The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-10-08
WORD FROM THE WEST
LETTER WAS WRITTEN BY
A. E. WCARGAR
Interesting Narrative of Journey
Taken BY Former Judson
Resident

Judson, Mimi. October 6.-Arthur E.
McCargar, farmer near Judson for years
past sold his farm last June and auto
cd with his family out to Yakima, Wash
the following letter to Secretary Paul w.
Mogren of the Judson Community club
for the community.
Dear friend and community Of Judson,
To tho request of you for the commpn-
ity club of Judson, will do as promised.
from Judson to Yakima. The first day we
drove 166 miles and camped near Orion
VILE. Mimi.
The second day or August "a, we drove
1919 miles and camped at Bowdle. 9. d.
Here Marvin had little smash up by
driving into the curbing to avoid being
hit by another car. 1t laid US up until
the next day at noon, August 26. We
drove 122 miles this day when we noticed
the country commenced getting poorer,
travelling up and down hill all the time.
We crossed the Missouri river at Mo-
bridge with our two cars There were
three other Minnesota cars and one Mis-
souri, car crossed at the same time on
the ferry. After crossing the river the
roads kept getting worse every mile and
working on the trail. They lay their
culvefts on top of the ground in South
Dakota. 1t being very dusty when we
came through South Dakota We could
not see them until on to them. We nee
ticed cars broken down all along the trail.
ing Of the 25th. On the evening Of the
26th we campcd at Baker, Mont. We
drove $50 miles the 26th and all the way
UP and down hill and every hill seem ID
to be getting longer and the country
poorer. But in Montana they furnished
t1,,r xr,itL III orntrndA
We could cook with electricity. but there
was not room for all of us. tried to
count the cars at the camp at Baker
Mont, but could not do 1t as they were
coming and going all the time-fron the
park. and such stories as they told us
about the hills we had ahead OF US. They
had us pretty badly scared. but there
were cars from Minnesota travelling to-
gether and we made up our minds to
tackle it any way. Along about noon the
9th we struck the hardest hill to climb
on our whole trip, one to go up and the
other to come down. as steep hill as
ever have seen. Lucky there was water
along the roads as the engine boiled hard
and we he'd to put in water few times.
and the Ford got quite hot climbing on
low all the time. The other car stood II
little better. The hill was all loose
gravel. We met two cars on the hill from
Faribault. MINI. They told us to stick
to the trail as. this hill was small to
what was to come to US. AND we found
out they were right. But we had no
more trouble as the grades were good
from there on.
Along about p. m. we came to where
they were irrigating the country. and the
country we were passing then looked
good. We passed through Miles City and
tell you it looked good after getting
out Of the desert. We Canned at For.
sythe, Mont. the night of the 9th. 1t
was quite windy and cloudy and looked
somewhat like rain. The people told US
that II it rained 1t was better for US 10
stay till teh roads dried up as the roads
got very bad after rain. In the morning
to pour down. After breakfast we start
ed out Two cars of the party stayed at
Forsythe fearing the roads. But we had
some time in getting over the roads.
finding cars in the ditch all along the
way The mud was very deep. Some of
II is still sticking onto my cars. About
noon we got through 1t and struck coun-
try where it had not rained. We passed
through Custer and saw -Rempeys Pillar.
That night we stayed at Billings Mont.
which is sure a nice town. Here we got
separted from the other Minnesota cars.
so 1t was only our two cars together out
of Billings. The country looks fine all
along the Yellow Stone river. We got
our first sight Of the Rockies after leav-
ing Billings. They looked blue from
camp at the next town. fearing they-,were
clouds We drove ITS miles that day and
camped at Park CITY. On Sunday Aug
gust oath we drove 1874 miles and camped
at Gardner which Is the gate to the
park. The roads were fine until we got
to Livingstone. There we branched off
to the park. To look ahead at the hills
I thought it would be impossible for a car
to climb them, but there was none
could not make on second. Supday<nisht
we camped out side the gate ~ the park.
There are two camping places which
they did not furnish soil. We had to
drive together, side by side and tie our
tent to the cars as it was all rock. There
were so many cars parked here that
could not count them. The people here
told us we had some very long hills
ahead of us to climb through the park.
The first one was fourteen miles long.
and that we would have to stop once In
awhile to let our engines cool: When we
got started Monday morning we struck
the hill and found 1t II miles long all
right but the grade was very good, so
were gonig up grade. After we went
a few miles, Marvin stopped his car and
came back and said something was wrong
with his car. He had to go on low part
Of the time as he had the Ford and the
Chevrolet. but it was the grade we were
through the park was wonderful and the
roads were good. No place / could not
go on second It was surprising to see
so many boiling. springs and others close
by Ice cold. There were people boiling
eggs and potatoes at some places In these
hot springs. They had signs up at some
springs so people would not 20 to close.
Roaring Mountain was a wonderful sight.
the whole mountain was steaming and
boiling. Old Faithful was sure worth
while seeing. It boils over every hour.
when 1t commences to throw water 1t
throws higher every time 1t comes out
until it reaches the height of 80 feet.
Then It will stop for another hour. and
when 1t gets through there is quite a
stream Of boiling water on the ground.
The Paint Pots they are all boiling. and
different colors. These are all fenced
off so the people do not get to close.
Here we met one Of the cars we got sep
nrated from at Billings and we Travelled
the rest of the way together. Our next
camp was at Yellow Stone. the Western
Gate to the Park. 1t was quite cold up
here. We left wash basin on the run
ing board of the car and there was three
inches Of ice on It in the morning.
TSom here we went north west 113
miles before we struck the trail again.
It as eighty miles from Yellow Stone to
the next town. We had gone forty miles
when passing a school house the teacher
came out and gave Us some, letters to
mail at the next town. When we asked
her how far 1t was to the next town
she stated 40 miles. The children all