Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1878-08-01
MONTANA HERDS, FLocKs, FARMS AND
MINES,
Virginia City,

even way-not making any wild dashes at
rapid improvements, but content with a
moderate gain. She advances with the
growth of the country! There arenow 80
business houses in the place.. Nine of them
are grocery stores, and all but one ship
goods from eastern markets anddo a jobbing
and wholesale trade. There are two banks,
two dry goods stores, two clothing houses,
two hardware, and two furniture stores,
two blacksmith and wagon shops, and two
livery stables, one printing office, one bar
Der shop, one restaurant, two boarding
houses, and three hotels. Tolook over the
city, and at this list, one would think it
oyerdone in some of the business lines but
| noticed that a number of houses have be-
gun business within the past year. and hm
informed that business in the mercantile
line will average we'll with any other city
in the country. Besides the trade from Al
der and several other good placer gulch dis
tricts and quartz camps, Virginia has a.
large farmers trade from the Madison and
Ruby valleys. Though Alder gulch has
continually yielded large yearly dividends
of,gold for the past thirteen summers, it is
newybeing worked. by nineteen different
companies, besides a considerable number
of Cinnamon whose trade alone gives Vir-
ginia a healthy local life. Since, my visit
last year there nave been some improve
ments in the shape of dwelling houses, of
which some are elegantly finished. The
court house building and several churches
give the city a somewhat stylish appear:
ance. The population isinow estimated at
about $50, $50 of which are voters, and
about $50 are enrolled on the school census
books. In the legal profession Virginia is
ably represented, in Jas. G.. Spratt, Jas. E!
Galloway, and Sam Word. Each of these
gentlemen are agriculturists as well as law
yers, and have fine herds OF cattle feeding
upon the excellent pastoral ranges of Madi-
sen eounty. VISA. Buttermore, Vlrginia's
popular Marshal, is also a stock man, and
has a fine. herd Of cattle grazing upon the
banks of Ruby river. While in the city l
found good quarters and excellent accom-
modations at the RolgepsfHouse, and en-
JOJCu SOluC plCdSuIU SudG WIFI u ANOO'
gers, its genial proprietor. During my
short stay l met a number of old acquain-
.,tances and friends, among whom | remen,-
ter4J. NJ. Herndon,. the furniture dealer,
Henry Filing, the banker j. G. Smith, late
of the clothing business, butnow a farming
man, Wa. Thompson, the lumber man, j..
H. Scanlin, the genial proprietor of Virgin
las best livery stable, w. A. Bnttermore,.
City Marshal, Chas. Demeling, the obliging.
postmaster, S. Howell, telegraph operator
and express agent, and Geo. Woodwork, a
stockman and. freighter. This gentleman
was experimenting the delivery of a cargo
of merchandise from his train, to the mer-
chants. | did not count the number, of
h fschooners' In, his train,. *. nor the oxen
hitched thereto, but [ noticed they filledth
street,nearly the, full length of the town,
and that cargo.was equal to the load of a
Missouri river steamer. At.the .Madisoaian
Office [ found Thos. Baker and -.Kiser
busy setting news for that justly appre-
ciated paper. One of my most pleasant WIS.,
its while in Virginia was in company with
J. G. Smith to a model garden owned by
Us. Bartrutf. This garden is located in
the eastern suburbs of the city upon land
sloping toward the north, and the reader
will be surprised when l state that here in
the midst OF high mountains on an elevation
ofnearly 1000 feet above the sea level |
saw a beautiful garden and orchard teemine
with nearly every variety of vegetables and
fruitstrees that grows on the banks of the
Missouri at IFS month. . hut If l.. truo M.