Warren sheaf., 1917-10-03
N. E. BYSTROM DESCRIBES
AUTO TRIP THRU ROCKIES

N. E. Bystrom, recently of Warren,
now residing at Great Falls, Mont, has
written a letter to the editor OF the
Sheaf in which he tells about an. auto
trip that he and family made thru the
Rockies recently. This is what he
writes:
II will tell you a little, of our trip
thru the Rocky Mountains. We started
out on Monday, Aug. q, about 10 a. M,
in Buick car. We reached Helena,
Mont, that afternoon, distance of |
112h miles from Great Falls. On. this
road we pass thru the Little Rockies
and over the famous Sullivan hill, from
the top of which we had the most
beautiful scenery, the auto road wind
ing it's way down to- point almost
right below us. Rocks Of all kinds Of
shapes and features stood like sentinels
guarding the road along the Prickley
Pear Canyon, which opens into broad
valley. On the other side of this valley
we could then see Mount Helena, atsthe
foot Of which the city Of Helena is sit
uated. Upon entering the city we were
surprised to find the narrow, crooked
streets and the steep hills right in the
midst of the city. 1t was explained to
us that the reason for this arrangement
of the streets, was the fact that the
city was built right around the gold
mines. In fact, there is a large amount
of gold in the ground there yet While
RS~,c. Ok. I><, Ai.,
Grand Placer Hotel the contractor
washed out so much gold that 1T
amounted to sum greatly in excess Of
the cost of the basement complete.
Even now, we were told, after a heavy
rain the children find gold on the
ain sides.
We stopped at the Placer Hotel; and
after refreshing dinner set out to ex-
plore the city. First we took. in the
capitol and after that drove out to.
| BROAD Water, three miles out from
the city. This is a summer resort.
Here is the largest indoor swimming
pool in the country, enclosed in a
beautiful building and fed by natural
warm water springs. &
At noon the following day we set out
for Missoula. We followed the rail-,
road until we came to little town
called Avon, where we left the railroad
land choose the inland road thru;
IOvando and Helenyille and along Black:
foot canyon, where we drove our car:
along the mountain sides hundreds Of
feet over the rushing waters of the
1 Black foot river below. At Bonner we
emerged out of the canyon and from
thereon the road run along compara-
lively level road into Missoula. Here
we put up for the night at Hotel
Florence Missoula is a fine city, with
broad streets and many boulevards
Here is the home Of the Montana State
i University. On the following day,
Wednesday the 10Th, we called upon
our old friend John Dahlgren, cashier
of the Scandinavian American Bank
/ We met Mr.. Dahlgren i'm the bank
lobby. He was quite taken by surbfise
4 land for moment stood staring at us
las if we were so many ghosts. 3 He
. called for his car and took us to- his
beautiful home where we met Mrs.
& Dahlgren and their two sons All Of
Johns old friends know that he is in
/ possession Of good. business judgement.
4 TO any who meet his wife it is plain
that he exercised the same good jud..se-
], ment in the selection of his better Ha:f.
/ Mrs. D Dahlgren is Of charming person
atty She also claimed to hail from
4 Minnesota.
5, At about p. m.:sthe same day, we
:. left for Kalispelk via Flathead Lake
: thru the Indian. reservation, passing
thru old st. Ignatius Mission and
reached Roman about 9 p. M, where
!, we stopped over night. The next morn.
; ing we continued to Poison, situated on
: the south end Of Flathead Lake. a
railroad is now being built from Dixon
Z to Poison. The road will be completed
8 sometime this fall Talking about
, Indians, we met many of them between
= Ravalli and Poison, some on foot, some
!, on horseback and some in super sia
automobiles. Flathead Lake is over. 81
!, miles long and several miles wide anC
: piled by large steamers carrying fre:ght
: and passengers between Somers ant
: Poison. Leaving Poison we took th;
!: mountain road along the east side @:
f the lake and reached Kalispell abou
ss 80 p. m. Along the Flathead yallei
: we. saw some Of the most beaut..fu
: grain we have ever seen. Also large
: number Of orchards, some as large a
% or 40 acres. Apples, cherries ant
other fruit is raised here
r On Thursday we started out fol
J, Libby, where the Libby Yards Compan.
I (affiliated with the ST Hilaire Lum
!, Der Company have their great saw
r mill. We did not reach this place how
ever on account Of a little break dow
and finding the roads in pretty bat
condition thru the thick timber in thi
region, so we turned back to Kalis
pell. At Marion, about q miles south
Is wnst nf Ka1iSnn11s xun mot da11phtn