Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1879-05-29
FROM DIAMOND TO BENTON.
A Trip Over the Proposed New Wagon Road
to Benton-Fine Lands Unclaimed, and
What the Benton People are Do

ing to Settle Them.
The route of the proposed new roac
down Smith river, leading from Fort Logal
to the head Of navigation, is thoroughly
practical. 1t is rolling but passes over com
paratively smooth ground. The. first TWEEN
ty miles lying between Logan and the
crossing OF Rock creek is probably the
toughest throughout the whole route. The
rocky hill going down into Rock creek car
be easily avoided. From Rock creek to the
crossing OF Smith river the country is good,
and the road can be made nearly straight.
Small bridges will have to be made at the
crossing and some side-hill grading must be
done before teams can pass. l estimated
that the total amount Of grade necessary
will not exceed one ard one-half miles in
length, altogether. OF this more than half
can be done with pillow and sc1aper, there
being but little stone visible. From Smith
river to Belt river, where the junction is
made with the Coal Bank road, the amount
of grade will be slight, and only two small
bridges, one at Sand cooley and one at Box
elder. The grade rising out of Smith river
will probably require the most work. The
table lands over which the road will pass
in this stretch, are high, nearly level,
and contain but little bad lands, the soil
through a greater part.of the way being
gravelly and just sloping enough to drain
easily. Bridges are needed over Smith and
Belt rivers, but these streams are not so
deep that they cannot be forded during
two-thirds of the year. Belt, however, is
soon to be spanned by a good bridge, Cho-
teau county having already undertaken the
work. The entire road passes over most ex.
celient grazing lands, and will doubtless be
the means of opening many thousand acres
to settlement. Some of the prettiest loca-
tions for dairymen and stock-growers that
| have seen in the West are to be found on
the route between Fort Logan, ard the
crossing of Smith river, and over on the
east side of that stream the whole stretch is
one continuous pasture field, extending
from the mountains to the Missouri river. a
distance of twelve miles in width, but the
| cannot give, as it continues MANY
miles beyond Benton.
On Highwood, Belt and Smith rivers there
is a large amount of fine agricultural land.
The soil is deep and easily irrigated. On
Boxelder and Sand cooley creeks there are
also good lands. The valley OF the last
named creek is about a mile wide, probably
twelve miles long, and as level as a floor.
The soil is very rich and deep, and the creek
ample water for irrigation. On the
several miles of this valley which I ira
yersed, the dry b%luejoint grass which
grew last year, stood two feet in length,
showing that but little irrigation is needed
thatrthis valley is a rich, wild meadow,
lpon which thousands Of tons Of fine hay
nay be moved yearly. There is room up
On the valleys oAthese two streams alone
or 100 homes and farms, and which will
'oon be occupied if the road is completed.
The Benton merchants are thoroughly
to their interests and propose that
10 time shall be lost in opening the road to
ravel. Accepting our suggestion to first
complete the grading on the hills and open
he road this season, Col. j. J.. Donnelly,
v. S. Conway, w. H. Todd and Richard
Nee have been appointed a committee to So
lett private subscriptions, and / am assured
hat ST. 900 will be raised for that purpose.
Donnelly proposes to survey the road
out the several grades 'free gratis"
'nd:it is proposed to put a force of men on
It. once with a view to the completion of the
Grades SO that teams may pass over the road
IS soon as the high water season is over.
This will enable the Smith river people to
axe off much of their crop OF. wool this sum-
ner and to lay in their supplies at Benton
groceries, etc. are selling much lower
han at any other point in Montana.