The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-10-24
THE RIV ER PRESS.

through the country this season. The
improvement they will make in grading
up the sheep of this vicinity will be inn
mense.
S. S!Hobson & Co. received at the
depot here this morning, from Illinois, a
number of very fine cattle, comprising
one car load of ~two-year-old polled An
gus heifers and one car load of two-year
old short-horn heifers, both lots being of
high grade ; also three thoroughbred
poIIad Angus bulls. The cattle will be
driven to their range in the Judith Ba-
sin, and will make a very valuable addi-
ton to their herd.-BWings Herald.
Sheriff Berry has the assessment for
1883 nearly completed. The list shows
a total of So, 1921, 907, which includes the
levy on railroad property. Without the
railroad the total is 81 $50, 607, an in
| crease over last year of $4OO, 900. The
| railroad is assessed ST, TAT 800 and the
telegraph $38, 900. The county commis3
| sioners, as a board of equalization, have
| raised the levy some 500, 900, making the
total assessment over $1,000, 000.-Mis-
soulo Times.
An important sale of one sixth inter
est in the Snow Greek Mining Co.'s
leads at a big figure is about ~consumat-
ed. The lucky purchaser is to be con-
graduated on securing an interest now,
as at their present stage of develop
ment the owners could only realize on a
| sale a mere nominal sum as compared
with their real intrinsic value, or what
capital would pay for them when a few
thousand dollars have been spent in the
way of development.
The original land grant of the North
ern Pacific was 81, 900, 900 acres, of which,
1880, 900 acres were, according to the
report of the U. S. auditor of railroad
accounts, available for settlement, and
are yet. Even if 80 per cent. of this ter
ritory is comparatively worthless, the
mining and agricultural districts will
readily sell for So an acre, or 1927 ,O00, 900.
It will be remembered that the first
1900, 900 acres were sold for So, 700 ,000a
or more than So per acre. The total
valuation now. put upon the grant is
$108, 000, 900.
The many friends of w. B. and G. w.
Settle will be panied to hear that they
received a telegram late Friday evening
announcing the death Of their step-moth-
er, Mrs. Col. L. III. Settle, at Flint Hill,
Virginia. She died at half past ten Fri
] day morning, The deceased had been
unwell for some time but nothing seri-
Nous was anticipated. Mrs. Settle was
about fifty years of age at the time of
her death and loved by all who had the
pleasure of her acquaintance. Her two
step-sons have the sympathy of this
community in their bereavement.
We understand there is a movement
on foot by the Shonkin cattle owners to
consolidate their stock interests and in
corporate. A company like this, with
Irregular officers appointed, no doubt
could do more thorough and cheaper
work than is done under the present
single individual management. With
the cost of handling the cattle reduced,
the profits, or dividends, would be nee
essarily larger. The tendency of late
seems to be for the small cattle interests
to be gradually absorbed by purchase
into the larger herds, as like any other
business, it can be carried on cheaper by
1.-THE wholesale than in small lots. This
talked of union of the stockmen will
. allow the owner of a hundred head OF
cattle to hold his stock and realize pro-
portionately the same profit as the man
with a thousand cattle.
From Tuesdays Daily.
Phil. Gibson is in from his Belt creek
ranch.
r. Pfaendtner is back from his trip to
Maiden.
Mrs. E. G. Maclay arrived in Helena
last Thursday.
i, E. G.. Maclay returned from the upper
river, yesterday.
J. J. Murphy went out on the Helena
coach yesterday.
wv. Johns has built him a fine new
house at Clendenin.
Capt. Spaulding and wife, of Assina.
boine, are in the city.
mfr. *. Beckman IS back from a triI
to Washington territory.
Sheriff McDevitt is putting up an ad.
dition to bis dwelling house. -
Henry Kennerly, our efficient county
assessor, is in from his Teton ranch.
Miles City is short of school funds, as
$4,000 had to be raised by a special tax.
w. P. Wren, of Murphy, Maclay &
Co.'S is absent on a business trip to Bar
kerr