Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-08-07
PAST. PREVENT AND FUTURE OF
OUR GRAM AND STOCK
INTERESTS.

OUR GRAM AND STOCK
INTERESTS.
Whatever may lie said in favor Of rail-
roads. or Of their efficiency in developing
the resources Of I, new country, thete is
no denying the fact that ut least in some
OF her resources and Industries. Montana
without railroads, has accomplished moro
during the past few years than she cOuld
have hoped to accomplish with them. We
refer more especially to her stock and az
ricultural interests. which we believe are
much farther advanced and in better shape
3 for successful investments and operations
in the future than they would have beer
to-day had one or more railroads penetrat-
cd into the heart 81 the Territory six OF
eight years ago. Then. the stock and ag-
ricultural interests of the Territory would
have been brcnght into active competition
with the Older settled countries east of lis
with most dscouraging results to stock
raisers and farmers here. At that time.
those industries in Montana were but in
their infancy. stimulated by an excellent
OF high prices in the future. and have been
kept alive through a gradually declining
market by Il combination of circumstances
which could only exist in the absence OF
railroads. Then. no one thought for a mo-
ment that beef cattle could bc raised here
and then driven or shipped TO IN eastern
market at handsome profit to the stock
raiser. Nothing but the high prices which
were obtained in orr home market. coup
led with orr isolation and consequent
exemption from active competition with
the stOck-raisers south and east could have
SO thoroughly convinced us that we could
prOfitably compete with and undersell the
extensive stock-growerS on the rich and
extensive ranges of Texas and Colorado.
Only in the abscace of railroads could we
have been so gradually and eflectaaly
brough, to accept the inevitable in regard
to the prices Of beef cattle and farming
products.
In this respect we are now happily pre-
pared for railroads before they reach us.
Had railroads entered our Territory eight
years ago they would have greatly dis
conraged. if. indeed, they had not par
alyzed those great and important indus
tries. Prices then rated so high here that
beef and produc, could have been brought
by rail into the Territory and sold at low
er figures than Montana producers. at that
time. wolld have been willing to admit
they could be raised tor in this Territory.
Very few even among the far-seeing could
realize that beef steers would eventually |
be prOiitably raised at SO a head. and no
one, even in his boldest flights of fancy,
ever imagined that the time was not far
distant when wheat oats and barley would
be successfully pr duced at cent per
pound. Yet we have. by a gradual pro-
cess. arrived at tl.is condition of things.
and nobody appears to be hurt by the
change. The market price of grain in
Montana is substantially the same as in
Utah to-day, while the best grades of
wheat and flour are lower in G;illatin coun-.
~ than they are in ST. Paul.
1t is somewhat interesting to notice how
men engaged in the various branches of
business in a new country can. without APP
parent Inconvenience. conform to changes
which were generally regarded as improb-
lble. if not impossible.
Fourteen years ago. for instance. wheat
n this county was worth s. to $40 per
,ushel. Now it is being sold for about 10
,er cent of TINT sum. or from GO cents to
II per bus:IeL and still we hear few COM
,laints. In tact. the farmers Of the valley
lppcar to be prospecting. and getting along
I'LL as well rs usual. Most of them. we
lelicvc, are in better circumstances to-day
han they were six or eight years ago. A
majority Of them Use the best and most
pproved machinery, have their farms I'M
Ter good cultivation and are but little in
|ebt, while a number of them are actually
and have money out at inter- ;
St. I
The foregoing observations admit Of but {
me conclusion, viz: That the pasture I
inds of Montana are not only equal or ,
uperior to any in the United States, but i
hat the Territory embraces within its linn
IS the richest and most productive portion :
t the great wheat belt OF the Northwest. t
he Touring qualities of Montana wheat I
aay not be superior to that Of Minnesota, !
ut experience. we think. has fully demon
frated that we can raise, on an equal area,
early two bushels to their one. Before {
ne inevitable logic of facts. old-time Mon c
snians will be compelled, in the near fu- G
Ire, to secade from the position so long G
laintaine |. that we shall never be able to t
lise wheat or other produce for export d
It the risk OF being thought visionary we e
entlrc the prediction that within five t
ears, Montana wheat and flour will be as n
egularly quoted in Chicago and New 5
DIRK markets as are these OF Minnesota +
r Genesec, AMI hundreds OF car loads of 0
lOntana produce. in addition to its large q
npments Of ores. hides. beef and wool,
ill b. transported over the Northern Pac-
ic railroad, enroute to the Eastern mar O
cts. Z.
With the completion of the Northern "
acific and. perhaps, the Utah and North v
IN railroads to the business centres of the \,
and the improvement Of our a
lvigable streams. the staple products of n
IL Territory will be transported eastward ii
remarkably low fleights. Machinery of &,
kinds will he less expensive. The price a,
Tired labor will be somewhat reduced, ci
ID tine cost Of living considerably less
ed, all OF which will materially assist
e miners, farmers, stOckmen and weOl- m
c'sc:s vf Montana in finding remunera- lie
re mark' is for their surplus products. 81