Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-05-08
Communication.
M1ssouLA, MONTANA. April 9th,


M1ssouLA, MONTANA, April 9th, 1902.
Dear Father:-Well, here I am at Missonla
and here expect to spend Sunday, inst as
feared l should, but instead of going to church
am in my room writing to you, and watching
the rain and snow fall but if train had been on
time would have reached Hamilton, my place
of destination, last night. will now tell you
something of my trip. Isl,all never regret my
coming this way yet wou'd not do 40 again. 1t
just made me sick to leave you beh nd, and if
it had not been that my ticket was bought and
trunk checked certainly would have rctur ned
hume with you from the train.
Reached Omaha, and when / got my trunk
checked and ready for the start west it was ~
at night We passed through hail and sleet. but
in the morning it was clear and the land in Ne
braska was covered with carpet of green.
think Nebraska has had plenty of rain.
We had a very pleasant crowd on sleeper. Be
side the Valley people, three ladies from near
Clarinda, Iowa. and lady from Seattle on her
way home, Ia minister's wife) and Noyes, Ad-
lum and Sherwood made very pleasant party,
and enjoyed it very much. Mr. Album, with
his rabbit foot for luck, made fun for all.
The scenery through which passed was
very pretty. Cedar Canyon, with its rocks and
cedars with its byways and cutaways, with the
reflection of the sun on the green and up above
it was tho Granite Bluff, they caledi it. was very
grand; for long way great rock of regular
granite that looked like it had been polished.
My, how 1 did wish to get out and secure some,
then we came to hills or mountains of nothing
but gravel. Where the road had cut through, il
seemed that we could feel it sliding down on US;
each little stone seemed to be alone or separate
Oh, how wished could get out and get one
dig in it.
Cheyenne. This is a very nice looking little
city, so clean, two lovely depots, and not like
Mo. Valley. it shows its best side from the train,
its streets are straight running from the road,
giving traveller on the train fine view of the
city.
Laramie. In this place was disappointed. It
was near here we go through the tunnel, guess
it is the tunnel of the Rockies" and Sherman
Peak, being the highest point we pass to Poca-
tellO. One thing that struck me as singular was
the appearance of the mountains near us there
was no snow on them, but right back of them
seeming no higher, the mountains were perfectly
white with snuw but it is hard to determine dis
tance, and while the mountains seem almost to-
gether thev may be miles and miles apart, the
cause of this deception is atmospheric. 1t ap-
pears hazy and wavy, like we somtimes sec il
in Iowa from heat. In many places the prairie
dog seems to "hold the fort" ," but after leaving
Nebraska they were not 30 much in evidence.
We passed many large here's of cattle, horses
and sheep, but sheep seemed TO be more numer-
ous, especially SO in Idaho. For the first time l
saw real shepherd dog, he was sitting near
the track seeming very unconcerncd, but on
seeing the train approach, away he ran and did
not stop until he ran the length of his drove
driving them back from the train out of dan
ger; as looked back he was sitting down with
that contented look rs much as to say: swcll,
that's finished.
Pocatello expected to see quite a city, but
it is rather disappointing in appearance. Here
parted with the Iowa crowd, the train being 5
hours late owing to heavy loaded train. We had
the unlucky number "ls" cars yet nothing hap
pened and did not know we had IL cars until
we landed safe, had known the fact, oh. my!
The o. 8. L. which was to take at this place
was waiting 80 made my train and started due
north. The scenery on this route is the pretti-
eat on all the trip. We are right in the valley
of the Little Rockies all the distance and can
nee the snow covered peaks, with their majestc
heads pointing to the skies. On this train l fell
in with an old man and his son who came in on
same train did, only on different sleeper the
old man had been all over this country, the
young man was just from college and ofcourse
thought he knew it all, but he was rather pert,
and pleasant and together with my field glass
we managed to take in good deal of the view.
just south of the National Park lies the Teton
mountains. We passed within 80 milcs of them
and could see very plain the 3 towering peaks
called the Three Tetons 14,G00 feet high, and
ID beautiful sight to behold, then with noun
tains farther and away and finally ending in
these majestic peaks.
never make friends on the train, but it seems
like these Western people are 80 different form
other sections. If there is anything of interest
t. b. seen they put themselves ont to come and
tell you and always in that unassuming way as
to make you feel very grateful to them.
We enow pass through Beaver Canyon, which is
certainly beautiful eight; rocks in all shapes
size and colors, from the emerald tint to the
sapphire and amber; with the Beaver River first
on one side and then on the other; wondr how
. road could ever be built through such place;
pine trees shoot up, as it we're, through the hard
rocks. Near the track stands large pine tree,
on which is nailed n card ON which is painted in
large letters: "Paymaster Tree" Ever since the
road has been built the sign has been there, to
record the fact that the first paymaster who
came out to pay off the work man on this road
was chased up this tree by bear.
Now we come 10 two big mountains, with
quite distance between them, and here l saw
the effect of the first beautiful mountains. We
passed mountains and peaks but these are the
first so grouped in this way. Away off in the
distance is the blue snow capped mountains, one
two, three and four rows one after tho other,
with the sun sending its glow over them and
clouds dipping down between them. 1t was a
magnificent sight once seen never to be forgot
ten, and here wished that was painter and
had the power to put the glory of this view on
CANVASS. You may imagine the home-like fee
ling experienced it gave me when told that
these were the Bitter Root Mountains, at the
font of which mountains expect to spend the
summer. The snow saw on them is perpetual,
in seeing them from the train we were As miles
from their base, the distance being very deceiv-
ing. The last thing of interest was reached at