The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1876-11-10
Centennial Address,
ON THE
ORIGIN, Growth and Resources Of Montana
BY
w. A. CLARK, ESQ.
DELIVERED AT THE CENTENNIAL ExH1B TIoN
OCTOBER II. 1876.

OCTOBER II. 1876.
The resis1less advance of civilization il
the new world during the century past at
fords fruitful theme for the historian anC
a study for the sociologist. It has left its
impress everywhere in the domains of sci
ence, art and literature, and by it's magi,
influence wrested the wilderness from thu
savage and transformed the desert places
into fruitful fields. When the foundations
of the republic had been securely planted
in the Atlantic States by our progenitors
they, contemplating the growth of empire
and stimulated by an aggressive ambition
which the war for independence had engen
dered, turned their eyes hopefully towards
the unknown depths of lorest that lay be
yond the Alleghenies. The settlers cabir
soon appeared on the shores of the Ohio
and in rapid succession on the Illinois, the
Mississippi and the Missouri and thus far
for half century, was exempliied with
| gratifying success the theory of popular
government projected by our fathers. But
the genius of progress, not content, prompt
| ed to other conquests, and encouraged by
the vital warmth of Republican liberty, this
| new American civilization paused not al
| mountain barrier Or desert waste, and NOV
ing onward in the track of the daring pio-
neer asserted its dominion in the remotest
ends of our domain. The golden shores OF
| the Pacific mark the acme of it's western
development, and the solitude Of
"That continuous wood where rolls the Oregon"
has been completely invaded and subdued.
The dream that there lay only the desert
| and desolate mountain creations has dis
solved into wakeful realizations of exuber-
ant fertility and dazzling wealth, and thus
through the lapse of hundred years the
expansion of State, population and wealth
has widened steadily and reached culmi-
nation of greatness which is creditably il
| lustrated in the wonderful exhibition here
presented to the world Of our resources,
skill and capabilities.
A retrospect Of the origin and growth OF
these United States and their dependencies
in the century just closed is very engaging
and instructive. AS representative of
one of the more recently organized of these,
the Territory of Montana, will present to
you some account of the rise and progress
of that interesting region in the great
Northwest which twelve years ago was ad-
mitted into the Territorial sisterhood. The
line of my duty comprehends study of the
development of placer and quartz mining,
agriculture, stock, husbandry, manufactur-
ing and other industries, and some inquiry
into the conditions of society, the natural
resources Of the country and other matters
of historic interest.
Montana is bounded by British America
on the north, Dacotah on the east, Wyo-
ming and Idaho on the south, and Idaho
on the west 1t is nearly rectangular in
shape, embraces an area Of about IA, 900
square miles, and is about three times as
large as the State of New York. The name
is pretty, suggestive and not inappropriate,
as for great distance its western boundary
is the axis of the Couer d'Alene or Pointed
Heart range, a white line on the zig-zag of
the mountains crest, in the regions of per-
petual snow. Farther eastward the main
range of the Rocky Mountains, rising in
colossal grandeur, tends diagonally to the
northwest across the Territory, while be-
tween these two distinct ranges, and far
eastward from the latter. the country is di-
versifed by system sof subordinate, trans
verse and parallel ranges, enclosing the
most beautiful valleys. These valleys, va
rying from one to fifteen miles in width and
from ten to two hundred miles in length,
are level or gently undulating, resembling
prairies covered with grasses and meadows,
and are each drained by main stream
running through the center which at short
intervals receives tributaries from the en-
closing mountains. These form lateral
valleys of smaller extent. A line of willow
OF alder bushes, with here and there a
clump of cottonwood trees, marks the
course of every stream and beauties the
landscape. Lying between the large val
leys there are in many places passes in the
the mountains, many of them SO low and
easily accessible as to form natural highways
for all vehicles. On some of these dividing
elevations are presented views of SURPRISING
beauty and grandeur. Below, you behold
the picturesque valleys about you, the
terraced or corrugated grassy plains; on
either side, the evergreen woodlands with
their parks and ripping brooklets, stretch
ing down from the mountains sides, and
above all and beyond the limit of vegeta-
BILE growth, the towering, "rock-ribbed =
mountains There in communion with the
clouds are the great fountains which form
the sources of the Missouri and the Column
bia, in many places gathering their cold and
crystal waters from the same snow girdled
peaks. The 4a
aPaaces where Nature thrones sublimitynic icy halls"
The region comprising this Territory was
claimed first by the French in 1742. They
retained dominion until 1854 in which year
it was ceded to Spain. In 1900 France re-
gained it by treaty and sold it to the United
States in 1903, it being part of the Louis
lana purchase which cost the government
the nominal sum Of fifteen millions of dol
lars. The country obtained was afterWard
called the Province of Louisiana Portions
of Montana have been successively included
within the boundary lines of Oregon, WI ash
ington, Nebraska, Dacotah and Idaho Ter
ritories, until May Goth, 1854, bill was
passed establishing the Territory out OF the
northeastern part of Idaho. In like man.
ner in shoit time, out of the Province OF
Louisiana, have been marked out many gee-
ographic divisions which are to take the all
titude of sovereignties in this great re-
public.
Thomas Jefferson and his compatriots,
with comprehensive views and commend
able desire to ascertain something concern
;,,er tta val,,a and extent Of the Territory
ACQUIRED. projected an expedition for the ex-
nloration of those northwestern regions and
this inaugurated restless movement west
ward that has since continued with acceler-
ated impetuosity. Captains Lewis and
Clarke who were entrusted with the charge
Of that expedition, in 1904 and 1905, fol-
lowed the Missouri river to its sources,
crossed over to and followed the Columbia
= :. - a,,tiat ,ur;th fha Pacific ocean. Re-