Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1878-08-29
At MIR. Shinebergers | crossed to the
.-o4 e;ao of Pod Rock. turned about and

west Sluo Oh llGu GoNhs AAA~ ~
followed down that stream and then up the
Horse Prairie valley, calling upon the stock
men along the route, OF whom l remember
the names of Joseph Crow, &. nj. Brown,
Pierce Bros. and M. Barrett. The last
named gentleman is Il large stock-raisel' and
dairyman. He was milking about loo cows
and packing a large amount OF butter. U.
NJ. Brown has a pleasant bachelor home a
fine meadow, large pastures n plenty OF
cattle. His sales OF beef steers yearly num-
Der something over so. The Pierce Bros.
are also pleasantly located and have a large
herd. They have miles of fences enclosing
their hay and pasture fields. They were
Just delivering a large band OF beet steers TO
an Eastern drover on ny arrival, having
sold them at the top figures. Their yearly
increase of stock is probably the largest yet
mentioned. At their farm the valley is
wide and the range excellent. They keep
their herd on the Big Hole basin in summer
saving their home range for winter. Jo-
seph Crow, whose name was first MENTION
ed. is largely engaged i'll stock-raislng. lie
has a splendid ranch and Il pleasant family
circle. He, too, keeps his stock on the Big
Hole in summer, but instead of depending
upon the East for his market he has the OH
w butcher pen in Bannack, where be dis
poses of his cattle at remuneratlse prices.
At the time of my visit he was living III
Bannack, but intends improving his coun-
try home and moving to it at no distant
day. His location being only l2or II miles
from Bannack gives him an advantage in
the business OF supplying that market, from
which he cannot fail to profit.
1t was my design to have extended my
Journey over the divide and down the Lem-
hi to Salmon City, visiting George fearnan,
A. &. Noteware and a number OF other
stock men Of Idaho, but hearing OF the
probability OF al u"trlendly reception by
the %aboriyinese Of that section, / decided to
abandon the trip, and turned my face
again towards the West, reaching Bannack
after a short days drive from upper Horse
Prairie. This is the oldest town III Montana,
it being the place Of the first discoveries
leading to the development OF gold mining
III tlilo lin Aboh oAiiS W.
tana towns, it has seen its good days and
has settled down to a lighter business. 1t
has a few stores, hotel, brewery, and
several saloons. There are some neat resi-
dences in the place, and the Court House is
indeed a very good one. 1t is built OF
brick, two stories high and has neatly fin
ishel office rooms. The support to the
business of Bannack comes mainly from the
farmers and stock-growers of the country, a
goodly number OF whom make their home
at the town. The gnlch mines are nearly
all worked out, only a few claims remain
ing. These, however, are good, and [
learned were yielding handsome dividends
to the owners. The quartz mines which at
traeted some attention a few years ago, are
now idle. The ore is low grade, and the
mills | believe are all closed down. The
fact Of this being the county seat naturally
draws people and business, and will contin-
ne as long us Bannack is honored with the
county capital, While at Bannack | made
some new acquaintance and met some old
ones. G. W. Turner, formerly OF Meagl.er
county, is practicing law there, and 10 him
| am indebted for information relative 10
Bannack and the surrounding section.
Messrs. Trask s. Graves, whom it was my
pleasure to meet, Informed me that their
mercantile business amount in sales to near
" 100000 yearly. How good other
branches of business is / did not learn, but
would judge from appearances that saloon