Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-05-21
A Beautiful Country.

Hon. W. D. Hill of Defiance was in the
city Friday looking after some law business
and talking up his western colony scheme.
Mr.. Hill intends moving with his family to
the Flathead Valley within the next year.
The following description of this beautiful
valley is taken from the Kalispell Netcs, of
April Goth:
One can form no conception of the beau
ties of this valley, of its sublime and lofty
mountains, with their evergreen slopes, bold
and rugged buttes, deep crevasses, gorgeous
canyons and snow capped peaks; its lovely
valleys with their carpeting of green and
numerous bed of wild flowers of sweet
fragrance and endless variety; its hundreds
of lakes of all sizes, found terraced on the
mountain sides, in the heart of the valley,
or hid in some lonely copse of wood or for est;
its beautiful winding navigable rivers with
their numerous feeders of creeks and springs;
its large tracts of dense forests of pine, fir,
tamarack and cedar; its large and fertile
agricultural regions, its large and valuable
banks of coal; its mineral and oil regions its
thriving, booming towns and its happy, pros
porous people, from the pen pictures sketched
by the hands of men. or the glowing tales
told by the travellers who have visited it. 1t
must be seen to be appreciated, and like a
| great artists paintings, it must be studied to
bring out the hundreds of beauties that lie
hidden in the background. After leaving
Ravalli, and the ascent of the hill is reached,
the travellers eye is met by large and level
tract of prairie, intersected by numerous
creeks, lying to the left. which he crosses to
reach Flathead lake. As his eye wanders to
the right he beholds that lovely range of
mountains known as the mission Range"
| and his thoughts are lost among their rugged
beauties until he reaches the lake. Here he
boards the steamer "Tom Garter" for up
lake and river. He sits at one of the cabin
windows while the little boat is leaving the
landing, and looks out upon the surrounding
country. He does not sit long, but soon be-
comes impatient, and next we find him on
deck gazing down at the fish in the crystal,
| transparent water of the lake. He is sur
prlsed when told of the great depth his vision
will penetrate, and of the unfathomable depth
of certain parts of this inter-mountain body
of water. He Is next startled by splash of
water and "quack," as flock of ducks that
the boat has raised pass overhead. They are
not passed long until flock or two of geese
have been seen. He once more turns his at
| tention to the magnificent scenery that sur
rounds the lake, when suddenly his eye meets
a spectral vision at some distance ahead on
the waters. He rushes to the pilot of the
boat and borrows isfield glass, guages it to
correspond with his vision, and is wrapped
phantom to be flock of about 150 wild swan
that inhabit the lake. He returns the field
glass to the pilot with the customary thanks
and the expression: "What a lot of game a
fellow sees up here when he hasn't got a
gum" The remainder of time used in cross
ing the lake is occupied by his mind in de-
termining upon the localities of the shores,
where the future great summer resort o1
Montana will be built. The boat is now
leaving the lake and entering the river. He
views this point with interest and turns his
attention to the winding banks of the river
and their beautiful fringing of timber or
each side. The remainder of this trip il
spent in viewing the ranches, rancher's cab
ins and the landings along the shores, and he
is lost in admiration and praise of what he
chooses to all (not improperly named) tht
Garden of Eden of Montana. After reach
ing his destination he holds long consulta
tions with the real estate men and ranchers
and learns of the vast resources, the brIgh
and promising future of this valley, and he i
left by the wayside wondering which town will
be the metropolis of this Ell Dorado of th'
west.