Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-09-05

marck to Benton. From this point->he went
to Shaw, and thence to Helena. From
Helena he made trip to Missouri, and from
there to the former point. He also went to
Camp Baker and again returned to Helena.
|. He left Helena for good, and went to Fort
Ellis, and from this point along the line Of
the Northern Pacific survey to Fort Custer
and thence to Fort Keogh. He then went
down the Yellowstone river to-. Fort BIZ ford,
at the confluence of the Yellowstone and
Missouri rivers, thence down the Missouri
back again to Bismarck. He found
in the vicinity Of Missoula one
of the finest. agricultural - and
stock-raising countries he has ever. seen, and
it is already we'll settled. Between Missoula
and Deer Lodge the country is equally fine
and productive, and still more settled than
in the vicinity of Missoula. Deer Lodge is
quite thriving town. Between Helena and
Fort Ellis the country is perfectly beautiful
and we'll watered. Thousands of cattle were
roaming all around. This portion Of Mon
tana is excellently adapted for agriculture.
He found this part Of the country also very
rich in minerals, valuable silver deposits
having been discovered at the headwaters Of
Jefferson river. There were also rich silver
developments in the vicinity of Helena and
Missoula. Between Fort Ellis and Fort
Custer the country is rapidly filing up with
settlers, and the people are raising large
crops of wheat, oats, and corn. At all these
points he stopped, and conversed with
future intentions. They all contemplated
raising large crops of oats, with the intention
of selling to tho government at good prices.
They anticipate q prosperous future. Be-
tween Fort Custer and Keogh there are also
very fine agricultural and grazing lands.
Here he passed over; several natural hay
fields. From Keogh down the Yellowstone
the country is not so rich in the Immediate
vicinity Of the river, but there are spots
vel timbered, and coal crops" out si1s@nany
places, with indications of very thick veins.
Gen. Tompkins expresses himself highly
pleased with the country through which he
passed; and strongly advocates the extension
and completion of the Northern Pacific road:
Not only will the carrying put of this pro-
jeet greatly facilitate the Transportation of
government stores to large number of
military posts in Montana and the Yellow
stone country; but it will materially diminish
the cost of Transportation: For instance, it
costs at present to move al0o: pounds
of freight from Bismarck to-, :Keogh
SO 6s-10o cents. This is under an exceed
ingly low contract, Last year the cost Of
IId1SpOICsAlAcA:N Was d4AAOA11t: - AS
officers of the Union Pacific have guaranteed
to deliver the government stores at all sea
sons of the year for the same distance over
their road for Sc cents per 100 pounds like
reductions Is other points would be the re-
suit. The construction of this road would,
in Gen. .Tornpkins' opinion, also have
great tendency to settle the Indian question,
as Indians proverbally recede from acivilza-
tlon.i@ 'b'~'~ 81 = !.r&it q .ys;!ll.;.; !:
The above. description of the. Yellowstone
country fully agrees With the reports made
by Coils. James w. Forsyth and E., p. Grant,
who made, an examination of that. part of
the country by order Of Lieut.. Gen., Sheri7
dan in 1876. Col: Grant in his report says:
"The country We passed through was Of a
cretaceohs formation the latest formations
tof the Mesozoic times, going up through
genozoic time ana che age of man, for the
country is being severely washed 'ty the
heavy rains of the present day., the valley,
of course, being, like the valleys Of all rivers;
modified =; drift. u, Ihe.s islands,: of
which, there are a~sgreat 3>many,s differ
from those. ;of the missouri, !! ins being
comparatively permanent. :. The Yellowstone
,~nli,x,