Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1889-07-20
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE
~ THE NDRTIIU EST.
HELENA, MONTANA. July :, 1850.

D'lnp Idhtn from IHt river. some
persons allegc. however, that it is
drawn from the wrong end of the
stream below instead of above the
town.
After our last letter was written the
falls were visited. Spokane river is
the outlet of Lake Cpur dAlene. a
Altogether this rock is $50 feet higher
sheet of water 6X60 miles, itself the
focus of three rivers. When the com
bination reaches the Falls, therefore,
il is a considerable stream. Rugged
islands here separate it into FIVE differ
ent channels. through which the waters
rush with great force, tumbling over
a series of rapids until the five streams
again unite for a final plunge of GO
feet, in all a fall of l57 feet in half a
mile. The force thus occasioned has
been estimated at 10000. horsepower.
Certain it is this vast power is being
rapidly utilized in the erection of mills
for the manufacture of flour. lumber,
etc.
Monday. July |, the train for Port
land was taken. Rivers We're follow
ed, lakes and plains crossed and sand
hills plowed until night shut out of
the ears all but the dust Travelling
up the Yakima river we watched the
sun decline and set behind the far Cas-
cades, his level beams seemingly dimin-
lShlng with reluctance as the locomo-
tive plunged westward, and at Hos
p. m., Frostburg standard time. his
last rays gilded Rattlesnake mountains.
Then the long twilight ensued, follow
IL hN. 4 al nrl-n
between and 3, dawn began to light
the watchtowers in the sky. Ten or
eleven degrees of latitude higher than
Frostburg make an appreciable differ
ence in the length of the night. AS
one retreats from the equator the cir
cumfcrencc of the globe diminishes
until standing, if it were possible, upon
the summit of earth's frozen zone, I'M
mcdiately v under the pole-star, the OBJ
server would see until September 22d
the great sun. unsetting, swing at even
height each day around the horizon
Tuesday morning the train had tun
need the Cascades and was daShing
down the western slope when these
fading eyes were blessed with the most
impressive spectacle that the creative
hand of God has prepared for the Won
derment and delight of impresSionable
natures. There on the left, apparent
ly few miles away, really about
forty. stood lofty Mi. Rainier. The
bright rays of the early sun striking
full the peaks great cap of perpetual
SNOW, the glistcning reflections filled
with borrowed light the deep gorges
at the base. Rising thousands of feet
above the surrounding mountains
who's" height marks the timbcr-line,
this great tower commands its environ
ments of dark green and gold like Il
sovereign crowned with Heavens own
everlasting white.
MI. Rainier. now called MT Ia
coma" is l4.A4 feet above tide, and
ON Il clear day is easily visible 200
miles. 1t is 6J miles from Tacoma,
but in the transparent atmosphere of
Washington territory does not appear
to be over three.
The Journal stopped in Tacoma
only long enough to see that it is
growing city, and that its people as
cribc its astonishing progress to the
Northern Pacific railroad company.
On the train again, we are off for
Portland, the metropolis of Oregon.
Here again the encouragement of the
Northern Pacific is seen, felt and cor
daily acknowledged. On the way
down we pass thrifty towns, all centres
of lumber manufacture, stock raising
and farming interests. The lover of
natures most gigantic works finds
fresh causes of qualification in fine
nf l.S
road-Mt. St. Helens, 900 feet Mt.
Adams, 800 feet, and Mt. Hood,
l2,225 feet. sAt one point all are in
view, including Mt. Rainier.
AT O'Clock p. M, July ,, we board
ed the good little boat, "Lurline," for
Astoria, 9S miles distant, II on the
Willamette and S6 miles on the
Columbia river. In berth crooked
in the cradle of the deep" and famed
by saline breezes from earths broad
est ocean, a refreshing nights rest was
enjoyed. Next morning we disem-
barked at Astoria, the oldest town on
the Pacific coast of this country, hav-
ing been founded by John Jacob Astor.
of New York, in lS0S. Seven thous-
and people live here, and great por-
ton of the houses and streets are built
over tidal ground. In this respect it
resembles half the tim" the city of Ven
ice.
But we have not yet reached the
ocean. After breakfast we board the
Gen. Candy" which lands us at Fort
Stevens, ID miles further west. and
now walk of over a mile 10 the shore
beyond Point Adams. and we stand on
one of the uttermost boundaries of our
country. The tide was coming in and
with il Il strong, cold wind arose.
The latter shortened both our STAY and
patriotic reflections. ''To morrow"
thought the JOURNAL, ''the orator will
declaim eloquently of that vast area
which extends from the crystal waters
of the Northern lakes to the turbid
depths of the Mexican gulf. and from
where the hoarse tempests thunder
along the stormy Atlantic seaboad to
where the waves of the mild Pacific
kiss the golden shores of California.
and the orator will be correct"
The first step homeward was gladly
taken after filling phial of Pacific
water as a memorial of the trip.
The government is erecting ietty
from the point out into the ocean
parallel with the current of the Column
bia river. About one mile is finished,
one fourth of it this year, and over
two miles remain to be completed. 1t