The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-04-14
Cattle Raising in Montana.
THE Hour.1

rapid increase in the population of our West
ern Territories, one is now attracting great
attention, both at home and abroad, particu-
larly in England; it is cattle-raising While
it has not the speculative character of the
mining excitement, it promises large profits
to those embarking in it upon the usual bust
ness principles, which alone secure success in
any business. AT the same time there is
enough of breezy life and open air adventure
about the pursuit to make it desirable
to young men beginning life and un
decided in their choice of a pro
fession. Numerous magazine articles
and books are being written on the subject,
and within the past month or two the des-
ire for information on the part of people in
tending to go into the ''raneh" business has
very much increased.
Up to the present time Wyoming appears
to be favorite Territory for this sort of
settler, and many new ranches have been
built this year; but very little has been said
about the more northern valleys of Montana
In Montana, however, the finest cattle can
be bought at the cheapest price, owing to the
great distance of railroad facilities for trans
portation. The cattle now in the Territory
come principally from Texas, and are half
breeds, three-quarter breeds, or fifteen six
IetnJus. L ne Oulls are brought IFOm hen-
lucky, out of the celebrated Alexander and
other herds, and every one is registered by
name in the Kentucky shOrt-horn herd
book. Every owner of bull
is also required to take out a certificate from
the clerk of the court that the animal comes
up to the required standard, on penalty of
his being slaughtered by any one finding him
at large. An idea of the price of cattle in
Montana can be formed from the fact that
two years ago the United States Government
made contract at Helena the capital) for
prime beef, delivered on the block at one
cent pound.
The ordinary mode of stock-raising is to
settle on well selected bottom lands along the
streams. AS these can not be purchased
from the Government in advance of surveys,
notice of occupation must be filed in the
nearest land office. This formality gives a
right to the title. A ranch house is then
built. consisting of log cabin, and few
Outbuildings, also of logs. The cattle roam
at large after being branded, and twice in the
year there is grand herding, when differ
ent owners pick out their stock. The brands
used are filed in the county clerks office,
and strict penalties are enforced for coun-
terfeiting or changing these brands. The
beef from these animals is of the very
highest grade both in tenderness and flavor,
owing, not only to the rArefed atmosphere
of the high levels on which they are raised,
but also to the nutritious qualities of the
''bunch" grass, which is totally different to
that on the plains this side of the Great Di-
vide. The ordinary means of getting beasts
to market has been either driving them to
the Union Pacific railroad, distance of
800 to 600 miles, or to Benton, over so to 400
miles, where they can be shipped for six
months in the year down the Missouri river
to Omaha or st. Louis. But such methods
are very inconvenient, although good pas
turage is found all along the route. Thus
the only obstacle to an enormous production
of the best beef in the world is the want of
adequate means of transportation. But the
Northern Pacific railroad is steadily advanc-
ing toward Montana, being now in operation
to point SO miles west of Bismarck, and
graded about so miles further, so that the old
routes to market are superseded by driving
the herds to this nearest point. When the
road reaches the Territory, which it is hoped
it will do in about three years, it will run
through the very center of the cattle raising
districts. The best breed of cattle
can be bought now on the spot
at abOnt half the prices they readily bring
at Cheyenne The advent of the Northern
Pacific will bring within immediate reach of
the central markets all the resources of the
Territory, and, of course the price of cattle
will rise considerably. A settler arriving
there would have to wait three years, or
perhaps more, for his market, but his pros
pective gain is very large. Even under the
existing drawbacks the number of ranches
are greatly increasing. In 1873 there were
less than 105, 900 head of cattle in the whole
Territory. By last accounts there were
about 100000. Mr. Groom, of Kentucky,
who knows all the cattle raising districts of
this continent from personal observation, af-
films that the Yellowstone valley is the fin
est of them all. The grazing grounds of
Montana are three times as large as the six
New England States. The climate is healthy.
Much snow falls on the mountains, partic-
ularly in the northwest, but the average
temperature is higher than in the same latitude
further east. In the valleys especially in the
south there is usually but little snow. and
cattle winter well without shelter. These
valleys, besides offering most excellent graz
ing grounds, possess very fertile soil and
are for the most part easily irrigated.