The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-07-13

are generally the long, low wooden
structures 20 common 10 new western
towns. The streets arc bare and I'M.
inviting and the saloon, always
prominent feature Of these railroad
towns h unusually prominent here.
Twenty-Five or 30 miles up the river
from 0lsndive, on the Tongue river, IL
Fort Keough, located on q sagebrush
plain surrounded by mountains. Sew
eral companies Of troops are stationed
here. There are comfortable quarters
for the men and cory cottages for the
officers use. But 1t must be a monot-
onous life.
On down the winding course Of the
Yellowstone, the train rushes, some
tinies dashing scross . little valley to
cnt off . sharp bend in the river some
times clinging to the notch cut in the
side of the mountain that rises sheer
from the waters edge. We are sorry
when night drops the curtain on seem
cry rapidly growing in grandeur and
interest a. we ride further into the
great Rocky Mountains.
But it is generous day. The sun sets
at nine O'Clock, eleven o'clock IL il at
home, twilight until midnight and
light again at o'clock in the morning
In fact in clear weather you can follow
the course Of the sun all night, as he
passes apparently just below the
northern horizon.
Four o'clock q. m. we awaken with
q start and q feeling of suffocation.
The train is running with the same
steady rapid motion, but through the
blacklist of darkness and with deafen-
ing roar. A few m0ments-awfullylong
ones they seem-and we are out again
into the light. It Is Bozeman Tunnel.
I am unable to learn the length, but
the train occupies exactly nine min.
utes In running through it.
Twelve hours run along the foot
of the Belt mountains brings
Us to Helena, the capitol of Montana
and county seat of Lewis and Clarke
county. 1t claims a population OF
Il, OOO-an over estimate probably-has
four National Banks, two daily papers
fine opera house, U. 8. Land Office,
electric lights, street cars etc. Helena
IL situated in the centre of a mineral
region of wonderful richness. There
are said to be fully three thousand
lodes of gold and silver bearing quartz
within radius of Is miles on which
claims have been filed. One mine, the
Drum Lummon, was recently sold to
English capitalists for million and q
half. Besides the gold and silver,
veins of galena copper and iron are
found in great numbers.
The Prickly Pear Valley, covering
an area of 12x15 miles lies north and
east of Helena and is said to be a fine
agricultural region. The mountains
are covered with bunch grass and here
Is in fact all through the Rocky Noun.
tains it IL surprising to note the album
dance of fine timber.
The next point of interest is the
Mullen Tunnel and "switchback. +"
The Tunnel is cut through the Divide,
or highest point of this range. It is
about two miles in length. The wood
work, however, has recently been on
fire and we went oyer on the switch
back, winding around in horse shoe
curves, like a snake winning up q
swift stream, tasking the power of
three heavy engines to get our train to
the top.
Spokane Falls, one Ut the most wide
ly known and popular cities in the
northwest, is a handsome and clean
looking town of some 5000 people.
The Spokane river wears through the
city in succession of falls aggregating
$50 feet within the space of half q mile
They have mills, foundries, machine
shops, electric lights, street cars. two
daily and two weekly newspapers and
are beginning to put on the airs of q
modern city. w. w. 8.