The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-05-09
THE JUDITH COUNTRY.
WHAT A RIVER PRESS REPRESENT
TATIVE SAW IN A QUICK TRIP
THROUGH THE BASIN.
Okla, Ubet and Ree0Stort-HoW the Coun-
try is Settling Up-The Waters of Big
Spring Creek to be Turned Upon
q Rich Bench Of 10000
Acres. -

From S~everance's ranch, where we
had arrived and stoppedtin our last, to
Okla IS about four miles, ur a gradual as
cent. AT Okla we are in the Judith Gap,
which n will ride into and out Of al
most without knowing it. ALI. j. Ste
phens is the merchant, postmaster, sta-
bic man, landlord and everything else
at Okla, where, i'll fact, he is master OF
all he surveys. Stephens place at the
Gap has a wide reputation in the terri
tory, as every II who has made his ems
trance into or exit from the great Judith
Basin in the last four or five years has
tarried there either for a meal or a
nights lodging. For a long time it was
about the only stopping place between
Benton and Martinsdale, and all way
1arers made it a point, when possible, to
get to the Gap for the night. The great
changes that lave taken place in this
portion Of Montana in the past two or
three years have made Okla quite an inn
portant point. It is the junction OF the
.Martinsdale and Billings stage lines, and
presents at almost any time a pretty
lively appearance. Stephens Bros, the
proprietols Of the place (Alf. J. in
charge), are doing a nice business; in
fact, are getting rich. This year they
will erect a large frame hotel, when
their accommodations will be all that
could be desired. There are no ranches
iii sight from the Gap, but Judging by
the package of the RIVER PRESS that
goes there ALI. must have q good many
more ~neighbors than when he first
pitched his tent. 4
From Okla it is a nlost-ofthe-Way-
doWn-hiH drive Of less than an hour to
TIBET, Judge Barrows' place. On III
former trip through the Basin, some
eighteen months ago, TIBET had not
sprung into being, and we had the pleas
ure OF taking several genuine square
meals with Mrs. BarroWs at Martins
dale, where Mr.. B. then resided. We
had heard a good deal Of the excellence
Of the buildings and accommodations at
Ubet, but must say it surpassed entirely
u expectations. 1t is not exaggeration
to say that Mr.. Barrows has the finest
place, where the travelling public can Sc
cure accommodations, in Montana-that
is, outside of the towns. His hotel is a
large tWo-story frame structure, present.
ing a handsome appearance, and excel
lently arranged for the purpose design
ed. Adjacent to this is a large meat
and ice house; then a fine two-story store
building, in which can be found a gene |
raj assortment Of merchandise; next a
well appointed saloon; and succeeding
this a blacksmith shop. Directly across
LIN olAA1U A1oiAL llIAo a4oH vi 4DliI1@iIilSD - 81
fine barn, with its corral, etc.-the
whole presenting the appearance, from
a distance, OF a neat, substantial village.
These buildings are all frame, designed
with taste and constructed in the best of
style. But it is in the part presided
over by Mrs. b. that the weary traveller
finds the greatest attractions. The menu,
as always, is incompatible, and one can
turn i'll" between q pair Of snoW-white
sheets on o spring bed and sleep, after a
days travel, at a mile a minute rate.
We got caught III q little storm at Ubet,
and the elements could hardly have done
us a greater favor.
Mr.. Barrows has q fine stock ranch at
this place, and, a fact perhaps not gene
rally known, has q band Of forty thor
oughbred short-hoTn cattle. He has
also, we believe, number of horses.
From TIBET we made a flying trip to
Reedsfort-a journey necessary to form
al idea of the extent and resources of
the Basin, with its numerous rich val
leys. Ross Fork, Buffalo, Trout, Rock,
Beaver, Cottonwood, and Big Spring
creeks rise in the SnoWies and wend
their way almost in the same direction
through the Basin. In going to Reeds
tort we cross all Of these valleys, and
could count on the way probably q hum
dred ranches, many having excellent
Improvements.
The first stage station is on Buffalo
creek, where Tom Gregory has a fine
ranch. He has taken out a ditch and
is turning over q good many acres Of
virgin soil this spring. Mr.. Gregory has
q large number Of cows and other stock
and Is well started on the road to for
tune.
At Trout creek, a few miles beyond,
the road passes through G.. w. Tavener's
ranch, one Of the incest valleys and best
locations we lave seen in Montana. Mr..
Z. is gradually getting his improvements
made, and in time will have a ranch
that will command a price away up in
the thousands. There are other ranches
in this valley within sight, and a great
many on Rock, Beaver, and Cottonwood
creeks, but as We did not tarry at any Of
these places we can only say, before pass
ing on to Reedsfort, that this portion of
the Judith Basin, where two years ago
there were not a dozen ranches, is now
the home of hundreds, and will in time
number its population by thousands.
Reedsfort is Oh Big Spring creek, one
of the finest streams in the territory.
At this place Major Reed and J.. J..
BoWles, not unknown to fame in Mon
tana, at one time held forth, but they
have gone and q changed and better or
der Of things now obtains. A large
number Of good citizens have settled III
the valley, and what was once a pretty
hard place is about as orderly and peace
able az the average western settlement.
E~X-sergeant Holzmer, late Of Fort Ma
~ ss N@1>