The Dickinson press., 1896-07-18
Western Letter.

Dickinson and the green prairies |
of Western North Dakota were left |
behind July l, and we turned our
faces toward the everlasting hills |
and the setting sun. Many seemed
to be like minded, at any rate the
couches were more than comfortably
full. AS far as Medora we had the
company of Dickinson friends and
scarcely realized that we had left
home behind. We heard as usual
the unsuspecting traveller told that
''petrified Charlie was on his right"
pressed concerning Medora and its
early history because of the reports
of the death of the gallant Marquis
de Mores.
Medora passed, nothing but prairie
dog towns enlivened the view for a
long space and all realized how very,
very warm it was.
The valley of the Yellowstone. for
which so much is claimed by Mon.
tana people and which is at times
so exceedingly picturesque with its
boundary walls far to the right and
left assuming the shape of castle,
turret and tower, it does not as a
whole meet the expectations of the
tourist. Trees fringe the river
banks but aside from these, the
prairies are dry and bare and look as
brown as our own much later in the
season. The grass too appears thin.
Since Eastern Montana ships so
much stock, there must be grazing
somewhere; but from the train her
prairies do not compare at all favor
ably at this time of year with those
of Stark county.
Near Miles City where irrigation
is practised to a limited extent,
things look better.
Billings was reached in the early
evening. 1t is large prosperous
town and looked quite citified with
it's electric lights after the small
towns and long stretches of prairie
we had seen all day.
From Dickinson to Livingston is
a long days ride-in fact it takes the
day and half the night but we
pushed on and stopped at this noun.
tain town. To one accustomed to
prairie country and who arrives at
Livingston las we did in the night,
morning brings a beautiful revela.
tlon. The town itself lies two thou.
sand feet higher than Dickinson and
on almost every side are mountains.
AS usual, the hotel piazzas do not
give the finest views. Why is it, 1
wonder, that Americans in nine
cases out of ten fail in building to
take advantage of the most beauti.
full outlook!
Away to the northwest aud these
show finely from the hotel-are the
picturesque Crazy mountains, rightly
named we think, their submits and
sides streaked with snow. But east
and southeast is the grandest sight.
The Belt mountains with bold,
sharply defined outlines and snow
crowned SUBMITS rise some eight
thousand feet above the town eleva.
tion and are seemingly but a little
way distant. Livingston Peak or
"Old Badly" is the guardian noun.
tain of the town, seeming to stand
at the end of its principal business
street.
The Yellowstone river winds along
east of town and the tourist sees it
no more unless he follows it to its
mountain home south in the far.
famed National Park.
1t is almost impossible to get away
from Livingston without going to
the Park; but having visions of
future camping parties there we put
behind us the temptation to pass be.
yond the picturesque gorge through
which the railroad leads to that en-.
chanted and wonderful spot.
After a day spent in Livingston,
we took the train west at six o'clock
in the morning. The air was clear
and fresh and the view of the noun.
tains in the vicinity of Livingstone
with all the lights and shadows OF
the early day, was a sight never to
be forgotten. Those who have seen
a sunrise in the Alps say it is not
more beautiful than that at Living.
ston.