Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1878-06-27
MONTANA.
Interesting and Important Data

MONTANA, one of the largest of the Ter.
ritories of the United States, lies between
45 and 40 deg. of north latitude, and con-
tains $4,000, 900 acres OF land, Of which
lG,OOO,OOO are agricultural, 38, 600, 900
grazing, ~, 900, 900 timber, 5000, 600 min-
eral, and about 81 200, 600 mountainous.
1t is the best watered country in the Unit
ed States by pure mountain streams and
navigable rivers. The tillabie lands pro-
duce all the cereals (average wheat per
acre, forty bushels,) and every variety Of
vegetables The climate is mild and
equable. The snowfall is less than in
New York or Maine. The dry, clear air
of the Rocky Mountains, and the absence
Of malaria and epidemics, make health
record for Montana equal to any in the
world. Population, 10000. Product of
gold and silver for the year 1877, $G, $780,
600; estimated product for 1878, IS, ,OOO,-
600, which will be augmented from year
to year in a proportion equal TO the in
creased capital and machinery employed
in mining and milling, there being no in
telligent calculation Of time when the
supply of gold and silver will become ex-
haustcd in the Territory.
Exports are, gold and silver bullion,
cattle, wool, robes, hides and furs. Wool
clip of 1878, 100000 pounds. Surplus
cattle, 100000. Average wool fleece, six
pounds. The meats are fat and juicy.
Exemption laws, liberal and humane,-a
homestead Of the 0alue Of $4,000, free to
ecerybody from safe md execution.
The main chain of the Rocky Noun
tains in Montana afford numerous passes,
through which, with little work, wagon
roads have been constructed that may be
traversed every day in the year. Of the
three projected railroads, the North
err Pacific, Utah Northern, and Helena
and Benton, two of them have their ter
minus at Helena.
Within Montana are the sources OF the
two mighty rivers of the continent, that
flow into either ocean besides there are
within her borders the Yellowstone, navi-
gable for steamboats, 500 miles, and the
Jefferson, Gallatin, Madison, Deer Lodge,
Bitter Root, Big Hole, Big and Little
Blackfoot, Dearborn, Teton, Marias, Milk
and Sun rivers. All the water courses have
broad bottoms and rich alluvial lands, Ca
pable of bearing heavy crops of all farm
and garden products. Montana, whose
rich gold placers brought the first tide of
settlement in 1923, continues rich in its
surface and guich mines, but the main and
permanent sources of her metallic wealth
lie in her quartz veins, which have been
discovered by thousands, and which are
only just beg inning to be developed.
The light, pure mountain air that quick
ems the condition of the body also invig-
crates the intellect, and as an acknOwl-
edged fact the people of Montana sustain
more home newspapers at heavier cost
than any equal number of persons on the
face of the earth, and take more newspa-
pers from abroad than any other COM
munity in the country.
The following are the steamboat arri-
walls at Fort Benton, and their freights,
during two months Of the present year.
Big Horn, April 2Sth, $50 tons, 40 pass.
Rose Bud, May 4th, 1SO tons, 36 pass.
Josephine, May 9th, 14O tons, A pass.
Helena, May 14th, 202 tons, Sc pass.
Benton, May 10th, 200 tons, 10G pass.
Key West, May 18th, 245 tons, IA pass.
Big Horn, May Goth, 135 tons, 81 pass.
Rose Bud, May 26th, 100 tons, 237 pass.
Nelly Peck, June I'd, $50 tons, % pass.
John Chambers, June 4, 5Otons, 3Opass.
Josephine, June 6, 102 tons, 3S pass.
Helena, June 6, $50 tons, 2j pass.
Far West, June 6, 212 tons, 20 pass.
General Terry, June 6, 225 tons, 15pass.
Red Cloud, June9, $50 tons, 115 pass.
Ell. Durfee, June 8. $50 tons, Is pass.
Benton, June Is, 265 tons, 40 passenge
Total freights by river, 3, 1876 TONS
In addition to the above heavy freights
river, being only partial shipment for t
wear by that route confined to a period
less than fifty days, is the freight by the Q