New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-07-07
MONTANA.
MADISON vALLEY-THE HOT SPRING MINING
DISTRICT.

started on Wednesday last from Virginia City to
visit the mines of the Hot Springs district and the
famed Agricultural valleys of the Madison and the
Gailatn. These with Jefferson and Deer Lodge,
constitute the main agricultural sections of the
Territory of Montana. Leaving Virginia by old
Indian trail coursing to the northeast did not meet
with the sign Of habitation for 20 miles, excepting
the orumbng walls of the Slade rancho. which was
consigned to decay by the summary execution of its
owner by the Yigantes in 1864. After tedious and
hotride over the main Madison divide" we reached
the welcome waters of Madison Creek, pure noun
tain stream that hurTes downtO JON the Madison be-
fore il pungcs into the narrow canon at the loot OF
the valley. had TO make 30 miles or horseback III
the afternoon to fiji an appointment with the kepub-
licans OF Sterling and il anything but apleasant
Journey. Behind us could see q green line wind
ing down the StnllinRwater but wherever else the
eve would turn nothing but parched plains and hot
bluffs were visible. Occasionally little stream
would cross our path, and cheer us with q stinted
growth of cottonwOods and alder bushes, but the
heat steamed mp from the prarics and swept down
from the cliffs with terrible intensity. Now and then
could get glimpse OF the Madison Valley from
some prominent elevation, but even there the gen
er scared and desOatC gaTb Of the country was re-
HeVcd but by narrow, SnuOuS strip OF YeIdule mat
seemed to hug the low banks of the river. On the
beautiful tabc-lnds between the river and the
mountain range beyond, there was the broad pale
seal of death to all vegetation and even where the
barred them TO the very earth III their relentless
march.
ourselves and horses. The clcaIcSt and soitest OF
mountain water ran by, and the brook trout sported
with their matclilcss grace ON It's crystal nipples.
Our host had an abundance OF lc-a that the grass
hOppcrs had left hm-and our party had a delightful
rest, and cooling draughts from natures sweet iun
tainS At this point at the lower endo of the
Madison Valley and could most of it from the rise
i'm the pTaire Ii is the smallest of the four leading
valleysnow settled in the Territory, and has been
vary fYon a bottom
either side of the river widens ont for several miles,
and beyond that the Tanchmen have not yet ven
tured to break mp the ground. Between the river
and the range that divides the Madison from the
Yellowstone there is broad table of most beautiful
the mountain streams, even by the Madison, If di-
vCrted some miles above through canal But this
would require more labor than tue limited number OF
settlers now IN the valley could afford TO give to Snch
enterprise and they therefore, content themselves
with the bottom lands, which are so wet and cold m
the Spring that they expose thelr garden ana lleld
crops TO the early frosts. Vegetation Of a Kinds
would start several weeks earlier In the higher and
dryer table lands IN the Spring, and add vastly to
the safety and product of the crops.
One feature of nine tcnths of the ranchmen is per
haps the greatest obstacle to agricultural progress in
Montana. have scarcely found one farmer who re-
garded farming as his fixed pursuit, Most of them
came here adventurous miners, and only settled on
the ranches to secure living for the time beng until
others should develop their quartz lOdeS, or until
regular farmer should come along and buy them
out at a large advance. Flour commanded as high
as $40 per 100 pounds when gucl-mlnlng was pros
porous in BannOck and Virginia and when the
guches were exhausted many rushed into the valleys
20 make sudden fortune ont of a single crop the
next season. The next year flour was down to so
per sack and the hope of sudden fortune vanished.
Thus most of the ranches have been improved in the
most temporary and imperfect manner, and great
crops have been gathered rather because of the
derful fuitfulneSs of the soil than the skill care
of the farmers. In the Madison Valley there is no
farming except IN localities where irrigation will
almost do itself, and then 1t is not attended
to with the degree of necessary to secure
frstclaSs crops. If the Mormons could leave their
beaStly pOlygamy behind them, | would be glad to
see settlement OF them in one of the agricultural
valleys OF Montana. Immense as the crops are now,
they would, upon the whole, double them and beau
tfy their homes they increased the ruitfulness of
their fields. Farming is their calling, and they
would not put out a crop each year imperfcctly
pecting that by next season they would be after
some new diggngs or prospecting for new lands !
The cabins fences and indeed all Implements as a |
rule made by the Tanchmen, made in the most |
main and pursue agriculture for livelihood There
are exceptions, of course but not more than enough
to prove the rule
This wear the grasshoppers have almost totally de-
stroyed the crops of Madison Valley, and last year
they committed serious depredatiOns upon the late
crops i them moving in the valley. and they |
seemed to be in swaTms of millions. When flying
they almost literally shadow the sun. As far as the
eye distinguish an object the size OF one of these
feaTtully destructive insects, they may be seen
CiTcng around apparently in general confusion but
careful examination shows that the countless body
Is steadily moving ON toward some desired point In
the evening, when the eye can face the sum- they can
be seen until the white specks fade ont in the
dimneSs OF distance. Then they migrate from
place to place and to tho luckless ranch
man upon whose fields they light, if the
crop is still green. But their devastation does not
end with the destruction of the growing crop. They
deposit their eggs while desolatng the fields this
season, and thus give the farmer notice that their
successors will be destructive if possible next
year Last Summer they migrated into the Madison
Valley and tins Spring the valley swarmed with lit
tie grasshoppers who began their fatal work before
they half inch III length. As fast vegeta
bles or field crops grew, they were eaten down until
finally they destroyed the last remnant Of life and
the fields and gardens were left as bare as the highway
OF all yegetabes,'the potato alone escaped their de-
VOurng appetite and while there is general destrnc-
ton of crops and vegetation IN the Madison Valley
there Will be an immense yield OF potatoes Here ana
there ranch escaped their maroh, but now or why
90 guess. l saw isolated fields Of elegant |
grain where there was nothing but utter waste all
the ranches for miles above and below them. Next
year there but few who will venture to put out
anything like full in the valley of the Madison
and many ranches will be sold out at a sacrifice this
FAN by the eyerTestless and disconnected settlers.
At Meadow Creek L left the river, as 1t PUSHES
down into deep narrow canon, and ceases to and the
farmer uht y reaches near 10 us JIucuoh WIN the
Jefferson at tins point Another long and steep
divide had TO be crossed to reach the Hot Springs
mining district, one of the most celebrated in the
Territory. As / arrived at the foot of the hills,
saw for the first time the crckets, which no less
destructive to the crops than the grasshOppers l
came suddenly upon an immense flock OF them |
covering of the prairie and awkwardly jumping
and numbering Along toward the Gaatin, as if they
considered the Madison "sluiced cut" They are
four times large as the largest OF eastern house
cTickets, of every color from black to pale yellow
and have a most clumsy motion. They are
about an inch and a half long, half an inch
thick and stumble and tumble over each other when
frightened in the most ludicrOus style imaginable.
They have no wings and travel by walking, or
hopping slowly but steadily until they reach some
field or garden which to try their appetites As
they cannot fly they are sometimes rePused in their
movements by water bitches when they flank the
ditch and move TO the fields Of some less careful
OF less fortunate farmer
After reaching the top of the divide short dis
lance through canon brought me to Sterling
City the chief mining camp on the HOT springs as