The Dickinson press., 1903-02-28
OUR SECOND WESTERN LETTER.

OuT previous letter covered the trip OF
the N. D.. Press Association excursion to
Helena. 1t may nc IL intcres, to the
readers 10 learn a little OF the X sur,t.cs
of Montana and some of the changes Of
recent years. Perhaps not all the PRESS
readers know thatsthe Missouri river is
formed at Logan, 70 miles east OF Hele-
ma, by the junction of the Madison, Jeff
erson and Gallatin rivers. The Missouri
takes a northwesterly course past Helena
and soon bears to the north and then
east on its course to North Dakota. At
Helena the stream furnishes the famous
Missouri River Co. power which oper-
ates the smelling works and furnishes
the immense power which is transmitted
to Butte, a distance OF Is miles, for use
in the mines.
Helena with a population of 10000,
has an altitude of 1900, or 1900 feet more
than Dickinson. Mt. Helena is $500
feet above sea level. The weather at
Helena is somewhat milder than in west
ern North Dakota. The morning our
party reached the city it was 8 below re-
70, the col'est day of The season. At
Blossburg, a few miles west, it was 30
below the same morning, the altitude of
s54S feet accounting for this great differ.
ence in temperature.
Montana is undergoing a great change.
For many years the mining interests
dominated the legislation of the state
and the live stock interests took second
place. Now the agricultural districts
are to be reckoned with, and in
the present Legislature, which, like
North Dakota, has a 6o-day sta,
tutory limitation, the stock-men legis.
lators are forced to go to the
agricultural legislators to get legislation
that the stock industry needs. The re-
clamation of 100000 acres of land, at an
average cost of about $3.50 per acre, has
given the farmers and small stockmen a
great start. This has been done in the
past E or 8 years. The effect of putting
men from the agricultural districtsin the
legislature is very marked and will re.
suit in great good to the state.
w. NJ. Woodbridge is the Industrial
agent of the Great Northern and is au.
thority for the statement that much oil
the reclaimed land in the northern par,
of Montana is valued at $40 per acre
Mr.. Woodbridge was formerly interested
with Dave Littlehales in stock at Dickin.
son.. He tells us that the report of losses
OF cattle on the G. N. is true only in re.
spcct to Texas stock which-was shipped
in last fall.
In leaving Helena, where the second
ridge of the Rockies is crossed, the
Dickinson contingent was pleased tc
find VIM. Gallagher in charge of the
train. Mr.. Gallagher railroaded in Dick.
inson prior to 1895. A few years ago he
was given the Montana run-from Bill.
ings to Missoula-363 miles. He and
his wife reside at Missoula.
The morning of Feb. IS the party
~breakfasted in Spokane. Just at night
the third and last range OF the Rockies
was crossed in the northern part of Ida
no. Here the time changes from Noun.
tain to Pacific time, and the Dickinson
watches had to be turned back an hour.
Spokane is the eastern metropolis oil
Washington, having population of 5o,.
900. The city has large wholesale
houses, mining and manufacturing inter.
ests and is growing very rapidly. The
climate is mild, zero weather being al.
most unknown, and the CITY is destined
to become very great. The Spokane
river is rich in picturesque scenery and
is capable of furnishing 100000 horse
power. Fifteen thousand horse power
has already been developed. One hall
of this power is transmitted by means oil
electricity to the Occur d 'Alene mining
district, over 100 miles distant.
There was a little snow at Spokane
and it was learned that they sometimes
had good sleighing.
The people of Spokane are very hos
pitable and at an early hour a delegation
from the chamber of commerce, and
Editor and Mrs. Duran of the Spokes-
man Review, and representatives of the
Chronicle visited our car and arranged
for a pleasant street car ride for the par.
ty, after which all were banqueted at the
Davenport, unquestionably the finest
restaurant west of Chicago. During the
hour each member of the party was
given a beautiful booklet of %souvenior
pictures of Spokane, and a Washing.
ton onyx paper weight.
John D.. Campbell, a former school
principal, called at our Car in Spokane.
He is practicing law in the city where he
moved a few weeks since on account OF
his wife's health. AT Missoula F. White,
a recent Missouri division railroad man,
was a familiar face which greeted the
Dickinson people.
The party reached Tacoma 6 hour,
late the evening of Feb. ~. Frank
Gale, a former Dakotan, met the party
at Auburn Junction, and piloted the
weary travellers to the Tacoma hotel
where the entire party was entertained
during their stay.
Here the Dickinson people met Mr.
and Mrs. Geo. Hanscom, Walt Richards
~