, 1864-09-23
INrE111aENcp FROM TIE OrurR S1pR-Seve.

WaIIa Walla, w. t., September %, 1864.
INTELLIGENCE FROM THE OTHER sIDR.-Seve-
raj parties Of men arrived in our city on Mon
day and Tuesday last, direct from Fort Benton,
Beaver Head and Deer Lodge valleys, and from
Virginia City These sections of country, it
will be seen, all lie in the new Territory of Mon
tana. We condense the principal facts CLEANED
from these arrivals:
Fort Benton, which during the past thirty
yeals has been owned and occupied by the
American Fur Company, as a trading post with
the Indians, has of late materially changed its
character of business. Since the discovery and
development of gold mines on the headwaters
of the Missouri, and the consequent immig gra-
ton from the States every summer, to points on
the river, Benton does a heavy trade with those
Quitting for the mines, supplying them with RI
ding and pack animals mining goods, etc,
while the trade with the Indians is not so dis
tinct as in years past. Crowds of the mountain
tribes, namely: "Blackfeet" "Pagans," "Gros
Ventres," "Crows" and "Assiniboins," few
weeks ago arrived at the Fort for the purpose OF
making their usual trades, when they were to
leave for their old hunting grounds on the Mus
Gle Shell and Milk rivers.
Banditti of Sioux Indians during the past
summer made incursions into the Grow coun-
try some I, 200 of them passed the winter of
1854, around Fort Union, making it danger
GUS for the employees of that Post to proceed
far from the premises they even yentured as
high up as Milk river. General Sully, U, 5.
Army, commanding the Military Expedition
against the Sioux, had converted the trading
post of Fort Union into general Headquarters
for portion of his command He also intend
ed to fortify the posts of Forts Charles, McKen-
Eie and Benton with soldiers.
Colonel Andrew Dawson a Scotchman, and
stockholder in the A. F. Co.. who has been in
charge of Benton for several years past, went
down in the steamer to St. Louis, on his way to
his home amid the 'highlands" of Scotland
Mr. G. Steele, formerly Clerk, had gone into
business for himself-leaTing Mr.. H. Carroll
head of the concern. cold Medium !"
who has been trader for the Company for for
ty years, among the Crows, and who boasts of
having had some 100 wives among that nation,
was stationed at one Of the forts below Benton.
The mines in the Beaver Head country were
fully developed in the year 1863 Business was
lively in Virginia City; there was much inter
communication between the mines and Salt
Lake City; stages and expresses. running regu-
larly. The Bannack and Virginia City camps
are the two principal mining sections The
mines are being pretty steadily worked In the
first named camp there are about ], 600 men at
work, making from S. to $l5 per day; in the
latter there are some 1900 miners, and these
diggings are said to be very rich--coTering an
area Of some 25 miles. Companies were paying
hands from SO to S. per day. Small parties
were also doing well on the Prickly Pear, Silver,
Gold and Boulder creeks These points are near
enc e'frIvtfHg rIuge between the Columbia and
Missouri waters, and near the wagon road to
Fort Benton. Specimens of silver and gold
bearing quartz had been found, and it was be-
leyed that future investigations would discover
rich veins in the Deer Lodge Basin There are
several gentlemen in that country-men possess
ing large capital, who stand ready to introduce
quartz mills, should it be found to pay.
The people of Virginia City were anxiously
expecting the arrival of the officers appointed
for the organization of the Territory of Monta-
ma. Governor Sidney Edgerton was the only
officer who had arrived, up to Sept. lst, though
the others were looked for daily Gov Edger-
ton is from Ohio, and was formerly Chief Justice
of Idaho Territory. Politics were waxing warm
second to the mines in Importance. Candi-
dates for the honor of the First Delegate from
the Territory were as thick as autumn leaves
Mr.. 7. Sanders, quite young and able lawyer,
was prominent among the Republicans for the
nomination. The Hon. James Tufts, elected
to the Idaho Legislature in 1868, and who was
Speaker of the House,) had returned to Vir-
ginia City and was spoken of in connection with
the Delegateship. He claims to be Union, but
has democratic sympathies,' and is very popu-
lar. He is also, lawyer.
Several pack trains were met on the road, on
their way to the Beaver Head mines, from Lew
iston, Walla Walla and other points. Several
parties were about to start for Walla Walla on
business, and then return to the mines