The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-27
Tle Aorfolk 2ost.
SATURDAY. JANUARY q, 1886.
MONTANA.

IanO OF SOIu. III II furltdnS Ha lOuut
it, they would have called 1t Ophir, be.
cause 1.-The gold of that land Is good.'
The western Yankee came upon 1t, and
seeing the Rocky Mountains running
through it, called 1t Montana.
hundred and sixty thousand square
times as big as the state of New York. II
is bounded on the west side by Idaho,
on the south and east by Dakotah, and
on the north by the British possessions.
But what Is the use of mentioning
boundaries which are themselves IN
known to the average reader, who de-
mands in turn: Where Is Idaho? Where
is Dakotah? TO those who studied geo.
graphy twenty years ago, 1t will perhaps
be as satisfactory to say, that IL you
journey north from Montana, you come
into British America and IL you cross
the territory from east to west, you cross
the Rocky Mountains, which run
through its western half. 6.5
Montana Is q wonderful instance of
the American faculty for colonizing. In
1861, when the late var broke out, the
vast and regularly organized territory
now known as Montana was unknown
land. 1t was very thinly peopled with
Indians, and it had been visited by few
trappers and missionaries. In 1862,
while u armies we're fighting on the
Peninsula, traces of gold were discover.
ed in Montana; and fortune seekers be-
gan to turn their steps that way. In
1865 the territory had already thirty
thousand people, and contained three
considerable towns Virginia City, with
ten thousand Inhabitants Helena City,
with eight thousand, and Diamond City,
with four thousand. Also 1t had a leg.
islature, q code of laws and courts of
justice.
One of the most surprising geographic
cal facts about Montana is that 1t is
reached by steamboat from st. Louis.
That Is to say, the river system of the
Great West Is IN SO vast a scale that
travellers and freight are now transport
ed by steamboat, and without tranship-
ment, from st. Lous to Fort Benton, In
the heart of Montana The result Is
that freight, in the proper season of
quicker than to Denver City. No doubt
this cheap mode of communication will
be of vast Importance to the new terri
tory. We are informed that light
draught boats are building at Lou
isville especially for the Montana trade.
These will supersede the boats now
used, which are sometimes delayed on
the upper waters; and the day will come
when Fort Benton, three Thousand
miles inland from st. Louis, will be
reached by steamboats, from New Or
leans, which will make a river course of
over four thousand two hundred miles.
The river voyage from st. Louis to
Fort Benton is now made in twenty
eight days; and freight Is carried at the
price of ten cents per pound.
Montana Is composed of mountains,
elevated plains, which are woodless
prairies and sheltered valleys. The eli
mate is dry and healthful there is but
little dew in the plains; but the whole
region is a~bundantly watered by unfail.
ing streams flowing from the mountains.
1t is better supplied with water than any
mining region in this country. 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 territory lacks hard wood. |
The soil is very fertile on the plains |
and valleys. Three hundred bushels of
potatoes have been raised on an acre. |
The higher plains, however, require
irrigation, which is easily done by means
of the numerous streams. Vegetables
of all kinds grow readily, and of inn
mense size and wheat promises to do |
well.
The winters are mild the ground |
continues open sometimes until Janu-
airy and in the valleys cattle are turned |
out to grass in the fall, kept out without
hay or other food than grass all winter. |
and found fat for killing in the spring. |
Montana promises, therefore, to be one
of the finest grazing countries in the
world. The grass Is very nutritious. |
One gentleman tells us that his train of |
oxen, wbich'came in in the fall of the |
year worn out, were turned out to grass |
all winter, and were fat beeves In the |
spring.
1t is not surprising that, with so IA
vorable a climate and soil, farming
already engages the attention of consid.
cradle numbers. Cattle raising is highly |
profitable vegetables are cheaper than |
In New York and grain will be grown |
in large crops as soon as more grist mills
are set up. At present there is but one |
in the territory.
Mining is, however, the chief business |
in 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. The
richest silver lodes are found in Beaver |
Head county, in the Blue Wing and
Rattle Snake districts. The Blue Wing |
lode is probably the richest in the terri |
tory. Silver lodes are found, however. |
i'm all the western half Of the territory : |
aud in their vicinity there is but little |
gold.
The first gold digging was begun In
Bannock in 1862. In July, 1863, gold |
was found in Alder Gulch, which is |
probably the richest "gulchn in the
world of its size. A place of ten thou
sand people sprang up here in a year, |
called Virginia City, and ten million
dollars worth of gold was produced in
this spot the first year. During the
winter of 1S64-5 gold discoveries were
made along the eastern slope of the
Rocky Mountains, n hundred and
twenty miles north of Virginia City, in
a very rich gulch called Last Chance,u
and here sprang up the city of Helena, |
which has now eight thousand people
other profitable gulches are near there. |
The gold discoveries next extended
across the mountains, to the headwaters |
of the Blackfoot, where some important |
deposits have been opened. East of the |
Missouri river, during last summer, dis |
coveries weremadea at Confederate Guich. |
where Diamond City, now containing |
four thousand inhabitants, has since |
gathered. 1t is reported that the de- |
posits there are of great richness.
. TIA laAoo roo1r axyopxyu-k.-~ " Il