The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-02-04

living here aud who are thoroughly
acquainted with the great mineral re
sources Of this magnificent district, and
who have witnessed its unprecedented
growth during the past three or four
years; the letter in question Is only .
subject of ridicule; but among those nv-
ing ut distance who have business ~
lations with our merchants, o: who may
intend to make Butte their home such
unc:,lled for scrcetls may exercise an In
furious effect by shaking their conf
,lcnce in the stability Of our mines or
the future prosperity Of this city. For
the benefit Of such we propose to notice
briefly "Rice" and his lying letter.
This evidently half-cooked Rice"
first pays his respects to the Park-a
beautiful plat Of ground. some twelve
miles long by three or four wide, situat-
ed on the summit of the Rocky Noun
tains, and then to Butte after the fol-
lowing style:
The latitude Of the place being near
the 18th degree north, the climate is
cold both winter and summer, and the
country IN extremely barren and cheer
less. Neither agriculture nor grazing
can liz carried on in this park successful
~. Even hay is now lcing brought
from Utah, and ctets the consumer
from SO to $40 per ton. People will
never come to this place to reside
for plc..s,,re-in fact, it will require
the severest financial necessities to
keep them here ut all. As
health resort Butte is not likely
to gain much Of reputation. as lung
fever prevails here every year in a very
fatal form, and t:phOi! fever Of
very severe type occurs every summer.
~ in,prcSnatetl with alkaline salts, the
some Of the salts Of copper. which pro-
.lu". severe collie pains in delicate per
SONS and those Of weak digestion. Weak
", delicate children should never on
any account he brought here, Large
Quantities If snow fall in the mountains
~: "".'r this w.'-tern portion Of NlON-
ta,la turing the winter and spring. and
summer rains are fr.Iicnt al'l rrOfllsr.
As a consequence the air is moist. AMI
c.,arri j. more prevalent than in anv
norton q: the Rocky mountains that /
have ever visited. am not Il medicine
man. hut I venture to predict that this
portion Of the Rocky mountains will be
likely to produce a6Oslt as much lung
li>.:;-c ~ New England. came to
this conclusion. from the fact that the
changes in the tcmper,tureOf the airare
SD rt.luent and so great, 1T the same time
the air is almost fully saturated with
moisture.
A few ranches have been taken up
and fenced in the Park, which yield an
n,lally BOD to 40 tons Of hay. During
the spring, summer and fall months the
grazing is excellent and furnish s,lbsist-
cncc for hundreds Of head OF horses,
mules and cattle, which are used in
hauling wool from the contiguous pine
forests. Bat I'LL. i'any :,ay i shipped
to this place from '':ai.. Deer
| L"l;c v,!!y, h.:ow III" city. and
tn Park supply all that is resi- irctl mere
ut prices ranging from 50 to 80 pr
ton. Although, Butte ha. III altitude Of
about 800 feet but very little SNOW has
fallen mere during the prcsen: winter.
anl what little has fallen has almost
entirely disappeared under the inhu-
onrc % the sprin.-Iikc wrathc: which
"" nave experienced within tn. ,,ass
few days. Butte was not bull: up on
| account ~ it, hea!tls!:,!. hraring. inyiyu-
! ratin: r!inate, and yet This is what it
! HIS. II is true there are Il few people
with whom the climate does no. ayiYr.,
nor w"''l'! any l'"'aii:y Of this altitude
| a=r"r witt, them. hut q, for h,,!t:,:;,l-
nc@s. the city will compare i.v"r,i.ly
Wit, any either city Of its size IN the
| United States. Since the introduction j.,
the city ~: water from. :. pure. r,,nn;.::
! mountain stream no city in the world
has y iurcr or more hr:.l,hful supply
,iian has Butte ''Ri."'' says he is .'no
| medicine man, an.l Yet he pIt.-u:,lc< to
speak = c''h'":" upon the 'lucs;io of
tn" hygiene Of this lo"ality, w...l, ac,
al"n" proves RE" r;silrr i var .. i
! fs!.
Another 'S.'cr:.t ir":H he letter -" the
-sNtb' SN.lt iN.NtS 49, lat.ItDWS:
! .>n"theh.xtrcme'y unpleasant feature
| a; the climate Of tl,e>.' mn,untain REGION.
here in the north Is tbs. knr. cold.
| snowy. drriry winters. In Bate. snow
| lays from October until Nay--rx,sn
! >ivr houses. furc'ctling. and vas; ui,an
| titles Of fuel are almost Il n.c,~>ity.
they are II Necessity where comfort j,
sought after. No coal IL amy vain, has
been a~ vet discovered in Montana. and
:'s soon IT. the almost worthless pine
that Is found in the mountain. is .<
han-tsl the supply 81 i,ri must 10
hl"'.'t here from Wyoming. by rail at
| = very heavy expense.
Montana contains :N.NN.'sM acres Of
fertile farmin. lands. 4D,'hr,.on acres Of
grazing lands and :S5,lsh,.NM acres Of
forests. This vast amount Of timber
has. as yet, scarcely been encroucl,c,l
upon. The magnificent pine forests OF
Miss"ula county alonc-the Products Of
which will l@ brought to our doors in
another year by contain timber
Ar. Nso1Pv, -