Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-04-03
portant factor in the commercial prosperi-

poTLint ItctOT III tnc commercial prosper
ty of the town. The number of boats al
irving from Bismarck and other points 0
y the river below during the season was flft,
four The first to arrive was the Ger
Sherman. May 18th. and the last was tn
r. F. y. Bachelor. September 9th. For
t. large portion of its trade the town depend
!. on the garrison Of Fort Keogh 1t is jus
"a far enough away from the post TO- max
q the drive pleasant one. The carriages o
. officers with their families can be seen
!. almost any time, driving through thu
groves that border the river or standing
!, before the tempting displays in the stores
Y while frequently gay party on horseback
come dashing along the road, enjoying the
! exlila,ation of this splendid exercise. which
the soft skies and beautiful landscape
/. makes donbly attractive. The private sol
dler Is Of course a regular customer, and
. seldom misses an opportunity to spend his
money freely.
Some idea of the large amount of money
disbnrsed at this post may be had from the
fact that this season the Government pllr-
chased 5000 tons of oats and corn. $500
tons of hay and 1850 cords of wood. The
grain was brought from the East. but tie
coming season large portion Of it will
doubtless be raised in the valley. and Il year
hence. unless there should be some unfor-
! seen event to retard emigration. the whole
will probably be bought Of residents of the
county.
The $4,000 Court House mentioned by
the Ne,o West we did not discover. and are
very strongly Of the opinion that it would
he difficult to find it. but we have no hest
tation in saying that Il court house costing
that am unit will be erected some day.
\ ride of two miles over the prairie with
the same strange, wild beauty Of the bad
lands constantly before us. brings us to
old Miles City Here we mark peculiar
phase OF western life. 4 city deserted,
standing desolate and silent on the prairie.
We confess to peculiar feeling at riding
through the streets lined by empty. noise
less houses. the strange silence unbroken
by the bark Of dog or the merry shout of ,
children. Last July it was deci led to
move to the present site on the banks of
Tongue river. and without more ado one
after another the houses were deserted.
md new and more imposing structures ap- :
peared in the new town. A few of the old .
houses were still occupied when we were |,
here. but ere this writing all doubtless are =
deserted. Certainly. the growth Of this
'oung city may be called wonderful. Two
ears ago the Sioux Indians held undis- !. {,
'llted control of this. the choicest of their -
oIlnfry. To-day we find civilization has y
Established a firm toot-hold. and is slowly
MT surely extending its lines of conquest =
n all directions. That this town has g
right future seems beyond question. The ~
ountry fora hundred miles mp and down :, :"
ne I ellowstone is tributary to it, and will =, =.
'man so for many years. :.
The fertile valley of Tongue river will :"
'pport large population. which will al ~
avs purchase its supplies and market its ..''
rod''ce at this point. For many years the ="
overnment will be a large purchaser of W
Re products of the soil. The steamboats, ~:
'ssing back and forth upon the river in
ire cheap treights on Eastern merchan- ="
Sc. which. in this country. is no small I'
IN. And when. in the course of events, i't
e ranchmen of the valley look for an Va, =.
stern market for their grain and other "r
odt'ctS. they can send it by water to St. p'
'uls at rates that will compete very favor oe.
ly with those OF Colorado and other eN'
'stern States and Territories. which must ie''
p their grain nearly the same distance ''
1 entirely by rail. .'r
FRED. NJ. WILSON J'