Leaves of Knowledge/Chapter 11
THE PALOUSE COUNTRY AND NORTHERN MONTANA
CHAPTER XI.
The Palouse Country and Northern Montana.
From Pullman I made a pleasant trip to Uniontown, and drove, one fine May day, to Genesee, Idaho. It was a charming sight to pass through the immense wheat fields; the grain yields of this country are marvelous.
After I had made some pleasant acquaintances, I returned to Uniontown, Washington. From there I was driven to Lewiston, Idaho, a distance of nine miles. The last four miles of the way has a drop of over two thousand feet, and during the four miles Lewiston seemed right at our feet, on account of the road winding down the hill, snake fashion. At times the outlook seemed so dangerous that it caused one to hold one's breath, but I held on to the carriage seat instead. When I left Uniontown I had on quite a heavy wrap, but before reaching Lewiston the heat seemed almost unbearable.
This town is where the Clearwater empties into Snake river. Boats run on the Snake river to Riparia, connecting with the Oregon Railway & Navigation line, and a branch of the Northern Pacific connects with the main line to Spokane. Winter here is a most charming season, and the long sunny days of summer are succeeded by cool nights. Aided by irrigation, immense quantities of fruit are raised yearly. Across the Snake river, which is spanned by a long steel bridge, is the town of Clarkston, Washington, with Asotin a short distance up the river. These are fruit sections. Southeast on the elevated bench lands, is the town of Grangeville, in the wheat section.
Lewiston is the out-fitting and business city for the mines of Central Idaho, and the location of the State Normal School.
I passed up the valley through Kendrick and Troy, ascending again to the wheat country at Moscow, where the State University of Idaho is located. Here crops are grown without the aid of irrigation or artificial fertilizers. I take lunch at Pullman, and go on to the town of Palouse, Washington, which, in addition to its farming interests, has important lumbering industries, mills being here that manufacture the lumber brought down the river from the surrounding country and Central Idaho. I stopped at Garfield, and thence on to Oakesdale, Rosalia and Spangle, passing through the immense fields of waving wheat. Reaching Spokane, I take a trip on the Great Northern across the State of Idaho, with a stop at Bonner's Ferry, made important on account of railroad connections with the Crow's Nest Pass Railroad and Kuskonook, British Columbia.
I made a few days' stop at Libby, Montana, a stirring little town, with rich mines surrounding. From Jennings another branch line of the Great Northern will run to Fernie, B. C., also connecting with the Crow's Nest Pass.
During my stay in Kalispell I noticed great improvements since my last visit. Surveys were being made to the new town of Whitefish by the Great Northern Railroad.
After a run of two hundred and sixty-five miles east of Kalispell, I arrived at Havre, where are the shops of the Great Northern on its main line. From here the road branches off to Great Falls, Helena and Butte. This branch is commonly spoken of as the Montana Central Railway. Havre is also division headquarters. This city and Chinook are important cattle shipping points, and the country east to Glasgow, the next railroad division, has very important cattle industries.
An interesting incident to me occured while at Havre. The Indians were coming together from the different reservations to celebrate and have their war dance. It was amusing to see their costumes and the mode of travelling of the hundreds that gathered for this occasion. Fort Assiniboine, a United States Government Post, is near here.
Fort Benton is surrounded by an extensive stock country, and is the head of navigation of the Missouri river, being the oldest town in the state.
After a short stop at the City of Great Falls, I wend my way to the capital of the state, Helena.