The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-10-03
From Saturdays Daily.
A FIGURING MILL.

We would strongly urge upon all who
are in the city this week, attending
court, from the country tributary, the
importance of the meeting this evening
at the city hall, to consider the advisable
ity Of erecting a Touring mill at this
place, and to devise the ways and means
to secure the same. 1t is to be hoped
that every ranchman, or anyone else
who is pecuniarily interested in the
raising Of grain, will feel that it is dol
lars and cents to them that such an en-
terprise should be started right here in
our midst. With the bounteous crops
that are prevalent all over Choteau and
Meagher counties this year, III what an
alarming condition does the grain raiser
find the market this fall. AS the de-
mand for wheat has been limited here
tofore, the bulk of the crop in this section
of Montana is oats. In the past, the
production could not keep pace with the
demand for oats for feed, consequently
prices were high and the crop always a
paying one. But two cause have oper-
ated to make a change in the market.
The value Of oursoil for agricultural pur-
| poses has neve been fully realized, nor
have there been people in the country
to develop the same until the last two
years. Then the change in mode of
transportation from bull and mule trains
to railroad trains, all within the few
| years, has changed the market. Instead
| of oats to feed the mules and horses that
| formerly handled the freight, we now
need flour to feed the hungry thousands
whom the iron horse is bringing to US
from the crowded east. The close of the
harvest this year finds the rancher with
granaries full to bursting with oats, with
d slack market for that grain and pros
poets of being lower yet. He brings his
load of oats to town, sells them at from Il
to 2 cents, and loads back with flour with
which to feed his family-four costing
him from So to SIS per cwt. that is, if he
| comes in with 5000 pounds of feed he
has raised, he can only return home
with 1000 pounds of food that he re-
quires. IF Montana was not a wheat
producing country there would be some
excuse for this state Of affairs, but the
success of wheat raising and milling in
| Missoula, Beaverhead and Gallatin val
leys proves conclusively that we can
raise as good wheat and make as good
-four. with the proper machinery, as the
far-famed Red River of the North.
Some well-fixed ranchers, with fat
pocket books, cry We can hold our
grain prices are bound to be better, if
not this year then next, or the next
Very true; but to the majority of farm
ers delays are indeed dangerous they
are men Of small means and have gone
in debt to the merchants of Fort Benton
for their summer provisions, expecting,
of course, their crop to pay them outand
leave a handsome surplus. They are
compelled to sell now at any sacrifice.
IF half of the present oat crop had been
wheat, and with the proper manufac-
turing facilities here at home TO grind
the same, the rancher would probably
have realized one-half more per pound
for his grain than he is doing to-day.
The parties interested can well afford
to take stock in any such enterprise,
which is bound to not only be d paying
investment from the start, but directly
benefit them also by the increased value
of the grain raised. 1t will be nc trouble
to get a practical mill man to come here
and invest when the matter IS shown
I'D in its proper light, and = pecun-
larry help offered at the same time. Let
the meeting this evening be well at
tended and some decisive action tasen
to secure the establishmentof a Touring
! mill at Fort Benton.