The Ward County independent., 1921-10-27

down to the little ferry and as soon as
got over on the west side the dust
was flying where had been driving
in the mud before. Roads are fairly
good down toward Richardson on the
Red Trail, which is an excellent high
way as far as Miles City. From
there on there are many and deep ra-
vines to be crossed and, though the
road itself is fairly good, the steep
hills impede ones progress when it
comes to making mileage. The hope
less wreck of an automobile near the
bottom of one also gives eloquent
warning of the necessity Of keeping
your eyes open. However they were
as nothing to what l was to encounter
further west. Roads from Big Tim
Der to out near Butte are very rough
and rocky but from Butte to Missou-
la they are fine. A pavement is in
the course of construction between
Butte and Anaconda. At Missoula
/ left the Yellowstone Trail for q side
trip to Poison and from there pro-
ceeded along the Pend d'Oreille river
by way of Thompson Falls to Sand
Point, Idaho, and thence to Spokane,
instead of crossing the Bitter Root by
way Of Wallace which latter is said
to be much better road except for
the big hill over the "hump" where
they say that most Fords come to
grief and have to be towed up by q
man and a team who, they say, some-
times makes as much as hundred a
day during the busy season for pull
=, :. kho~. So - 90 m ..o,. u - o<<~~
you get as far as The Dalles, Ore.
when the real pleasure Of the trip be-
gins. The beautifully paved high
way from there to Portland along the
Columbia river is a drive one will new
er forget and well worth coming .
long way to enjoy. Also from Port
land b the California line,, with the
exception Of 4 few short pieces, you
have q paved highway and you roll
along 50 smoothly. that it seems you
cannot get the car 10 run fast enough
70 suit you. Northern California,
however, has pretty rough roads in
general, but you can coast most Of the
way down the mountains for about
fifty miles and they are doing q
great deal Of road work up there rs
they are in fact doing all along the
line, from Montana on, and many
places you are obliged to make de-
tours on account Of the main high
way being under construction. I was
told up in Oregon that the roads thru
the mountains cost more than $50, 900
per mile. In Oregon you rarely en-
counter a grade exceeding five per
cent. Nearly every town has tour
list camp grounds where Accommodations
range all the way from none at all to
elaborate little buildings as at Deer
Lodge, Mont, with hot and cold run
ming water, shower baths n every
thing. AT Grants Pass, Ore. they
have dozen or more double electric
plates to do their cooking on and I
noticed sign near Ashland that that
town claimed to have the "Finest and
best equipped camp grounds in the
state" etc, etc. In time I think
some of them will also furnish the
travelling pilgrims with gas and oil.
While on that subject might say that
it took a trife over thirty dollars in
gas to take me from Ryder to Berk-
lev. but predict that in a couple of
years when the roads will, no doubt,
be greatly improved along a good
share of the way it will be possible to
do the trim for less. Price of gas
runs from 23 cents here to IS cents up
in Idaho. Cross country travel by
auto seems to be very popular to
Judge bv the hundreds Of ears YOU
meet hailinr from practically every
state in the Union. # was gratifying
to read YOUR last issue. and the way
thew are Founding up the evildoers in
and around Minot Of late. Il would
certainly be most wholesome change
to give these fellows what thew de-
serve in hard labor instead of sus-
pended sentences. I believe the
craze Of late wears along this line, in
stead Of making prisons place to be
places to yet free board and lodgings
for a while. at the worst. An old
Fashioned vigilance committee like
thew nsed tn have in -Montana wears