The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-05-05
MONTANA.
A Pleasant Talk 40 our Read.
ers by an old Erie nd.

WHITEHALL, April 14-On the 15tl
Of December last, | wrote you letteI
informing you and your readers
how well we border ruffians, up here
in the great Northwest, observed
Thanksgiving, and all about ouI
splindid climate and delightful wealth
er in mid winter; out every day or
horseback, over the valleys and foo
hills without an oyercoat; sheep, cat
tie and horses all fat and enjoying
full rations of our native grasses.
had just finished giving you mos
favorable account of Montana, when
in less than two minutes time q
change, from a beautiful calm night
to one of tue very worst billiards.
have ever seen, so great and sudden
was the change, that / concluded not
to mail that letter. Since that date
we have had some very fine weather
and some as cold days and nights as
| have ever experienced.
On the morning Of the End Of Feb
ruary (ground-hog day the mercury
stood 80 degrees below zero at White
hall, and at other localities in the
neighborhood, say in a radius of 35
miles, itranged from 40 to rs degrees.
In March we had splendid weather,
but now in April we are having some
March squalls. Well, my rule has
been to take the weather as we get it,
without grumbling, but some Of our
early settlers think too many rail-
roads have changed our climate.
Now, speaking Of railroads reminds
me that there is talk Of the N. T. r.
r. giving an excursion, for half fare,
to any portion of America and return.
Now would it not seem odd if l
should, near my residence, which only
a few years since was the home of
the wild Indian and the resort Of i'm
mense herds of bufSaloes, step into a
fine palace car on a first-class rail
road, and visit my old home, and
that when l get within 20 miles Of
I find the balance Of
the distance / must make ON foot, or
purchase horse, saddle and bride,
though it has been 81 years, half a
life time, since ! left that county and
west for my health. Ioften
think it is no wonder at your having
50 much sickness; lack of energy and
is the cause. AS a com
munity you are to be pitied, but not
half so much as your neighbors, who
are cursed with such citizens as those
the Dukes jury. Has it
occurred to you, that had that das-
tardly murder, and the acquittal Of
the guilty party by a corrupt and ig-
norant jury, happened in the South,
what howl would have gone up all
over the loyal North, the land of NOR
atty? Of course it would have been
charged that the entire southern
people were nothing better than MUIR
derers. All communities have good
and bad people among them. Here
in Montana we welcome and encour-
lge the good, while the bad in the
towns and mining camps receive Ito
The guilty. the dreaded notice, the
numbers TIT, which in
means in English to leave
Immediately, or suffer the penalty.
These numbers are put up myster-
Iously in conspicuous places and
about the haunts of the vicious, so
that all can read them.
For the benefit of your farmer
readers I will close by giving you the
cash value of our agricultural prod
nets. Best brand of Montana Flour
good as the best in any country
1880 per 100 lbs; good wheat q cts.
per pound; oats, by the wagon load,
Il cts. per pound; Montana cured
hams, IS cts. per pound; side meat,
% cts; beef, 10 to Is cts; dairy cows
are worth from $40 to $50; stock cat
Tie $35 per head; good Montana but
ter so cts. per pound; States butter
25 to 80 cts. Up to present date we
have sold our butter at home for so
cts. AS the supply increases, may
have to market it in the great silver
mining camp Of Butte, or in the cap
ital, Helena. / am milking at pres
ent 40 cows and almost daily increas-
ing the number as they come in. !
am using D. B. Wooster's Pefection
Creamers, patented June 1881. 1t
is success in the dairy business. /
am putting in moderately heavy
crops of wheat and oats, (spring
wheat).
Since early in March my health
has been good, as evidence Of it, !
received a summons from the q. s.
Marshal to serve on the U. S. Grand
Jury in Helena, on Monday, the 4th
Of March. / put off going until the
last day, thought could get on the
stage and go in, but was surprised
when it drove up to find it crowded
with passengers and overloaded with
mail. had a colt up that had been
ridden few times, l had him saddled
and at o'clock A. NJ, mounted him
and at $50, Pm, I was in Helena,
having rode sixty-two miles in 121
hours, counting the time / stopped to
feed and dine, and had two very lofty
ranges to cross, beating the
stage two hours. So you see l have
not forgotten how to ride. Should l
ever have time to visit old Monon-
gala / will do so on horseback.
Yours truly,
E. G. BROOKE.
p 81 notice that since last fall