The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-02-10
A HOME IN MONTANA.
Deer Lodge Considered by Journalist.

Deer Lodge Considered by a Journalist.
Extracts from Letter IN 50. Louis Paper.
Under date Of January II, 1882, the special
correspondent Of the Age Of Steel wrote let
ter from Deer Lodge from which we make
the following extracts:
Nearly all the places in the West seem cal
culated for making money, but very few de-
sirable for permanent home. Deer Lodge
and Deer Lodge county are exceptional.
Why? Let your readers peruse the follow
ing and then judge for themselves:
DEER LODGE COUNTY AND VALLEY.
The Deer Lodge river rises in the south
end of Deer Lodge county and runs north
west throughit. About every five miles each
side there are streams flowing into it-not
rivulets, remember, but capable of turning
the wheels of the largest manufactures.
There are other streams also, and besides
water can be procured anywhere at a depth
OF ten feet. The natural features of this
country are furthermore readily perceived
when IL is stated that these magnificent
streams meander through most beautiful
valley, whose beauty is only equaled by its
fertility, and that its outer edges are guarded
by that range of mountains whose most in
significant peaks put to blush, for sublimity
and grandeur, the loftiest submits of the
Alleghanies.
This valley is composed of farming and
grazing lands. The latter rest on the foot
hills and mountains, while the former are
lower down, contiguous to the mouths of the
streams From these facts the natural infer
ence would be that whether Deer Lodge
valley is a farming country or not 1t is well,
almost perfectly,
ADAPTED TO STOCK RAISING.
Correct. This inference will become assured
when 1t is further stated that now, on this
18th day Of January, 1882, there have been in
Deer Lodge county 10000 sheep which have
grazed out door all winter on the foothills
aforesaid without once being fed by hand.
The fiocks are driven down at night to the
protection of the willows bordering the
streams in the valley-rareiy under sh eds un-
less willows are wanting-and again up in the
morning on the foothills and this exercise
is said not only to give the animals q sharp
appetite, but to develop them in every par
ticular, thus increasing the value Of their
fleece. The sheep are chiefly Merino and
clip seven pounds to the head. The market
is Boston and no wool from any part of the
country ranks higher. Cattle are likewise
raised, but owing to the antagonism between
sheep and cattle, not as much as formerly.
Their market is Chicago and Kansas City.
Horses are also grown. Their market is To-
cal, but so celebrated are they that agents
from Fort Macleod, British America, come
here to buy them. Both cattle and horses
are branded and then range the foothills and
moutains from years end to years end with
out further care or attention.
AGRICULTURAL LANDS.
The farming lands proper are divided into
two classes, arabic and hay. The latter form
the DO undaries Of the various streams, are
composed Of a rich black soil and self irriga-
ting. The hay raised is native grass, though
now timothy is being sown; brings $40
per ton on the ground after being cured and
averaging about one and one-half to two tons
per acre. Between this hay and the grazing
alluded to in the first part of this letter, is
the arabic, resting on the benches or plateaus
one higher than the other, with prefer
ence to one nearest the hay land-and both
irrigated by bitches running from streams
higher up on the mountain sides. 1t has a
yello wish soil and Is from 10 inches to four
feet in depth, according to locality. The
titles to these lands are procured from the
United States, and they are absolutely Sc
cure. More than one-haf Of the lands OF
this country are unoccupied, fact which
should be remembered. The average size of
farms is 100 acres. All kinds of grain are
raisaI axnapfipn Wheat 10 tha
latter part of March and April and is har-
vested in July and August, and averages
twenty-five bushels per acre oats, in the
same way, thirty-five; harley, fifty; while
potatoes 60 from 125 up to four hundred.
The mountains are covered with pine trees
suitable for fencing and building purposes,
while there are also stone, granite and mar
BILE quarries, besides clay. both white and red
for brick in sundry portions of this county
When, however, 1t comes to the question,
what has produced the most real cash, the |
answer must be placer mining.
WARM SPRINGS.
The Warm Springs, owned and managed |
by Drs. Mitchell & Mussigbrod, sixteen miles |
from Deer Lodge and twenty-four from |
Butte, where the Territorial Insane Asylum |
is at present located, are attracting attention |
not only on account of the beneficial effects |
Of the water, ont the beauty of the place and |
its surroundings. Their temperature is 154 |
degrees and the amount thrown OFF by the |
different springs or streams Is from 300 to 400 |
inches, miners measurement - enough to
furnish bathing facilities for four times the |
present population of this county.
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES.
The county superintendent of schools /
gives the information that this whole county
where settled is divided into school districts
and that there are schools in them from six
70 nine months in the year, with a very large
of scholars. This speaks well for
;he good sense of the citizens.
DEER LODGE CITY.
II so much can be alleged favorable of this
county, what of its county seat? Deer Lodge
City il for county, commercial and other
purposes most happily located; for 1t Is mid
way IN Deer Lodge valley, and most beauti-
'ully and favorably situated. It's plat Is am
pie, giving space for wide streets, large stores
md dwellings, with commsdious grounds
md all the facilities Of modern civilization.
This broad plat is relieved by the mountains
WHlCn dud uOtu W itS Ocduty 1
md picturesqueness. As business point 1t
$ admirable; for it not only extends far be-
,ond this county, but it Is and has been the
.erm of business houses elsewhere in Mon
ana. 1t has three excellent hotels, three
arge wholesale and retail dry goods and
,rocery houses, two wholesale and retail
Lrug firms, likewise a wholesale and retail
hardware establishment, the four former hav-
ng branch stores in other towns. retail stores
n all the principal departments of business,
bank with connections ut Butte and Wall
treet, New York, while TO enumerate its
professional men, artisans, mechanics and
yarious tradesmen would be a work Of SUI
Itpurchases largely Of St.Louis,
md, rs much as possible, deals on the cash
principle. Here is situated also the Terri
oriaJ Penitentiary, big stone building
ahmed full Of prisoners; the large brick and
tone county jail, costing over $4,000, whose
ailer sits disconsolate from morningto night