The semi-weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1890-1891, 1890-10-18
GREAT FALLS TO LETHBR|DGE.
An Interesting Description of the
Country North
of is.
CANADIAN COAL CAMP PHOTOGRAPHED.
How the Great Northern is Pushing
the Western Extension to
the Mountains.
Immense Beds of Anthracite Coal in
the Crows Nest, West Of
Lcthbridge.

Through the courtesy Of Mr.. Barclay,
the chief engineer of the Great Falls "
Canada R'y., the writer made a trip to
Lethbridge this week over the new road.
In addition to Mr.. Barclay, the scribe
was fortunate IN having the company OF
the famous contractor and genial gentle
man, Donald Grant, and DR.. F. M. Rose,
the surgeon of the construction corps.
Leaving Great Falls at $3.50 in the even
ing, we awoke at day break at the Marias
and 10 miles further on stopped for
breakfast at the camp of the Great North
ern extension, which crosses the narrow
guage road at this point. The Great
Northern has made rapid progress, a long
stretch of road being graded, while the
course for miles westward is on an I'M
broken plain. The top of the mountains
are to be reached by January and with
the celebrity continued that is evident at
this place, the contract will probably be
finished on time. The material for the
extension westward is being landed by
the Great Falls & Canada and large train
loads are being carried daily. By this
means the Northern contractors make an
immense saving in getting supplies. Mr..
Barclay said that the Northern was hay
ing its stuff laid down at this point for 81
that had cost the Great Falls g. Canada
$40 to have delivered while constructing.
Continuing on our journey, we pass
through a gently rolling country, with
but a scant covering of grass, and inter
spersed with numerous dry alkaline lakes.
The severe drought for the past two years
has told fearfully upon this section, as
well as others; and stockmen are any
thing but complaisant over the prospect
for the coming winter. Our train carried
a number of ranchmen and their freight
for points along the liue, and when the
road is thoroughly in operation, a large
local traffic will doubtless be had.
At the international boundary line an
elegant and commodious station has been
erected, two rooms OF either side being
dedicated to the customs officers of the
respective countries. The beauties of
the tariff are here made visible, as a To-
connective constructed on this side is de-
barred from admission on the other, with
out the comforting duty of 33115 per cent.
This tax levied, the same amour is
chargeable by Uncle Sam upon Its return.
This is explained upon the reasonable
hypothesis that the locomotive Is then re-
garded as a Canadian product, and so the
good work goes on. As Mr.. Grant re-
marked, ''This is interesting, and as Il
result, we have to change engines and be
careful in dong so that the machine does
not pass the chimney of the depot, which
marks the dividing line"
A duty of Toe Il ton is also exacted upon
the coal passing this way. The cars with
their contents are weighed by a sworn
scaler at Lethbridge and his statement
of the tonnage is accepted as correct. This
enables transportation to be made with
out delay, the officers at the line keeping
tally by the numbers that the cars bear.
The customs officials say they have a
soft snap" the Canadian representative
being occupied most Of this time in
making a still hunt for the bearers of
extract of corn. A detachment of the
mounted police are camped in the viclni-
ty to guard the line and to sample all of
the ire-water that is borne northward.
There are stations of the police at
every 25 miles along the boundary. There
are seven main barracks in the North
west Territory, and about seven hundred
men enlisted in the service. The duties
of the police are semi-military-to keep
watch over the Indians in the reserva-
tons and to quiet all disorders. Their
presence was very wholesome In the
Riel rebellion of 80, and since then there
has been nc disturbance. The police are
worthy young men and with their fez
caps on look like a cross between a
dandy and Il dude. Their pay is from
S12 a month the first year to 1876 the last,
with board and uniforms.
To the east of the boundary station
about 10 miles, are the beautiful Sweet
Grass hills-cluster of small mountains,
with three sharply defined buttes. These
hills afford rich pasturage for stock and
abound in silver and the precious metals
A spur, either from the Great Falls e.
Canada, or the Great Northern will .
enter the heart, of this region to bring its
treasures to the concentrutors and rein
cries of Great Falls.
Ten miles north of the boundary, the
Milk river is crossed. 1t is a wide stream
at this point and the whitisll-clay of its
bed is aptly suggestive of its name. The
country from here on is an undulating
prairie, covered with a thick growth of
gramma grass. Large numbers of men
are still busy surfacing the road, and
whenever a stop is made at their camp,
DIR. Rose is called into requisition. A
small percentase of the men are always
sick-the majority complaining of lum-
bago and optical troubles. The former
are given ready.prepared mustard plas-
tiers, and the latter a good dose of Col.
Sellers eye-water-- administered inter-
nally, eXternaliy-and eternally. AT IL
O'Clock at night, after several prolonged
stops, We arrive at our destination-201
miles from Great Falls.
Lethbridge is a busy and attractive
city. located on a handsome plateau, at the
edge OF the Belly river, and in clear sight
OF the great backbone of the continent.
The little metropolis has become of es-
peclal Importance to Great Falls, as the
superior product of its mines has enabled
1t 10 carry Goals to Newcastle in friendly
with Montana's own vast coal do
main. The city is about five years old
and has close to 1000 inhabitants. 1t is
laid out in rectangular blocks, with a
large public square in the business cen
The buildings are mostly of frame.
but there is scarcely q house in town that
Is not freshly painted and has n neat and
tidy appearance. This is Numerically
opposite to the mining camps of Penn
where the squalor, dinginess and
gloom are the predominant features of
10Th the people and the coal company'a
miserable shanties, At ethbridge there
S apparently IN interest in keering
everything in its most cheerful aspect.
Even the noble red man is arrayed in his
brightest and gaudiest colors.