, 1890-04-17
Flying Visit to the Golden
Hearted Mountains.
THE GRANDEUR OF THE SCENERY
Cpur d'Alene City and It's Growth
-Glimpsos Of Fort
sherman.

train from Spokane Falls over tho
lines of the Northern Pacific to
Cpur dAlcnc city, The road
traverses the valley OF the Spokane
aver ailording a pleasing vista of roll
ing, peak like foothills; the young grass
is green upon the open slopes, the
distant hills lie purple In the morning
sunlight and upon the loticr peaks the
dazzling whiteness Of tho lingering snow
affords not unpleasing contrast to the
prevailing tones of paln green and dark
blue.
The smol,ing-car Thursday morning
was crowded when the train rolled
slowly out toward the rich mines oi the
CUur d. Alenes.
An Indian family, consisting of "A
lazy buck, middlc-aged squaw,
whose beauty would scarcely turn
the head of a spokane gallant,
a thIck-lipped, open -mouthed youth of
some 10 summers, and a copper-hucd
infant OF tho gcntler sex, whose bead
like eyes peoped boldly out from the
blankets in which il was swathcd upon
the back of its maternal perambulator,
came aboard Just as the train pulled out
from the station. only one seat re-
mained in the car narrow ono near
the stove, in cornor This the lord Of
the rowing household Immediately ap-
propfiatod to his individual comfort,
while the sguaw, after yaiuly waiting "a
few moments for some Chiyalrous heart
to soften and yield her a scat stoicully
drew her clingiug dIapery of Brilliant
hue about her classic form and sat upon
the door with grilnt that ought to have
touched tho hearts ol every man In the
car, but winch fell upon needless ears
and selfish hearts.
v1w4gp THIS CGuB pALENEs,
With a clatter and roar the train
went dashing up the valley, toward the
golden heart of the Cmur a. Alonos,
through many u rolling park of nature,
past herds of sleek cattle grazing upon
the young herbage, and by the rolling
fields of prosperous ranches.
a tone OF sOficncd blue lends an air OF
onChantment to the passing landscape.
We hear the clear ring OF the woods
mans axe, and behold the blue curl of
ascending smoke from an occasional log
iiro where some industrious runCher Is
clearing away the forest. little later
aud our train dashcs into the prosper
Gus young city of Post Falls. A momen
tary stop, and we are speeding onward,
and soon we are catching occasional
glimpscs OF the blue lake, rejecting in
tho distance the clear dome of the
heavens.
81 The town of CWur d'Alenc, with
population OF about I0O or SOO, occupies
a beautiful site, upon tHo shore OF thu
lake bearing the same name II spraug
into existence with the discoV cry Of
gold in the CWur d'Alcne mountains,
and to-day enjoys prosperous exist
ence.
From almost any part of the town
fine prospect may be had Of the lake, one
OF the most be0utifuld bodies of inland
water III the whole world. Tins lovely
mountain gem has an aycGrgc width Of
about two miles, and extends for u DIS
tauco of some thirty miles In the very
heart of the CWur a. Alencs. II IS
hemmed in by low range Of wooded
mountains, upon which traces stlll
linger of the deep SHOWS OF winter.
Upon n calm and Cloudlcss summer
day Lake CWur d' Aleno presents pic
turc of natural hcauty that appeals at
once to mans sentiment Of luyolinCss
and poetic fancy. From this point II
bears close resemblance to some shcl
tered bay along he coast Of Oregon, or
wing or arm Of Puget sound, wiih the
distinction that its iorvst-clnd shores are
free of underbrush To-day q stiil gallo
is rolling in from the southwest and the
lake is dotted with whitcCapa The sun
shines only az intervals, and In Couso-
quenCe the lake Is lnoking In that soft
ness of view which charaCtGrises II upon
"a sun day in summer.
The town BOASTS Of one OF the neatcst
weekly papers chat Is printedt in the
Northwest conducted and edited by
Messrs. G. A. Curtin and Harry Dron-
son.
FoNr SHERMAN.
A pleasant walk Of half mile down
the shore of the lake, along q natural
roadway and through a scattered grove
of tall pinos, brings the visitor TO Fort
Sherman, with GoueraI Carlin as com
mandng officer. The post is cortg.nly
one oC tho most beautiful sites IN the
whole United States. II is u natural pa
rado ground free from the mud Of win
ter and tho duBt of summer. The bar
racks hospital. etc, and the pleasant
homes OF the officers are shell
tered from Wintry winds and sum
OF shapoly pines. Tho voice of the wind |
rushing through the waving branches Of
these stately trees has u rcstful tone that
IS delightMlly reflected in the air OF
uuictudo that prevails about the post. /
Although IL Is pay day at the fort, and |
the grounds are characterized by OK
Ceptuual life, the environment stems |
strangely quiet and peaceful when con
trasted with that rush and activity for
which Spokane Falls has become noted |
The site for this post was selected by
General sherman, in 1877. The old hero
was 50 charmed by the natural beauty
of tho spot that hc oiien eSpresscs 4
wish that he might be enabled to build
him a summer villa In this vicinity, |
upon the shore OF the decp blue lake,
In 1870 the post was established
though for many Velrs IL
was known as Fort Ctnur II Alcnc. At
present four companies oil infantry ai.d
one troop of cavalry are stationed here,
in all about 100 men. The officers, from
tho dignilied General Carlin, who Is so
well and iayonbly known in Spokane
Fails, down to the latest arrived from
West Point, are as agreeable and hos
uitable q collection of gentle
men as ono could wish to fEd in
the entire country.
TIN "cNgTEES."
The writer is particularly under obli
cations 10 Captain }. W. Bubb. through
whose courtesy he WAS enabled to gain
AN interesting insight into army life.
Captain Bubb has charge of the Can
teen" u now feature In army regulations,
which has pruYcl OF ueclhed advantage
to the men. This ga ntoonn supplies
the troops with lunch, tobacco, ETC.. at
about onc.helf the price that
would bo charged elsewhere.
For instance, cigar that
costs 4 cents is retaiied at .; q paper oil
oipnrctts costii{ cents at the same figure
Milwaukee and 81. Louis beer is sold nj
o cents a glass. and an excellent quality
Of sherry Is sold ior the same price. For
10 cents a good lunch with cup oil hot
coffee can be had. Although the