The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-09-28
MONTANA GOALS.
Ihe Census Enumeration OF those Sacred
Animals Called Into Question:.

A recent issue Of the Hartford Comm
Times contains the following amusing article
concerning the goat population of the great
northwest territory
According to the report on the wealth of
Montana there are but two goats in that ter
ritory. The census office clerks thousht
there must be something wrong about this
so they wrote the auditor of the territory to
look ii up. They argued and convincedthem.
selves that there must be more than two goats
in such a big country as Montana. But the
auditor also reported that one of them was
on a farm at one side of the territory and the
other at the other side. He gave the names
OF the farms they were OH and their owners.
The census office clerks held an indignation
meeting over the nformatio and resolved
that the auditor Was lying. The discovery
was made that one of The goats was valued at
$40 lille the other was assessed at only S..
The census clerks then made up their minds
individually and collectively that they lad
the auditor certain. A letter was framed ask
ing him to explain the wonderful difference
in the valuation Of the two animals. 1t was
also suggested that possibly he may have
overlooked the existence of other goats in the
territory, and that if he would be so kind as
to make a special enquiry he would oblige
the census office and '~'probably perfect the
otherwise unusually correct enumeration of
Montana The auditor of Montana answered
in a week or so. lie said he did not desire
to be quarrelsome or accommodating, but
that if he was bothered any more about those
"two damned goats" he would know the
reason why. He explained that the reason
why one was put down at $40 was because he
was worth $40, and the one put down at S.
was worth but s. that he had done his
whole duty and did not want to hear any
more about the matter. Strangely enough
every word in the letter of the auditor was
written plain except the adjective slammed"
1t was thought by some to be 'hundred."
This would make it appear that there were
5000 goats in that territory, which was
agreed to be something more like it. Acoun-
ell of war was held and it was decided that
Notwithstanding it might further agitate the
auditor to be asked again to explain his fig
ures, yet it must be done. n Virginia clerk,
a man who "has a record as a brave man,
was requested to address a letter Of inquiry
to the auditor again, asking him if he wanted
to be understood as saying that there were
two hundred goats in Montana, and if so to
state what counties they were in, and the
| census Office, or at least the wealth, debt and
taxation division of it, would be glad to
know the facts in the case. The answer was
anNiously looked for. The aIswe was
anxiously looked for. 1t came: 81 am a
Democrat with big ID, and only recognize a
Union with a big L. There are but TWO
goats in Montana. have come to the con-
clusion that the whole crowd in the census
office are crazy, and | don't fight, but only
pity, crazy men.
The above article, it seems, was copied i'll
to the St. John, N. B., Daily San. where it
met the eye Of of a prominent sheep raiser of
Montana, who is Oh a temporary visit to his
home there, and who writes the MINER as
follows:
81 think know of more than two goats in
Montana, and though | would not knowingly
give information likely to result in the order
ING of another census in order that no goat
might be sighted, | nevertheless feel it in
cumbent upon me, for the honor OF our FAR
territory, to state that the census clerks at
the national capital are correct in the suppo-
sition that there must be more than two
goats in the largest territory in the Union.
As you know,I am prominently identified with
the stock interests of Montana, and l conf
IDENTIFY assert, with a full appreciation OF the
heavy responsibility attaching to the state
ment. in the ewes of the nation, and without
faar of successful contradiction, that OF my
own personal knowledge there are no fewer
than three goats in Montana. The central
6gurr in Miles Bros band of sheep is \ goat.
Josenh Ra,nsdell is the proud and fortunate
nossessor of another one of those beautiful
animals and he d aughter Of an old rancher
~, SIM river has, or had. a kid when was in
tha, county last Summer. l suppose she mas
:, ,a, ,rit didn't die. | know also ola good
m,uv xnupy men in Montana who have
coa,ees. but | presume they don't count. l
! Lo,a have rescued the fair name OF our favor
al ,e,ritory from derision, and eStaDilaleu
the position takca by the representatives !,
Ala no,i,n,l Government. i'll have blasted
,ho ,onu,,tinn for truth and veracity vt my
cio,, N,.D,,iL. sincerely glleve, but as the
,l1 ,i,nc saws, it is better that ten innocent
,,,n .bouLI suffer than that one @uil'9 HAL
n'''' TON.
Tb. L,Irpenl"nt says thai NE ono'Ii'nes
., r,,,,rks hav, a greed t" give up 'z''ooo
a.r,. -, the reservation at Ross Fork. Inc
,,nl comprises unrida aud the s"rro"hu'"s
,., ,,ino an the east side OF snake river
and soulh of the bia'N'o"' '"''