Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1878-04-25

lHE garden spot OF the united OtaLeS is
the belt of country lying along the eastern
base of the Rocky Mountains from the Rio
Grande to Her Majesty's dominion. Of this
vast and fertile tract, reaching from north
to south across the country, and embracing
nearly every variety of climate to be found
on the continent, that portion stretching
north from the southeastern point of the
Big Horn mountains is most inviting. OF
this extent of country, that district, between
the Big Horn and the Yellowstone is the
most coveted, but is all embraced in the
Crow reservation, and, consequently, is not
open for settlement. Next to this comes
the beautiful and fertile peninsula between
the Yellowstone and the Missouri. This
region, embracing an area of 10000 square
miles of arabic lands, 10000 square miles OF
grazing lands, and half as many of mineral
and timber lands, is scarcely less inviting.
than the Rig Horn country, yet is more ex-
posed. North of the Missouri the country
is also possessed of many advantages to set
tiers, but, with the exception OF the Sun
River valley, it, too, is rather too much ex-
posed to settle up rapidly, besides, a good
portion Of it lies within the Rlackfeet reser-
walton. The rapidity with which the Vel
lowstone valley has settled up since the es-
t%ablishment of Forts Custer and Keogh is
conclusive evidence that adequate protection
is all that is required to. ensure the trans
formation of this entire extent OF country
into u thrifty and prosperous common
wealth. The policy of the government,
since the days when civilization first scaled
across the broad valley of the Mississippi.
has been to advance the Posts only after the
bold frontiersmen have gone ahead and
cleared the way, the Posts ON the Yellow
stone being the only exception to this rule,
and, since this experiment proves that under
the new departure a wild country bristles
with industry and teens with agriculture as
fly magic, we trust the government may
continue to adopt the new plan. The great
est need now of Eastern Montana is a new
Post at the mouth of the Muscleshell, or at
some point in that vicinity. A large garri-
son maintained at this point tor a few years
would cause the valleys of the Muscleshell,
tOSSSO ~ oSG3 SSAaDAl dIiio OOlACA " lOOt(tk lCS "
the Missouri and Yellowstone to settle up so
rapidly that they would soon become self
sustaining. These valleys are already con-
sidered safe by old Montanians, for they are
of too bold and hardy a class to. await the
slow action of the government, but we offer
our appeal Tor protection in behalf OF the
emigration which is beginning to flow into
our country. These newcomers know
nothing of border life, many of them are
from, the very shores of the Atlantic, and
the mere mention of Indians fills them with
terror. A goodly nnmber of them are men
Of moderate means, and come here for the
purpose of entering into the live stock bust
ness, and, hence very naturally desire elbow
room, aud would build their homes on our
unsettled valleys If offered the proper secur-
ity. A post at the mouth of the Muscleshell
river would afford protection to a larger
scope of desirable stock and agricultural
country than at any other point that could
he selected, besides, the facilities for getting
the necessary supplies for the garrison are
also SUPERIOR as it can be reached by steam
ers at all times during the beating season,
and would @ necessitate the. land, trans
poriation SO frequent in the maintenance of
the military. It is adjacent to a fine hay,
agricultural and beef producing district
along the foot of the Little Spowy Moul,-
tains.. These mountains would also afford a
supply OF wood and tirst-class building tim
Der. There are thousands of people in the