The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-07-31
AN INTERESTING LETTER.
On Lake Pend d. OreiIle i'm Northern
Idaho.

Lake Pend d. Oreille lies in the
northern portion or pan handle OF
Idaho in the very heart of the Rocky
Mountains. Along it's northern shore
the Northern Pacific r. r. winds by
many gentle curves, there being in
many places just enough footing be-
tween the waters edge and the noun
tain to allow the construction OF a
track. From north to south the lake
is about twelve miles wide but be-
tween it's two most distant points
the distance is about sixty miles.
During the spring months there is
high water when the lake rises occa-
sionally 20 feet or more above its ordi-
nary level but throughout the summer,
fall and winter months the beaches
are gravelly, the water as clear as
crystal and short distance below the
surface but few degrees above the
freezing point. At depth of three
hundred feet the temperature at the
present time is 40 degrees f. which is
but degrees above the freezing
point. At the surface, however, the
temperature at present ranges near 70
degrees. The water is soft and pure,
coming mainly from the melting
SHOWS which run through swift noun
tain streams over volcanic rocks and
consequently absorb very little min
eral matter. There is very little
aquatic vegetation and the animal
life of the water, other than the
fishes, consists of very small, almost
transparent crustoceans which are
scarcely ever noticed unless sought
for with tow net.
The entire lake is surrounded with
mountains, some of them so steep
that it is almost impossible to scale
them and some so high as to be snow
capped during the greater part of the
the year. Evidence of glacial action
is everywhere abundant in the eroded
sides of the mountains, and the pres
ence of boulders which are foreign to
the rocks upon which they rest. The
formations of these mountains is typi-
cal, being mainly metamorphic, but
showing in many places evidence of
great fitting and folding and occasion
ally the presence of veins in which
valuable metals are found.
If asked to name the natural re-
sources of the country one might ans
wer that there were none when COM
pared with Minnesota yet this would
not be exactly correct for it is claimed
that considerable gold, copper and sill
yer can be taken from the mountains
if enough capital is put in to mine it.
The ore is not of such nature that
1T can be pro6tably mined by few
men and small amount of capital.
The little town of Hope was estab-
lished by the Northern Pacific r. r.
as the end of the divisions which meet
there and it depends entirely on the
railroad for it's support Wherever
there is valley or level spot of land
covered with soil ranchers have set
tied, but these spots are so few and
far apart that the ranches are scatter
ing. At present there is little to be
made at ranching, provided suitable
spot is found, for there is very little
market for the produce. A few fami-
lies living on the same side of the
lake as the town sell milk, butter,
eggs and poultry, but those living
across the lake are too far away for
this to become profitable business.
Cattle do well in the summer time
but during the winter there are heavy