Great Falls tribune., 1888-02-29
ALONG THE ROAD.
SIGNS EVERYWHERE OF AN EARLY
SPRING.
Cattle in Good Condition---Cascade Needs
A Bridge---The Ice Fast Dis
appearing From the Mis-
sOurl River.

| souri, 1tlVeF.
The Montana Central, as its name i'm
plies, provides good facilities for exam
lining the central region OF Montana
Commencing at Great Falls, the obser
yer is struck with the rapid manne
in which the ice Is disappearing
While lake Superior and the uppe
Mississippi are doubtless heavily
ice bound, and even the Hudson
is frozen over at places, the Missouri flows
freely with all the buoyancy of spring
1t comes from the triple streams which
give it birth, and winds through the Gate
of the Mountains, passing Craig, Cascade
and Ulm, with no ice to impede the cur
rent except some slabs near the banks
that are the remnants of incipient gorges
TRANQUILITY flows the young river through
the course marked out for it, showing no
traces of the turbulent cataracts at which
it is lashed into foarny fury.
While the river is free of ice, the grass
is bare of snow. In places green tufts
are apparent. On the broad plain that
stretches southward from Cascade are
numberless sleek, fat cattle grazing, with
perfect impunity from hlizzards which
are scourging parts of Dakota. These cat
tie grow fat on the well cured grass and
drink water from the pools which the
melted ice has left Here, guarded by
the everlasting hills, is noble range
where countless herds will be raised
where creameries will be established and
combined with tillage will amply reward
the north Montana husbandman.
Cascade and Its vicinity feels the bene-
fetal impulse which comes from proxim-
ity to Great Falls. Her stockmen are all
prosperous and contented. They buy all
they need in Great Falls and find here
ready market for their cattle and produce.
They feel proud that they are citizens of
the same county as the metropolis, and
readily cooperate with every measure
for the public good.
just now Cascade is ambitious to have
a bridge over the Missouri to replace the
ferry-boat which the ice has carried off
This boat lies stranded lower down the
river, and is fairly entitled to be placed
on the retired list. Mr.. Perkins and 9th
ers have consulted county engineer Kern
luulSC w WulCll may luubGIl-
alize before long. 1t is believed that it
would be Of much service to the locality
and if provided with draw would not in
terrupt navigation.
tlm likewise shows signs of growth
and will be a favorite resort in the sum
mer months when way and through trains
will enable people to make trips there
readily and return at convenient hours.
Craig is another place which will soon
be well known. Mr.. Spitzley's restaurant
grows in public favor and presents busy
scene when down and up trains meet at
this station. His house will no doubt de-
velop into spacious hotel where people
will sojourn to observe the splendid
scenery of the Missouri, before it makes
its first leap over the cataract at Great
Falls. The fishing is good in this neigh
borhood and SO is the boating. The latter
will be better still when Uncle Sam spends
some of the surplus on improving the
upper Missouri which will in turn i'm.
prove the whole river.
Conductor Mclaughlin, who has had
much experience in railroading, takes
great pride in the roadbed of the Mon.
tana Central which has stood the test OF
the winter travel with success. Ht
points out the frmness and symmetry o1
the excellent ballast which the grave
makes. He is confident that there will
be no dust in summer and that passenger
will prefer this route to any other OF
their way TO and from the "states." Tn,
three tunnels are lofty and we'll venti
lated. They are cut through solid rocl
and no water drips through to rende
them damp and chilly. 1t takes only
minute or two to go through the longest
and when trains are long the engine will
be out before the last cars have entered
the tunnel.
Colonel Broadwater's road, as tits prop
crly known, has been operating thre,
months and has carried thousands of pas
sengers without single mishap
The coaches are elegant and comfortable
The stoves are in tight com
partments so that in the yer,
improbable event of a collision they can
not break loose to spread destruction
The windows are double so as to exclud,
the dust if any should arise; the chair.
are OF oak and there are swinging door
between the body of the coach and til,
compartment where the stove is inclosed
The coaches have, in fact, all the merit
of the Pullman car without the additiona
expense which that entails on the passen
ger.
The scenery on the road elicits mucl
admiration. 1t never becomes common
place. Mr. Paris Gibson considers tha
there ought to be an observation car OF
trains so that passengers might have a full
view of the picturesque country through
which the road passes. But apart from
the scenery he discerns in the minera
rocks and exhaustless stores of iron thu
basis of industries which will make Mon
tana the Pennsylvania of the northwest
Comments of a Railroad Official,
Mr.. Williams, travelling passenger agen
OF the Chicago, St. Paul & Kansas Cit,