The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-01-02
THE GREAT
If is Undoubtedly the Finest Portion
of Montana.
s,,ch Is the Opinion Of Clark Tingley, One
of Benton's Most Levsl-Headcd
Citizens.

W LhC ~" =
spreading map Of northern Montana
on the table before him, compelled him
TO submit to the tortures OF an inter
view.
"What do you know about the coun-
try comprised in this big Indian reser-
walton of northern Montana, which in
cludes about one-thirt Of the territory %
began the scribe.
"Well, I guess I ought to know N
thing about it. I've been over nearly
every section of it," was the response.
as it the paradise for settlers that
many claim it to be-" we inquired.
"Now, you want to understand in the
first place that [ am lot much ON the
settler racket; it is not particularly to
my interest to see this country filled up
with people, nor is it to the interest OF
any one who desires to see the cattle
business continue rs successful and prof
liable in the future as in the past-but
as you want my opinion on the subject
I can only say that there is some mag
nificent country on the reservations in
my Judgment it is the finest portion OF
the territory, either for stock raising,
dairying or farming, while it is not I'M
likely that some good mineral districts
will be opened up in the mountains.
The entire reservation is n grand stock
range. and portions of it-for instance,
} the Sweet Grass hills and the foot hills
of the Bears Paw and Little Rockies
cannot be surpassed as such III the
world. BY that map / would say the
good stock country extends down to the
lO7th meridian of longitude, about to
Tiger Butte; below that | would think
that the atmosphere is too humid for a
good stock country"
Evil there be much stock driven into
this country?"
Undoubtedly there will. The first
season it is opened there will De thou
sands of head of cattle and sheep driven
in: but there is room for a good many.
It is a big country, that is if it is opened
up in the way it should be-"
'tWhere will the lower limit OF the
released lands be?"
IT know where it ought to be, b%utjust
where it will be is one of those things
that are past finding out, until the bill
has received the sanction Of congress.
A few may know it beforehand, but !
want you to understand that ! don't
stand in with Maginnis. IA line
should not be further up than the 10th
meridian. IF it is, the Indians will
have to move east again before very
long, .0s
Now, what about the agricultural
resources of this country to be opened
up?"
'sThey are certainly good. Ut course
it is not like Iowa and Minnesota, a vast
! stretch of farming land, but the valleys,
T should think, are we'll adapted Tor
farming, and they are more extensive
than any others in the territory, many
of them covered with a fine growth OF
timber. The Milk river, from Fort Bel
knap down to the mouth, has line Dot
toms nearly all the way, ~ the same
is true of it's numerous large tributaries.
Woody Island, Cottonwood, Whlte,
Frenchman's and Little Rocky, noWlhg
from the north, have some beautlIul
valleys, while Beaver, Peoples and
Snake creeks, rising in the Bears raw
and Little Rockies and flowing north,
present the same advantages to the set
tiers. There are sections of contiguous
countrv where hundreds Of farms can
be laid out, and that is not true Of many
other portions Of Montana" N
sDo you think there will pc q pig
rush into that country when i - opened
to settlement"
without q doubt there will. II &C
ton is taken by congress this winter |
venture to predict there will De tnous-
ands of people down there before snow
flies next fall"
"Will Fort Benton be benef ted by
this rush to the promised land""
"To a great extent. This will be the
eutftting and, for the most part, the
supply point for that country, ana the
benefits to be derived must naturally De
very great. In time railroads Will be
built up the Missouri and Milk river
and then trade centers will
spring up down there, but Fort Benton
will first have reaped a snug harvest
Mr.. Tingley il not usually inclined to
be a boomer, and these very favorable
opinions Of the great reserve will go Q