The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1865-01-14
TERMs:--$7,5o Per Year in Advance
NO.21.
A desert solitud. alone appears.

" A desert solitude alone appears,
No yeFdant shade relieves the sandy plain,
The widespread waste gentle four tain cheers;
One barren face the areary prospect rears;
Nought through the vast horizon meets the eve
But sandy wilds beneath, above, thrtarnins sky"
From Wind river westward, the soil in.
creases in fertility, and vegetation becomes
more plentiful. The hills and vallies are
covered with nutritious grasses. the
streams are fanked by lines Of cottonwood
and the higher mountains are crowned with
forests of eyergreens. When You reach
the more prominent spurs of the Rocky
Mountains, the gulches and canons are
darkened far up the mountain sides with
belts OF cedar and pine-th species of
timber which predominatss in the country.
In the northern part of the Territory, am
informed that the timber is far more abun-
d:nt than it is here. But it is fact 10 be
lamented that there is no hard wood 10 DC
found In the Tcrritory-no oak, no hicko-
ry; nothing out of which can be made even
an axe helre or wagon spoke. We shall,
therefore. always hare to depend on The
States :" for this kind of timber. and this
will ever be a serious desr-
meBt to the prosecution of some Of the me-
chanical arts in this country.
The principal kinds of timber about Vir-
{ MIA are spruce, n bastard white pine, and
specie called fir, which very much re-
sembles what in the Pacific StacS is termed
"Oregon pine" The spruce and the pine
are generally small, but the frs are Of
glowth large enoUgh for profitable lumber
ing. But the timber here, like in most
other mountainous countries, is neralIy
found nestled in the narrow su,chcs and
nollows, where it is difficult of access. In
northeastern California, immediately west
| OF the Sierra Nevadas, III region from
which civilization will most probably be for
ever excluded. We have seen forests of PIN,
and redwood which were so majestic in size
Is TO excite the astonishment OF the trayel-
er. When gazing at their stately figures in
silent admiration, we could not help wor-
/ driing why the Creator had thus liyished
his favors, where, in all probability, they
would never be of any utility whatever to
man. Here, however, the timber is mostly
where il can be made available. Your en-
terprising townsman, Nathan Gibson, Esu.,
haS expended several thousand dollars,
and intends spending several thousands
more the ensuing spring, in grading roads
up the rugged hollows chat lead into Gran
Itc gulGh, so as 10 gain access 10 the timber
In that vicinity. lie is furnishing the saw
mil of Spencer, Harrison & Co., with logs,
and employs about twenty men and sixty
woke OF oxen for that purpose. This inlil
is located in Granite sulch, about three
miles east OF junction Citv. Ii is driven
by water power, having twenty-foot over
shot wheel, and u circular saw. Under tbs
skillful management of its present thor
ough- going prupriet0rs, it is doing better
business than any other mill in the country.
During the past season they have been la
boring under the disadvantage Of having Il
saw which was entirely too small, to rem
edy which, Mr.. Spencer has gene to
= America to procure one of the proper
dimensions. The mill or Sinking Water
is also said to b. a good one, but the timber
there is reported to be inferior. In addi-
tion TO these, there are other mills within
the limits Of the Virginia trade-on Mil,
Meadow, and Indian creeks. Another still
a portable steam mill, from Colorado-is
: located in Browns gulch. H
With all these mills in operation and
flooding the market with their lumber, there
certainly need be no complaint hereafter
from the want of that article. We may
which Virginia and hor ncighhoring towns
are chiefly composed. suppianted by more
elegant and durable structures of frame
; and stone. a few Of the enterprising pro-
perty holders of Virginia have aiready '
: done this, and we trust their c0mm,ndabic
example may be emuiated by others, SO
that our young and Aourishing Territory
may boast OF city, such as will be cred
=, liable alike to ourselves and to the country:
Lumber Woods, VI. L. d. Il. l..