The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-28
MANY FUNNY THINGS
Seen by the Cross Country BIZ
cycle Travellers.
NEARING YELLOWSTONE PARK.
The Trip or Baocock and Turner From
spokane, Through the Crur
d'Alenes, 10 Butte.

Prof. 1sscock and his companion. A. L.
Bette June 2. on their bicycle trip across
the country 20 Bostoa. and his second
letter describing abe ride IL published
herewith. HIS first letter was mailed from
Spokane. and this ore tells In an intsr-
eztirz way the experiences OF the two
whseimea from that city. over mountain
roads ard across praiTiss. 20 Butte. The
letter follows.
Al 4.se a n, June Is accompanied by
q tandem aad several wheels, we left Spo-
kane. where ws had been enjoying our
tao days rest We had been informed
that IL was impossible for wagons or
horses 20 90 around Lake Occur a. AleRe
through Fourth OF July canyon On account
az high water. so we headed for Occur
c'Aleae City. 70 take the steamer across
the lake. The distance from Spokane Is
th.-ty-five miles by our meters. and as
We feared TO miss the boat. we sped along
at a hfteen-mile pace over excellent roads
We passed two wheelmsn on the way.
one al Episcopal minister. with the skirts
OF his clerical coat pinned up out OF the
way. pecaling along 20 attend an oraina-
ton service and the other wheelnan, n
sergeant OF Infantry. The appearance OF
the latter. pumping up his tires In the
shade. was the first indication that we
were In the vicinity OF Fort Sherman, a
most beautiful post. established In ISIS
on thu shores OF the lake. A few miles
farther on we wheeled across the parade
ground. past the whits-gloyed guard. AID
down 10 the steamer landing, thirty min
utes ahead OF time, with plenty OF oppor-
turity 20 take few snap shots ct points
OF interest in the vicinity.
The steamer. Georgia Oaks, makes the
sixty-mlle run 70 Old Mission. across one
OF the most charming sheets OF water In
the West Its beauties are something be-
tween those OF Lake Washington and
Lake Crescent, ard ! am told by those
who know, that fl much resembles Lake
George IN Its surroundings. on 10 the
north the captain pointed out tho chute
where the famous swimmer, Capt. Webb.
lost his life a year or two ago, while
making the descent In barrel Before
reaching Old Mission we went up the
river about twenty miles. the steamer oc-
casfonally running her nose into the bank
20 allow some rancher 10 get his supplies
from town. We enjoyed the ride exceed
ingiy. the more. perhaps. because we could
not see on our map any other place
where we would have any reasonable ex-
cuse for abandoning our wheels and pat
ronlzing the transportation companies.
Old Mission IS marked in our journals
as being noted for one church and millions
OF mosquitoes The old church. long since
passed into disuse. is picturesque old
structure. II was built by the Jesuits
under Father Ravalli IN is4s. as an Indian
mission. At that time nails In that sec
ton cost $40 a keg. and this structure
was made without them. wooden pegs
holding the posts together. Father Rayalh
was remarkable man, and his life Is
closely interviewer with the history or the
Occur d'Alenes. He had fitted himself es-
pecialiy for pioneer work, being skilled
mechanic as we'll as 4 doctor OF medicine.
While we were taking photograph OF
the building. a quaint old man. the guard
an of the place. came from a cabin near
by and unlocked the creaklng doors that
we might get a view OF the interior. TO
me there is always something or awe in
an old religious edifee Ike this. not TO
be found In some OF cur modern and more
elegant structures, and as We viewed the
weather-stafned walls and ceiling, oar
minds were busy with thoughts OF the
zeal OF those who had undergone priva-
lions SniN hardships to carry their creed
10 the remote parts OF the earth.
Our road from Ola Mission TO wallace
was over a very rough mountain road. and
n was late I'm the evening when we
reached the hotel Wallace is busy little
mining town. entirely shut in b. noun
fairs. IN fact, Il seems 20 be located in
lStN4E plEhNA nan a. ASAf7 ~ 9a-s ~
from the center OF the town. and you
might imagine yourself entirely away
from civilization. so hidden IS the place
Leaving Wallace we climbed over the
divide az the Bitter Root range. 1850 feet
high. where we found considerable snow.
and INDUCED In a little winter spot Just
70 see how IL would seem. The railroad
makes over the divide BY means OF
switchback, and in order 20 save six
miles travel We crossed from one leg OF
the swltchback 20 the next. This necessi-
tated climbing by a rough tran up n
quarter mile Of very steep grade. We
tried pushing the wheels. bat IL wouldn't
work, and finally IN sheer desperation We
put the bicycles over our shoulders and
packed the forty-nve pounds OF clumsy
baggage up 10 the next track. IL took an
hour OF hard work. Another time we shan
take the longer way around.
Going down the grade wa found the
track fairly we'll balisstea. and reached
Saltese. a city consisting Of section
house and combined hotel and saloon.
There Is cemetery here. the population
et which numbers an even dozen. and not
ore natural death has occurred in the
place: an occasional railroad accident. or
dispute between miners has served 20
make the town more dead than alive.
Hitting the lies.
Wagon road. bat the water was so high
that We we're compelled 20 keep to the
railroad track as far as Iron Mountain.
Across fhs roaring waters % Clark's Ford
W. coaI4 see az excellent wagon ROAD
winding along the river bank. bat no
ferry could be found and W. had 70 make
TIE hess ~ Il and hlt ties for twenty miles.
From Iron Mountain. where We crossed by
= bridge. Ne found TIA raaas excellent
where they wcra NOT under water. In
facl. al - the Montana roads. except fer
some steep grades ana irrigation bitches,
are excellent Ger wheeling Net far from
Superior ve had 70 leave tae main road
and take 20 the ola Mulian tran fer seven
miles IN order 70 reach Giover's ranch
seven o. the worst miles we have found.
! understand tnaf Gen. Nalian. VINO pro
fectea The road FOR the government IN
ISL e stll alive That Is not surprising
a. al. Ger man wno could batl8 q road
where Re dt3 miEht easilv live forever.
lie VAS amhltoCs IN is road building. ana
n some instances went hesvenwaTd three
miles ~ q sfrstea on a - Der cent grade.
We could scarcely Eet our wheels ID. and
csula rot r.as dswn. ] an told that TIE
NaIIan roA6 reaches fren Fort Bensoa
20 Spokane. that All ire work VAS done hy
tfuitra states soldiers and thaf - pr
cent Of the appropriation was returned
70 ths government Several times Va
wished tasy had used mere - il o. TIE
ras3.
Through Montana
ne next cay we reached Missovla. AFTER
a asty-two sane run evsr Eoe3 roads. with
occasional hard grades. The view RlsEE
s-lsrxs Fork from sSUse of ere aiEher
pants - superb. An1 We totfere1 A greAs
deal during the HAv. TIE hills les are