Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-08
MONTANA.
WHERE IT Is.

on the west by Idaho, on the
,outh and east by Dakotah, and on the
sorth by the British possessions. But
what Is the use of mentioning boundaries
which are themselves unknown to the
average reader, who demands in return
Where is Idahof Where is Dakotah?
To those who studied geography twenty
years ago, it will perhaps be as satisfac
tory to say, that if you journey north
from Montana, you oome into British
America; and if you cross the territory
from east to west, you cross the ROCKY
Mountains, which runs through its west
ern half.
ITS POPULATION AND TOWNS.
In 1851 the vast and regularly organ
lied territory now known as Montana was
unknown land. 1t was very thinly peo-
pied with Indians, and it had been visited
by a few trappers and missionaries. In
1852 traces Of gold were discovered in
Montana; and fortune seekers began to
turn their steps that way. In 1855 the
territory had already $4,000 people, and
contained three considerable towns-Vir-
ginia City, with ten thousand inhabit-
ants; Helena City, with eight thousand,
and Diamond City with four thousand.
Also it had Legislature, a esde of laws
and courts Of justice,
vi ITS ACCESSIBILITY.
One Of the most surprising geographi-
cal facts about Montans is toat it is
reached by steamboat from st. Louis.
That ia to say, the river system of the
Great West is on so vast q scale that
travellers and freight are now trans
ported by steamboat, and without trans
shipment, from st. Louis to Fort Benton,
in the heart Of Montana Light draught
boats are now building at Louisville es-
pocialIy fer the Montana trade. The
river voyage from st. Louis to Fort Ben
ton is now made in twenty-eight days;
and freight is carried at the price of ten
cents per pound.
ITS TOPOGRAPHY.
Montana is composed of mountains and
elevated plains, which are woodless
prairies and sheltered valleys. The
climate is dry AID healthful there Is but
little dew in the plains; but the whole
region is abundsntly watered by unfailing
streams flowing from the mountains,
Along the banks of the streams cotton
wood and other light timber are found,
and the mountain sides and spurs are
covered with heavy growths of pine, frs,
&c. The soil is very fertile OF the plains
and valleys. Three hundred bushels OF
potatoes have been raised on an acre.
Vegetables Of all kinds grow readily, and
Of immense size; and wheat promises to
do well. The winters are mild; the
ground continues open sometimes until
January and in the valleys cattle are
turned out to grass in the fall, kept out
without hay or other food than grass all
the winter, and found fat for killing in
the spring. Cattle raising Is highly
profitable; vegetables are cheaper than in
New York; and grain will be grown in
large crops as soon as more grlst mills are
set up. At present there is but one in the
territory.
.sr MINES AND MINING.
Mining is, however, the chief business
Of Montana. We have seen some very
rich specimens of gold, silver and copper
ores iron and coal are known to exist,
but have not yet been developed. The
silver deposits are immensely rich. Silver
lodes are found in all the western half OF
the territory; and in their vicinity there
is but little gold.
The first gold digging was begun in
1862. In July, 1853, gold was found in
Alder Gulch. A place of ten thousand
people sprang up here in a year, called
Viginia City, and ten million dollars
worth Of gold was produced in this spot
the first year. During the winter OF
ls64-5 gold discoveries were made along
the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains,
one hundred and twenty miles north of
Virginia City, in a very rich gulch called
" Bast Chance" and here sprang up the
city of Helena, which has now eight
thousand people.
East of the Missouri river, during last
summer, discoveries ware made at Con-
federate Gulch, where Diamond City, now
containing four thousand inhabitants, has
since gathered.
Gold lodes occur everywhere in oonnec-
ton with gulch diggings. One of the
best gold-lods mining districts is on the
Madison river, in what is called Hot
Spring district. There are already three
quartz mills set up there.
The ores OF Montana ara reported by
scientific Hen TO be much richer than those
of California. Those of California yield
an average of twenty dollars per ton
The great majority of the lodes of Mon
tana promise an average Of more than
four times the above, and a few lodes ex-
hibit an astonishing richness. There are
few sulphurets of iron and copper, carry
ing gold, in Montana, such as prove so
troublesome in Colorado. This is owing
to the fact that the formation is so open
and perforated by water, that the sulphu-
rets have been decomposed. For the
same reason miners in Montana are not
troubled with water, and are saved the
heavy expenses Of pumping.
The silver ores are Ia the fern Of ar
gentiferous galena, which aus be smelted
as our western lead ores are, and the silver
separated from the lead by cupellation.
This process Is simple and easy. The
lodes are of three classes: The first class
ores yield from $500 to 81, 900 per ton; the
second GLASS from 500 to S20o, and the
third class from $50 to $75 per ton. Of
the second and third class Of silver lodes
there is great abundance; of the first class
there are but few, not more than half a
dozen as yet.
The silver ores are much more trust
than those yielding gold; and ex-
p~ericnce has already shown that silver
will be in Montana more profit
able than gold mining. The veins are
more uniform in the yield and last better.
In proportion to its population the yield
of Montana has been vastly greater than
that Of any other of our gold fields.
The veins of copper ores have been
traced for a great extent, and the ores are
found to yield from thirty-three to sixty
five per cent but little attention is as yet
given to to this metal, as gold and silver
monopoliSe the attention Of the people.
The 6tarkweather Murder Trial
Another Confession.
The Hartford Conn., papers publish a
aaoand aonfaesion nv Alhart T. Stark