The Mineral argus., 1883-11-22
OUR STOCK INTERESTS.
Cattle and Sheep Interests In the Vicinity Of
Maiden.--SOme Interesting Notes Of
the Stock Men Of this Section.
LETTER No. l.


and Andersonville and dozen ranches
Of more or less note, and after a ride of
thirteen miles, suddenly came in sight
Of the mansion, now nearly complete,
Of Gov II. p Brooks.
Being fortunate enough to find the
Gov at home, we stated our mission.
to obtain all pointers concerning the
cattle industry, and his views as to what
breeds Of cattle are most desirable for
this county.
After the usual "parley" we proceeded
to make the rounds of this famous
cattle ranch, in which Mr.. T. c. Power
is heavily interested.
Mr. Brooks being the pioneer Of this
section, having located in the fall of
1878, had the advantage Of securing a
first-class location, being convenient to
good building timber, open water, an
abundance Of hay, and a range, not
surpassed by any section of Montana
The fencing complete and in the
course of construction, would make a
continual span Of twenty miles in
length. One single shed on this place
is three hundred feet long by forty wide.
The stables, horses, branding corrals,
and branding chute, are extensive and
permanent, and as whole we have no
delicacy in pronouncing it the most
complete cattle ranch in eastern or
northern Montana.
There are eighty acres in cultivation,
and the crop yield is simply immense.
Besides some $4,000 pounds Of potatoes
there are about 1900 bushels oats, yield
ing about so bushels per acre. One
single cabbage which we inspected
measured Is inches in diameter and
weighed p pounds.
Taking all into consideration, the
quality and yield of Mr.. Brooks crop,
are marvellous, and confirms the fact
that the Judith basin is the garden spot
Of the Territory.
Having made the rounds of the root
houses, three in number, of large size
and brim full, our conversation dropped
on the cattle
This company sold the past season to
DR.. McEchrand, Of Canada, 5000 head
of stock cattle, out Of some four or five
thousand they have on the range, and
replaced the number by buying 300
head Of two year old heifers, purchased
in Iowa and shipped by rail to Billings,
and driven from thence to the home
ranch on Warm Spring.
The project of buying eastern cattle
for the Montana range is new one,
and despite chronic predictions Of the
failure Of this project, they are doing
well, and appear as contented in their
new quarters as the native cattle.
We were shown fine lot Of bulls,
all imported, % in number, divided as
follows:
u Durhams.
] Jersey.
, Herfords.
10 Polled Angus.
These are Of the finest strains and
have iirst-class pedigree. One single
instance as to the price paid, is the sum
of $4,000, paid for one two year old
bull, with his mother, of the Poled
Angus breed.
Besides these there are seven thor
oughbred Durham cows and heifers,
eight Polled Angus COWS and seventy
five high graded Young bulls, and alto
gether are probably the finest collection
Of one hundred bulls in the territory.
The experiment Of breeding Polled
Angus bulls to states heifers, in Mon
tana, is a new one and we are informed
by Mr. Geo. Pierre, the man in charge
of the bulls, that seventy-five per cent.
of this cross will be black and hornless.
We hope that the projectors will
meet with success, which is invariably
the result Of the far-seeing judgment
that is exercised by the managers Of
this company. Mr.. Brooks has put up
25O tons Of hay, and has a ditch five
miles long, conveying 500 inches Of
water ON the premises.
Good judgment is shown in the man
igement and everything is run on a
thorough system.