, 1866-08-24

Montana the past week, we obtain the following
points Of information
Mr. Brown visited nearly all the mining camps
in the Territory, and had good opportunities fol
forming conclusions from personal observations
He represents the Territory as being greatly
overestimAted as a mining country, aud, as q
consequence, that every class Of business Il
overdone.
large number Of men are doing well, but
the country will not support the population, and
unless new and extensive discoveries are made
during the present season a great many of the
miners and traders must seek other fields of op.
Grafton.
The unprecedented height of the Missouri riv-
er during the present season has been very fa$
vorAble to steamboatmeu and shippers, and
goods have been laid down in Helena at a cost,
from St. Louis, Of twelve to thirteen cents per
ID. Very heavy stocks of goods had been
brought in, and the town of Helena.was being
rapidly improved by the erection Of many fine
stone buildings, intended to be fre-proof, but
they will not stand roasting FIRE. great
many people we're returning to the States, the
Fort Benton coaches being crowded to their ut
most capacity, while the freight wagons were
also taking down large numbers. Two. steam
ers, the Deer Lodge and LueIIa, both of which
have made two trips the present year, we're to
leave on September lst, passage being raised to
| $3.50, 90, and o feet of Mackiuaw boats are to
sail about the middle of October, which will
doubtless carry of a large number Of passeu-
gers.
The country is we'll adapted to pastoral pur-
poses, the grasses being plentiful and very nu-
tritious but as a whole the seasons arc too
Short for successful farming.
The grasShoppers have been very destructive
on the other side of the fountains, but on this
side they have done but little damage.
The mines are being traversed in all drec-
tions by prospecting parties, and two large COM
pauies have been organized to prospect the
Wind River and Yellowstone country. These
mountains are a terra ineognita 10 miners, as the
valleys of their rivers are the best remaining
hunting ground of the Indians who are Jealous
of the encroachments of the whites and have
hitherto kept them out of the country. One
strong party is headed BY Capt. Ralph BIedsoe
and the other by Col. JEFF. Standefer, who has
acquired considerable reputation as an Indian
fighter, and who means to see what there is in
the country before be leaves it. Mcclellan, the
discoveTer of McClellau's Gulch, bad been out
with party, consisting 10 part of Indians, pros
pecting the country lying between the Big
Blackfoot aud Kootens, but found no paying |
ground.
Mr.. Brown saw Capt. Nye at Missoua City, !
where he had come for provisions, having been |
out several weeks in the Bitter Root mountains,
where the party were compelled to maintain |
constant guard, on account of thieving red
skins, and intended returning, bat had found |
the color on the bed rock, in the sand, and on /
the hills, but "only that and nothing more, |
and was not hopeful of making a strike.
Many other prospecting parties were seen who
intended to spend the season in the mountains.
Wheat, oats and potato crops looked promis-
ing in the He'll Gate and Bitter Root valleys, and
at the CGur dAlene Mission the crops are mag
nifcent.
party of femigrants from Oregon had reached
the Clark's Fork or Bitter Root Ferry. having
travelled the Mullan road in wagons, without
loads. They had a severe time of it, being
compelled to cut their way through the Ceur
d Alsne aud st. Regis canons, travelling along
the beds Of the streams and finding many parts
Of the road as bad as though it had never been
made.
The Aullan road is now in very good order
for pack trains; but the idea of trateling it with
loaded wagons is, in his Judgment, simply alb
surd, and be gives it as his opinion that though
fifteen or twenty thousand dollars would pay for
cutting out obstrhcting logs and timbers, yet
that not less than $4,000 would make it a
Passable road for loaded wagons. The road up
the Ceur d'Alene and down the St. Regis must
be graded along the bill sides before it can ev-
er be available, and even then a constant work.
ing force would be required to remove falling
timber and keep the road open.
great many AontauaiteS will settle in Salt
Lake, as the idea prevails that it is bound to
become great inland city, and that the power
OF the prophet is fast waning, rendering it safe
for Gentiles to breathe their ssucti6ed air.
Van Dyk Whitman intend establishing
themselves in thAtplacs but are both sorry that
they left Wslla Walla, or as "van" says, left
i'home."
Taking Montana asa whole, Mr.. Brown re.
CARDS it as inferior to Idaho, and thinks it will,
like KOOtenai, soon cease to be regarded as a
good place for adveuturers to make a sudden
-aise, while it will doubtless continue to pro-
luce considerable quantities OF gold in the dis
riet' already discovered, as much Of the ground
will be reNwOrked.
The large quantities and low rrices of goods {
md provisions now in the country will enable
miners to live much more eheapIy than hereto. :
ore, and consequently to work for lower wages.
The EigilsnteS still continue their orrauiza-
ion, and in Helena and Virginia the most per. 7
set order rhigns. Road Agents commit no dep a
eQatiOun and horaa