Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-18

creek for a distance of twelve miles. the
party could get no feed for the horses, and
vas obliged to return. The grade was de-
termlned and is what is known as two
tenths. or a raise of two-tenths of a foot
to every hundred feet of distance. This
IS an extremely easy grade in a noun
famous country. When Engineer Clark
could get no more feed for his horses. and
the snow was so deep that travel was out
OF the question, he returned to Lewiston.
After remaining there for one day and
buying a red necktie, he started for Mis-
soula on direct orders from Chief En-
g1neer McHenry. What he is going to do
IN Mlssoula can only be conjectured, for
ne says himself that he draws more
IMAM a his salary for keeping his
mouth shut. 1t would be a good guess to
say that Engineer Clark is going to try
20 get through the Bitter Root range
from the eastern side of the mountains.
When the Northern Pacific filed it's
maps In accordance with the law. it was
specif1ed that either 10 Lo pass or some
other pas would be used in getting
through the Bitter Root range.
IN a quiet way, the Northern Pacific has
oeen offering prizes to any man who
would show the way through the noun
tains.
1here IS every reason to believe that
tne engineers, with all their native
shrewdness, have been imposed upon at
least once, 1t is characteristic of the west
TO ma men who think they know more
nan they really do. 1t is easy for an old
prospectOr to chew plug tobacco and de.
clare that he knows every foot of The
country from the Seven Devils to Thun-
Der mountain. When he strikes the trail
ne mas to wait until shutdown to know
when way Is west. One such prospector
led the Northern Pacific engineers a mer-
~ chase into the Bitter Root range not
over 1nfaa nt,f
tne prize, but 1t has not yet been award
ed. The prospector did not get lost. for
ne Kept back Of the engineers. and they
nao d compass to guide them back home.
he IS still telling how much he knows
ABOUT the trackless wilderness.
II IS now a question whether the North
eII racine Will use the 10 10 or the Nez
ferce pass. Both these passes are his
torical. Lewis and Clarke. the famous
explorers, sent u by President Thomas
JEFFERSON in 1904 to find the Of
liie MISSOURI river. Travelled through Lo
20 pass and down the Clearwater. Cant.
william Mullan, under the direction of
the war department, built a military road
through the same pass a quarter of A.
century iater. Inc Nez Perez pass has a
strange history. When General O. O.
Howard was chasing Chief Joseph in 1877.
tie willy Indian and his band completely
outWitted the soldiers who attempted to
mead them off in the Bitter Root range.
General Howard thought when he had
Chlef Joseph on the run he could bottle
MN up In I-o 10 pass. But the Indian
chief got away by another pass. which
has since been known as Nez Perce. ii Ia
sald to be even more available than Lo To
M will give the Northern Pacific j
splendid mountain grade.
The Northern Pacific is busily engaged
IN perfecting it's right of way down the
snake river from Lewistown to Reparia.
While Engineer Clark was called to Mis-.
soula preceding his party of assistants
by several days. the other engineers were
engaged in locating the piers and abut-
ments of the bridge that will span the
Snake at Lewistown. Another rartv of
engineers under George S. Kopp Is en-
gagged in locating the right of way near
bought except d few orchards along tia
Snake river. 800 ~