The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-09-17
ON THE ROAD.
MAIDEN, September 6, 1884

According to promise I send you
sketch OF my trip through country. The
second day from Fort Benton | arrived
at Stanford, small but important point
situated on Wolf creek, in the midst OF
one of the many promising set
Elements of the Judith Basin. Stanford
at present consists of a store, blacksmith
shop, two hotels and /; saloon. The re-
spective buildings, built of hewn pine
logs, are large and comfmodious. They
present fine appearance and are supe-
rior to what would be expected in a new
settlement. The store owned by Mr..
T. f. Morgan, formerly with L. G. Pow
er q Bro, is well supplied with a gener-
al assortment of groceries, hardware and
dry goods; in fact everything in the
mercantile line necessary to the ranch
man. The hotel and saloon, recently
established by Mr.. Charles Mix, late Of
Barker, are fully I'D to the standard.
| The table, under the immediate super
vision Of Mrs. Mix, is excellent the ac-
commodations in general being far
above the average In the saloon will
be found brands of liquors and cigars
equal to any of the best saloons in Fort
Benton. The Stanford hotel, under the
management of the genial Col. Wall,
| who is also postmaster, is doing good
| business Notwithstanding the dull lines,
the colonel being correspondngly
happy.
A person visiting Wolf creek for the
first time in the past two or three years
would be somewhat surprised to note
the improvements which have taken
place in so short a time. For d distance
of about thirty miles from the Belt
mountains, down the creek, the valley
OF al ri Il
if good crops would insure lively times,
the Wolf creek settlement would not be
left out in the cold, as the average yield
to the acre, with the exception Of the
few crops injured by the hail storm, of
few weeks ago, will not be eXcelled any
where. But owing to the present state
of the market the ranchmen, as rule,
are respondent, as no market for farm
products means hard times for them.
The inhabitants Of this neighborhood
and vicinity are rejoicing over the re-
cent arrival in their midst of a skillful
physician and surgeon in the person Of
DR.. Sifton, of Grand Rapids, Mich.
The doctor has purchased the ranch of
Mr.. James Shaw, located about twelve
miles above Stanford, and intends iE-
vesting in cattle. besides raising a supe-
rior grade of horses, having brought
with him from the east several brood
mares, they being splendid specimens of
draft animals of the Percheron-Norman
breed; also fine young stallion of
the Gold Dust stock.
Sixteen miles south from Stanford, on
the Judith river, is Utica. Similar to
Wolf creek, the Judith valley is thickly
settled. From the mountains to about
thirty miles below Utica there is not a
vacant location. Besides the large num-
Der of settlers engaged in agriculture
there are numerous stOckmen, repre-
senting cattle, horses and sheep, also
several well equipped dairying estab-
lishments. The residences of many OF
these are exceedingly fine frame build
ings, built with an eye to both comfort
and elegance, giving the appearance OF
wealthy farming community in the
states.
At Philbrook, six miles below Utica,
on the Judith, is the store, hotel and sa
loon of E. J. Morrison. In the store is a
we'll selected stock Of general merchan-
disc. The hotel is large tWO-story
frame building, tastefully fitted up with
every convenience for the comfort Of
the guests.
In reference to the crops in this sec
ton, they could not look better. On
the ranch of Mr.. eagle, two miles be-
low Philbrook, there is a small acreage
sown with the variety known as We'll
come oats. Mr.. c.. estimates that they
will net yield less than one hundred
bushels to the acre. Also upon the ad.
joining ranch of Mr.. Barnes are heads
of White Russian oats which measure
twenty two imches in length.
Fran thA Jndith To the Gan a dis
tanoe of twenty miles, ON the numerous
small streams, wherever available, will
be seen the ranches of either the stock
masa or farmer.
Upon Ross Fork of the Judith, from
the moutla to the head, it is entirely lo-
Gated, maay of the locators being recent
arrivals in this section, principally
st0ckmen, among whom ought to be
mentioned the McCourt brothers, near
the head of the stream, who have lately
driven in large band of horses A few
miles below them is the horse ranch of
Collins & Co. They have in their band
some brood mares of the celebrated
Bellfounder trotting stock. Adjoining
their location is the ranch of Mr.. Hayes,
forsnerly prominent ranchman in the
vicinity OF Helena. Mr.. Hayes has an
excellent location and is busily engaged
improving the same. He has a number
intends to become permanent settler
of Ross Fork.
At Ubet, the junction of the Maginnis
& Ubet and Benton & Billings stage
lines, situated at the Judith Gap, the
traveller cannot complain, as the accom-
modations for his comfort are not ex-
. =. - E. EI