New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-07-11
HOMES FOR ALL.
MONTANA.

HELENA. Montana, June tS.-0ur nearest rail-
road is the Union Pacific nearly 500 miles to the south
Of us by The Mississippi River it is ll5 miles TO FOr'
Benton, the head Of navigation ana from theIe oN0
1000 miles 10 St. Louis The extreme length OF our hes
of communication with the States, combined with the
Indifference of people in regard to the matter mas
oparated TO prevent those who interested or wood
be So becoming in any degree acquainted Win our
Territory. Many who only know 1t rom us Heogr"Pn
zeal position upon the map, very enormously peheNe
to be a cold sterile rough, rocky, wild, ana mountain
Gus region lying away up the North Pole, ana neu
only as the abode OF the hardy hunter and apper the
ferooious grizzly and the nomadic redskin. during
the past year much attention has been awakened
abroad in regard to Montana, ana many leu
tiers OF inquiry concerning the Territory are re-
ceived at tins place. IwOuld not advise any one WHO
iscomortaby situated give up old home and old as
sociations and remove a country where every
thing has TO be learned But TO those who are dis
satisfied who looking out for and intending TO move
20 home the Far West, there is but little DOUBT 'n"'
Montana offers greater advantages than any other oil the
Territories He who looking out for home anna "ha'
are popularity believed TO be the western wds con-
sders himself fortunate If he can lind IN any one
country situation afOrdug at the same time cheap
and productive lands uninterrupted health school ana
church privileges the best Of water and plenty OF IT, an
abundance Of timber ready and remuneratiYe markets
for all kinds of produce, and an intelligent, aw-aOidmg
people such combination is thought by many to be
an thing in Country, and yet that 1t is
90 be found in Montana fact which will be attested
by the evidence Of hundreds of residents Added to
these advantages is climate which is perhaps unsur
passed in agreeableness ana salubrity.
No state or Territory Of the Mississippi River is
40 well watered Montana, glance at correct map
of Tie rrtory will readily show. In It to be found
the hcadwaerS OF those immense streams which drain
the eastern and western slopes Of the Rocky Mountains
the Missouri and Columbia Rivers. About all of these
streams their tributaries there are rich and fertile
valleys, level almost floor, and producing as line
crops gain roots, vegetables and the various xmas
of grasses as any soil upon the continent Millions Of
acres OF these fertile landsas fertile those already
taken up, and susceptible Of rrigatonare yet va
can't and subject to presumption and homestead claims
prcgmp,ion as many OF your readers know, consists
Of lGO acres and costs 81 IS per acre. homestead is
also 100 acres and nothing TO live upon for
1--WE years. BY preGmpng first, and then hOmesteading,
one can get $40 acres total cost inclusive OF fees OF
about $3.50 The surveyOr-General estimates that over
OOOOO OF Territorial area are adapted to the
purposes of farming and Of these probably not more
than $4,000 have thus far been taken up The
productveness of these lands is simply incredible
to those acquainted only with farming as
practiced IN tie States. We have produced
the largest Yields OF wheat which have ever been
harvested in any country and for oats rye and barley
the farms of Montana challenge comparison with those
OF any other portion of the West All varieties Of the
best kinds of grass-such timothy. bluegrass and
clover-hourish luxuiantly, and the dryness OF the
weather in harvest insures the gathering Of
the hay crop without damage from RAIN Potatoes
turnips beets radshes, onions and other varieties OF
vegetables grow in such quantities and perfection as are
never seen in any OF Eastern Staes and even the
tomato with ordinary care, is produced in abundance
and in as fine variety can be found anywhere. In
the most important item Of health it is difficult to see
how our Territory could be improved. There are no
of any kind which incident to or prevalent
in the country When sickness occurs it can always be
To udeuc or OK
take less care in the preservation OF their health than
any others whom have known; and yet, nowhere
else have / a community so free from disease.
Even the very babies seem 10 understand that 1t Is
their duty keep in fine condition, and they ignore
with pertinacitY and persistence which is truly com
mendable all those ills to which baby flesh is usually
heir Patent medicines at discount with us. Old
men here renew their youth, aud the superfuously
tagging veteran of co is not unfrequenty found with
all the vigOr and elasticity of middle age.
Montanas innumerable streams fresh from count
less springs, and the deep SHOWS which lie sun-shel
tered IN thousand gulches and ravines their supply
Is almost ineXhaustble and their rapid fall and
swift current afford facilities which cannot be surpassed
Tor the irrigation Of the farms and the propulsion Of
machinery These do not go dry in the Summer
and at certain Of the year are filed with the
finest varieties Of fish Onefourh Of our territorial
Is estimated as timber land The valleys nearly level
generally bare of trees along the banks of the
streams where there strip, varying in SIZE Of cotton
wood alder, and willow. But the mountain sides are
always with forests OF pine, CEDAR fir, and
hemloek These easily accessible with wagon
ana team their surface being usually smooth and the
slope gradual. The best OF pine timber ranges In the
Helena market at from S22 10 SIS per thousand feet
Firewood will average about 80 cord the round
though II the supply laid in during the Summer time
the will be much less. Fencing is generally
structed OF posts and pine cottonwood rails
The supply Of fruit trees is very much greater
In Montana than in the Territories to the east
and south u.s. But little hazarded in saying that
country exceed this for stock purposes. For horses
cattle and sheep ii is healthy Colorado and much
than Texas, while the bunch-grass, which In
other countries has only scattered growth here covers
our foothills like carpet This bunch grass is the most
nutritious Of all grasses and is as much superior 10 the
celebrated Kentucky bluegrass, in this regard that
TO the crabgrass of the Northern pastures Cattle do
not eat it so long the valley grasses remain
green, but when they dried up this has become
cured Just stands and cattle OF all kinds, preferTng
it to any other kind Of food, and winering upon 1t
alone with artificial shelter, come out in the Spring
in fine condition for beef. The last the hardest
Winter in the mountains which the white settlers have
ever KNOWN few Of stOckmen had hay for their
herds and none were provided with shelter; yet the
entire loss for the whole time estimated low as two
per cent and by no seems 10 be placed as higher
than eight per cent Indeed, the evidence is abun-
dant that the loss in stock in this Terri
tory was much less than in Colorado
even In Texas In some Of largest valleys the stock
went through the entire Winter, feeding only the
bunch grass and came out in the Spring in finer eondi
ton than you ever beef in the New-York market.
Speaking the past Winter leads me to say something
of our cate-one Of most remarkable features OF
tbis country Though situated among and either side
OF the main ranges Of the Rocky Mountains and next to
the British possessions the evenness of our climate
during the entire year OF the greatest attractions
OF the country The elevation Of our valleys Is much