Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-10-24
From The New Democratic State.

From the New Democratic State.
Ed. Register-Knowing that the
country which have passed through
the past week is new to most Of your
readers, I will endeaver to give de-
scription of it as near as I can recoliect.
On Wednesday last (2D we left Liv-
ingston on No. (for Helena) at $50
A. NJ. From this point over the next
II miles we ascended the mountains on
a grade of 116 feet to the mile, where
we enter the great BoZeman tunnel,
which is the largest west of the great
Hoosack tunnel in western Massachu-
sets. This tunnel pierces the noun
tains at an elevation of 5,572 feet bove
the ocean. and is nearly two miles in
length. Previous to the completion of
this tunnel short, steep grade track
was laid over the summit of the pass
for temporary use.
The train, after emerging from the
tunnel, runs down the western slope
in the wild de1ile of r ,ck Canon, pass
ing out into the broad, fertile valley of
West Galiatin. AT Fort Ellis, the
scenery in Rock Canon is remarkably
grand and impressive. Enormous
precipices of gray rock " ith castellated
seams rise high above the dark forests
which clOtbe the sides Of the narrow
ravine. The rocks have been worn by
the action of the weather into many
singular and fan tastic shapes, at sever
al places massive walls run up noun
tain side,so regular in their appearance
that they seem to have been built by
human hands.
Timberline is busy coal mining
town, furnishing many points with
come to, which is the county seat Of
Gallatin county, and has a population
OF 1000, is situated near the end of the
Gallatin valley at its narrowest point.
three miles distant, but the range sud-
denly DIVORCES in the same direction
and afterward the valley becomes 90
miles wide. The city presents very
attractive appearance with its many
substantial brick structures, and broad,
weil-kept streets, hived on either side
with aspen, maple and cotton wood
trees; beautiful residences with large
lawns. The scenery around the City
is very picturesque. In the immediate
vicinity are extensive fields of btimin-
Gus coal, extending over an area of 30
miles in circumference. After leaving
BoZeman, the railroad traverses the
broad level valley westward some 80
mil, to the little station of Gallatin.
merely a decayed hamlet Of half dog
en- houses. Within this little burgh,
and only short distance away is a
rocky elevation from which may be
seen the meeting of the waters which
form the great old Missouri River.
Shortly after leaving Gallatin, the rail-
road enters a savage gorge of weather
worn rocks, showings staiDs of iron
and copper, and raising to the height
of several hundred feet above the
track. On one side of the road runs
the swift, clear current of the Missouri,
clear as crystal, (which in my native
State, as you know. is full of mud u and
on the other, tower enormous preci-
pices. The scenery in this canon is
among the finest on the whole line of
the road. Adding to its beauty, are
the vari,d tiuts of foliage, from the
most delicate tints of lemon, scarlet,
and violet, to the most somber colors
of the grasses and walls Of stone.
After leaving this beautiful canoa
we enter the Missouri River Valley
following up in a northeasternly di-
recti on, circling around to the west at
the high mountains, in which are a
series of deep gorges, or canons, which
have been cut by the water; crowning
the summit of this range is a gigantic
ledge of lime stone; these ledges haye
been thrown in places to great hight
with almost vertical sides, which are
partly smooth, partly seamed and CASH
ed by ages or storms, and some places
cut through from top to bottom by :he
streams, forming narrow gorges OF fan
tastic shapes. AvaIanch Canon is of
great note from its wild beauty aud
extensive and rich placer mines.
9" he everlasting hills! they hedge me round
And hold me safe within this narrow vale
From the worlds great turmoil not 9 sound