Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-06-26
A Letter from J. F. Lenfest.

"P"'n AN"P'uS, 1uoutana, June IL, 1917
Editor Of the Little Falls Transcript. - .~
1 will give you few items to-day
in regard to what is going on in this
part Of the great Northwest. The
new fort on Milk river is being built,
and already several steamboat loads of
Minnesota lumber have gone up there,
and there are quite number yet to
60. The walls of the buildings are to
be of brick the lumber is for finish
ing purposes. 1t is to be q sixteen
company fort. Montana is receiving
her share of immigration, and nearly
every boat golug up has immigrants
on board. There are about eighty
families Of half>breeds settling in what
is kuown'as the Judith Basin, about
forty miles south Of this place. Ju-
dith Basin joins with tho Missouri at
old camp Cook, ten miles above here.
The people composing tho colony are
from the Red and the Assiniboin
valleys, and are quite intelligent, al
though they retain some of the In
dian habits and customs, The In
dians are very quiet just now. What
they may do is hard to tell. They say
that they are going to have plenty of
fighting this summer. Nearly all the
old frontiersmen predict trouble with
them. Sitting Bull has gone north
to the Saskatchewan, and left Long
Dog as chief warrior.
Col. Mcleod, of the N. W. T. Dom.
Canada, passed up last week with
eighty-6ve men and eighty horses for
the mounted police. This is the natu-
raj route for travel and trade for that
section, and the trade will be large
and remunerative to those engaged IN
it. The time is not far distant when
several towns will spring up on the
river between Benton and the confu-
ence Of the Musselshell and Missouri
rivers. Mr.. Stevens, the engineer in |
charge Of the river improvement, will |
soon be up with his force. The Mis-
souri, is much better than the Missis>
sippi for steamboat navigation, and |
can be improved with less expense. |
The steamboat traffic is i'm mepse when |
we consider the remoteness of the
country. Already twenty-five boats
have passed up, carrying on an aver
age 25O tons Of freight. Seven years
ago seven boats arrived at the head of|
navigation during the boating season
this year there will not be less than
seventy, possibly more. We have had
copious rains lately, causing the river
to swell considerably. The crops in
the valleys look we'll, and everything
bids fair for prosperous season for all.
I see by late papers that the Little
Falls & Dakota Railroad company
have perfected their organization, and
will commence operations. I think it
will be good thing for Morrison coun>
ty, as it will have tendency to bring
in capital to develop the water power
aud open up the resources of the coun>
ty, which would make it one Of the
richest counties in the State. There
fore it is incumbent upon the people
to be public spirited, and help along
such improvements, laying aside all
envious feelings and local jealousies,
for the remotest corner will be benefit
ed somewhat. Little Falls must be
growing, as I notice quite number
Of names in the Transcript that I am
not acquainted with, while a few have
passed to that country from whence
no traveller returns. With many
thanks to friends for favors received,
I hope to be able some day to return
these favors with interest added, being
in good health and happy as only a
bachelor can be.
t.: Yours truly,
j, FAIRFIELD LENFEsT.