The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1883-07-07
BILL EG5 TO TEE JUDITH Assn
A L tt4r from Orr 8 scial OprrezconC ,rt
The - HI el b Il. Judith Basin.
and Uka-On the Ranges
JCDiTH GAP SHeEp RANCH, !
Jun. 2 a 1Ss.}


June I'd, 1>h3
Ed. BfLLHGI uER.LD:-Thursdny morn
/ ing last We c.iui',ei up ,n the drivers seat
on one'of til. Ii ne & C,nc ,rl cna.l, ) of tie
Billings and Benton S:ayr Line and started
tor the great cttt!e and sEerp ca, niry of
America. Our ride during the forenoon
WAS very enjoyable as the diversity o cnsIn-
try through which We passed. and tie
countless number. %. ,ttle. Together with
antelope and other small gam furnished
, food for r - .c;inn, All our mini would
speed away to 20 years hence, and picture
| these great ra y.- all setrle up by cattle
| AMI sheep 'sers with th-ir fncks and
| Eier.l- on "a t'lplsaa hills" when sud-
! len lunge of the stage would bring us
| back To the present time with such Il torci-
| ne argument, that We ma ie up our mnds
| to dream no intrc tllat ~.
In due time We arrived al Bull Noun
| tain station. Tne horses were soon chang
al. and the haii having let up, we pulled
| 'ut ior the Mus.e. shell; en rolt,', ai, with
n two miles at the river. We " =. sll 'wn Il
,arese s,n,l st n., Resembling. at i some dis
sIncc OF. d a., al on 81 ,ser ns peel II Il
,lacksmitli's anvil. which our drlv,r told
| /, WAS named Drink Rock by one ui parry
Df Billings coal hunt r.
From Drink Rock we descended int" the
iusssi-llel V V.lley We II I'll heard about
t, real .thnu, it auA written abru it, but
4
greatly imp r,sed with both the Va ley and
!ver The valley j. brot an contains
me As lin ayr u turai land a. can be
nunl III the territory. rh" r Yer Is Il wind
ug ,trealu about 40 feet wide, aid "ll
.lthcr bank lined with iLe growth Of
'"tlnnw""d trees. Most OF lhe avall,hie
.:|ioic. land is tax /. up, but some fine
.arches or claims can yet be secured,
Crossing the Mu>sel.heli We arrived az
Valter lurkc'. ranch, L,vi,l, post. flee ipr
,upier, and La a. the ii iieal Il, can be
.ruduce in the country. Mr.. Burke Was
,bsent on business to Benton. but his man.
ni the lty III c,a.s of the shack, l.ade
.ur short STA. very i,a,a It.
After supper "e asa'n took our seat by
he side uf the driver and We're OFT i.l Ola,
ll,i an all Might ri,e. Eirly i'll the eytl.-
,ug the nlnnl rose .run t,ch'n the n",in-
tlns and lit up the surrounding country
til It lie Biz Sin yies, CraZie>, and even
ne Gail .tiu range oi nioluta n> We're
,.aluly GU lined a.aiu>, the horizon. The
,,rI,r ,I,t
lie rh l. god, but We were Inclined 10
Dart The God of sleep despite aii these at
ctinn-. 1t was u vaii, attempt and after
ie..rls breakins oar neck We conctndet 10
,eep awake. at least until Okla was rracsei.
At 10 O'Clock Friday We arrived al Okla,
and after p.rraking OF Il good ">quare' altd
4. tew observations on the Law oi the land1
re r,lle.i into 1. III TX aui knew no more
H.! min. Ii st called lis To slipper.
Ok. is Loclt.a It til. base Of the Belt
in.,e o.: III IL ttAi,is !rithi.l /. miie ot the
li,h 81, 1t c,l;. Is store, h tel,
t.,ge station and post OH :t, all Or nearly
-, un Ter =, ,ierr,t.llJIi:. ie TIE clirs. OF
ir ) e.,i.l. II. ln.iln, ( .nn ~
: bu.h r,l ing III .'E.!s.I, II 1)atsl Is ~
ine cattle and s.Ieep ranges Us can De
imagined.
/ ; .tlr,iav morning We acc 'p-o an luylta-
ION from Nr Is. +. Fish t, !. ie With him
own to S-sv:auce Il Cos. sheep ranch.
Ir. III !, r.~l lia+ at M,.l ic Il 'ck, i .s,ttes
;,,t OF the ifaHv mo lii.AIn', All - miles
rom u rniN, his II .ar'- rir,'a point.
this Gentleman started iIito the 81, ep
III mess four year :4-gn with o9t eSe,, AMI
os has q ttu.'k oi' ). 700; and viii ship 10
market this year over ZU,01O liz. oi wool.
lie expects tu rnnlu.te his clipping l'y
uly 18th, AMI sell to BUYERS AZ p,rnix.
.5.ses.ltt ( ','s. rt,th is about TIVE
niles west at O~a, oII tile Marsinsla!e
,ta-e line an: stthe base 81 Ih,' Is. 1t nloul.-
aims. Their rlng. exten l. tr'.u the Bet
mountains south, An i - II average Of
TX miles vile an contAi,s. :, 2Ol acres. Il
watterrL by Iwo creeks which rise rom
,prirgs in the mountain, and flow south to
he uusselshe.l These creeks furnish
,uf!ic.snt water hot only for sheep raising,
''t. Nv. .'ti"''iH' I''t '7N'' - "'''t' -
,5 acres near their resi- .rncc, is under eIlt-
i,atlnn, and AS fine vegets blc> . all yar.e-
81, 4, We ever saw are Raises, here every
wear. Pari ui this pa ch j. s,"n I" oa!s
AK, Ids on all average o. 10 bushels 10
i.e acre. / er -he.i, nunb + !u,3lo AID
he wool crop ,lliS year sill a,n.,I.lt lo
- 900 pound. Al q iieren; points ~ the
amen sheen >ilr Is have h.eil buslt an !
,.,i,s fur !,rrier-, a'! her are 25 c'rrrats
where til. liii.rsut nil |, ,re ctrsi ifr 1t
.ixh, Severance 4 c.. hav 81 L., lls
+ III dwelliu - an tti,rsc barns n,..hi;ls
init. ll..e n itSel'. HE lir II al u
,.tere>te.i in horse rui-in, and have some
4, ia. ,s,e i.ls .:sin As as. c,n b. se II
nywl-re
Well water in anv part o this V lly 5
- goo I, any we iiv> C r irlns, til &c
eing no ak ali in it % III tie vail ".
6. ). r.