LETTER No. XIII.
Livingston to Bozeman—Bozeman City—Arrival at Frank's ranche—Frank's progress—The shanty—Kitten and mice—Aroused by a ground squirrel—Variation of climate—A snowstorm—Our beds drenched—"Baching" it—Shaving under difficulties—Situation—Fertility of the soil—Cultivation of strawberries—Fine grazing district—Climate—Story of our holiday on the ranche—Fishing in West Gallatin river—New bridge and old canoe—"The coloured aristocracy"—Three bear stories.
Frank's Ranche, Oct., 1885.
The railroad from Livingston to Bozeman runs through very picturesque scenery, and after a steep grade of 116 feet to the mile, passes through a tunnel in the mountain at an elevation of 5,565 feet above the ocean. The train then runs down the western slope through a remarkably grand cañon, and passes out into the broad valley of West Gallatin: in a few minutes more Bozeman is reached.
CAÑON NEAR BOZEMAN.
This delightful little city of about 3,000 inhabitants is seated on the East Gallatin river at the eastern end of the Gallatin Valley, and is the county seat of Gallatin. It has a fine court house, three hotels, a fine opera house, seven public halls, five churches, and two well-conducted newspapers.
The streets are well laid out, and there are many very fine, handsome buildings in the town, and pretty villas in its suburbs.