Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1904-07-19
LETTER FROM
MISS MINNIE GETS
Tells Of Trip Through the West
Via the Bad Lands and Mon.
tana to OREGON Thence lSouth.
ward Through the Valley Of
the Coast Ranfe and Cascades
to Sisson. California.

the Coast Ran6e and Cascades
to Sisson. California.
SISsON. CALIFORNIA.
July IL, 1904.
THE WOOD COUNTY REPORTER,
Mr.. DECKER, DEAR SIR By
request I'll try to tell yoI of our tril
from Grand Rapids, wisconsin to this
state. Mother aad I left there June
q, at noon, arriving in St. Paul at
9:45 the same evening. We had a
very pleasant trip through the
courtesy of Will Carey, we met Mr..
and Mrs. Altenberg. Of Portland, but
formerly of Wausau, who were on
their way home via the Canadian
Pacific. We parted company Tues
day morning at the union depot, their
train leaying at 9. a. m.
At 1915 a. m. we left St. Paul via
the Northern Pacific, our route that
day brought Us through the farming
regions OF Minnesota and North
Dakota, although the farms extended
for miles the scenery became very
monotonous, and l noticed the
vegetation was not ahead of that in
Wisconsin. / arose at 3 a. m. We'd
nesday so as to see the "BadlandS, !"
we hear SO much about and its not
strange that people can be lost there
SO easily, as the hills are of uniform
size and not land mark OF any kind.
All day we travelled through Montana
and saw immense cattle ranches,
where they had thousand of horses
ready for shipment. At Miles City
we saw any amount of COW boys
rounding up herds OF cattle.
During the afternoon We commenced
to ascend the Rockies" and they are
truly named. In some places our
train of eleven coaches appeared to
scarcely move, though we had two
engines. The finest ascent was just
before we reached Butte. We wound
around mountains, through tunnels
but could always see the engines as
the curves were so pronounced.
Butte, Montana is most desOlate
looking place. Not spear Of grass
nor tree to be seen, and clouds OF
fine white dust blowing constantly.
Thursday morning we arrived at
Spokane at O'Clock ana from then
till evening we travelled through the
Yakima Valley. We had very cool
weather till then when the heat was
terrible, it being over 100 degrees in
the shade. This was very tireSome
day, as there were no trees, very little
vegetation and nothing to see but
wild sage brush, although the little
farming towns we passed through
looked well on account Of the irriga-
tion. The only water we would see
for miles was in the irrigating canals.
We arrived at Seattle at $50 p. m.
and had stay of over an hour SO we
went sight seeing. We visited the
much talked of "Totem Pole" that
was brought from Alaska, also saw
the University Buildings, Mt. Rainer,
Washington Hotel and the Electric
Light Plant which is a mass Of lights
and reminds one of the Electrical
Building at the Chicago Worlds
Fair. 1t was grand view which we
could see for miles on leaving the city.
We arrived in Portland, Oregon,
Friday morning, where we changed
to the Southern Pacific Railroad.
That route lies between the Coast
Range and the Cascades. We had =
fine view OF Mt Hood, also the Three
Sisters and Diamond Peak. They
are all snowcapped mountains and are
about sixty miles from the railroad.
At Salem we saw the capitol and
passed through the Indian reserya-
tion grounds, where we saw hundreds
of boys and girls. The rest OF the
trip was through the fruit region Of
Oregon and we arrived at Sisson 6:45
Saturday morning after having had a
very pleasant trip and enjoyable
companions.
Very respectfully,
MINNIE GETS.