Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-06-23
LETTER OF INTEREST
FROM A. D. HILL

DEAR Mr.. COOPER:-There is an
old adage which tells US, Never put
off until tomorrow what can be done
today" but many times in my life l
have felt like turning it end for end,
and Never doing today what can be
put off until tomorrow. Ii l did
that however, l should break a rule
which l like TO keep, which is, "Never
promise thing you're not able to do"
L am able to write and | promised to,
so here goes,
We left home at noon June 7, should
have got out Of there at 1870 and
into St. Paul at 9:45, but owing to
waShoutS, did not get away from
Grand Rapids until nearly five, hence
did not get to TOmah in time for
connections, and had to wait there
until lab a. NJ, then got the "PiOneer
Limited which put US into St. Paul
at 7:45 d. N. Every body on the train,
who were not in the sleeper were
half frozen. We got warm break
fast and began day of ''Snoop-in
ROun'?" as the darkies say. Took in
the new white marble state capitol,
the finest and largest of It's kind to be
found il the northwest, then made a
visit to ST. Anthony'S Hill. where
there is an extra cable car, which acts
same as tug to large vessels, to help
the trOlly cars up, and also goes in
front, to hold them coming down.
We rounded up the afternoon in
ST, Paul by visiting Minnehaha Falls
about eight miles from st. Paul. The
car runs within half block of
the falls. This is a most beautiful
sight. The volume of water is not
great but it is clear as crystal, and
falls about eighty feet. There are
parks and picnic places all around. and
there a constant crowd of pleasure
seekers there. ST. Paul and Minnea-
polls have the finest street car system
of any city | have ever visited.
We left ST. Paul at five Thursday
evening on the Great Northern road in
the famous tourist sleeper in train
of eleven coaches behind one of the
great engines. 1t began to rain
before dark, and was cold and windy.
We aWOke way out on the prairie,
where there were nice farms and
some timber, and the nice clumpS of
trees around the houses, but the
farther west we went, the fewer the
homes became, until across the
western part Of North Dakota there
was not tree to be seen, and only an
occasional shack on the plain, and
some times the far famed sod house.
There are numerous small lakes, and
l could see plenty Of wild ducks and
geese around them. But such lonely
emptiness. They talk Of the s'Sturdy
Pioneer" | think they who go to
those EvdSt rolling plains to make
homes must indeed be sturdy, in boJh
body and brain.
A few miles west Of Tagus, North
Dakota, on wild wind swept swell.
| saw gray prairie wolf standing
few rods from the train, seeming to
say, what right has man to my
domain" and if all men feel as | do,
the coyotes rights to that part of the
world would never be disputed.
The first signs of timber after pass
ing the Dakota plains we found along
the Missouri river bottoms, and then
only small Scrubby stuff. The part of
the river we saw was very dirty and
yellow, its natural color however. The
word missouri an Indian name
meaning Muddy Waters" All
through the eastern part of Montana
the country is very much like Dakota,
no trees to be seen, and very few
towns. We passed through the Butte
Indian reservation and for forty miles
saw none but Indians, and they in
their blankets, feathers and paint.
There were some scattered drOyeS of
horses, sheep and cattle to be seen
through Montana, and we had the
privilege of seeingsthe genuine cow
boy. rounding up bunch" of
Montana steers.
Saturday morning the long looked for
Rockies came to the view about five.
Distances are SO deceiying however
that they were still many miles away
at eight. There is something wonder
fully grand in these old mountains,
with their everlasting SHOWS. The
scenery is simply grand. long before
the mountains are reached. We
reached their summit about ten
O'Clock Saturday a. m. and then. if the
view was grand before, it was better
still going down and around the
western slopes. Bright blue mount
aims, lakes and streams with their |
mountain reflections came constantly
into view. The water in those lakes |
and streams is as clear as the air and |
their gravel bottoms can be seen at |
any depth.
One thing which struck me favorably |
and filed me with pity over the plains
of eastern Montana was an occasional |
pile of bones. Near the track, where |
some poor starved and weather worn |
horse or steer had given in, had /
gotten as far away from the fierce |
north winds as possible. up to the
right of way fence and laid down to