Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1879-05-01

along the route. would not exceed one I'M
dred miles. Either of these roads can be
built at less cost than it took to repair the
Prickly Pear canyon a few years ago, and
would be far better in every respect than
the present Helena and Benton road for
freighting and other purposes. 1t is indeed
surprising that the Helena merchants and
treighters nave not built q road by way of
Beaver creek long ere this. The accruing
benefits in cheap freights and quick delivery
to merchants, and the total saving in toll to
freighters, would Ia one year fully pay for
building the road.
The building Of the Fort Benton and
Camp Baker road would open up a direct
and natural route to the valleys on the head
waters of the Yellowstone, Bozeman, Fort
Ellis and surrounding country. The dis
lance from Fort Ellis and Bozeman, by way
of Camp Baker, to Benton is about 100
miles, Or 30 miles shorter than the present
road by way of Helena, and 165 miles shorter
than the road from Bozeman to Miles City,
the virtual head of navigation on the Vel
lowstone.
Benton has everything to gain and moth
ing to lose by building the road.
The country in the immediate vicinity of
Benton and all along the route of the road
will settle rapidly the wholesale, and a
great part Of the retail, trade OF Smith river
valley, from Its mouth to its head waters,
will seek the Benton market, and its great
and increasing wool crop will center there !;
a large part Of the trade of the upper Vel
lowstone and Gallatin valleys, now supplied
by the Yellowstone river and the railroad,
will be turned to Benton. 1t would be a
paying Investments Benton from the start,
and it is surprising that the w~ide-awake and
energetic business men and citizens Of Ben
ton have delayed so long in the matter. The
wool-growers of upper Smith river valley
are greatly interested. The Benton mar
ket. with a good road, is about as near to
them as the Helena market; it will save
them liz miles travel over a bad road in
transporting their wool. They should, and
ne, donbt will. snhe~.1o IrorfdIiy W prhu
tsIc IUau.
The only grading to be done is into Rock
creek, into and out Of Spring creek, out of
Trout creek and into and out of Smith river
valley, and one or two cooleys. There is
no heavy grading on the whole route. Most
of it can be plowed and scraped. Six men,
in three months, with teams and inlrle-
ments, would put the road in good cortli-
ton for freighting.
Benton should take the initiative in this
matter. The citizens OF that place houd
show by acts and deeds and not by words
we lave had enough Of talk-that they
mean business. They should set men to
work on their end Of the road at once.
The opening of the Smith river and MIS-
selshell roads will do more to make Btnon
a metropolis aud settle the valleys of Clo-
teau and northern Meagher than any otier
enterprise that can be started. The milihry
authorities at Logan, Benton and Assinibin
should alone open up these and other rods
through the country, rs the settlement OF
the country will be Of great benefit to tenn
in the peaceable ending of the vexed ldian
difficulties. They, no doubt, would furish
men and teams if properly applied to.
Benton should at once appoint a connit-
tee to receive subscriptions for buildinathe
road, with authority TO employ expeP to
locate the route and survey grades, tenn
ploy men at, once to commence work olthe
same, to petition the military authorize for
assistance, and to. do all things necessE to
the completion Of the road thiss summed If
the start is made at the other end ofthe
road, Gen. Smith and party will view, Fate
and begin work on this end, and the Dad
will be lon by the first of August. BEN
ton is vitality interested and should 1.-THE
preliminary work, and inaugarate the {ter-