The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1906-06-09
Frank Hamilton in the Far West.

f0n March 81 left. going direct to
st Louis and from there by way of
Detroit to Toronto Canada over the
Wabash and Grand Trunk lines.
While crossing the Detroit River we
we're interviewed by the Revenue
officers and everything we had tum-
bled up in fine shape, but was like
the little boy had nothing to say.
The trip through Canada was quite
interesting, the country is nearly
level. very rich, the farmers take the
trees out by the roots so that when
the land is cleaned they make fences
on. of the stumps. The houses are
quaint and old fashioned, barn room
is provided for every head of stock,
as they feed stock seven months in
the year. The winters are long
and cold.
Farther north we came to timber
and saw the sugar camp where they
were making Maple Sugar. We
could see the buckets hanging on the
trees near the ground, and the man
with one horse sled and barrel max
ing his rounds gathering up the sap;
further on we saw the large Kettles
boiling the sap. We did not get any
Iof the sugar so can not tell what it
was like. The timber so far as saw
was small and not worth much for
fiumber.
! We reached Toronto in the evening
Sd went to King Edward Hotel,
\ ". not attempt to describe the
I sne, but it is The best equipped and
tev,est | have ever seen
! .er three days looking up the min
ling laws and affairs of the Company,
nd finding several complications,
sae weather being very cold and my
cough getting worse every day, and
as the snow was still three feet deep
where we were going, | concluded to
return, south and make my trip
north later in the season; so came
back to st Louis, from there to
Kansas City by the Wabash and
by the Burlington through Nebraska
and Wyoming to Sheriden. There |
spent one week.
To person from Arkansaw this
country looks dreary; Mountains
and valleys; only rocks, sage brush
sand sand Occasionally small creek
with low banks and. sandy sandy bet tom,
e!ii5 trees we see are those PLANK
ID along the creeks and bottom land
sShere it is possible to irrigate. In
.ehese low lands | saw alfalfa grow
'lg fine. also small grains and
Vegetables; the land without water
anu snore glass ivety et@a hrpsh
ground, 1t may fatten cattle as they
claim but it does not look it.
Sheriden is town of 5000 people,
fine business blocks, Churches and
Schools and last and not least
twenty-one Saloons.
What keeps up town of this size
where there is so little farming land
is hard to understand unless it is the
mines
While here went to visit the Fort
and saw Uncle Sans Soldiers in all
their glory; as the ladies would say
had a "lovely time also went to
the Coal mines and took a ride one
and one-half miles under ground,
the vein was 30 feet thick and they
work 400 men. The mines and the
Fort furnish most of the business
for Sheriden, there are four large
mines near there
After a very pleasant week spent
with my sister and family took the
train for Spokane Falls, Wash. I
went over the Northern Pacific and
over the Continental divide, 1896
feet above the sea level; we were IN a
snow storm at the east end of the
tunnel but on the west side the grass
is green and no snow to be seen.
On the west side of the Mountains
the scene changes, we see timber on
both sides of the valley and the rail
road is built down the valley all the
way to Spokane, The farm in
this valley are very pretty and look
as if they were productive.
spent one day and two nights in
Spokane, saw ]. T. Penn and E. S.
Andrews, they both appear to be do
ing well, Spokane is a very pretty |
city and has some wonderful water
powers. From Spokane went down
the Walla Walla valley over the o. |
R. & N. X. X. to Pendleton, this was
the prettiest country | saw, fine
wheat farms on either side of the
valley and fruit and garden truck"
growing in the valley when it is
possible to irrigate.
From Pendleton down to Union is
rough country, until we reach lie
Grand, there we enter the Grand
Ronde Valley. This valley is from
20 to 80 miles wide, and about 100
miles long; the soil is a rich black
Dam. The Grand Ronde river flows
through this valley the entire length.
he mountains on either side are from
.hree to six thousand feet high, and
ave snow on the highest peaks all
he year round. The valley is very
critic, and nearly all in cultivation;
hey grow all small grains and
ruits-apples, pears, peaches, plums,
'herries, Strawberries, raspberries
md blaCkberries. They have the
inest orchards | ever saw This
ountry has rain part Of the year.