Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1907-08-29
Tie Meth west AMI tie C:sat
Woc5es,.2j, as | Saw 1t.

On June I'd | left Oxford, Miss,
en- route to the Yellowstone Ma
tional Park to spend the summer.
| arrived at Livingston, Montana,
June 9th, and there was notified
by the Shaw i Powell Transfer
Company, with whom | expected
10 work, that the Park season
would not open until June 18th;
80 they sent me to their big stock
ranch twenty-five miles east of
Livingston on Rock Creek, known
as the Idlewild Ranch.
There stayed two weeks
among the great dragged peaks
Of the Rockies and surrounded
by the wild animals OF the noun
tains, My chief work was brand
ing stock, painting and repairing
carriages, mending harness, etc.,
preparing for the Park opening
which was soon to come.
We were surrounded by snow
covered mountains. which looked
strange in the sunshine and sum-
mer time, but We were comfort
able during the day time, but
were compelled to use a small
stove in our tents at night, by
this means we slept comfortably.
We had good cook and plenty
to eat.
The day before we were to
leave the ranch, we loaded the
carriages with tents, grain and
provisions for camping, and tied
some of the horses behind the
carriages, also "trailed" a few
Of the carriages, and left the
ranch for Gardiner, Montana, the
northern entrance 10 the Park,
via Livingston, Mont, also the
summer headquarters for the
company.
After reaching Livingston we
followed the Yellowstone river
up to Gardiner through the Rocky
Mountains, which were very
beautiful, but the. road was so
narrow over the mountains we
hardly had room for a single rig /;
as you looked down the noun.
taih's side. upon the beautiful
river some 1900 Or 1900 feet be.
low, you could only see a narrow
stream OF water winding its way
through the canyons, which caus-
es you to feel dizzy and unsafe
as you passed by.
| We were about four DAYS on
this trip, during which time il
rained and showed on us, and
now and then we saw wild ami
mails wandering about from place
to place seeking food. We pass
cd through two canyons, the frs,
of which is about thirty miles
long and twelve miles wide and
is called Paradise Valley. This
valley has been settled by ranch
men for several years; it is very
fertile, easily irrigated and wei
adapted to stock raising. At the
south end of this valley is a
prominent mountain called Emf.
grant Peak which is 1O,629 fee.
high, the second, or Yankee jim
canyon, named after an early
prospector, James George, who
constructed wagon road through
this canyon prior to the building
OF the raiload, and charged Sc
much from each visitor to the
Park. Yankee Jim is still living
on his ranch and has many
guests during the summer, who
md in the swift waters of the
river the best of trout fishing.
The second canyon is far more
picturesque than the first; the
mountain walls rise higher, and
the gorge, within which the river
is compressed, is scarcely a hun
dred feet wide.
The next attraction we see is
Cinnabar Mountain, a conspic,i. .
Gus landmark on the upper Vel.
lowstone, about three miles from
the Park line. AS the train pass
es along its base, one has a
glimpse of the Devils Slide"
composed OF a reddish colored
mineral resembling cinnabar,
and extending up the steep in,
cline OF the mountain some 2OOO
feet, and hence is almost impos.
sIoie for any one to ascend. but
the writer and his friend had the
pleasure of climbing mp the slide
to the very top and return but Il
took US four hours for the task
The next and only attraction
OF more than ordinary import
ance before we reach Gardiner ia
Electric Peak, the highest noun.
tain in this vicinity, 11.155 feet
high, tits directly on the northern
boundary of the reserve; the line
passing over it. This mountain
IS covered with snow all the wear
round. When it rains here in
the valleys, it SHOWS up on the
feak. The people seem to en-.
JOY climbing to the top and cut-
tng their names in the protrud-
ing rocks with chisel and ham.
mer, this peak can be seen from
most any part of the park.
me next place of Importance
IS Gardiner, the terminus Of the
Northern Pacific Railway, where
the unique log depot which was
constructed in 1903, is a gem of
architectural beauty and The
great admiration of the tourists:
also the imposing stone arch on
the northern boundary, dedica-
ted by President Roosevelt. Anr;l
"A, 1903, at cost of $40. OO0. on
adds much to the attractiyeness