Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1893-07-29
MONTANA LETTER.
G. ID. C's. Wanderings-Mard Times
Etc,
HELENA, Montana, July 70.

En- TIMKs:-In perusing the links
and other papers from the sage brush
State l am led to believe that my
last letter was somewhat apprecia-
ted as notice many extracts copied
from it. Having few moments
leisure this evening l will drop you
a short communication, giving a de-
scription OF my journey from Butte
to the present capital of Nevada's
sister State, Montana.
Helena is reached from Butte by
three different roads, the Montana
Union, Northern Pacific and Great
Northern, the latter being the most
direct route. 1t would require an
artist to picture the scenery on this
route going from the western to the
eastern side of the grand old Rockies.
After living in Butte year, and
seeing nothing in the way of vegeta-
tin, except what is confined in hot
houses, to crawl up the mountains
all covered with timber and whiz
through small canyons down each
of which flows a mountain stream
filled with speckled trout, is like a
bird being released from a cage.
After leaving Butte the first town OF
note that you come to is Boulder, the
county seat of Jefferson county. 1t
is in this vicinity that Seth Longa-
baugh has his mining interests, and
which promise to become of some
note in the near future. Boulder is
very picturesque town, situated
on the Boulder river, mountains on
each side, and containing about $500
inhabitants. 1t has some very fine
buildings, built on substantial plan,
showing it to have foundation. 1t
was in the race at the last election
for the capital but only succeeded in
getting fourth place. On leaving
Boulder, travelling over low foot
hills, you gaze on beautiful valley,
which contributes largely to the sup
port of Jefferson county. On the
east side of the mountains, across
the valley, may be seen thousands of
feet of cord wood ready for shipment
to Montana's principal cities. High
err up the mountains you come to the
famous Wick's tunnel. 1t is some
thing over $500 feet in length and
cost thousands of dollars. At the
mouth of the tunnel we come to the
town of Wicks, at one time one Of
the most thriving towns in Montana,
but today depending on its support
from the wages eff less than 200 hun
dred miners. 1t is a pity to see the
costly machinery and many dwell
ings idle and untenanted. 1t would
remind you of times in Nevada. Five
miles from Wicks we come to the
town of Jefferson, very pretty lit
tie place of about 500 inhabitants.
1t is here the Northern Pacific and
Great Northern roads come together
and run side by side into Helena. On
each side of the tracks can be seen
large patches of hay and other farm
produce for which Montana is getting
great note. Our next place of any
consequence is East Helena, where
the smelters for reducing the ores
from the mines about Helena are To-
Gated. They are the principal sup
port of the place. There are a few
small placer diggings and one piece
of property called the Spokane
Ranch, owned by Spokane syndi-
cate. 1t is principally given to rails
ing hay and grain. The buildings
in the town are built of stone and
brick. Four miles in a direct west
erly course we arrive in the city of
II elena, noted in the history of this
country as being the richest city, ac-
cording to its population, of any in
America. Its buildings, both bust
ness and private, are great speci-
mems of architecture, built entirely
of brick, stone and iron. Its streets
are we'll paved and are traversed in
all directions by electric cars. 1t il
also we'll provided with places of
amusement, having large theater,
Ming's Opera House, the Auditorium,
capable of seating 5000 people, and
the Natatorium Broadwater, the
greatest swimming bath in the
world. The Natatorium and Broad
water Hotel are situated ubout three
and one-half miles from Helena, con-
nected by a nice drive and electric
cars. The hotel is noted for having
had some of Kurope's nobility as its
guests. Helena is the principal city
after leaving st. Paul on the way to
the National Park, and almost every
tourist stops over and visits the
Broadwater. Amongst the Nevada
people whom have met here is Mr..
p. S. Washburn, formerly of Sutro.
Wash has resigned single blessed
ness and taken unto himself better
half. He is comfortably fixed, has
been a member of the City Council,
and is highly esteemed. 1t may be