Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1914-05-28
A Letter From the Far Northwest.
Vesta, Washington,
Nav Is. 1914.


Dear Father-My trip was rather I'M
eventiul as Tar IS Chicago. | took the
sleeper at PittSburg, so that got plenty
OF rest. The b. q D. train was two
hours late in reaching Chicago. so thai
this allowed time for very pleasant stop
OF twelve hours there, in which | visited
the Marshall Field store, the Art Gallery
and Lake Michigan waterfront, and IRON
the elevated trains got general idea Of
the city.
AT 1918 Tuesday night left Chicago
on the Olympian, OF the Chicago, MIL
waukee and ST. Paul Railroad, PROBABLY
the best transcontlnental train west Oh
Chicago. Early in the morning we aWoke
to see the beautiful farms along the fertile
valley OF the Mississippi river. About
noon St. Paul and Minneapolis were
reached. These are both very modern
cities with tremendous grain elevators
and many manufacturing shops.
"Wednesday afternoon the productive
Wheat-belt OF Minnesota could be seen.
| The prairieS OF South Dakota lar exceed
ed my expectations. Hardly hill or
piece OF rising ground relieve the con-
| tinuouS monolony OF the prairie. How
ever, all this land is under thorough Gull
tiyation, which makes beautiful sight
for the eye. No such produCtiveneSS and
fertility OF land can be observed in the
East. All farming is done on very large
scale. An fastener is al once impressed
most of all with the almost unlimited ag-
ricutural possibilities of this new country.
All OF Thursday was spent in passing
through Montana. With a territory aS
large as New York, Pennsylvania and
several other States, it still has popula-
ton less than that OF Rhode Island. Most
OF the State is broken, rolling country
with rugged bluffs scattered here and
there. Miles City, the great horSe-mar-
ket, was passed Thursday morning. The
grassy plains afford excellent lands for
cattle-raising. Thousands of sheep Craze
peacefully in these plains, while the
ranchmen'S ShantieS are often many miles
apart.
Butte, Montana, has the richest gold
mine OF its size in America. Extensive
mining also in silver, copper and lead is
done around this city. Butte boasts OF
its large payroll OF s., 0OO, 600 for its peo-
pie.
In western Montana we began to as
cend the Rocky Mountains. Strange to
say, we were almost at the summit before
| realized that we were near any noun
tains. The absence OF all trees and veg
citation distinguishes them from most
mountains. Our highest point OF eleva-
ton was about 6, 300 feet above sea-level.
Friday morning brought us to eastern
Washington. The winds from the Pacif-
ic bring very heavy rainfall to this State
in winter, consequently most luxurlant
vegetation covers the whole State. The
dairy farms in eastern Washington much
resemble the land of Canaan, Glowing
with milk and honey"
AS we approached the Cascades, the
big trees became especially noticeable.
The pleasant odor of the fir trees adds
freshness and vigor to the cool mountain
breezes. The Cascades are most densely
covered with vegetation OF all KINDS.
Washington presents the greatest natural
grandeur OF scenery. AS the iron trail
winds around the ridges OF the Cascades,
there can be seen the rising smoke from
lumber camps in the valley below. Beau
tiful waterfalls and picturesque canyons,
one of them sixteen miles in length, add
variety to the view.
Late Friday evening we reached Puget
Sound, with its two prosperous cities,
Seattle and Tacoma. About three hours
spent in Seattle. AT night it's especially
attractive, since il is the best lighted city
in America. Over the Oregon and Wash
ington Railroad, reached CoSmopoliS at
545 Saturday morning.
Then IN a spring wagon with three
other men began an eighteen-mi drive
to Vesta through the North river country.
All the way the road goes along a narrow
river valley. The road is covered with
planks because of the soft ground. For
the whole distance of eighteen miles the
road forms only narrow partition be-
tween the two almost impenetrable walls
OF dense timber on both sides.
This is literally "A Parish OF the Pines.
The people do very little farming on their
small clearingS. However, with their
dairy products they manage to live well
from small income. All the land ex-
cept few narrow strips is thickly cover
ed with trees and underground of all
kinds.
So far am temporarily living at the
home OF a Mr.. Chambers. His family
treat me very kindly. Four young sons,
about 5, 6, 7 and s years old, are in the
family. Mrs. Walker, the Scotch school,
teacher, boards at this house. She is an
unusually pleasant, intelligent and piouS
Christian woman. About thirty logging
men work for Mr.. Chambers. Several Of
them have have been very cordial to me.
| have a bright, comfortable room tor
study. Mrs. Chambers serves meals OF
the very best kind. Everything is so suit
able, that wish TO live here permanently,
if possible.
They let me have pony TO ride.
Yesterday was in the saddle for eighteen
miles, though | preached only at two
points. The congregations numbered II
and IL. At another point will preach