The Irish standard., 1904-07-30
WEST of ROCKIES
Representative Of tie Irish
Standard Writes From
That Section.
4 Brief Review Of Cities
and Towns En-.
Route.

Spokane, Wash, July 26th.-A trip
along the line of the Northern Pacific
to Portland is always interesting, even
to one who has made 1T often. The
broad eXpanse Of prairie in North Da-
kota, the snow-clad mountains of Mon
tana, the ever-shifting scene as the
trip progresses rivets the attention of
the traveller. The Irish Standard rep
resentative has on many occasions
placed before its readers the beauties
and advantages of this section of the
Union. Practically a new country, it
is not without its disadvantages, but
all in all it has a magnificent future
before it. OF that there can be no
doubt.
In Minnesota and in North Dakota
excellent crops are in evidence, bet
ter, perhaps, than for some years past.
Lack of rain in Montana has cut the
average down in the large wheat-grow-
ing valleys, but the crop will be n
fair one. However, the state of Mon
tana, depending largely as it does up
on mining and stock-raising, will suf-
fer little in a general way. Helena,
Great Falls, the great mining centers
of Butte and Anaconda, are all pro-
crossing favorahly, and the neat and
thriving city of Missoula is forging
ahead as usual. At this latter point
your representative met James A.
Walsh, of Minneapolis. Together with
his wife and family they have taken
| up their home again in Missoula. the
Garden City" of Montana. 1t is GER
tainly well named. Some of the best
fruit and hay crops in the West are
raised in the valleys adjacent, and
wherever the land is properly irrigat-
ed almost anything can be raised, as
the soil is rich and productive.
The Occur d'Alene district in Idaho
shows signs of activity, particularly in
and about Wallace, where mining is
the chief industry. Perhaps word
about Idaho will not be amiss. The
state is somewhat irregular in shape.
1t is not over fifty miles wide ut the
northern boundary, nearly three hum
dred miles long ut the southern boun-
| dairy and some five hundred miles
along the western boundary. Idaho,
it is claimed, has an area of over 55.-
| 100000 acres. OF this about 100000
teen million as agricultural, twenty
five million as grazing lands and over
Il half million acres in lakes. In the
mountain area are vast mineral belts.
The mountains III the state are the
Bitter Root Rocky and Wnsatch
ranges, the highest peaks reaching an
altitude ranging from 5000 to over
$1,000 feet. The interior is vast
plateau varying in altitude from six
est valleys to ten thousand feet on the
top Of the highest peaks. The state
is admittedly colder and dryer in win
ter than in Washington or Oregon
The agricultural districts are widely
scattered, but the southern and cell
trail portions Of the state contain the
most of the $4,000 square miles of land
suitable for this purpose. Dairying is
Il growing industry in the northern
and southern portions of the state,
| where access can be easily had to the
railroads, though it is also claimed to
he profitable in other sections. Fruit
growing is also classed as a leading
industry. Apples, prunes, pears,
peaches. apricots, plums, cherries and
grapes succeed admirably. Several
systems of irrigation have been COM
pleted and with much success. The
lumber and timber industry, too, has
become more or less important in re-
cent years. Minerals, however, are
the leading Industries of Idaho. Over
$25O,OO0G0O in gold and silver, it is
, said, has been taken out since 1868
| The lead mines in the Occur d'Alcne
| district are said to be the richest in
the world. Here too, are to he found
some Of the best opal fields in the
United States. Rubies are found in
some localities and stone quarries OF
| fine granite are common.
Coming to Spokane. it is, perhaps,
| the prettiest city in Washington. First
settled in 1872, the population of the
city now is about G5,OOO. 1t was in
corporated as late as 1881 and is the
commercial and mining center of the
northwest. Further than this, it is
the distributing point for all the sur
rounding region. The city is well
built with stone and brick business
structures and handsome residences.
One of the finest church etlifices in the
| city has been recently erected by the
| Catholics Of Spokane. The area of the
city is about twenty square miles,
and it is as level as the ground on
| which Minneapolis stands. 1t has n
water power the force Of which is said
to be equal to $4,000 horse power.
Three transcontinental lines of rail-
way, the Northern Pacific, Great