New-York tribune., 1869-04-03
MONTANA.
OPULATIoN--NINING-AG
PACIFIC RAILROAD.
rFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT

OPULATION--NnNING-AG
PACIFIC RAILROAD.
fFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENCE d.
HELENA, Montana Territory, March 6.-With
the exception Of less than half hundred scattering adj
Yenturers who had groped their way into the Territory
from various drectonssome before, but most Of them
Immediately following the breaking out Of the war in 6
Montana was longer ago than the Summer OF 1862
region Of awe, inspiring wildness, and most profound
solitude
The first regular engrant party that reached the Ter
ritory that under command and guidance OF Capt
James L. Fisk which left Minnesota IN July, 1862 by the
northern overland route and which reached the heart or
Montana early IN September following This party con-
sisted OF 10 men and about 80 women and children Ru
mors OF the discovery OF gold on the eastern slope
greeted the ears of these brave and hardy Mnnesoans
they began the ascent OF the Great Range and they
quickly persuaded TO drive their stakes and chance
their fortunes in the midst Of the sources OF the
mighty Missouri From that day dates the actual settle
men of Montana The rumors Of important gold discov
cries at various points the eastern slope were soon
verified and confirmed startling truths and, before
Winter set in, trains Of emgras route for the old
Salmon River Mines via the South Pass and Lemhi tra
hearing Of the treasures developed much by
turned their faces nOrthward reached the new settle
ments Of Montana then DakotaD in good season. and
sweed the numbers Of the pioneers sufficiently to render
their first Winter in the mountains of the new Eldorado
both socially agreeable and from serious Indian
depredations Only six short years have inervened be-
tween then now What wondrous changes have been
crowded into that short period Of time We have to-day
population OF not less than 450O0-some claim 1t to be
6oOO0aDd do not believe there another region OF the
same extent and number Of inhabitants on the whole
continent there very few dlers as here
The leading pursuits prospecting for and working the
gold and silver quartz vens placer mining in guches
hills and bars stock raising and ranching farming and
gardenng the manufacture OF lumber for building and
mining purposes. OF course every important mining
uftara all
branches Of mercantile business carried on while
during the past years there have been established
within the Territory eight ten large Touring mills,
several fOunderies and tanneries &c.
stamp quartz mills engaged IN the successful reduction OF
gold and silver ores IN the various mining districts OF
the Territory The total yield of quartz mines TO the
Ist OF January 1862 is carefully estimated at 81 Oo0
Our placer mines are now numbered by hundreds, and
Instead of their being worked out" becoming ex-
hausted 10 udsputaDle fact that the great majority
of our pacers have largely increased their aggregate
yields successive and now without any very
Important discoveries 10 calculate upOn II IS cOnh
dey believed that the yield from that source for 1859
Will be at least one-alfand many think double
than that OF any former season The total yield Of our
placer 1869 has not fallen dollar short
Of and this estimate give the very lowest
figures used by any Of our statisticians.
While we have meqsnress tracts OF the choicest grazing
lands along the foot hills and mountain slopes nOrdng
grasses nutritious to keep the herds fat the year
round numerous beautiful and fertile valleys eoursed
by clear running streams and skrted by belts OF excel
lent timber afford aggregate area OF at least thirty
million acres of arabic land susceptible OF the highest
state OF cultivation Already home products Of the
farm. IN the items OF wheat oats, barley, and all the
staple vegetables, were Sufficient In the last harvest To
abuudantly supply the demand for home consumption.
The prettest field Of wheat ever saw in any country
raised by Mr. Mullgan ono OF our enerprsng val
ley farmers and whose fields are In plain view from va
r0us portions OF Helena This piece OF wheat consisted
wall OF masonry. and. when harvested, threshed. and
weighed averaged 57 bushels to the acre throughout
Some Of Gallatin farmers, well others in differ
ntporons Of the Territory boast OF raising high as
CO bushels to the acre. repeatedly aud have no reason
The cost Of living IS by means exorbitany high.
home cured bacon cts; beef fresh 0a2 ct fresh
ranch butter so 81 eggs do Add Is per tho
St Louis prices ana you nave inc local VI our
In the matter of wages may say that owing to che
extraordinary demands and attractions along the Union
aud Central Pacific Railways during the past two years,
tending to deain thousands of the laborng classes who
otherwise would have found ther way into Montana,
continued lack Of aboring force has been felt mere ana
WAGES have 0een nPpS nP 20 the ssg bns @
son, from s. to per dav while good farm hahas ea9,
sers and others working by the month get from S5 70
$50 and found This prevailing scarcity OF aboIers to
develop the mines and other resources o wealth already
disclosed has thus been the means Of preventing TO
very great degree the exploration and prospecting OF
many new and inviting portions OF the Territory
The climate Of Montana is bic for It's miIdness
and evenness possessing all genial saubrty OF that part
OF California with the dryess and purity OF atmosphere
40 noticeable in Minnesota and heahulness truly un
suraasse ed anywhere OH the face OF the globe.
Since fbe construction Of the Union and Central Pacific
Par6ais have been under way and particularly during
th Winter no,, at mails from the East. and from the
West also have been more REGULAR ana uncertain thah
under the old c0aohandfour regime. Ouins un1 PJs
free from stOrms tho people OF Montana have s"Ieq
uBpreeedentedy from Isolation never felt before ana
caused by the repeated detention OF malls IN coDse
quence Of the snow bockades occurring 80 frequently
along the railroad between sait LAKE ana Onaha our
trweeky mail from the States during the Winter months
have not Received q through mail from tho East for
eight days lowing 10 snow bOckades along the Union 70
I'M case successive storms do not prevail may look
for another mail in about fifteen days from date;
Now there is nothing that will so blight country-I
care not how rich otherwise prosperous II may beas
this sort OF thing And the contemplation OF these mat
ers especially as they present 80 unsatisfactory an as
pect arouses 3ifesh tie If61g hopes bave ip gomm9B
with whole people, 50 long cherished 4or the eai
thus creating o grand commercial artery and high
way OF travel mall treasure and general express car
Iage through promising Territory ana aI0rdlnR US
easv auet cheap and uninterrupted eODmuiea With
both the East and West at all seasons Of the year.
truth that the "a perence OF tho Union Pacific Road
well as OF the Central is fast proving that route fatally
faction OF knowing that fatality such obsruc
ton no such & SaTtbeT Se Sqa GSo can To- the broad
praires OF Dakota and the great plain OF the COluuDa
forming the main eSpanse OF COUNTY 10 pc nn e
Sound snow b seldom known to fall to greater depth
than four OF six s9e % ,etan Wbat vi s do f thee
days at a time The testimony OF our Oldest mountain
ness Of the winters throughout Montana and their OBJ
seryatons In this region during the past thirty years
ont Of every five years would be lost by the detention,
from snowdrfts or slides of railroad trains trayersng
tho kOftncfu route. "Doo' 'teIs
1897 TO the present time and during that period may
safely affirm that there has not occurred single storm
i'm Winter or Summer OF sufficient violence or extent to
impede delay the regular trips OF railway trains across
the various mountain in the Territory "a hours at
a time II at ALL Deep SHOWS do not fall In Montana
except along crest OF the highest ranges and even
there hut seldom From the eastern base Of the main
Rocky Range to the western terminus OF tho Butter
Root C0ur dAlene Mountains. pack
trains and freight wagons have crossed and ecrOssed
making their cgular trips during the entire Winter thus
far without single hours detention from an excess OF
snow The fact s have not had ten days sleighng
this whole Winter in the most favored localities ID
Montana The Cascade Range In washington Territory