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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1883)
May, 1883. THE WEST SHORE. 105 THE MISSOURI CANYONS. Twelve miles east of Helena the river enters a series of grand canyons that challenge the admira tion of all. The point of entrance in going north, crly down the stream is known as the "Galcway of the Mountains," and from there the rocky walls rise for six miles to heights varying from 1,500 to 2,000 feet. Lewis and Clarke ' thus describe them : "They form a most sublime and extraor dinary spectacle. Nothing can be imagined more tremendous than the frowning darkness of these rocks which project over the river and menace us with destruction. The river of three hundred and fifty yards in width seems to have forced its channel down the solid mass, but so reluctnnlly has it given way, that during the whole distance the waier is verv decD. even at the edtres. and for j 1 . ... the first three miles They were ascending there is not a spot, except one ol a lew yards, in wnicn a man could stand between the water and the towering perpendicular of the mountain." - After leaving the last canyon, the river flows for forty tnita IhcMmt. a hiirh rnllinrr nrnirie nntntrv. until ..... ...b.-, - h 1 -.- . - it breaks for ten miles into a series of rapids and falls, the greatest of winch are JtAINUOW KAI.I.s. At this point the stream is 1,000 yards in width and nours in a solid mass over a concave brink falling forty-eight feet "in one unkroken sheet of while. Though not nearly so high, it resembles Niair:ira more than nnv other in the world, both in noise and the beauty of its rainbow and sprny effects. Six miles below are the ORKAT KAI.l.S OK THE MISSOURI, near the mouth of Sun river and thirty miles above Fort Benton. Here the channel is con tracted to a width of 280 yards, and the whole volume of water makes a purpendicular plunge of ninety feet, the spray leaping high into the air, and the roar resounding through the hills for miles. Sun river valley is dotted with farms unexcelled in nroductiveness. and is a favorite ranee for slock. In fact the whole of Northern Montana, along the Judith, Marias, Sun, Teton, an.l the hundred other great and small tributaries of the Missouri, is one vast stock range, a large portion of it as yet unoccupied. There is still room for thousands of cattle. This region is chiefly tributary to FORT BENTON, the great trade center, and head of navigation on the Missouri. As a commercial, rranufacluring and distributing point this city is of grcal import, ance, and heavy investments are being made here by capitalists. Connection wilh the Northern Pacific is now had by stage to Helena and by steamer down the river to Bismarck, Dakota A branch road from Billings across the Musselshell i-nunrrv in TUnmn has been promised by the com pany and will no doubt soon be constructed; also one up the Missouri lo Helena. white SULPHUR SI'RINO. A few miles above the great falls is the mouth iif Similh river, on whose headwaters, evenlyfive miles east of Helena, are the celebrated while sulphur springs. " A town has len laid out there and iH tnrincti have recently been purchased by the Sulphur Springs Association which has begun ' m.n. lmi.,nmniL This has already lcome 1 wiccevful saniiarium, and it is the intention lo make it the great health resort of the nminwew. The .miner, are fifteen n nuOilf, n a wm classed as "saline sulphur waters," and their margins and basins are coaled Hakes of sulphut which burn freely when dry. A large hotel, balhine houses and other conveniences are at hand for the accommodation of visitors. Returning to the three forks we resume our journey up the Madison and Gallatin valleys, passing to the northeast ol VIRGINIA CITY. the hrst 'rent nunini' canii) ol Montana, whose o n -- celebrated Alder gulch yielded $30,000,000 in L'old the first three years after its dicovery, and which is still a thriving city with large mining interests, we come to H07.KMAN, lilv of enterprise and brilliant proMtecls. It has now a population ol nearly 3,000 and Is grw ni rniudlv. I he agricultural resources 01 me adjacent country are great, and an excellent ipulily of bituminous coal is mineil wlllnn a lew miles. The prosperity of Iloieman, as well ai other clll'it alone the line of the road, it womlcrlul, ami is largely due to the enterprise of its citixent and a favorable location. The " boom here has some thing solid to rest upon. The road rises rapidly from the city into Ihe Belt mountains, the dividing ridge lielween the headwaters of the Missouri and Yellow le and the last great mountain barrier between Portland and Si. Paul. We toon reach the BO.KMAN TUNNEL 3,600 feet in length and 5,566 almve Ihe level of the sea. This is seventeen feel aliove Ihe Munan .......1 tl.i. Iiiidirkt noinl on the line. The ..Mint altitude on Ihe Union Pacific is at Slier man. 8.2i2 feet, and on the Cenlral Pacific, Sum mit. t 017 (cel. Only twice on ihe whole mule .in we attain a hiuh altitude at Mullan and lt,em.in nasKS-and In neither Instance do we have to climb to the greal elevations of the other ...,li A temporary track on a graile ol 209 trci was laid over the summit, 150 feet aliove, to nen (,. line iK-forc the tunnel watenmplcleil. I asstn ger trains will I taken over litis grade In summer, .i.,i ir.velrra may not be deprived ol ill magnifi- uUui In lie 11 ht a I ned from tUivt. ThU ii tCHl w but one of the many Instances wher the iNortnern rr. Ui.ilr.Md Co. reveals an Intention to accom- I a...v ...... modate the traveling public to the ulmost limit 01 it a rwiwir. .L.V.H- - v. ... ruin downtowner in icnww.,.r. pours out from the mountain in lis northerly court ami sweeps arouno lowaru. - enler ihe town of LIVINGSTON, . ...s.. mile from Boteman. This it one of --,le, of lown-buiWing ana in perwHini Though an Infant In age It It "" 1 . . . 1 . ... in -...will A few monini aifo II was iw mail fc'"" a railroad camp, and now ia a aubanllal city of , ev inl..l,iisnt. wilh houKt and business biotas, ' Me.1 or in unite of election, thai emr favorably wilh any on in noi on.. i ...... I buildine lii!e round boue, and this it ihe ir.ilial point of lh Iraiuh lirst Wading to ik. National Park. II po.HK a nmwi 1 i'iiA ..wl ike utile center of a fertile agrkul ' .... ..:..L. I mi ni rriflor.. Civet n raium K with promise. A tupeiior ualily of Cl hat i-, (.mml eidht mile from lh city, awl iel minimi iiilrrett IH l dotlbl I"!"" P- Tbe railiuaui cniy l ptotpectitt " wl preparing to work It for lit own ute. Iron, lime stone nd building stone also aliound In the vicin ity, and the Clarke' fork silver mines lie to th southeast, on the edge of the park, and can bt supplied from this oint wilh ease. THK l-ARK HRANCH ROAD. We now leave the main line and proceed up ill bnnki of the Yellowstone on Ihe branch road to ihe park. A we ascend the river we catch In the Increaainff lieaulv of the surrounding scenery promise of Ihe grandeur soon lo be revealed, and only repress our admiration because w leel thai il mutt lie reserved foi the great wondei of ihe ntik. Deliarklnc at liaidmer, the terminus, fitty-lx mllet from Livingston, we prepar for a H Ill L few days or exploration. Ihe muitii win navi hit choice of palrouliing the holelt now being creeled by ihe Yellowstone National Park Im provement Co., or taking a camping ouilit and relying upon himself. The former will bfl Ihe plan usually adopted, as II relieve one of much trouble, furnltlies him wilh comfort he olherwlte would hve lo foreno. ii but little more esiientlve, and enable him lo "do" the paik In lh thotletl HMtilile lime. V soon traverse Ihe ihoil sptct Iwtwcen It and Gardiner, and crot lh Uiundary line of the NATIONAL FARK OY Til YRI.LOWSTONR This is a reclancular Inaly of land sltly-fiv by fifly.liva miles, and containing an area of 3,575 square mile, which Congreta by In act .provea March. I, 1871, "withdrew from sale and oceu- ,,.nrv. and tel anarl at k national para, or jur- ietual public pleeture ground, for ih um and enjoyment of Ihe people." II lie cmrny in Wyoming, though Inciu.llng 1 unaii oiiion 01 Montana and Idaho. Within lit llmll i a greater numlier of Ihe eccrnlrk manllrtiatlon of natural foicet and mora nenet of enchanting luiy and imiHisiiiK grandeur lhn In any almllai region In the wmld. Naiura teemt lo hava chosen the mountain tummilt a filling Mit wheteln lo plc Ih masler plece of her handb kvmk. Her, w ihln Ih ladiut 01 a tw miiet, line mighty river hav ihelr founlaln-headt, nd ihrir walet flow on fol Ihoutantlt 01 unit to mlrigl wilh th ocean thai bound our conll- nenl on either ld. In Ih touih-wwl coiner rise Snak ilvr, or lwl' fork of th Columbia, which flow oulhrly and welily escio IM whole of Idaho, form part of Ih dlvl.llng UM twtwwn lhal lrrltory and Oregon, awwp lo th north around Ih lllu Mountain, unite wnn the other greal branch of ih Columbia In Waib- Ingion Terillory, and flowing weatwaw a in line of division between Oregon and Washington, cut pg-wy through Ih CKd tang, and piur Into th Pacific lit united waitt of Idaho, Oregon, Washlnglon, and portion 01 Nd, Montana ami IliliUh Columbia. Madl- wm liver rixt In lh noiih we.l coiner, ami Dow northward until II join wilh Ih Gallatin and JcftW lo Mm Ih mighiy MUvmiiI, mm water roll onward lo Ih Uulf of klcttco. nul Ih greal Slrrtm of lb park I ll farnotit Vl (.Hxione. Tb touie of Ihlt mighiy Irllniaiy of ih Miiii k) In Ytllowtlon hat, liiougr inlo Ih fiuthem end of lhal high mountain fun tiirtrti that head smith of Ih lik ami I called Ih Up)! Yellowtion. Ih tireaiti don nifihrd over urrri. of alti-fll, and Ihiough a eii of goge and tai.yt, tiniil It Ucalu boot lh auutiniaut. Iuim tUjpiy to in Denture varvine from cold to 1 Go". TUy are . - 4 m