The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-03
road to the point where We found tho train
which had left US at the lake tho same

road to the point whore VIC found tho train
morning,
l have bean following tho main limo TIL
ws got on the Cmur d'AIene branch, and must
now turn back a little md notice briefly
other branch roads that We passed over.
The Paiouse branch leaves tho main line at
Marshall junction, before reaching spo-
zane, and runs through very rich farm
over this Washington and Great North.
company from Spokane, to the Little
G G.nss, on t ti".. uRpRSs's PRE- Go, oo1u .nbn.o, near %;,h the
line OF steamers which runs from tho Little
Dalles up q. high a. the crossing of the Ca
madam Pacific railway. This road passes
through the Colvills valley, in which Is To-
Gated the old fort Of that name.
Leaving the cutoff" at Hauser junction
We are soon at Miaaoula. Q thriving city
now Of $500 population. Missoula 10 SIT
has "a good water power. The city has two
newspape O., three banks and a number of
large | uainegs hoasea.
From Missoula we ran mp the Deer Lodge
valley and soon pass through the rim of
the Rocky Mountains through a long tun-
mel and our next stop is at Helena. the cap
ital Of the state Of Montana, which has n
population of over 5000. The city has six
national banks and one savings bank.
three daily and five weekly newspapers.
fine public schools and a number Of
churches. When | passed hare ten yea 8
ago mines of gold were being worked in
the streets, the city being located in the old
mining Rulch, but gulch no more. The
whole Is. now covered with blocks Of mag
niticent buildings of brick and stone that
would do credit to any city, and it may truly
be said they are constructed upon u bed of
gold, for millions have been taken out of
that old gulch, and probably millions will
ever remain buried beneath the buildings
how standing over where many q miner
tolled in washing out the precious metal.
Helena is surrounded by a fine stock coun-
try, and many rich mines are being worked
on mountains near. TIL city has n fine
sewerage system, upon which $500 900
have already been expended. She also has
eighteen miles of electric, steam and horse
every a a furnishing city, although
but a few miles eighteen, | think)
from the summit of tie Rocky mountains.
Among the attractions are the celebrated
hot springs, located bnt two and one-half
miles from the city, n connected the O.
with by electric railway. Here is q mag
ni1icent hotel called the Broadwater, after
the builder and owner. and one of the larR-
eat and finest swimming baths in the world.
Among the incidents Of our trip WAS a
cloud-burst on the Yellowstone river. 1t
was a terrific thunder and lightning storm,
and the rain poured in torFents-rather an
unusual thing in the section we were in.
This was in the night, and the next morn
ing found our train tiled up" at Forsythe,
with washouts in front and behind us. Ten
miles ahead tho bank OF the Yellowstone
had bscn softened by the rain. SO that when
tho west bound passenger train passed over
that section the sleeper, which was the real
Ca, left the train and slid down the bank
and into the river. Here the bank is about
ten feet high and worry steep. There were
sixteen persons in the car, none of whom
was seriously hurt, but all were ~thoaougiy
soaked and some scratched up pretty badly.
Tho water came halfway up the car win.
dows. Had the car turned over hardly Il
soul would have been saved. Murphy, the
great Temperance lecturer, had his nose
broken and was badly scratched. He was
in his element for once. out looked az
though he had come out of a big row when
lie got out of the car, and had been under
other inhuences.-J. e., in San Francisco
Bulletin.