The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-09-28

lakes, for we find beauty In a plOwed
field and fields of waving grain with an
occasional bunch of woodland, house.
then a one-story shanty, stable and
corral Of the farmer These little farms
of green. black and yellow. which rep
resent the grain. the meadow and the
plowed land. are interesting to us, and
| even the black natural soil Is not the
least attractive element of beauty.
For fifty miles westward, through
eight thriving and hustling towns in
Cheyenne valley, we find the rich dark
vegetable loan which characterizes the
Red River valley, when we enter the
| undulating prairie of the James River
| valley, at jamestown. The farmers, In
speaking of the excellence of their OPP
| portunities, say that they do not suffer
materially either in wet or dry seasons.
| Their farms lie high enough to be Sc
cure from the overflow of the Red and
Cheyenne rivers. At jamestown we en-
| ter rich agricultural region which Is
equally adapted to wheat raising and
| stock growing. 1t is claimed nineteen
| twentieths of this county Is under
| cultivation and pasturage.
Our stay at jamestown was interest
| ing and instructive. 1t Is the CONNER
cial center of stock and wheat ralsers
for an extensive region OF country,
traversed by the three railroads which
center here. 1t Is an active, growing
town OF 1000 population located on a
high. dry plateau, surrounded by ranges
of sloping hills. The country between
the valleys of the James and Missouri
rivers is a high, rolling plateau; the
general elevation above these two
streams is about 400 feet. 1t Is called
the Coteaux, an open prairie with an
occasional plat of timber on the shores
of the lakes, with no streams, the
drainage all going into lakes and ponds.
This Is a stock raising and wool grow
| ing district. The soil along Is about
two feet deep, with a clay sub-soil or
eighteen feet. Before reaching the Mis-
souri, river the country begins to dip.
and at Bismarck we cross the Missouri
river and enter the valley Of the Heart
river.
The Capital of Dakota.
Bismarck Is the capital of Dakota.
with a population Of 4,5O0. Its geo.
graphical position Is scarcely inferior
to that of any city between the Attain
tic and Pacific oceans. 1t Is situated
on the east side of the Missouri river,
which, with its tributaries. gives 2,0Oo
miles of navigable water above to the
north and westward, and about the
same extent to the south eastward TO
st. Louis Its elevation Is 1,69O feet
| ABOVE sea lever. us 10 ohN ~
the finest on the great river, and the
place has become, and will always re-
main. the center of steamboat naviga-
ton in the northwest. The government
has recognized its importance by max
| ing 1t port of entry. The United states
signal office, United States Marine hos
pital and United States court have also
been established here.
The great bridge over. the Missouri
nd
approaches over a mile. 1t Is built or
iron and Is 40 feet above the river.
The eastern approach is exactly two
miles in length, and the west approach
| Is G, 900 feet, with a down grade of fifty-
two feet to the mile. This Is wonder
full structure of trusses, piers, girders
and cords of steel and iron, costing up
ward of a million dollars. and univer-
sally regarded as q fine piece or en-
gineering skill. The Missouri river
yellow and mighty it is-fiows SOUTH
ward with a strong current. The town
Is remarkable for it's healthy situa-
tton, upon the high bluffs of the river,
with ample drainage. The eXpanse OF
the country is noted for its productive
| ness, the soil being capable of produc-
ing everything necessary for the sub
| sistence of large population. The
city has handsome public buildings.
The elevators and rolling mills are
among the conspicuous structures. An
eminence of easy ascent within the
city limits Is Capitol Hill, whose sum-
nit ,s soon to be crowned with state
buildings of imposing architecture.
In q Curious Museum.
Across the river from Bismarck lies
Mandan. This region used to be the
hunting ground of the Mandan Indians.
| n,tt off nt fbic OF n tinf, wander
into the wonderful Curio museum.
where the owl. the eagle. the American
lion and grizzly bear are found. Here
are specimens of exQuisitely decorated
pottery, which had been dug from
bluffs two miles from iMandan at the
heart of the Missouri and Heart rivers.
Here are the remains of n mysterious
people. for whom the students nave not
been able to account. They show a
knowledge of art which certainly was
not possessed by the American Indians
as we have known them. The ceme-
terry of this gigantic race covers about
100 acres. This vast city of the dead
Is filed with trenches piled full of dead
bodies, both man and beast, and COW
cred with several feet of earth. In
many places the mounds are eight to
ten feet high and some of them 100 feet
or more In length. and when uncov-
cred are found to be filled with bones.
broken pottery of dark material. and
vases of various bright colored flints
and agates. This has evidently been
an ancient battle field where thousands
of men and horses have fallen. The In
dams deny all knowledge of the
mounds. Who are these people and
from whence did they come and how
long have their bones and remains lain
here is a question which readily sug-
gests itself.
Fort Lincoln.
Five miles southwest is Fort Abra-
ham Lincoln, its white walls being
prominent on the high bluffs of the Mis-
souri,. 1t is now abandoned. 1t was
attacked on five different occasions dur
ing the years 1872 and 1878 by the
Sioux and repulsed with great loss to
the Indians. The gallant and Inflated
General George A. Custer passed the
last two years of his life at this post
and from this post he led the expedi-
tion against Sioux that terminated in
the battle of the Little Big Horn. on
June %, 1870, where he and a large
number of his officers and men lost
their lives.
Two iron bridges over the Heart river
give easy access to the fort and the
rich valleys of Custer and Little
Heart respectively. At Mandan we
make another change of time from
Central to Mountain time, dating back
out watches one hour. Here is the ter
minus of the Dakota division of the
Northern Pacific Railroad and the be-
ginning of the Missouri division.
Missouri Division.
After leaving Mandan the railroad
passes Through the fertile valley of the
Heart river, where exists the famous
prairie dog. at Marmot, a prairie viii
iage existed before the railroad APP
| neared "a nd az the train advances west