Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-12-19
WILSON'S LETTERS.
An Interesting Descriptions or the
Yellowstone valley-fts Resources,
ETC.. From BensOn's Landing to
saltwater.

y 1cbsOWStOuc vU1Iey-ftS B6C0OQrceS,
r ETC.. From BensOn's Landing to
Il Stillwater.
Of
ID The town of Benson's Landing consists
st of Il store. a dwelling house and ferry
It boat. The mercantile interests of the place
Is are represented by Hubbard & Bailey, who
n have a thriving business. At this point
Re many freighters cross the river in order to
avoid the succession Of hills which are
d otherwise encountered IL little way below.
e Four miles further on. the road reaches
u Shields river. sometimes called Twenty
: Five Yard Creek. The valley through
: which it flows is hedged in on one side by
t the Bridger range of mountains and on the
other by the Crazy's. 1t is watered by
several fine streams and has an abundance
of excellent grass. Game is very abundant
from antelope down to "cotton tails
J Messrs. Martin & Myers have several thon-
sand head OF cattle on this range Mr.. Jos.
Iindley. W. V. Granniss and Il number of
other stock men are also located here.
The station is kept by Mr.. Dave Carpenter
who also accommodates the passing tray
many n tragedy incident to frontier life.
If these quiet, grassy knobs could only
speak. they could recount many Il tale of
savage triumph. of heroism and of death.
Within half a mile of the station are buried
the remains Of five men who at different
times have been killed by Indians. Here.
too. the Yellowstone casts ashore the
| ~ ~ l.,
Mr. Carpenter informs lis, was found but
few weeks ago. \ leatlless biOated thing
it told no tales. Who he was. whence he
came and whero he was going will prob
ably never b. known. The carcass of
horse stranded short distance above
would seem to confirm the theory that in
attempting TO ford the stream at some
point higher up. horse and rider had been
overwhelmed and persisted together.
The road now fakes a sharp climb to the
summit OF the intervening bench, reward
wartling the traveller for his eNeriiOn by
an extended view of the valley lying on the
south side of the river which sweeps along
distance of fifteen miles, carpeted with
long yellow grass and tails back in success
sive benches to the base of the Yellowstone
mountains.
Two or three miles further brings lis to i,
the ranch Of Mr.. William Anderson who.
with his partner, has 400 head OF cattle on +
the range. lie is a newcomer. and Ike :.
them all, enthusiastic on the future OF the ,
wiley.
There is tract of country along the ;,
Yellowstone where the snow in winter is :,
very light. seldom exceeding" Il few inches :,
in 'epth and usually melting very rapidly. p
This section having also the other essen h
tlils OF wafer and fine grass, constitutes ~
the very ideal OF a stock range. Its bound !,
aries are ill-delined. and like the iso,hernal ;,
line which the engineers of various rail
roads have drawn across this continent on
the north. will bear Il good deal of stretch
ng. but from all we could learn it begins
hear the canyon above Bcnson's Landing O
ma extends etst about 40 miles. brin9in. G.
t below Sweet Grass. 1t extends north To =,
he Muscles.cll and on the south. for all so
practical purposes. is bounded by the Vel II
owstone. as the country on the opposite 4,
lie belongs 10 tie Crow Reservation. The i,
:ipd disappearance of tie snow is due TO 90
he action Of the wind. which cuts il NJ i,
nd blows il AWAY. r,t!,er than TO Il dis 70
ensation Of Providence having in view \
he especial Interests of the stock men. .c
'ho. as 4 class. truth comrcls Us to say. fir
re not celebrated for their piety. mi
Over ridges. tlro,l@! r;iv;nes. across to
hog backs" around coolies" with IN,
ps and downs innumerablc. the road 70,
Ilctcics ont for the next ten miles. which
r-.,.- 90 II,rrf,vr'r II,,t rsTuiIIwS. IfieSe
Springs. which. in their medi- wi
II properties rival those of Arkansas. are lie
Tree IN number and have Il temperature of sli
DO Fahrenheit. When ril coln.ntnica- pa
on with the East is established this spot. ~
18th its ready access to excellent hunting III!
ld fishing grounds, will. without ques- lar
on. attract throngs of invallds and tour SCI
Is from all parts of the country. sid
We stop for the night ut tie station. WA
hch is kept by Mrs. L. Il. Gage. and are mt
ade thoroughly comfortable. We find hin
n table loaded with every hing which
'uld supply the wants of tile inner-man.
no, ny the way. has developed in the r
nrse of our ride into Il very important Biz
~ eXactlng parsonage. As for Bob. ia
has been SO well supplied with oats and MOI
her horse comforts that lie comes ont of IL, ne ..
e stable next morning like Il young hur- Io.
,ane and bucks in Il way THAT all adj hei
ire except his rider. han
A ride OF q miles, great portion of the ing
~ tllro' bad lands. brings lis to the Sweet ssa
Ass. clear rapid creek. so called be- Is7s
use OF tie excellent pasttrage found in in t!
vicinity. Some idea OF TIE rapiditv veg
tn which this country will be settled , Ia
" be gathered from the fact that when a,d
passeu thlS place on our way down the Hos
ley, October 18th, there WIS but one mat
ri OF cattle on the range, tE,,t Of Mr. cal !
Davis. except some belonging to Mr.. . ain,
ison Story. Of Bozemar. On our re- conn
n we found that Messrs. VIM. Flahery. 81
Boulder, George Crook. Of Virginia. -
n. Shanks and Mr.. Chambers. of Gal
in. Dawson & Carlwcll and Felix Short. =
Boulder. had settled on the range, s
ose herds number in all 5000 head. -
icl is about all the range will support.
The day following we pass through the
dowy precincts of the canyon. cross the
gnficent White Beaver Prairie, and
n. descending. enter the valley proper ns we
lin. Five miles brings us to the ranch
Mr.. Henry Countryman. 1t has been I'm,
OF battle with cold and storm, but be- ull
G "A roaring Fireplace all discomfort is
;, 4oru,t,., W. Ev'
= -. 10" nv 20 qa''e oi'''e" Sport
h his summers experience in garden
and are not surprised when we learn In
on seven-e ighths Of an acre he raised ~.
10 pounds Of potatoes. Experimental E
ming in this valley is now almost a
lg OF the past. That corn. oats and
eat can be raised as well here as in any
er sections of the country, and that po- We
'es and other vegetables of all kinds -