The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-11
IN THE BIG HORN BASIN.
A Country Of Scenic and
Great Mineral Wealth.


Letter in Omaha Bee.
I have recently returned from a trip to
the Big Horn basin. My objective point
was the upper Shoshone river in the Big
adieu to the cars @yS at Red II Io sss 'n Montana's
great coal camp, and anchored In a wagon
which, through some process of a playful
and lively imagination, became one OF the
route lies in a southerly direction across
a mesa that rises high above the little city.
tensive view OF portions of Montana and
Wyoming, a dazzling picture, one OF ma
lures exquisite gems, with its Gordon of
mountain ranges. isolated peaks. sunlit val
leys, shining with silyery bands fringed
with great co~ttonwoods; in fact. a scene
none but a master nand should touch.
the bad lands, down a hill simultaneously,
then up another, and no sooner is the de-
scent of one accomplished than the ascent
OF another begins, and SO it continues
through niDe long weary miles. A piccadilly
tenderfoot, whose name has been lost in
the shuttle. was the head ana only engineer
but he will long live In local fame. as
Doestick's bosom friend, the illustrious
Damphool. Since passing over this t~ravesty
of a road another and far more direct one
has been completed by the public spirited
citizens of Red Lodge.
In the hills referred to runs a tiny stream
known as Bear creek, where the great
Great Creek coal mines are located. The
greater portion of the deposit is covered by
united states patent, anu OWucu ny q syn
dicate of Montana and Eastern capitalists.
Leaving the hills, we enter the Clark's
Fork valley, and reach the station on the
river of the same name, some fifteen miles
distant from Red Lodge.
A ride of some thirty-fve miles brings us
to the bridge which spans the Shoshone
river, where a postotice is established,
named Corbett. Up this stream to the Rat
tlesnake range of mountains and down TO
where it empties into the Big Horn river
are thousands upon thousands OF acres OF
the choicest bench lands to be found in
Wyoming, virgin soil possessing great pos
sibihties. This now seeming barren waste
come the home of thousands of prosperous
farmers. Stanch companies. with ample
financial resources, are taking out great
bitches and canals in order to reclaim these
vast tracts. The company at Lowell on the
lower Shoshone has about completed a
large ditch. while the preliminary work OF
others Is well under way.
During ten days sojourn / made head
quarters at the Shield ranch, on Cotton
wood creek, some seven miles above the
bridge. The present owners of this ranch
are Messrs. Horn and McFall, both ex-
soldiers, who lave turned their implements
of war into picks and shovels, with which
they are now uncovering some or Mother
Earth's hidden treasure.
Up the river and adjoining. the lower
placer claims are the Shoshone hot springs.
During our stay we learned that in the In
term the title had passed into the hands
of Col. w. F. Cody. If true, he is exceed
ingly fortunate in acquiring a resort in
SUCH d XIII picturesque dlQ AtiditN z
gion. The Shonshone canyon commences at
the hot springs. On the right bank a trail
has been cut for a distance Of four miles.
At the end of the trail the Box canyon OF
the Shoshone canyon appears in all it's aw-
full grandeur. A desire to employ adJec-
tives in profusion comes over me while
here presented-a scene that could not be
adequately portrayed by the pen of a Dante
or the pencil of a Dore. The Box canyon
deserves it's name. 1t appears like a huge
box set In the Shoshone canyon, and serv-
ing as the upper end Of the latter. It's
frowning walls OF granite rise p~erpendicu-
lar to. great height from the river bed,
While the waters seem as If in seething
caldrons in this fearful chasm, a mile in
length. At the lower end Of Box canyon
my guides nave discovered the source from
whence the gold in their placers comes.
Scaling the heights above the Custer. we
come to Observatory point, where can be
had a view unparalleled on the American
continent. No description will be attempt
ed, but instead a rough outline of what lies
below and beyond. At our feet the high
walls of the Box canyon mark the line be-
tween the peaceful river above and the
boiling and seething mass of waters below.
About half a mile above the canyon the
north and south forks of the Shoshone
unite. The north fork appears like a huge
silver ribbon studded with emeralds, the
innumerable islands resembling SO many
gems The valley grows smaller as the eye
in the west among the snow-capped peaks
of the Shoshone range. Between US and
the mountains are seen scattered along
what one of our trio unpoetically described
as mustard plasters," but in reality are
large and well-cultivated ranches. To the
right can be seen the mountains surround
Ing the great silver deposit Of the Sunlight
basin.
The view OF the south fork, stretching to
the left and we'll in front, shows the
ranches in greater numbers; long ribbons OF
green stretching from the mountain sides
and running to the rivers edge mark the
courses of dashing streams. Castle Rock.
self in the valley. away from it's brother
peaks, and appears to good advantage,
while the crags of the shawood and the
natural battlements on the eastern slope
give a charming effect to the scene. Fur
Their up the stream loses itself in a great
canyon, fanked by the five towering peaks
doing sentinel duty over the copper de-
posits of the SOUTH fork. while still beyond
Frauds peak looks down upon what is soon
destined to be one of the leading mining
camps on earth, but now only known to
local fame as the Wood river mining dis
= &C.,