New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-07-18
MONTANA.

that towers up between the Jefferson and Gallatm
Rivers, and had magnificent view of the three
rivers laZily streaming out of their respecuveVaeys
while a few rods below their waters are united and
they are lost in the Missouri, as 1t passes OIL with
iret{ul energy through narrow canon to the Tar
north. As far as the eye can see, the Galiatln,
Madison, and jefferson valleys present their green
bottoms, luxurant fields and countless herds of the
finest cattle while the lines Of the rivers and their
numerous tributaries are distinctly marked by the
dense growth of timber on their banks. was
charmed with this beautiful prospect and fingered
more than an hour to enjoy its delightful contrast
with the parchcd waste of the pTares distant from
water little more than threc-cOle years aio
Lewis and Clark stood IN the same place ana I i
the first record of the source OF the great IlNCl
Of the West and the three rivers above were
then first named in honor of the eminent statesmen
then President and Cabinet officers OF Ile natlOh'
Then the source of the Missouri was IN WIat NGIe
regarded as inaccessible WlldS ana wastes where 1ne
home of the pale-laCcs would never he reared; 10
daV the most bOuntfu crops OF the world are being
gathered in the valleys of the Upper Missouri and
lis tributaries and the vast plains are dotted with
the ranches Of the successful husbandmen. But,
rapid as has been the march OF progress here III the
past, il is but in its infancy 1t was not a mere
ieveri,h speculation that planted city with "a
cabins at the head of the Missouri. a few years ago.
True. IL step in advance OF progress ITSELF ana
the cabins have disappeared, with solitary eKcep-
ton, TO grace the farms in the neghborhOod; but
doubt not that they will return IN few years; ana
come to stay. The Missouri has been naVigated and
carefully explored from Gaatin TO the fails above
Fort bentOu-a distance Of 200 miles by the course OF
the rlycr-and there are no Instructions whatever
An intelligent gentleman, who bad been WIN tHe
exploring party last wear, informed me tlat llghl
boats can navigate the Missouri III the dTyeet season:
and one or two years at most VIII see a me I Oh
steamers plying from the Fails INTO the hcat
of the agricultural wealth of Montana. ANA
while the steamers VIII come up IRON the North CIV
ihZ8tlOn Will be extending HOm BoZelnan ClIN C"S'-
ward into the Yellowstone and the rich places OF the
Yellowstone Big Horn, Wind River and MuSclesheli
will make continued line of white supremacy from
AZ IN fttr1tA Ile
full valleys viii fully supply the miners, ana inc
savage viii recede or die before tins manifest
From the head of the Missouri l starred nearly
westward along the banks of the Jefferson but soon
turned toward the north across gradual dlVide oil
Is miles. The day was warm ana ID ihneS ol sue
CeSsiye foot hills without water, tired, both team
and passengers Finally we landed ON Milton creek;
with clear, fresh water, and we stopped 10 he ana
rest The inevitable MiSsOurlan was our host ana
his PHOTOGRAPH album was not singular IN that re-
Cion for commencing with JEFF. Davis, following
with Gen. Price and ending with Wilkes Booth. We
dined on their fresh vegetables and palatabe bread
and butter rather than ON their opinions, ana GOT
along very We'll In more than - miles on TINS UP
there was not q field to b. seen. but rs
we descended into Crow Creek Valley we found
fruitful fields again. The valley Is quite large ana
level but Is barely supplied with wafer aN Grow
Greek to Zoe It's only source for irrigation ana
that has been almost drained by the miners on the
Missouri side of the bluii III mas an aDlu0ahcc Oh
most nutritious grass and many fine herds were
grazing on It, From Crow Creek We had TO cross an
other divide nearly in an eastern direction making
a. complete semi-circie from Galatili. Here for the
first time found the red Shae, or slate, ana on II a
sickly growth of pines. Evening brought me 10 the
eastern slope of the divide and again was ON the
banks OF the Missouri. 1t is lined with contiguous
farms and the haTycstS look excellent. As we passed
down the stream the bottom wldened until II spread
out mile or more each side with beautiful table
lands rising along the foot hills. That night We were
the guests of the City of Hoggum. a small, new
mining camp that was hOgged zap by 1e" miners
as is alleged and thus il its euphonlouS title
Some ten miles below is the celebrated Confederate
Guch. the richest of the size discovered. -Four
~ aor1aI M and ftnl,
son. tuu of gold. the result of their own labor over
$4,000 cleaned up IN II IN two days. last year
and il is still yielding very largely. Its name Is a
reflex OF the convictions and SympathieS oil It's dis
COyererS
over another divide between the Missouri and Puckly
Pear valleys, and the country presents the same
parched and misunderstanding condition now to be
found everywhere in the absence OF water AS we
entered the PTicky Pear Valley, the Missouri hid IT.
self behind a series Of hlghtOOt hills, and hugs the
range closely as it tolls on TO the north. and the
creek that bears the name of the valley winds around
and finds passage to the river through the can0ns
which break the numerous ranges OF bluhs: Inc
valley is very beautiful and quite productive, al
though hundreds of acres still invite the settler
within mile of Helena | presume there Is mot not
Valley and the Gallatu but the difference IS pIoba-
bly, i'm favor of the Gaatn vegetation Is here not
quite so much advanced. 1t is, however susceptible
of cultivation generally and Will one day he all a,
prOpriated to the huShandman. The best improved
ranches THE nvaTia6e name for farm IN the far
West have seen IN Montana are In tins valley a
number have risen TO the dignity OF twO-StOTled
hOuSesa rare evidence of progress III tins country.
Helena City nestles IN between network oil
mountain cliffs on the southwest side of the valley
and like all mining camps it started with two rows
of cabins in the gulch. divided by a very narrow
street It's location is In Last Chance Guch-SO called
because old miner and his son. after prospecting
the whole season. tired this gulch their last chance
for " Winter grub" 1t proved very rich, and soon
after adventurous prOspectOr pushed up the rayne
beyond the pay streak and discovered another rich
pulch. His first companion was huge grizzly bear,
which he shot and feasted thcreOn-hence the title OF
Grizzly Gulch above the city. Here is the most
marked evidence of progress 10 be found IN Montana
Virginia City has handled the forty or fifty millions
of gold from Alder Gulch and is SOLDERING down with
the ebbing tide into substantial legitimate business;
but Helena has all the VIM recklesSness, eXtraNa-
Cance, and jolly progress OF new camp. II Is but
little over two years old, but 1t boasts OF loOO p0p-
latiOn more solid men, more capital. more handsome
and we-illed stores, more fast boys and fTall
women. more substance and pretense, more virtue
and vice, more preachers and grOggenes and
more gO-aheadatvenesS generally than any city IN
the mountain mining regions. 1t has gradually
sweed beyond the narrow crooked gulch to the table
lands and many beautiful cottages adOIn ITS suburbs
but still guiltlesS of shade or even the attempt 10
grow trees. They have not time for that yet, al
though water Is accessible, ana they JOStle along
against and each other in the hurried for
fortune leaving adOmment for the future. The city
is surrounded by guches all more or less rich IN the
precious metals and two bitches have been made 1--WE
and fifteen miles TO bring water TO the bars and
guches in and about this place One ditch carries
1000 inches of water, and the other 800 but so far
they have not proved profitable 10 either owners or
miners The price charged for the water IS so high
that many of the fumes are idle. The only tree IN
the city Is q short, thick pine, Known as hangman
tree" on which many dcSpcTadO has yielded his life
90 the terrible Judgment of the Ngilanters. Ii has
served its purpose as the proper authorities are
supreme its tOpmO-t branches already dead, and
1t will soon live only lu history.
The wealth in precious metals in and around Helena
j. truly wonderful. There are hundreds OF acres OF
bars below the city which Will be worked prOftabiy
I'm time as facilities increase and labor cheapenS: and
five miles mp the gulch saw men hauling dirt from
the hillsdcs 20 the streams below, and washing out
good wage. Here ars certainly the most extensive