The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1901-04-12
A Letter from Gunderson.
RoLFE, Iowa, April /. 100

Ed. JoURNAL.-AccOrdln to the
promise made / will write a few lines
about what l observed along the road
here.
BY the way of contrast 1 may add
that left Puget Sound enjoying spring
weather, flowers and fruit trees in bios
som and fine growth of green grass.
The Cascade Mountains were, of course.
covered with snow but not the amount
usually found there, while Eastern
Washington presented every appear
ance of spring and farmers all at work.
The number of new houses, in both
villages and country, windmills fan
ming the air, and the areas broken up
the last two years indicated that that
section, more than any along the whole
route enjoyed ''boom." This was es-
pecially noticeable through Franklin,
Adams, Lincoln and proposed Riverside
Counties. Three-fourths of the outer
surburbs of Spokane.were new houses
The same to limited extent holds
good along the Clarke River in Idaho,
where numbering is the chief occupa-
ton. No snow was seen on the low
land until reaching Butte, Montana,
and from there eastward snow banks
several feet high were seen and they
continued to increase in size until
reaching western Nebraska.
The winter all through the country
has been exceptionally mild until the
month of March when showing COM
menced in dead earnest. The mild
winter has been great blessing to the
cattle and sheep men of Montana,
Idaho and western Nebraska. Only
one dead animal was seen, where scores
or more were seen years ago along the
same track. noticed that the ranch
men have become more humane of late
as sheds for stabling of cattle, horses
and sheep were seen far and near and
thousands of tons of hay stacked up
and cattle being fed like they are here
Along the Yellowstone the sheep in
dustry is the principal one.
Being compelled to stop at Billings
to change cars [ had the opportunity
to see something of the sheep industry
and learned that at that station alone
there was shipped 600 to 700 carloads of
wool last year bringing the sum of over
two million of dollars to the farmers of
the vicinity, one bank having deposit
of II millions of dollars from farmers
principally.
The mountains and streams, chasms,
buttes and gOrges are picturesque
especially along the Yellowstone river
The Devils Tower, one of the greatest
natural curiosities of the west, is lone
pillar of perpendicular walls over 1000
feet high situated upon the level plain
of eastern Wyoming. 1t has a fiat top
and is about the same diameter at its
top as at the base.
On the left hand side while going up
the Little Big Horn river one sees the
Custer Battle field, where General Gus
ter and his entire command was killed
by the Sioux and Crow Indians in 1876.
A large monument and some 800 small
ler ones mark the resting places of the
brave dead while "Old Glory" waves
from tall staff i'm the center of the
field.
From the number of side tracks that
have been built leading into coal mines
one is inclined to believe that Wyoming
has great mineral wealth especially in
coal. Seams of coal may be seen in
many railroad cut and sometimes
within two or three feet of the surface.
South western part of South Dakota
seemed to be alive with prairie dogs
which might be seen by the dozen on
every clear spot between snow banks.
The dogs had come out for Whit. OF
fresh air apparently. Its two compan-
ions-the snake and owl, have not yet
appeared. Another animal that dwells
in this vicinity I believe to be the
variety of gopher from which the state
of North Dakota got its pet name
going by the euphonious name OF
s'flickertail.n
From Lincoln, Nebraska, eastward
some seeding had been done up to the
time of the snowfall of the 10Th of March
after that time the mud has reigned
supreme.
Every kind of property has risen In
value, land especially, largely due to
the good times and prices. Cattle sell
for $5 to $6 cwt. Hogs $3.50 to $500
and other products in proportion, SC
YOU see the reason for the rise in price
of mostly everything.
OF course could not close this letter
without saying something about school
books, especially since the governor has
seen fit to veto the County uniformity
bill.
find that the American Book Co
and other school book trusts have com.
plete control here( in certain localities,
also in Nebraska.
This state (Iowa) now has law
making it county uniformity by the
vote of each county, 45 counties out o.
50 now have that law in operation
This county (Pocohontas) still retains
the old law, township uniformity. q
township generally contains 8 schools
and the directors of each adopt the
books for q series offs years. Some
patronize the American Book house an6
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