Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 March 1889 — MONTANA’S ABUNDANCE. [ARTICLE]

MONTANA’S ABUNDANCE.

A MAGNIFICENT CLIMATE AND A SOIL OF L'NSL’KPASSKD FERTILITY. Kesom’s Graphic Letter Descriptive of the Northwest, Particularly of Montana—ln* teresting Facts Gained by Actual Investigation. Gbeat Falls, Montana, Feb. 18, 1889. A man need not be very old to remember when Chicago was in the far West, and a journey beyond the Mississippi was like going into a far country. Now a dozen railroads run to the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacittc coast is separated from New York as Monday is from Saturday. Lewis and Clarko, whose wonderful trip in the early years of the century gave the world first knowledge of this vast region, wore over a year in reaching this locality, rowing, poling, and pushing their canoes for nearly 3.UUU miles against the swift current of the Missouri. Now it takes a day or two in a Manitoba palaco car or a frce-colonist sleeper to reach here, and no danger or privation and three good meals a day. Most people have been so accustomed to look upon this part of the continent as so far north, so cold, so snowy, so far away—and a lot of other so-so’s—that it would probably never be a fit abode for mankind; hut the facts show to the contrary. Why, diundreds of miles north of here there is a country with winters no more severe than those of the north New England States, and summers more suitable to the growing of grains. We are separated from that region by the forty-ninth parallel, an imaginary political boundary which nature will not take into account when adjusting affairs in the future. The intermingling of people of the same blood, speech, religion, ideas, and ambitions will obliterate it. Statesmen have foretold it and business interests will hasten it. Those who think Dakota and Montana are sections of the arctic region slipped down out of placo should look to the east. Tae south lino of Dakota is the foity-third parallel of north latitude. Follow’ this line across the Atlantic ’and much of Europe will be found lying north of it. All of Britain and Norway and Sweden lie a full degree above the northern boundary of our two great Territories. Edinburgh, St. Petersburg, Stockholm. and Christiana, in the midst of a swarming population, arc on the parallel of Sitka, Alaska. And Sitka is as far from Great Falls as the Gulf of Mexico. England and the north of Europe are made habitable bv the influence of the Gulf Stream. The Kuro-Siwo— tho Black Ocean river of the Asiatic coast—or tho Japan Current, gives to this northwestern region the same mildness of climate that tho Gulf Stream 'loes to Northern Europe, and why .should not' this country, like that, be flHeel w’lth life and industry? Water heated oft' the coast of Southern Asia sweeps across tho Pacific Ocean and tempers the climate of our western coast nearly up to the Arctic Circle, This river of warmth gives to British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon winters so mild that Ice is a scarce article, even in Sitka, while roses bloom in tho gardens along the coast at Christmas time. Imparting its heat to the air, which, ascending, passes over tho Rocky Mountains much lower hero than in the south, it affects the climate of a rot ion larger than the original United States. Comparisons of temperature made with the Atlantic coast are most favorable to Montana. The rivers of .Montan i close later and open earlier than those of States far south of this parallel. The Missouri liivor here is clear of ice a month earlier than it is ut Omaha. In the light of existing knowledge who will say that up to tho (loth parallel in this northwest is not as capable of being settled as Russia an 1 Norway and Sweden south of that line? Glance at tho physical features of this portion of the continent and one will seo a great plain sipping northward. It is tho latitude of the continental water system. Nowhere else in the world is there such a succession of lakes and Navigable rivers; no other country possesses such an area of ■agricultural land so intersected by fresh water. Within a radius of 1,000 miles is half the fresli water of the globe. At Grand Forks, Dakota, tho Red River is less than 1.000 feet above tho sea. Follow tho river ■to its mouth. Lake Winnepog, and it has descended 300 feet, and in a boat one can steam westward on tho Saskatchawan more than 1,000 miles, and then double tho distance on other rivers. Follow tiie Rod River to its source in Lake Traverse, and in high water a boat can reach Big ■Storm Lake, the source of tho Minnesota, and thence pass to tho Mississippi, thus joining Hudson’s Bay and the Gult of Mexico. Two hundred miles to the cast is Lake Superior and a water way to the Atlantic. Three hundred miles to the west tho Missouri can be reached, and tho traveler be borne into the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. from whose western side another mighty river springs—the Columbia—and leaps to a different sea. After the Mississippi and Missouri tho Columbia draws the largest basin in the republic. From Lake Superior along tho northern boundary of the republic to tne Pacific Ocean the average altitude is less than 2,000 feet above tho sea. It is the only lino on which connected agricultural settlement can be made across the continent. It is tho cereal belt, and history shows that mankind gathers in larger numbers where food is most abundant and cheapest. South of hero is the roof of the continent; tho plains of Colorado are almost as high as tho mountains of Montana; Denver, surrounded by productive farms, is a half-mile higher than the average of Montana’s valley and plains. Between Omaha and Sacramento there is a continuous elevation of quite 4,000 feet. Ascending every 300 I'eot makes a difference of one 1 degree in temporaturo. Of the twenty-two States and Territories west of the Mississippi, each ohe is Jargor than all of Now England, while Dakota and Montana each possess aroa double that of the New England States. Montana, scaioely known by name in England, is larger than all of Great Britain, and is richest per capita of all American commonwealths. Single counties of Montana are larger than fair-sized Eastern States. The counties of Choteau and Dawson, in North Montana, contain more acres than the State of lowa. With tho exception of a few mountains and high buttes, the whole of the two counties is described as a rolling prairie, covered with grass and lifted with running streams. The main rivers are the Missouri, Milk. Marias, Sun, and Teton, a total of 1,200 miles of waterways, not to, speak of numerous tributaries, aft flowing through valleys of generous width and of great depth and richness of soil. Here tho story of the buffalo was closed. Strange that the American people, usually sagacious, so long considered this Western land as sterile and worthless, regardless of the fact that it gave support to countless heads of untamed cattle. It is no doubt true that an.mal life had its •origin in tho warmer climates, but it is also trup that the colder climates have developed the most sturdy, energetic and brainy races of men as weft as the best breeds of domestic animals. Frost and health lines seem to bo synonymous. The races of the frost climes are the most vigorous; it is the lesson of history that Northern nations have always been more successful in war and progressive in peace than their Southern neighbors. The material and moral conquest, of the-worJd belongs to the races of tho frost lands; they have been the most energetic explorers and pioneers, the most adventurous colonizers, the most active merchants, the best (founders of governments, and the

wisest of rulers. Sanitary statistics prove the healthfulness of the Northwest lor both mankind and animal life. There is more sunshine here than in the East, and invalids begin to come and ilnd health under the genial skies. Tne conditions, too, are most favorable to tho stock industry. There is an abundance of grass, the most nutritious of food. tho climate is invigorating and heuthful, water is abundant, and everything favors the conversion of the products of field and pasture into the finest beef, mutton and pork, into symmetrical and enduring horseflesh, into wool, and into that most useiul of aft domestic animals, the milch cow. Sheep do remarkably well, and the business has assumed such magnitude that the flock-masters have a Territorial organization and support a monthly called the Montana Wool Grower, published at Fort Bouton, and wool shipments annually run into millions of pounds. Sheep pelts and cow hides have taken the place of buffalo hides and furs which formerly gave prominence to this region. Horses do quite as well as sheep, and tva y year increases the demand for Montana horses. The mounted police of the British Dominion draw their supplies from this Territory, and in a recent call for the purchase of cavalry horses for the United States army the Quartermaster General exp eased a preference for Montana stock. The possibilities of the country, however, are not confined to stock raising alone; tho soil is exceedingly rich, and wherever cultivated yields prolific crops. The first settlers gave little attention to agriculture, and it has only been in recent years that they found out what the country is capable of in this direction. Sixty bushels of wheat to tho acre is not uncommon, and other graius in proportion. Potatoes, onions and qther root crops and vegetables are easily produced and the yicll is oiten enormous. . The demand lor farm produce among the miners and stock raisers has so far kept prices at high figeggs and butter in particular bringing about double tho prices of the States. The coming of the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railioad has given great impetus* to affairs in North Montana, and tho next few years will witness a marvelous growth. No transcontinental road passes through a region of such varied wealth as lies between the mountains and the Mississippi Iliver. Passing through tho granary of Dakota—tho valleys of the Ited and the Mouse—the vast pasture fields and valleys of Montana, it taps the granite vaults of the great hills, lifted with gold and silver and copper, but guarded with time locks, to be fully opened now by the advent of competitive railway facilities. A rough mountain is valueless for agricultural purposes, but when lull of rich ores a single acre as a wealth, producer compensates for thousands ot acres of arable land. Montana is the richest mineral bearing district in the United States; tho output of precious metals last year led ill tho other States and Terr.tpries. the total being nearly onefourth of tho entire production of the country. The dream of the alchemist has been realized; tho laborer of yesterday is the millionaire of to-day. The mountains are not only lined with veins of precious metals, but iron, lead, coal, and building stone exist in limitless quantities. Goal is scattered over the entire Territory, in North Montana cropping out in many places along tho Missouri and other rivers. North of tho Missouri River, along ihe St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railroad,tho coal is of tho conch shell formation, black and shiny, and bums to a red ash, while the variety south of the river is known as tho Peacock coal, on account of its chromatic coloring, and leaves a white ash. Tho coal of the plains, eastward into Dakota, is lignite, but the mountain coal is bituminous. Tho other day I went into a coal mine, eight miles from Groat Falls, in which the vein was ten loot thick, ttie entrance being in the side of a Hill under a heavy roof of rock. It could not have been more conveniently planned by man. This mine is reached by a brunch of tho Manitoba. Tho extension of the Manitoba road, tho rapid and solid construction of which was one of the mechanical feats of the ago, has opened up a largo area of both agricultural and mining territory, and tho wise and practicable course of the compaey in dealing with the public will soon result in large settlement and great prosperity to the entire country traversed.

Near where tho Hun River enters the Missouri is the city of Groat Falls, irom whence I write. It is 100 miles from Helena und 40 miles from Fort Benton. From here to the Gulf, as the river runs, it is farther than from Chicago to London. To St. l’uul it is 1,073 miles. There are live distinct ranges of mountains in sight from tho city, and none nearer than 35 miles, yet a person not familiar with this air would declare it an after-supper walk to reach any of them. Tho valleys and plains leading up to those mountains aro covered witli grass. As far as the eve can reach, and a thousand times further, notan acre is valueless, and in time will be covered with farms and stock ranches. Much of it is still government laud and froo to settlers. The grandeur is not all in sky pictures, lofty mountains, winding rivers and grassy plains, but near by is a cataract second only to Niagara, with an aceomoanimont of other falls, giant springs and cuscudes—a combined fall of over SUO feet—which must make this a lending Northwestern resort. Henceforth the great river will not be allowed to idle away its timo in rushing and leaping, year in and year out, over the rooks. It is boing put to work for the good of tho human race, grinding wheat and corn, weaving cloth, crushing ores, sawing lumber, and in inuking this a great mart of industry—a city of homes, of comfort and prosperity. Already the most perfectly arranged smelter in the country for handling gold and silver ores is in operation, with a daily capacity of 250 tons, and so constructed that enlargement can be made to I.OUO tons without an increase of buildings or machinery. A rollec flour-mill, the first industry inaugurated, is the only one for 1,000 miles along the upper Missouri. A great grain region is already a tributary, and sooner or later a . railroad from hero will penetrate tho wheat-fields and pasture lands of tho Saskatchawan, far to tho north; evon now the project is being formulated. Readers of this will live to see a railroad to Asia and Europo by way of Alaska and Behring Strait. Iron and steel works, woolen factories, and other industries are contemplated at Great Falls, and not a tithe of the river’s strength is yet laid out; there is power enough to build up a Minneapolis and a Lowell combined. With wide streets, spacious business blocks, line residences, churches, and school-houses, a city is being reared by men born in the East but developed in the West. Barely in its third year, it supports two bright daily papers. Nature could not have made a more suitable site for a city, and one laid out on a scale commensurate with its mighty surroundings. There are already three railroads, tho St. Paul. Minneapolis and Manitoba, tho Montana Central, and the Neihart Valley. The former, ih connection with tho Union Pacific at Butte, gives from St. Paul a through line to Washington Territory, Oregon, and California.

SESOM