Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-02-21
MONTANA LETTER.
MIssoULA, Feb. II, 1888.

A. A'' oth. Here we parted. Nose
was tagged for Van Buren,, Ark. We
managed to get him dressed up. be-
fore leaving Boise City, with Prince
Albert coat and high hat. He was
somewhat lost at first in all his good
ciothes' but he soon got used to them
ana was as much at home in them as
ne was OF yore in overaIls and grav
shirt. The trip will be a grand treat
TO him, and he will greatly enjoy it
and be much benefited. l left Po.
catello on the Utah & Northern train
at . A. NJ, of the 8th, and had a contin-
uous and pleasant run to Silver Bow
Junction, where we arrived same dav
at III A. NJ. Fare, S26. Here we missed
connection with train for Garrison
and were laid over for six hours to
await the arrival of train of Mountain
Union Il. r. to take US to Garrison
where we connected with the North
ern Pacific. We were laid over here
from 8 P. NJ. of the 9th to 2:4O p. NJ. of
the 9th, when we took the train for
this place, where we arrived at 5:15
P. NJ. Fare from Silver Bow Junction
to this place-s5.95. You will see
that | was laid over more than travel
ing. Real time would be, from Boise
City, about thirty hours. find great
signs of prosperity all along the road
through Montana. The first place on
the route is Dillon. Everything
seemed to be lively and have a hearty
appearance. The place is supported
by stock-sheep, horses and cattle.
The hills are low, with nothing but
grass everywhere. From here we
climb up stream and pass over the di-
vide, and we are on the waters of the
Columbia again. The Silver Bow
and Mountain Union r. r. follows
down this stream to the Deer Lodge
river, where the city of Deer Lodge
is. This place of some Importance,
but is going down hill. We passed
here in the night, and could make
but little observation. We did not
visit Butte, Helena nor Anaconda.
All these are points of great business
activity. Butte requires several long
trains each day with wood, lumber,
coal, mining timbers and salt, and
train loads of ore coming out that
they haul to Anaconda for reduction.
They had to go to the latter place and
build reduction works for the Butte
miners, as there was not sufficient
water and wood at Butte. Two pas
senger trains daily between Butte and
Helena. All is life and hustle along
the line. This place has population
of about 1000, and business is thrifty
in all branches. From Garrison to
this place the N. P. R. R. follows
down through the famed He'll Gate
Canyon. The scenery is grand. Only
few years Stree it was thought to be
impossible for pack mule. A short
distance below here this stream joins
with the Bitter Root River, and pass
ing on further down it becomes the
Pondeory. From here the n. P. r. r.
has branch built up the Bitter Root
valley, and long trains may be seen
any day coming down loaded with
timber and lumber for Butte, Anacon-
da and Helena. The road seems to
be conducted to its utmost capacity.
This town has an immense business.
Will instance only one or two cases
to illustrate. They are building a
whole block three story hotel, which
will, when completed, accommodate
three hundred guests. And as anoth-
er. the Missoula Mercantile company
have a store, or stores, of whole
block of five or six departments,
complete in all branches-dry goods,
groceries, hardware, liquors, agrlcul-
tural implements, harness and sad
dlerv-all full and no shoddy. The one
concern is carrying more goods than
all of Boise City. This may seem IN
credible, but it is so. have just
been through their establishment and
know whereof | speak. l called on
Mr.. Spaulding, editor and proprietor
of the Missoula Times. He came
here about three years ago, beard
less boy. and started the Times, hav-
ing only few dollars, and people
here laughed at him. l find him now
in a two-story brick building, glass
front-all his own-with gang o1
men at work and doing the print
inc for all the papers in town, anc