Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-10-17
The Yellowstone, az Seen.
o. 3.

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The Yellowstone, az Seen.
BYJ. v. BOGERr.
CLARx's FORK BOTTOM
Il an expanse of level alluvial land extend
ing from the Yellowstone river to tn
boundary foot hills, forty miles in length
by an average of nine in width. At vari
ous points it is sixteen miles wide, an(
must contain 10000 acres of excellent
agricultural soil and grass land. 1t is safs
to say the greater part Of it will re
quire systematic irrigation. but the bottom
or valley, is 80 admirably pitched that by
means of corporate ditch the entire pie.s
Of country may be readily flooded.
We had often heard it described (ol
cursed) as an ''alkali fiat" an eye-sore to
the tourist and an aggrayation to the loca-
tion-hunting settler-but it may safely be
wagered that not ten acres of it will prove
value'ess, Experts pronounce it wheat
and oat and vegetable land, par excellence;
and the fact that it even now contains at
least forty old Montana farmers, who have
settled permanently within its limits and
are enthusiastic over its resources, must
stand rs proof positive that ''false wit
ness" has been borne.
The writer, obliged to re-reach Bozeman
by certain date, was reluctantly unable
to visit each settlement; and thus, was
often obliged to pass unvisited many a
farm whose broad fields. at that early part
of the season, glistened in the yellow stub
BILE and supported myriads of golden
sheaves of garnered grain that told of a
favored climate and prolific soil.
Last winter no snow fell until January.
when few flakes sprinkled the ground,
and, disappearing, was succeeded by a
furry in February; in April fourteen inch
es laid three days, passed off, and an early
spring followed.
This seasons farming has been done up
on the actual river bottom land. and but
little, if any, irrigation has been attempted
At some points grasshoppers had done
some little damage; but when we landed
at Brockway and WOlvcrton's we found
them sitting down to dinner supplied
loft the country" and consisting in part
of corn. 10 to IL inches long in the ear
the finest peach-blow and Goodrich pota-
tos; enormous tomatoes; cucumbers half
an arm in length; pickles made ION the
spot" this season, and watermelons-long
ones, round ones, big ones, and all luscious
rs a peach. As we looked on, surfeited.
so to speak, before mouthful, Brockway
said if We could wait he'd get up some
squashes and caulifiowers from the garden.
and cut-up some cabbage; and then he
said he had turnips and onions and beets
and carrots, which he'd cook for us if we
thought there was not variety enough in
sight. We make mention of this. not be-
~-----~it P'~ -~-a ~-->fs;onal case unon
Clark's Fork Bottom. but that we may
show what that ''alkali flat is good for.
The river along the bottom is wide.
deep, and here and there divided by isl
ands, which cut it into rapid channels.
Dense growths Of cottonwood cover the
islands and line the general banks, enor-
nous trees and beautiful groves scattering
themselves along them, inviting the settler
10 shady, protected hooks almost any
where, and offering inviting locations for
Inc residence, the barn and The corral.
Tie Bottom at its entrance is guarded
1y the cabins of winter stock-tenders. 1t
apidly widens, presenting an Immense
lrea Of grass land, bounded by high foot
Hills, beyond which lies region of lakes /
md stock-ranges, almost unknown, and
extending into the Musclcshell.
Moving over this country, Young's
Point is next reached; and here we lie
'ver for the night upon the edge of Gus
er County. This is a ''natural point for
stage station and post-office, and is oc-
upied as such by MIR. A. j. Young, late
4 Gallatin County, who has. as well, tax
n up farming land. upon which he has
epeated the crop success recorded of 9TH
r parts of this region. We visited the
ege:able garden. which, Notwithstanding
invasion, was producing with
ne prcfusiOn of hot-bed, and plucked
pe tomatoes from vines which had been
,opogatetl from the seed after the first
0use-started plants had been overturned
nd ruined by the investigating careless
ess of party Of curious squaws.
Mr.. Young has erected q comfortable
ouss and was building barns and a large
orral about large stacks of splendid wild
ay- and. next season, will with his son
cgin the cultivation of grain upon the
ne soil extending about him in every d.
ection. His experience here is that OF
'any-broken in health and fortune, and
ell on in years, he emigrated to the Vel
'wstone hardly two seasons ago: and.
slecting this point as his future home, his
God wife ''watched the pot while he
REQUIRED the wherewitbal to ..make it
oil.'' Now. with health improved and
full barns' about them. they repose ur-
er ''their own vine and fig tree" and.
cling Of their but last years escape from
indians. and pointing to the rocky refuge
rom the savage, now no longer needed.
hey look returning prosperity In the
nee. and. leaving the latch-string out and
he gun unfhottcd, retire at night with
one to ''m0lest or make them afraid. -
uch are the sudden changes upon the
rontier.
Worn from the long days ride and filled
nth an ample suppcr-with . soft bed
nder US. the Yellowstone g,,rgling rod
way, and the everiassing rocks o'ershad-
wing us. We soon dropped to sleep, and
lreamed Of the railroad yet to come, and
4 the sacrifices and tolls Of the venturo-
ONE ones who have made the sswiltlernees /