The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-09-14
OUR TRIP TO THE WEST
What The Reporter Editor Saw on
His Trip to the Pacific Coast
and Portland Exposition.

/ His Trip to the Pacific Coast
and Portland Exposition.
The Northern Pacific road has rightly
been named the scenic route of America,
and the scenery is grand beyond de-
scription. Tra.versing as it does three
ranges Of mountains winding in and out
among the towering rocks, along the
banks OF the picturesque Yellowstone
river, the traveller never tires of the
scenery. Helena is pretty high, being
4.250 feet above sea level, and after
leaving that city, we continued to climb
the mountains, until we reach Mullan
tunnel, 5,54S feet high, the tunnel being
1875 feet in length, which we dash
through and commence slight descent.
AS we get down we see indian
settlements, many of them with houses
but all with tepees and it is said that
the indian although building modern
houses still insists in sleeping in his
tepee. We reach Garrison and the pas
sengers get their first glimpse of real
, indians at close range, for a number.
including a grizzly old chief are assem-
j bled on the depot platform, with moe
casins, hat racks made of buffalo and
COW horns and other trinkets to sell the
tourists. The red men are sharp trad
ers and are soon sold out. Leaving
Garrison we pass Gold Creek where the
: first discovery of gold in Montana was
made in 1S52and he, e too the last spike
Of the completed Northern Pacific rail
road was driven at Mr.. Wizards great
gathering in 1883. We see mountains
all around us, pretty high but not snow
| crowned. Reaching ,Missoula we notice
a high peak to the south which we are
lold is Lolo Peak. Missoula is thriv-
ing town of 10000, a division on the
Northern Pacific. The Montana State
) University is located here. On and on
t We roll until we cross the Rocky noun
5 tains for the third time at Evaro, vhis
range being called the Mission Range.
D Night is coming on and we reach
f Spokane about midnight, and the next
t morning we find ourself out of the
r mountains and in beautiful agricul-
k river. The Yakima valley is one of the
), garden spots of the west. The land is
e all owned by the indians, but it is
e expected to be thrown open for settle
+ ment within few years. They do not
r have to irrigate in this valley, having
u what is called sub-irrigation, there
l being a sheet of water underground
e which furnishes the moisture for crops
a which are said to never fail. Field
l. after field of wheat is passed, big
y Iorchards and fields of melons. While
g the indians farm it in way, if white
IL settlers were in possession it would be
t. one of the richest countries on earth. A.
n we leave the valley we enter a countr,
It which looks to us like nothing but sand
with sage brush the only vegetation
" growing, but are told that the soil il
If productive when irrigated. but the
d question of securing water is hard ONT
vs. and quite expensive. We are nearing
le Ellensburg and get a view for the frs
m time of snow covered mountain, Mt
at Adams 12,250 feet high, while the tip o
a Mt. Rainier can be seen far to the west
~ The mountain looks like it is not NOR
re than four or five miles away, but i
of nearly hundred miles. At Elensbur!
we met Mrs. G. Y. Warner former wei
10 known resident of this city, and greatl
I'll enjoyed short visit with her. Leavin
Tx Ellensburg we travel on and reach tn
coal mining town of Clealum, where
is said they have in sight more Goa
than can be mined in the next two hur
- dred years. The coal was discovere
4 4a+ on lands owned by the railroad an
af none of it can be bought, the railroa
~ controlling the output. Again we hav
VI a third pushcr attached to our trai
and we start up to cross the Cascad
80 range. We were surprised to find n
~ ~ snow sheds, and but few bridges, tn
;e+ road following the streams, goin
~ 20. through occasional short tunnels whel
the solid rockiwas too high to blast ou
.+s The Stampede tunnel is an intercstin
,s ,s.. one being little over two miles lon
~ ~ and it took the train eight minutes
~, pass through. Near the summit can
m Wv seen the ruins of the old switchbat
~ which was used before the tunnel w;
M, built to get a car at a time over the to
ed it frequently requiring four or fi'
MO hours for train to be switched owe
~ We are in the heart of the lumb
,uo un country, and for miles and miles ri.
or through dense pine forests which lo'
,ho as though they would supply the wor
;+b with lumber for hundreds of years
% = come. Some of the mountains are co
nd cred with dead trees which have be-
sts destroyed by the terrific forest fir
aat which have passed over the countl
NO The Green river, swift flowing mou
,o, tain stream, the water beautiful da
X" green, yet so clear that you can see t
bottom of the stream twenty to thir
feet under water, is followed for mill
and we yearn to casta hook and line
for some of the game trout with viii
oy it is stocked. Tacoma is reached abe
10" four o'clock in the evening, and we a
In nearing Portland. Between Taco
the and Portland the entire train is ferri
,af- across the broad Columbia river at +
mas q lama, and it was an interesting sight
mas see passenger train OF fifteen coach
ing loaded on big ferryboat which quiel
= crossed the river to the other side,
% ooo river being to broad and deep to brid
800 800 Very tired but pleased with our trip
= ~ ~ reached Portland at 10 o'clock tt
~. night, and had no trouble in securi
'oao 'cao good rooms at very reasonable prit