Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-02-20
CgsTER COUNTY, MONTANA.
Its Extent ana Typographical Tea-
turcs-rhe Agricultural and Other
Ressarces-G0me. Fish, Towns,
Eusiness, Population, Etc.
From the New West.

! From the New West.
Custer county. occupying tho extreme
casters. portion OF Tie Territory, is the
| most nccntly organized. 1t is county OF
"Eagnifiseat distances being $50 miles
| long anil iy7 wide. Or containing $3.50
square miles-larger than The great State
of Illinois with doughty little Rhode
Island .9hrown in." The navigable Ycl-
! lowstone flows through its center. its nor
| thern and northeastern portions are made
| up largely of the great ,nauvais terres, Or
bad lands. while its southern boundary
reaches well over into the beautiful Big
it. principal rivers are the Big Horn. Rose
Bud, Powder, Tongue, Little Horn, Little
Missouri. and such mountain ranges as the
Big Horn, Wolf, Panther, and Powder
River Range aid to give it almost every
conceivable variety of landscape.
For nearly two hundred miles along the
northeastern base of the Big Horn noun
tains, the dearest and most beautiful of
streams sweep violently down through
their picturesque gorges. and course north
mon reseryoir--the great IeilO- stone.
These often occur at intervals of less than
five miles. The valleys are from one to
ten miles wide, and the soil is usually a
rich. black, porous loan.
Wild rye, wild oats. native blue grass,
and all the varieties Of plains grasses. pre-
sent strong testimony Of fertility of soil
and congenial climate. The average alti-
tude of the valleys being less than 1000
feet, the region of summer frosts is not
reached.
Many of the valleys contain enough cot
tonwood, ash, ox-clder and other timber.
to supply logs fer fuel or r,;;lding for
years to come. while the great mountains
overlooking on one side. and many of the
bluffs below are covered with forests of
pine, hemlock. spruce and cedar. We
opine that about every other settler will
own a coal mine. as the "black diamonds
crop ont almost everywhere. and are known
to furnish an excellent quality of fuel.
We found some Of our choicest hunting
grounds in this region. Elk. butfalo.
mountain sheep, black and Whi'e-taiied
deer. antelope, grizzly and other varieties
of bear. with all kinds Of small game, have
always found in this region their most
coveted surroundings. The streams are
yet f,i.i of beaver and other f,ir-bearing
animals, and the country is alive with sev-
erai species OF the wolf The rivers and
their tributaries are plentifully supplied
with froa., pike. sinners, catfish, suckers
md other varieties of fish.
Miles City. the metropolis Of all this
southern country, is prettilv located near
the mouth of Tongue River. 425 miles
from Helena. or ;I25 miles east Of Bozeman.
1t has population of $50; has the tele-
graph to Dozelnan and DeadwOOtl, and
tri-weckiy stage line to the former place.
Every line of business found in lively our
west towns is represented here. Sales o
the three leading firms aggregated $4,000
per month during the past season. There
were thirty-five steamboat arrivals on the !
Yellowstone at Miles City last season.
landing some 1900 tons Of private freight
and large quantities of military stores for
Fort keogh. two miles distant. The town
boasts s., ,0G0 court house. a theatre. pub |
lie schools. and weekly newspaper is on
the eve Of its first issue-all this where two
years ago the hostile Sioux reigned su-
preme.
Ranches are strung all along the road
from Bozeinan to Miles City. Over 800
farms and stock ranches have been located
in this region, and large crops OF vegeta-
bles and grain were produced the past
season. Concerning this section fellow
visitor says: "From Bozeman to the
mouth OF the Big Horn the country is.
for Montana, unusually diversified. Itpre-
sents one succession of plateau and bottom.
valley and foot hill, while beyond the
ranges, which obstr,lct the vision in the
distance. the table lands stretch in long dis
lance far away. Grass covers the luXuri-
ant surface. the river is lined and hcmmed |
IN by groves OF cottonwood, and almost
the soil has every appearance
Of extreme fertility. As one moves down
the Yellowstone the climate so appreciably |
nOdities that it becomes evident to the |
most pmjuaiced that he is entering coun-
try not emily of superior. resources, but OF
capabilities new to the deniZens Of average
Montana. 1t rapidly comes region of
,orn, and consequently country-;he
presence of the hop and the grape vine and
he plum tree proves it a fruit zone-while
he melons and the finer vegetables abound
ng upon each, yet rudely cultivated farm.
shows that its capabilities and natural re-
sources as an agricultural section have not
,een oyer-estimated by the most sanguine."
kirbyville, l47 miles east of Bozeman.
md GuyviHe, 65 miles below kirbyville,
,n the Yellowstone, are thriving agricul-
ural settlements. Sherman. near the con-
iuenoe of the Big Horn With tine Yellow
stone, is another of the embryo towns,
With most delightful location. M
Custer county is reported out of debt.
With an assessed valuation of S329, ,223l .O2.
Population of about l,6OO. 5. Esfs 81