224
THE WEST SHORE.
whole families at a time, may be seen making their peri
odical pilgrimages to the springs, It is often the case
that medicinal springs find their devotees only in stran
gers from a distance, but not so at White Sulphur
Springs, for every citizen has a firm belief in the virtue
of these waters, and this belief is not founded solely on
the toHtimony of chemist, but upon their own observa
tion and experience. Some of them have used the water
regularly for years and have watched its effoct upon
themselves and othors, and such persons are the most
enthusiastic in its praise. There have been no deaths at
White Sulphur Springs for some time. Not long since
an individual who thought the town should be prepared
to furnish suitable funoral pomp, when necessary, in
vested in a hearse, but has as yet found no demand for
its services. Even the offer of a free ride to the first
passenger has failed to create any enthusiasm for its use,
and the offer still remains opeu.
The stage route from Townsond being the shortest is
the one most generally traveled, and stagos run daily
both ways. The fare is 15, or 19 for the round trip.
1'arties of four or five will find a private conveyance both
a more pleasant and ohoaper mode of traveling. A
splendid road leads from the springs to Livingston,
though the distance is about twice that to Townsond.
Still it will be found a ploasant route to travel, especially
by those intending to pay a visit to the great National
Park of the Yellowstone.
THE BENCH LANDS OF MONTANA.
rPHAT part of Montana bounded on the west by the
1 Rocky and Belt mountains, and extending as far
east as the lOtUh degree of longitudo, and lying between
the Missouri and Marias rivers on the north, and the
Musselshell River on the south, possesses more and bet
ter agricultural lands than can bo found elsewhere in
Montana. This area ombraoes about 30,000 square miles
of territory, and is but little traversed or broken by
mountain ranges. It is divided into valleys and bench
lands. The valleys, though rich and fertile, cannot iron
erally be suooossfully cultivated without irrigation. This
Territory, however, more than any other, is favored with
large streams aud an abundant supply of water. The
linporUut feature of this part of Montana is its extensive
table lauds. The old-timers have been slow to believe
that any land in Montana can le cultivated successfully
without irrigation. It is now a settlod fact that vast
stretches of bench or tablo land in this pari will, one year
with another, produce wheat averaging from twenty-five
to fifty bushels to the acre. A High wood farmer of large
exrmnce told me last tall that he considered the benches
of this part of Montana the best wheat lands he hail ever
seen in any country, and that his experience had demon
strated that they would produoe large yields of wheat and
oaU with only the natural supply of moisture. Let any
man driving from Ureat Fall to Fort Benton, on either
ide of the Missouri River, note everywhere the rich mil
aud abuudaut grasses, lie will see no sago brush and no
11 it l . I 1 1 I. - r ai ! i . ... ...
ik u lauu. ii uo exaiuiuas tue sou no will una it tuel
low and well mixed with silica, the " grist of the nioun.
tains," to essential to the rapid growth of grain aud to the
NOTES OF THE NORTHWEST.
the foundation and
basement of the new capitol building at Boise City.
Idaho will soon have a capital worthy of her increasing
weaiw anu impui rai.
Imo Viorrnn the davalonment of a ledee on
Castle Mountain, near White Sulphur Springs, Montana.
. . . i -as i 1 .'I 11 1 1J .1
A shaft will be sunK iuu ieet, ana u me vein uoiub goou
to that depth, a 200-foot tunnel will be run in from the
side of the hill to tap the ledge much lower down.
TtnlWiiA Tilftlin. a erectincr a handsome brick school
house, containing two stories and a basement It will
1 il : 1L. nPnMMifn.. AviArtl 111 A anlis1 Villl'l
excel anyuiiiig iu mo xvulwij dadh wd dvuwi u
ing at Boise City, and is an evidence that Bellevue is
prospering ana time nor citizens appreciate me vaiue oi
good schools.
From January 1 to May 31 the coal mines of Fuget
Sound have shipped 142,895 tons of coal to San Fran.
cisco, apportioned as follows: Carbon Hill, 81,444; Cedar
n- ' fbio. n t: anon. r i icqt. a.,n.
IVlver, u,oiu; ureeu xvivai, u.aou, ikouvuu, iu,uui , uuutu
Prairie, 2,500; Seattle, 33,712. The Carbon Hill and
South Prairie ship at the city of Tacoma, and the others
at Seattle.
Durincr the month of Mav ten cargoes of lumber
were shipped from Puget Sound for foreign ports
Honolulu. Melbourne, Montevideo, Kalahui. Valparaiso,
Callao, Panama and Norway. During the 'same month
twenty-six vessols sailed tor ports along the coast,' chiefly
to San Franoisoo. The cargoes aggregated 19,317,000
feet of lumber, valued at $195,000.
Tlnrincr tYiA month nf Jim a 91 1K1 lmn1 rt AaH-la wafa
shipped to the ranges further east, chiefly in Montana.
mi" . ll 1 I il.. m ?i ' ... T t i i
nmy wro uu uobhou uy wm lerritonai inspector at
Horse Plains as being perfectly free from even the germs
of disease. Many of them will go to the block this
season, while others will remain on the ranges.
Visitors to White Sulphur Springs will find excellent
hotel accommodations far better than many of them
will anticipate. The Higgins House, owned and man
aged by Jonas Higgins, is a handsome three-story brick
structure, and offers first class accommodations, both as
to rooms and table. It in nnn nf tha Vuaf knioU i f
t " w wu uviu. uuvuia m iuuu
tana, which is certainly a sufficient recommendation.
The Big Yank ledge, in Rogue River, is being devel
ODod bv two tunnnla one nn tlm nnrth iA u
s ' www uui u au4 Vilw Mil ItllO
south, each to be 200 feet long, and cut the ledge about
ow iwji. uhiow we Bunace. a luu-atamp mill will soon
be erected, and the ledcrna nf Hnnfh am CSrartnn will
brought into prominence by the result of its workings.
v, wni uuutuua 01 nine mues on ttie
surface.
The large 120-stamp mill which has been erected on
Douglas Island, in the Yukon River, Alaska, was started
up on the l'Jth of June. Thin morU ;
quarU mining on an extensive scale in that region, and
the man It nf ilu n.i;n.. .:n i .i . . . .
u u I T . "A"""u" w,u e waicneu witn interest
by hundreds of miners who are anxious to see a practical
tost of the mooted question of a profitable working of the
The Minich, a ledge situated near Wickes, Montana,
was sold recent v tn (1 U Mnin -j i t:i 7
rio,000. Three ishafU have been sunk on the property
tlf&.Z 3 VA respecUvely,PXne
inches wide and a body of ore of more t&m 2,000 tons.