The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-09-09

sat around an open fire and actually
enjoyed it. In the morning 1t was
raining, so we telephoned for rig
and started back to Custer, which
was seven miles. There were nine
n tic party and our driver was pro-
ressional; at least | think he hit all
the rocks and we were on all sides
OF the rig at once. But as the lady
remarked, it was a great experience
Arrived in Custer and found the train
two hours late. This is quite his
torical little town, being named for
General Custer. They have spot in
the hills called Clusters Oven, where
his army built an oven of stone to
bake bread; also Clusters Breast
works.
Our next stop was at Deadwood.
This is really the prettiest town on
our route, but not the largest, Lead
City being larger by several thous-
and. There is great rivalry be-
tween their people as to popularity
They are something like Oskaloosa
and Beacon,-I mean in distance
Lead is the greatest gold mining city
in the U. S. We were shown through
the rooms and saw the different pro-
cesses which are necessary to sepa-
rate the gold from the stone. 1t was
very interesting to us, as we had
never before seen such massive ma
chinery, and | will say to the boys
that in the stamping rooms you are
allowed to yell as loud as your lungs
will permit and you cannot hear it
yourself.
We left Deadwood for Spearfish
and more beauty. The scenery in
Spearfish Canon surpasses or at least
is equal to anything have ever seen.
On this route we go up until we reach
height of GAPS feet above sea level
the highest point being called Port
land. At this point we found our
selves in the clouds and unable to see
very far away. | saw little garden.
however, three stories high. The
first fiat contained cabbage, the sec
ond lettuce, the third more cabbage.
OF course they must build a wall
around it or if it rained they might
have to go down in the canon after it.
At this place most of us went inside
and put on our coats. On this route
we made a curve of eight miles and
returned to the same place, only sew
eral hundred feet higher On leaV-
ing Portland we begin going down
until we reached Spearfish, which is
a very productive little town with
black soil and looked more like Iowa
than anything | have seen since leav-
ing that best of all states. They ac-
tually grow red clover and have a few
apples lying on the ground, and | was
told there was no sale for them. In
Spearfish we were shown through the
U. s. fish hatchery, where we saw
thousands of tiny fish a few days old.
These little fish take no food for 10
or 10 days, except the food which Ma
ture has provided for them in a little
food sack which each a one carries.
They raise here four species of noun
tain trout. These little fishes are
shipped when about an inch long to
different parts of the United States,
and as many as they have, they can
not supply the demand for them.
At 1870 p. m. We started on our re-
turn trip to Deadwood, which is 80
miles. We reached that place at
o:3O. Left Deadwood the next morn
ing and arrived in Pierre this a. M,
all tired but happy. Mr.. Henley
leaves today for Oskaloosa on bust
ness; will also be there for Home
Coming. Hoping this will not take
up too much of your valuable space.
l close with best wishes.
Mrs. 7. ]. Henley.