The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-04-30

That about you each hope of my life is entwining,
And that where you are only there my heaven lies:
| I+--&D>,.NA-
Teton Topics.
! The road from Choteau or Old Agency
| to Dupuyer, or rather that portion OF it
beyond the Muddy, has the reputation
of being the heaviest for freighting OF
any in the county, and steps are now
being taken to find an easier and shorter
road, more especially for Fort Benton
freight. J. +. Burd and McCuaid Il
Gearing's teams are the first to strike
out on the "cut off," and although the
upper portion is still heavy and the
prairie full Of grass lakes, they made
! the trip in fair time, and with saving
| of at least 80 miles. The new road
leaves the Teton opposite Tranums
| ranch. running north Of west with the
| Knees few miles distant ON the right
hand, and the Sweet Grass hills in the
| distance, as a guide. The ridge is cross
ed after travelling Is miles five miles
| further the trail skirts the point of the
Trunk, and five miles beyond that, we
| come to Zimmerman's sheep ranch on
Dry Fork. From there it is only IS
miles to the crossing OF Dupuyer creek.
Should travel On the new road warrant
it, l.. S. Tranum purposes putting in q
stock of general merchandise, and MAX
ing his house halfway station; and
in time no doubt post office will be
established there. Immense herds of
cattle ere now feeding on the prairie
through which this road passes; among
them are the brands of the Montana
Cattle Co., Sands & Co., Capt. Nelse,
Major Turner and others-all of them
are trolling fat, "and there are count
less calves.
The Zimmerman Bros. and McCuaig
& Gearing have each a band of about
1000 sheep, have excellent hay lands
and water facilities adjoining, and are
making preparations to double their
flocks this year, So far they have had
severity Of the weather, but from
"crowding" They will ship their
wool to Fort Benton this year over the
new road. T
On Dupuyer. at the crossing, Julian
E. Burd has recently erected fine two
story addition to his store, and has now
as complete stock of general merchan
disc as can be found in that section.
Felix Larivee, former resident of Fort
| Benton, is clerk in charge, and reports
| fair trade all last winter. Mr. Burd
has considerable land broken, and is
putting in good crop OF oats this year.
From his irrigating ditch he gets water
power to drive a churn, tanning MILL
and for other domestic uses. Mrs. Burd
| has recently made start in the sheep
| business on small scale.
| Considerable land has been taken up
on the Dry Fork by Messrs. Conrad,
| Kipp and Upham and others, under the
desert land act, and their intention is to
| take out an immense ditch from Dupuy-
er creek, above Burd's, to run down to
their claims. Should this idea be car
ried out, Upham & Kipp will put in a
stock Of goods at Jimmy Grants old
place, and run an opposition store.
Sheep raising is of course the chief in
dustry on Dupuyer and Birch creeks,
and also on the Muddy. 0. G. Cooper
bands; Smily, 5000 ewes; the Scotch
bows, about 500; Hays, i, 700; Black,
$500; and others whose names [ neg
| lected to note.
Messrs. Upham & Kipp are running a
general merchandise business on Birch
creek, with Hi Upham in charge, and
are evidently having fourishing trade
They are making preparations to put
up large store building this spring,
the lumber for which is already on the
ground, and they will remove their
stock of goods from Clagett and the
Marias to the new store, and abandon
both those trading posts. Hi. has dozen
men and two Indians taking out ditch
q miles above the store, and has just
| filed on desert claim and water right
| in connection Herewith. He has also
| forwarded petition for post office at
his store, and for a tri-weekly mail SER
| vice.
| Some six miles above the crossing
Messrs. Brady & Brown are burning
| lime, and as wood is convenient to their
| works they hope to be able to supply
| the Fort Benton market with lime this
| summer atlower rates than have ever
| before obtained.
Messrs. Stevenson & Ramsey are also
at work on upper Birch creek getting
out logs and fencing, which they will
| run down during the spring rise.
There has been considerable suffering
| amongst the Indians at this settlement
| the past winter. Father Prando visited
every lodge and cabin, and found up to
that time january that 130 Indians
had died out of total population OF
100 starvation being the primary