The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-12-14
Correspondence of The Cecil Wing.
Letter from the Gold Country
HELENA, Montana Territory,


Nov. oath, 1867. :
EDITOR CECIL WING DO you people
down on the Eastern Shore ever hear of
Montana of the 43 steamboats, that de.
parted from Fort Benton the past season,
each one with strong boxes filled with the
yellow metal, and especially of the steamer
"Only Cha nce,' that took down to the low
country three millions of gold DUST to be
coined and passed into the circulation of the
world? Have you heard much of this noun,
tam region. in whose valleys the farmer
raises 90 bushels of wheat to the acre, on
the average, and whose cattle pasture all
winter and wax fat upon the tall, especially
nutriclous, grass that projects up through
the snow. How fat they grow in this coun.
try, yon may judge when tell you that one
OF the kidneys OF a beef slaughtered in Hell
ena, few days ago, weighed 125 lbs. What
would Rudolph Bennett or 10 Wells think
OF that? The finest, latest, most tender
beef, the richest golden butter have seen
nywhere-except; perhaps, in a Philadel-
phla market house-is produced in this Ter
ritory. This is the promised land of the
farmer. Butter is S1.00 per ib eggs $l.50
per doz.; live chickens $500 per doz.
geese and turkeys any price the owner
are gold prices.
The cheapest and most abundant food at
This season is Elk, Deer, Moose aud Bear
meat.
Good land, that somebody else is not
working, costs nothing, the title resting iii
Uncle Sam or the Flathead Indians, l scarce
ly know which. A hardy, determined man,
by climbing up the mountains short dis
lance and cutting sort Of road, gan make
$500 to $500 per day chopping wood
Mechanics are well paid for what they do.
A shoemaker will not do the smallest piece
OF mcnding under $'l.O0, nor Will tailor
touch the slightest job of repairing under
Sloo. 1t Is poor country, tn ough, for
new boots and shoes and clothing, L he ready,
made arilcl e being so abundant and CHEAP.
"A doctor charges 5000 for visit in town ;
but do not see how all the medical gentle.
men III Helena make "A living, as there is
little or no sickness, crccpt IN a certain line
Of cases. A lawyer gets sou. 90 for drawing
deed or contract, and will try no case in a
higher court than that of a magistrate, for n
smaller fee than $4,000. Lots of business
here for lawyers-and plenty of them to do
it.
This fall, a lawyer, an old California frien d
OF mine, came here, and as Calilornians ar c
gwen to being, was pretty low down in his
financial affairs | gave him an unoccupie d
plank on my cabin floor. He stuck out his
single. The first week he was engaged by
a Hydraulic Company to draw up papers OF
incorporation, and was retained as counsel
for one year, and for which he was paid
100000 in clean gold dust. Now the fellow
has cabin of his own rented, and is indulc
ing in the superfluous articles of a pine bunk
and looking glass.
There are but few Southern men, Yankees
or Middle States men in Montana. Califor.
mia has sent good many, including Chi
nese, Greasers, NC. Missouri has sent a
very large roportion-indeed, it has often
been remarked, that upon the disarmament
of old Stirling Price army, the men came
bodily here, and the result of the elections
wou d seem to confirm The truth of this re-
mark, there not being single Republican
n,either branch of our Legislature. doubt
lFthere is even Il Republican county officer
in the Territory. A bad atmosphere, this
politically, for Radicals. After awhile, the
Yankees will begin to come in swarms, then
things will be pleasanter. The hardy po-
neers from Minnesota, Nebraska, Dacotah,
NC, &c., are here in Numbers. They are
the men that delve into the earth and fetch
up the yellow treasure reclaim the rich, fer.
tle valleys, and hew their way to the noun.
IAN tops. r. f. NJ.