The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1910-07-01

pie out to Lost River Sunday was ;
very successful affair, about one hun
dred ladies and gentlemen making the
trip. Most of them got off at Arcc
and attended the ball game and Wen
fishing or visiting. Others got of
along the way to fish or go sight-see
ing. A small party that went tt
Mackay went out to see the big reser
voir. The day was perfect, and many
of those who went fishing came back
loaded with trout.
Trip to Big Butte
One party got off the train at Ger.
ro Grande and went to the Big Butte
There they got saddle horses and
made a circuit of the mountain look.
ing for dry farm lands, but did not
find the amount of smooth tillable
territory they had been led to be-
lieve there was on the west and south
of the butte. They attempted to 35-
cend the mountain by way of can
yon on the south side where it looked
favorable, but after ascending about
1900 feet they found it impractical
W ttdu luS IOl 0C0 lul IllSl anu ollC VI
them took the animals back down the
canyon while the other continued the
| ascent.
Many Peaks in One
The mountain is made up of clus-
ter of peaks set on one base, and the
most southern and easterly point
seems to be the highest A monu-
ment has been erected on the apex
to mark the boundary between Bing-
ham and Blaine counties, the divid-
ing line extending north and south.
The altitude of the monument is 7O3O
feet. it being about 1000 feet above
the station and the surrounding plain.
The base of the mountain is quite
rocky, there being several formations
lava, lime rock, silica in great cliffs,
and streaks of oxides that had been
prospected and abandoned.
Plant Life on the Butte
Butterflies existed in great numbers
and variety, wild raspberries, choke
cherries and service berries are
found, and sparse growth of pine
and quaking aspens. A fire passed
over the mountain about twenty years
ago and killed a great deal of young
pine timber that now lies where it
fell when the roots decayed. Much
loose slide ock lies on the slopes and
bush grows in the ravines and pro-
tected places, and there is little of
interest on the slopes but magnifi-
cent view can be had from the sum-
nit
Views of Double Sky
A man who went on top one morn
ing in the year 1901, soon after the
competitor of the railroad, was dis
appointed by having sheet Of white
fleecy clouds hurry across the sky
as he approached the summit, and
this shut off his view except where
there were openings that revealed the
world below. While he sat contem-
pating the double world below he
heard a strange rumbling that SEEM
ed to permeate all space and seemed
to come from almost anywhere
or anwhere The thought that he was
sitting on what was once the seat
of great volcanic disturbance, brought
forth pictures of volcanic action from
the hundreds of chimneys and old
fireholes which he knew dotted the
plain below. The rumble and roar
and vibartions grew more and more
distinct as if a possible internal cald-
ron or geyser were gathering pres
sure that was effecting everything.
Thoughts of how such gathering of
~, hoI Oh, nt hn rpbo o1a
mountain of Krakatoa from its base
in the Pacific and left the sea to rush
into the quivering lake Of liquid lava,
and toosed it into the seas with such
force that 1t sent vibations and vol
canic dust three times around the
globe, made it easy for him to picture
the stupendous scale on which the
elements sometimes operate and gave
him an insight into the methods by
which the Big Butte might have been
brought into position by one volcanic
outburst after another, each one
building in a different place from the
last one.
The sun shone on the f1eecy clouds,
and they seemed to act as a sounding |
board to transmit the vibrations of
something below 1t changed in in
tensity and seemed to change position
gradually until rift in the cloud |
sheet revealed strip of earth to the
northeastward and a train of cars
appeared moving westward and a Jet
of steam from the elfin locomotive
was followed by whistle. and the
man Of whom we speak knew there
was nothing more serious coming
than that some cattle had to get off |
the track.
There is spring on the northern
slope that was appropriated in the long
ago to furnish water for travellers It
was conducted to the station at the
base Of the mountain by 2 wooden
pipe and charge of 1917 cents per
head has always been charged for
watering stock at the troughs. The
water that feeds the springs probably
comes from deep down in the earth