WAUPACA RECORD

January 6, 1898

OFF FOR KLONDIKE

We left Waupaca on the midnight train, reached St. Paul in the morning, and waited there until 4:30 p.m. to take the through "Pacific Mail," which leaves at that time, over the Great Northern Railway and the Northern Pacific. Of the two routes the traveler can choose whichever way he prefers. We chose the Northern Pacific on account of the scenery, but we were told that the other road gave the best accommodations for the money. I cannot say which route is preferable, but shall try the Great Northern route next time, then I can tell. The Northern Pacific road is doing a good business, as we left St. Paul with a heavy train of twelve cars, and much of the way had two engines and a special engine for the mountains, and until we reached Cascade Range we were only forty-five minutes late. This was considered very good time for winter travel.

After crossing the Missouri River, which was frozen over, we came to the "Bad Lands of Dakota," which area series of high, sandy and gravel land unfit for pasture or cultivation. We next come to an undulating prairie with here and there a sharp, upright gully over which, no doubt the cowboys, on their swift ponies, have taken many a headlong plunge in rounding up their cattle. The shanties and farm buildings are not more than a mile or so apart; cattle are numerous and are herded by a genuine cowboy. Wild horses roam the treeless prairies. We pass a large flock of sheep which are feeding on the bunch grass, which is covered by a heavy white frost, heavier than any we have in Wisconsin. It looks as if there had been very little snow west of the Missouri River, as the stock was all feeding out of doors on the prairie grass and were in good condition, while in Wisconsin snow and frozen ground had kept stock housed for two or three weeks.

From Medora to Glendive are the famed "Bad Lands." Here they are in pyramids, in groups and palisades. They rise singly and in groups, being round, oval and oblong in shape at the top, rising to a height of 200 to 500 feet. A red sand encircles the tops of many of them. In the distance we seem to see a purple haze, reminding one of the famous "Palisades of the Hudson River," only these seem higher, more diversified, more grand, more numerous and larger, and more beautiful in every way. There was not a tree in sight for miles.

The second morning out from St. Paul brings us to the high table lands of Montana, which we have traversed all night, and the Rocky Mountains. A day of sunshine with very little snow on the mountains, enabled us to see the grandest mountains in the world. We all spent one day in sight seeing and almost forgot to eat, so absorbed were we in seeing all there was to be seen. They are grand beyond description and I leave to abler pens than mine, a special mention of them. Butte Mont. is considered one of the most prosperous places in the mountains at present.

At night, for a little diversion, two tramps entered the car, and crawled under the lower berth; unseen by the trainmen and concealed by the drapery, they intended to take a ride. One of the passengers happened to be awake, and reported them, and they were ejected.

Eastern Washington was covered by from two to six feet of snow, and a snow-plow crossed the Cascade Range, from the west, before our train could get through, as it was snowing heavily and very cold. Once over the summit and descending, we can run out of the snow in a couple of hours, and here we met our first "Washington rain," a deluge, some of the passengers thought. The scenery along the Green and other rivers in the mountains is simply grand, beautiful. – PERSIE A. GARDNER.

GOING TO THE KLONDIKE

The Scandinavia Prospecting Company have made arrangements to send three representatives in their interest to the gold fields of Alaska, the party consists of Dr. S.B. Stjernholm, Olaf Skye, and J.L. Tollefson, who will leave Scandinavia Feb. 10, and sail to Seattle Feb. 23.