The government
is constructing costly locks at the Casca DIES
which, when finished, will enable steamers {,
go direct from Portland to the Dallcs Al q p
m, we reached the Dallcs, place of $500 in
habitants, and we are all surprised To find tn,
abundance of fruit and the chcapness of il
that is raised in this vicinity. Having tire,
| UouTS ~ sptIu tItcT supper. We NItWtu tHt
| town, and at Q o'clock started on our wa,
| again.
As morning dawncd upon us, we find we urt
| traversing very dusty, desert valley in tn,
eastern part of Washington Territory. AT o n
| m, we leave this valley and pass through heavy
| timber, which in many places is on fire. Pass
| ing Spokane Falls on our left, we are sooI
among the mountains which tower upwards
and the ragged and tilted sides look us though
| they might fall upon us. Coming to the Clark,
Fork, we cross that river, and keep close To H.
bank for many miles, passing IL beautiful lake
called Pend d'Orcillc, and the Occur d'Alcn,
| mines, in IL branch of the Bitter Root Noun
| tains. When the train stopped at Heron, We
were amused by the tricks performed by tive
young bears, which had been caught i'm tina
vicinity. As night draws near the scenery be-
comes more ana more enchanting, and we re.
grct that the darkness shuts il from our view
August 29th We arose early to catch the
scenery of the mountains, and soon pass
through two tunnels, and around many sharp
| curves where from the window we can see our
two engines and all the cars ahead. of ms. We
reach an elevation of nearly 5000 feet, and as
we descend we see on either side extensive
placer gold mines, around Helena. We stop
at this city 30 minutes, and purchase some
specimens of gold, silver, iron, copper, Ralena
and other ores, and moss agate, which were all
found IN This vicinity The main part of this
city is situated about two miles from the de
pot and partly in u raviEe. We were ted that
formerly one Of the mines here was bought for
u ,5OD,O0, ana paid for itself i'm eighteen
months. Thirty miles east Of Helena we cross
the Missouri river, and wend our way up
among the mountains To the Bozeman tunnel,