The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-06-26

intervals in the broad level stretches Of
the bottoms Then the rosd cuts through
. low grassy ridge in the center Of the
valley and the train enters the thriving
town OF Kaiispsii, In the heart Of tie
valley. the division headquafterA
On leaving Kaiispell the road - soon
range Of the Rockies, running mp Ashley
among the Bitter Root mountains. . parallel
creek. I, first climbs through green.
broken hills, from which the rocks crop
ons here and there and where scattered
pines find . scansy subsistence. The hills
grow more craexy across the valley. which
10 being punched between them, they b.
come sleeper and more lofty and are nov
clothed with pines OF good sire. The
crags arc peering right into the car vim
dow few miles further on and the creek -
deep down ia the chasm IL has cut through
the mountains. The way now lies through
great eiefts in the rocks and over . series
Of high bridges over tributary streams to
Bitter Root lake. close to the summit,
which feeds the river. A dive through
the Haskell pass tunnel and the train 10
descending Fisher river between high
wooden mountains into an open country
called Pleasant valley, in which 10 string
into the edge Of the mountains and after
climbing for three miles runs down IN
easy grade to the Kootenai river ct Jen-
nings. The great canyon OF the kootenai
Is followed through great rock cuts and
between high wooded mountains - far 40
Bonner's Ferry. from which the connect
ing steamers run up 20 the SLOGAN country.
Another easy climb brings the road to the
&~,x g 81 1 n
TO and through swampy country covered
with heavy cedar forests to the waters OF
the Pend d'Orielie. The deep canyon of
this river is followed past lofty, forest
clad mountains for several miles until ills
crossed by . high bridge springing from
rock to rock. with . rocky islet for the CEN
ter pier at Albany Falls, where the river
leaps with deafening roar from great
ledge Of rock. The south bank Of the
river is followed to Newport on the state
line between Washington and Idaho; then
after cutting across the plain the road
strikes into the canyon Of the Little Spo-
kane river at Scotia It passes Diamond
lake. pretty little body Of water. at
Milap, and at Chattaroy leaves tho canyon
and runs over the plain. dotted with black
volcanic rocks and Jack pines and bright
ened by prairie flowers. TO Spokane. the
metropolis of Eastern Washington. where
it runs to the Union depot. Spokane is
one of the most delightful cities in the
country, with broad level streets, for
which the rock whereon it is built forms
natural pavement 1t has stately build
iDgs. from the upper stories of which one
can look down AZ the chief source Of its
pride and wealth. the great falls of the
Spokane river, where the water shoots in
smooth green torrent over natural
shelves. to dash itself into white foam in
its race to the sea.
From Spokane the Great Northern trains
run over the tracks of the Seattle. Lake
Shore d. Eastern road through the city,
along the edge of the gorge and over .
high bridgs to the left bank Of the river,
where they reach their own track again.
The road runs down the river through
scattered woods. mountains closing the
view to the north. The valley gradually
widens. the banks grow lower, but perpen-
dicular bluffs rise above the road to the
left until 1t crosses the gorge on another
high bridge. The hills are now looking
down on q broad park-iike valley with tho
river winding through it and mountains
at least 1000 feet high beyond, but it soon
closes up again and the opposite bank be-
comes a wall of rock. The road climbs to
the gently slopinS plateau, in which piles
OF rock crop out above the soil, but the
plain soon settles down to the level, and
great huftes no longer mar the landscape,
and sleek cattle and fields Of young wheat
are the chief features Of the country, with
farm houses at frequent intervals. This
Is the scene on past the Medica, Lake in
sane asylum. where the trees are fewer
and finally disappear and the road enters
treeiess but rich rolling agricultural
country along Crab creek. Here and there
along the creek ciumps Of timber relieve
the eye, while the hills arc either sown
with wheat or serve for pasture TO nerds Of
cattle or horses. Fifty mile. west Of Spo-
kane is Harrington. q budding town,
where the people were raising q liberty
pole in readiness for the Fourth Of July.
We go on through the great plain
of the Big Bend until rocks begin
TO crop ont Of the banks Of tho creek.
grass gives place to sagebrush and the
land looks bare and sandy. In places q
rock rises at the side of the sink so regu-
larry that it might be . wall built by man.
Crab creek becomes bigger stream after
having mt time, been lost in the bottoms.
The road swings Off into the side of the
sink between higher and more rugged
cliffs. deeply scanned and with a reddish
color like rust. The creek is full to it's
banks and converts the narrow meadows
skir'ing 1t into swamp frightened by
blue. yellow and mink field flowers and
dog roses and the deep green of the PUSHES.
Tho road passes under great cliff 100
feet high and across broad swamp COW
cred with rusnes. then onward between
tcrraced cliffs of volcanic rock, sagebrush
covering the higher land, until Wilson
creek station Is reached. Hero a heavy
engine IS taken on to 10 the heavy climb
ing ahead. After a while the nakedness
OF the rocks is more hidden by grass and
sacehrush. then the creek widens into a
lake and the ridges in the west (rurple in
the distance with n bare face OF rock of n
lighter huel rise higher. while the land
close ahead spreads out in a wider main.
Then the hitis To the south disappear and
those 10 the northwest slope more cradu-
ally anti the road IS traversing SEEM
!ngiy iimiiiess plain strewn with rocks
and bouidcTs, which show up wildly amid
the s;eS!y green Of the sagehrush. other
weeds and the half-staryed grass, a little
Wild mustard furnishing welcome variety
81 color. Then the hills in the distance dron
down again to the level at the plain. lodges
again raise their heads above the general
level and the couniry becomes a rolling
prairie Now the whole range of the Cas-.
csdes comes into view on the western
horizon To the no-tawest are iacred
peaks sh!tened with snow and the uneven
crest OF the mountains stretches to the
south Ns~l and nnaf}v xa,sshnx a.. 81. A.: