The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1869-09-10

Ind generally camp in the cedar hills where
Inc snow il good. and melt snow for their
own use. This subject is well worthy the
careful attention 1T stock raiscrs III Mon.
lana, rs it might (if found to be corrcc') save
them from heavy losses in severe winters.
The winter of 1898 was nearly, perl,aps
quite, as mild 40 that Of 1867, and taking the
country 40 far as Salt Lake, it was milier,
for wagone drawn by both horses and oxen
made two trips in midwinter from Bannack
City to Salt Lake and luck. loaded with
provisions and tools, without being incom.
molcd by snow or severe cold. This, how.
ever. is feat that has not been accomplish
ed since, many parties h'sing large numbers
of cattle and mules in trying to make one
trip in the three succeeding winters. The
mercury in Deer Lodge fell no lower than
l2o below zero, and that was in storm on
the Esd and gath of October. The winter of
1864 was but little inferior to the preced.
ing one, snow lying but few days at sime
in the valles, although it was deeper on the
mountains, and tive weather averaged con.
silcrably colder. A severe storm of wind
and driving snow occurred January 9TH, in
which the mercury fell to So below zero,
but the cold snap only lasted about week.
The winter of ls04-5 showed Al increased
degree of cold and snow again, The ther.
momcter fell to 34o below zero with severe
ccld during December and January, but
snow not bad until March, during which
month more fell than in all the rest OF the
winter, and the mercury fell as low as 27e.
During this cold snap occurred the starp.
pcdc to Ophir gulch, (Blackfoot City,, in
which many persons were frozen-the only
wonder is that many did not perish outright,
for they were poorly clad and without any
shelter. Stock did we'll enough this winter
The winter of 1866 was quite severe In
the lust half, snow lying in the va!lies some
time. accompanied by intense cold, reaching
4o below zero, with violent winds and
driving snow for some weeks. No stock
died, however, this winter. The winter Of
1865 was very mild up to the Path of De.
cember, with no snow. 1t theI began to
snow anil get cold, and from that time un-
til April, it was the worst winter ever scrn
in the country. Snow was about twenty
inches deep in the lower half 6f the valley,
and from ten TO twelve inches in the upper
portion, with very unusually long spell Of
continued cold, varying from l0o TO 329
below zero. The month Of March was ab.
solutely terrific, twenty eight out Of tho
thirty. one days being below zero. being, I
believe, without precedent in any country,
yet, strange and incredible as it may seem,
but few cattle died, although few Of them
had any hay or grain and no shelter, except
the willows along the strcams--no horses
died. The winter of 1868 was compare.
lively mild. with hut little snow. Coldcst
day 309 below zero; no suffering among
stock grass abundant and no: covered with
SNOW NO s!cighing in Deer L,dye during
the entire winter; the valley dry aad dusty;
the same being the case pretty much al over
the Territory. The winter ot 1868 0 was
about the saMc as those of 1867 Sand 1876: 8,
being almost no winter at all considering the
latitude and great altitude Of the couutry
generally. NJ snow Of any Consequence.
not enough for slcighing in Deer Lodge.
Stock of al kinds wintereu tut without b.ing
fed m housed. Ncs.rly all tho hay tina. wns
cut in Deer Lodge was kept over, it no. b..
ing necessary I" use il, Hay, it properly
stacked, will keep for an indefinite number
| Of years, 1t being =, fresh looking and good
Mt the end Of three years as new hay.
The mean annual temperature Of 1867 and
1868 was 80 1-2o Fahrenheit. That Of
1860 will be about 49,, In being year Of
| unprecedented drouth and unusually warm;
| no ,hcrmomctrical record kept during for.
mcr years. The summer Of 1867 was dry {;
no rain guagc kept. 1858, rather wet; 1859,
dry; 1850, dry; 1901, wet; 1862, very wet {;
1863, very dry 1894, neither; 1906 rather
wet; 1896, very wet; 1867, very wet; 1858,
rather wet; 1860, drycst Of oil.
The atmosphere If Montana Is cminentiy
dry both winter and summer, and the cvap.
oration always excessive, 80 much 50 that
during the prevalence Of high winds in either
summer or winter, person exposed to their
force will soon find his lips dry and chappcd,
and all parts Of his skin exposed dry and
rough, and feeling harsh to the touch. More
especially is this the case with the warm 8
and s. W. gales, known as ''chinook winds, "
which occur irrcgularly during a long win.
ter, and which cause the mercury TO rise
npidly and the snow to vanish from tho
vallics and often up the sides of the noun.
tains. These winds evidently comc direct
from the Pacific coast, and arc moro regular
and plainly noticeable as We near l'ugets'
Sound. Their influence does not sppear u
extend, however, as fur 40 the plains of tho
Missouri and Yellow stone in the eastern part
Of the Territory. g. t"1 p >
There is pecullarity about even the most
intense cold here; II docs not f" take l.old" !"
or ''bite" like the cold In the Eastern States