The semi-weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1890-1891, 1890-09-17
NORTHERN COUNTRY news,
Interesting Details About the Marias
Pass and Western Ex-
tension. .
MANY MILES OF 1REsTlE TO BUILD
Right Of Way to Be Cleared this
Winter as far as the Flat
head River.

A Bear Story that Takes the Cake
A Description of the Mission
by Miss Drexel, Of
Philadelphia. M.
Capt j. d. Taylor returned Saturday
from a hunting trip to the summit of
Marias pass. His observations on the
country through which the Great North
ern will pass are Of interest to the people
OF Great Falls and we herewith give
them.
GENERAL INFORMATION.
The summit is 1876 miles from Great
Falls and rs miles west of the Piegan
agency. The ascent on this side is very
easy and the contractors will meet with
no serious difficulties In building the
road. The summit is a large fiat or table
land, and in the middle is so low that an
eight foot fill will be necessary to equal
ize the grade. In this fiat a ranchman
has located and has put up over so tons
of hay, and if the weather permits he
might put up 1000 tons. The country is
covered with a luxurlant growth of
grass and is i~nterspersed with groves of
timber.
BEYOND THE SUMMIT
The route here for the most part is COW
cred with a dense growth of timber, suit
able for ties and bridge purposes. Ar
rangements are being made to have the
right of way cleared of all timber to the
Flathead river this winter. An outfit. of
i, So men are on the way now to build a
wagon road from the summit to the river,
81 miles, and down it to the Demersville
road. A wagon road is already built to
the summit on this side of the. range.
These roads will serve as II means of
transportation for supplies, and 1t is prob
able that work will be carried on from
both sides during the winter. On the
western slope the ascent is more difficult
and for three-fourths of q mile q trestle
100 feet high will be built.
EAST OF THE SUMMIT.
On this side Of the Summit a great deal
of rock work will be necessary. This
work extends for about II miles and will
occupy much of the time until Jan. 1.
Before reaching the summit the route
crosses eight streams, each as large as
Sun river, the waters of which are clear
and sparkling and teeming with trout
and grayling. The adjacent country lie,
according to all accounts, a hunters para
disc. The rich grasses furnish ~sustenance
for numerous deer, bands of antelope,
some elk and mountain sheep, while the
fierce grizzly bear is no stranger. In
crossing these streams the most difficult
problems in railroad construction are en-
countered.
IMMENSE TREsTLEWORK.
There will be four t~restles, the lowest
of which will be 80 feet and the aggre-
gate length will bs several miles. At
Two Medicine creek a trestle, ga
feet high will be built. This is the
second highest trestle in the world and
will require 2,00O,OOO feet Of timber. Al
Cut Bank another trestle 1870 feet high,
requiring 8O0,6O0 feet Of timber, will be
necessary. The contractors will lay the
track as fast as the grades are completed,
In order to bring in the timbers required
for these immense structures.
MINERAL PROSPECTS.
While on the summit Dutch Louie
showed the Captain some specimens of
ore carrying copper and galena. These
were brought from q lead
a few miles north of the pass and west
of st. Mary's lake in the main range.
Louie says the lead extends for miles.
and is four to twelve feet thick. The
ore is mixed with white quartz and
found inEgranite formation. Chas. Tay-
Tor and Joe Selfert are now prospecting
in this district and on their return we
may hear of the discovery of other rich
mineral deposits.
A ATTLE WITH GRIZZLIES. ~t
On the top he met met Mr.. Peter Stems,
the contractor, who told him of a fierce
encounter which one of the men had had
with bears a few days before. The man,
a half breed, was out hunting when he
saw a large bear. Being we'll armed he
concluded to stand his ground. The bear
advanced and was shot dead, but the re-
ports brought W more grizzlies In sight,
These the hunter was also successful in
killing before they reached him. just at
this time u fourth bear, q large female,
emerged from the brush near by,
and before he could fire was in reach.
With one stroke of her paw the trusty
rifle was knocked ~ feet away and the
man, with his coat and part OF the flesh
OF his left arm torn away, was lying in
the power of the ugly beast. Just as she
reached him to make a finish of il, he
managed to rise and drawing his hunting
knife, as she came on he made a lucky
stroke, plhnging the blade into her throa,
and severing the juglar vein. He was
knocked down again and had his hand
crushed in her jaws but the wound was
fatal and she reeled away. He gathered
himself together and got away from that
region as fast as his legs could carry him.
He reported at camp and when the boys
went out for his gun they found it and
four large grizzly bears dead.
AT THE AGENCY,
Captain Taylor wa courteously enter
tanned by Major Catlin, who showed him
about the stockade and gave him the
freedom Of the town. There are a large
number of Piegans under Major Catlin's
care who are described as being any
thing but intelligent and progressive.
Chief White Calf, an old white-haired
sachem, gave him an old disigured gun
and a tllnt-tlpped arrow, as memoire Of
the visit. AT the agency, or rather on the
reservation, Joe Kip and others have put
IN several hundred tnna nf hau Ii,a
agricultural possibilities of this r%eserva-
tioI may be judged when it is known
that thousands of tons of hay might be
cut where nom wal ever cut before, not
because the grass did not grow, but there
was NO market for it. On Friday morn.
ing the snow lay ten inches deep and ice
one inch thick WAS found