New-York tribune., 1869-05-24
H0NT1NJ.

Gov. ASllcy mas COmlnenCeu HIS OIIICldl hcl-
vice by appointing BeunO Speyer, esq, Com
missioner of immigration, and has addressed
him a letter giving an account of his Territory,
which we cOndense as follows:
Montana was organized by Congress in May,
1864, and is bounded on the north by British
America, on the south and west by the Bitter
Root and Rocky Mountains, and on the east
by the eth degree westward from Washington
City. It's area is 1876 square miles, beng
four times that of Ohio and eighteen times
that of Massachusetts,. Congress, in organizing
it, gave it for the support OF schools over
100000 acres of Public Lands-which exceeds
the entire area of Rhode Island, Connecticut
and Delaware.
Gold was first discovered in what is now
Montana in the Fall of 1862; and some four or
five thousand miners and others rushed thither
within the next few months. Gov. Ashley es-
Inmates the present population at 7O,VOO' ana
expects it to he sweled this year to 100000.
We presume the census of 1870 Will show that
it has more than that number. The Winter
on this side Of the Rocky Mountains is IKE
that of New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, and ONO;
west of tho main ridge, it is milder. The SUM
mers are cooler than ours Cattle winter unted
almost anywhere. The soil Of the valleys IS
rich, and easily TILED The atmosphere east OF
the mountains is dry, and irrigation OF the
tablet is required. The climate Is very
healthy.
The mountains, save where they rise above
the line of vegetation, are covered with Pine,
Cedar, and other valuable timber. Montana Is
probably the best timbered of all our Terri
tories save Washington. The scenery is mag
nifcent The valleys of the Madison, Jefferson,
Galatin, and other afluents of the Missouri,
are very fertile; the opposite valleys OF the
streams which unite to form the Columbia, are
less so. The former are excellent for Wheat,
Rye, and Oats, rs well as for Grass. The City
of Helena, founded in 1865, has now 14,OOO
inhabitants, with three daily papers
The Northern Pacific Railroad, beginning at
the southwest point of Lake Superior, will
pass directly through this Territory, and tray-
erse splendid farming country. 1t will be In
good part constructed within the next hye
years. After crossing the Rocky Mountains,
its route to the Pacific Ocean lies through
dense growth of heavy timber, mainly Pine
Cedar, Hemlock and Cottonwood. The SHOWS
here are far lighter than on the Central
route. Fifty steamboats, reached Fort Benton
last Spring, with an average of 2iO tuns OF
merchandise each, and large parties Of immi-
grants
Gov. Ashley estimates the Gold and Silver
mined in this Territory since 1864 at SSO,OOO,OOO
The Surveyor General estimates the yield OF
Gold only the present year at SSOOOO,OO
Some of the placers have proved exceedingly
productive and tho veins promise as bOun-
|
have also been found in abundance, though
they have received little attention as yet. But
Gov. Ashley wisely seeks to win attention first
TO Agriculture, and says;
81 advise those who seeking homes, and all
those who. in oyercrowded cities are obtaining pre-
carous and uncertain subsistence for themselves and
families TO unite in colonies OF ten and twenty families
and 20 Montana sOmo OF the Territories and each
up under the Homestead law leo acres Of land for
ii those who read this letter should prefer any other
Territory 20 Montana, can only say 10 such, 20 any
place Ou Of our Oyercrowded cities whero you can nave
the certainty OF securing home
Every other scheme % home may fai hut this
cannot fail Since the passage OF the homestead law now
many thousand men III all our large cities have struggled
manully but in vain, and with their families are to-day
IN want how many others have struggled ior season
and then given up In despair, and are lost ana thclr
children beggars, who. II they had taken Homestead III
stead OF years OF toll and want ana suffering would have
been from want their families respected aud all to-
There is no way in which the great body Of working
men in this country make and sare so much money
accepting the offer OF the Government TO give them 100
OF land. Let ten or twenty families 90 together
and each take up 100 The moment each has built
cabin and fenced In few twill be worth at least
I've dollars per acre Every year Will add new improve
mens and increase its value. In the mean time com
Portable living is secured for the family with something
laid by every year for rainy day At tho end OF ten
years at a low estimate each farm be sold for from
| forty to sixty dollars per acre
"fhe account would stand about thus: Twenty faml
lies would take up 100 OF land cach-in ALL three
thousand two hundred acres. when the cabins were
built the land would sell for five dollars per acre, at
least which would be $500 for each farm Of 100 acres or
$4,000 for all Before the lapse OF ten each farm
could be sold for at least fifty dollars per acre-which
would be eight thousand dollars for each family or one
hundred and sixty thousand dollars for twenty families
On an average workingman in ten lays by 5000
I'm ten years In addition 60 the certainty OF securing
home and the needed comforts Of home, every right
thinking and his family feels dignity and selfre
spect unknown those who have higher aim than 20
be tenants at will and aborers and Tor lfe.