Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-08-03
A PORTLAND LETTER.
A Letter From Albert A. Jonm-
son to His Mother.
Portland Oregon, July /, 1905.
G.. Y. M. G. A.

must teli you Vi u iittle Ddu luck
had. Shortly after reaching Portland
/ wrerched my right knee and it was
very weak fol- a while, got water on
the knee. This is bad if not attended
to at once. had nv knee baked at
80 +, two times and then bandaged
with a nine foot rubber band beneath
which was sort of plaster to keep the
knee warm In this way | got the
water out and prevented an operation
One good thing about it was that have
already good lot of friends My doc
tor bill and other similar expenses We're
paid me by the company. l had not
assumed my duties but now / will be
able 10 commence work in few days
The trip was delightful and full of
pleasant sight seeing From the Bad
Lands of North Dakota to the Cascade
mountains and Columbia river on the
Pacific coast, there is one contin nous
field of grand scenery. In North
Dakota we first entered the small grain
district when from whence we went
into the Bad Lands. perpendicular
mountain walls, aud rugged lodges, you
ought to see them. The name bad
Lands is very appropriate for this
country. / could see the prairie
dogs sitting guard over their holes and
their companion the rattle snake as
they always live together am told.
Montana is a wild country, especially
the western part, Its storm beaten cliffs
and its forest draped valleys certainly
appeals to lover of beautiful see merry,
nature is here found in its original con-
crete and beautiful forms. We fol-
lowed swiftly flowing mountain streams
angerly beating their way through
gulches and canyons over rocks and
broken lodges on their meandering
path to the valleys below. The rail-
road first followed one side of the river
and then the other, crossing on high
steel bridges then disappearing in a
tunnel to appear again on the other side
of the mountain. Looking out of the
car window during the time the train
is rounding curve we could see the
two head engines putting and pulling
for dear life and a rear enging exerting
its last efforts in pushing the train of
thirteen cars up the incline. On reach
inn fI,aC hn dc
of the track which we had just passed
over lying beneath us, the tunnels and
their approaches seemed as black spots
in the mountain side where the track
seemingly ended The small streams
could be seen beating their way between
the tall pines and over different colored
rock beds on their way to the larger
foaming streams in the canyon below.
This panorama is not yet yetcomplete,
for from the high m6unteins beyond us
we could see the morning sun reflected
from the snow laden peaks arrayed out
above the other in all directions as far
as the eye could reach. The atmosphere
was cold and clear and as we stood
there seeing the sights just described /
appreciated more fully than ever before
the handw ork OF the Great Master
Architect
The descent on the west side of the
Rockies was made at faster rate. In
Idaho we passed through great irri-
CATION country. This place did not
appeal to me as it is not as free and
bounding as one would like, being
devoid of one element most productive
of Vegetation and wealth. The Cascade
or coast range of mountains equalled
if not surpassed their neighbors on the
east. 1t would be merely a repetition
for me to tell you about them. Oregon
and Washington are two great lumber
ing states, logging camps and lumber
mills along all the rivers. Next we
reached the Columbia river where the
entire train was taken across on a large
ferry, this river is large and swift near
its mouth it has width of sixteen miles
and at this great ocean gateway can be
seen ships of all nations taking on and
leaving off their cargoes. Portland is a
nice clean city, the exposition in itself
is not equal to that of st. Louis, but
with the addition of this pleasant CHI
mate and so much natural scenery,
should prefer Portland to st. Louis
Yesterday was out to visit the u. s.
cruisers Boston and Chicago and the
Italian 4th class cruiser Umbria, the
latter is small war ship, and in our
navy would be classed as a gun boat.
On our return we visited the u. s.
torpedo boat destroyer Perry, she is the
speediest boat on the coast, in test the
other day she made n knots in an
hours run. 1t lie getting late so l shall
close. will write again in q short
time. Good by Mother.
Albert A. johnson.