Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1878-01-10
THE. NORTHERN PACIFIC, AND THE BIG
HEART VALLEY.


THE. NORTHERN PACIFIC, AND THE BIG
HEART VALLEY.
EDITOR HusBANDMAN'
How not to do it is apparently the motto
of the Congressional friends ~ Of the North
ern Pacific Railway. The extension OF the
road, westward is almost assured if the land
grant is continued in the hands of the pres
ent company but as this is contingent upon
the extension of the time within which the
road is to be completed, the unfortunate
effect of the action Of Senator Mitchell. OF
Oregon, in presenting a bill which clogs the
proposed extension with a dozen new pro-
visions, actually changes, for hundreds OF
miles, the location of the present road, and
virtually creates a rival line on the Pacific
coast, is apparent. Had the proposition OF
Mr.. Stewart I'D district, Mimi }, simply ex-
tending the time for the construction OF the
road until 1884, been agreed to, the chances
were that the iron horse, would have been
snortinp on the banks OF Tongue river by
November, 1873. Things are SO mixed that
time alone can determine the action OF the
Company next year. Gen. Rosser has the
line surveyed twenty miles up the Heart
river, and the grade completed about three
and one-half miles from the river. The line
runs up the left bank of the Big Heart river
and will tap valuable coal beds about eigh-
teen miles from Bismarck. AS the country
between Fargo and Bismark is t~reeless, and
is being rapidly settled, the coal business of
the company would be extensive and profit
able. The North Pacific is doing a most
satisfactory business, which will be largely
increased next year. The operating eX-
penses OF the road for the past year were
but forty per cent. of the receipts, a show
ing not made by any other Western road.
The land sales of the Company for the
months Of September, October and Novem-
Der were $50, 650-12 acres, sold for $685.
5000, and besides this the official report of
the U. S. Land Office at Fargo, D. T., for
the five months, ending September l, shows
government land covering l00;846 acres tax
en- by 646 new corners. Pretty good tor "a
%hypoborean wilderness"
A ride up the valley of the Big Heart a
few days since completely upset my precon-
ceived notions of this section of Dakota. A
finer farming or stock country I have never
seen. and though it is but six weeks since
the survey crossed the Missouri, the-valley
is "squatted'' for miles. s.Shacks' Tor log
huts) are on every quarter section, and near
coln'' has been plastered with Sioux script,
not a few quarters have two,or three claim
ants. Bismarck is growing. rapidly, and
property is improving daily: The natural
point of supply for the Black Hills, the up
per Missouri and. Montana, and with hun
dreds OF, thousands of. acres of the finest
wheat lands-i in the world at the back. Of it,
its prosperity is assured. That the stock
growers of Montana. will speedily learn that
the best and most profitable outlet for their
herds is via Bismarck. as urged by the Hus-
BANDMAN, | am. convinced.
The 9TH Cavalry is still. busy, a battalion
of four companies having, LETT here on the
9th and.1lth insts. to patrol the stage road
to the Black Hills. Tie .'boys'' expect to
get in by New Years day., and get a little
well deserved rest after their eight months
of field service.
The river service for 1873 will be larger, it
is expected. than in the season Just closed.
Sixteen boats winter at Yankton, viz. Far
West, Key West, Western, Josephine, B g
Horn, and, Rosebud, OF the Coulson line
Nellie Peck, r. w. Dugan, General Mead,
Eontenelle. Perinah, General Sherman,
Benton, Black Hills, DIR. Burleigh and M.