The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-05-10
OUR OWN CORRESPONDENCE.
What He Saw Between Barker and Maiden
He Discovers Coal and a Poison
Gus spring-Judith Valley
Fast Filling up With
Settlers.

camp to the Warm Spring mines, and thence
to the Belt Park mines, known as the ssMon-
tana District, my time was so limited that
was unable to write you and your readers an
account of what saw, but will now do So,
first describing the country between Barker
and Maiden, then giving an account of the
mines surrounding the latter and following
that with description of the mines in the
Montana district.
Leaving Barker by the foot trail, two miles
of an ascending grade bring. one to the top
of the pass from which the trail BY steep
descent of some 1,500 feet in little over a
mile brings US to the head waters of Otter
creek. Skirting the loot hills Of the Belt
mountains to the eastward, we cross the val
leys of several creeks running into Arrow
creek. Surprise creek was passed and we
Came to Wolf creek where they have post
office recently established called Stanford.
A number of ranches have been located in
the valley OF this creek and there are g cd
locations yet to be had. The valley is NILE
wide in many places, with an abundance OF
good hay meadows, and water sufficient to
irrigate the cultivated ground, with timber to
be had few miles distant at the foot of the
Belt mountains. Farther on We came to a
fine hay meadow of several hundred acres in
extent, through which small stream from
the foot hills wends its way. AT the point
where this creek leaves the hills, we leave
the road and after following the stream
about two hundred yards, indications Of coal
are observed, and dismounling with pick
| which is our constant companion, vein of
coal over six feet in thickness is soon ex-
posed to view, underlying about 20 feet Of
! sandstone. ~
The creek, we named Skull creek on ac-
count Of the great number of buffalo skulls
in and along it, having counted sixty-three
in a distance Of less than half mile. The
great number seen in and around boiling
mineral spring, especially below it, would in
! dicate that in low stages the water may be
poisonous. The different stages of decay,
preclude the idea Of slaughter of buffalo at
| this particular location.
Striking across to Sage creek, we cross
branch of that stream in the high bluffs of
which conglomerate outcrops near the sur
face Of the plateau, and at the descent into
Sage creek valley some good iron ore is seen
| but how extensive the deposit is, we had not
time to ascertain. A. Fl. Barney s. Co. have
fine location here for sheep ranch. where
they have great abundance of natural mead
| ows for hay with several fine springs of pure
| water. Another divide of good high prairie
| occasionally cut up by coulees, and we strike
into the valley proper of the Judith, al Utica,
which is situated about six miles from the
base Of the Belt mountains, below the Yogo
| mining district, which Is principally noted as
| an abandoned mining district having attracted
considerable attention two years ago but its
placers tsaled to pay, though it's said to have
some good quartz lodes.
While at Utica We went up the Judith
about two miles to the coal mine owned by
Messrs. Murphy, Mitchell aud Heiserman.
The coal is btuminous Ignite of good
quality lying beneath shale. and the vein is
| about two feet in thickness. Leaving Joe.
Cuttings place our course lies down the
| Judith valley past many ranches among
which we note that OF Messrs. Edgar & Hop
kins, Wm. Wallace and Mr. Hobson. A
singular suit had just been decided at White
Sulphur Springs in the district court, in
which Mr., Wallace was plaintiff VS.. Hop
kins. Mr.. W. had taken up large tract of
L. e., L. 10
| supposed to apply to that class of lands which
in there natural state will produce no crop.
The deftndent goes upon the land and cuts
grass, the natural product, when the plaintiff
sues him for damage alleging the valse there
of to be q large sum. The jury were obliged
to bring in a verdict for the plaintiff, but the
damages were assessed SO low that the plain
| tiff has the costs to pay.
| Six miles below Utica we come to the post
| office named Philbrook and near there on the
north side of the Judith, Messrs " inter, Cor
| win and Riddleberger have started town
which they have appropriately named Gar
denland. 81
Settlers are coming in here rapidly and tax
Ing up claims, in 100 acre tracts, under the
pre-emption, homestead and timber culture
| acts, instead Of the desert land act. The
valley in many places is from two to three
miles wide, q rich, deep soil, with innumera-
BILE copious springs of cold water. bursting
out from the foot of the hills and with suf-