Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1885-09-05
OUR RAMBLER.

The name Sand Coulee is apt to mis-
lead a stranger to the country, and is not
as the name would imply, a sandy coun-
try, but is in fact one of the most fertile
valleys in Montana.
THE first ranch at the head of Sand
Coulee is that of Mr.. Philips, who has
about Is acres. Of oats in this year which
is looking finely. Mr.. Philips tells me
that last year, On newly broken ground,
he realized so bushels per acre and ex-
poets this year to do even better than that.
The next ranch above Mr.. Philips is
Mr.. Johnson's, who has about 80 acres of
oats and wheat, and all looking nicely.
Messrs. Tage and Jemison | found cut
ting and stackingtheir grain. They have
in all about so acres of both wheat and
oats.
To appreciate the wonderful growth of
grain in this country one must go there
and walk through the fields. Not only
will the valleys produce these large
yields, but also the bench lands where the
rainfall is abundant, being so near the
mountains.
Leaving Sand Coulee, I crossed the d.
vide at the foot of Tiger Butte to the head
of Belt creek. The first ranch I came to
was that known as the "Cappiana Ranch"
owned by Mr.. Swerdfger, who has in a
fine crop this year, especially his wheat
which he expects to yield 40 bushels Per
acre.
Next | came to the ranch of Messrs.
Goodman & Burghardt, who have n of
the largest ranches on the creek. They
have about 100 acres in crops this year
and are counting on about 5000 bushels
of grain. 2sr. Goodman showed HE some
fine No. / hard,' Of which he expects to
have a limited amount for seed next year.
Passing down the creek to the mouth
of Otter creek l passed soms very fine
looking places, al of which looked as
though they were managed by thrifty
farmers.
Passing up Otter creek I passed a num-
Der of fine ranches, especially those of
Messrs. Ford and Eaton in the lower part
and Mann and Thornton on the upper
part, Mr.. Mann has d very fine crop of
oats, wheat M garden vegetables, and in
fact his farm looks very stateslike.
Leaving Otter creek at Mr.. Mann's
farm | went up Little Otter to the ranch
of I. 4. Wall, who has quite a settlement
on his place which is certainly one of she
most picturesque ranches / have ever
seen. He has shut down his saw mill for
the present, but busying himself hauling
logs and will soon be running again at
full speed.
Mr.. Wall tells me of a grotto which he
discovered above his ranch. While clean
ing out a spring he struck a blow with an
axe and thought that it sounded hollow.
He then dug a hole large enough to let
himself in and was surprised to find a
large cave, the walls and ceiling Of which
was covered with a lime formation very
much resemblingicicles. From the main
room, which is about 30x40, are chambers
leading in every direction.
It would do Mrs. Wall great injustice
to fail to mention her beautiful flower
garden. She has shown that flowers of a
great variety can be grown very success
fully here. Aud if all the ladies would
follow her example there would be a
great many more attractive homes in the
country.
Reluctantly leaving Mr.. Wallis place |
returned to Belt creek and came to the
ranch of SENS & Arlington, a large sheep
ranch, where everything connected with
the ranch went to show that the owners
meant business.
Next is the ranch of David Graham.
He has one of the most fertile ranches In
that part of the valley, and he informed
me that he sowed no wheat this year, but
that the voluntary crop will be as large
as his last years crop.
Next [ came to Little Pittsburg. Here
there is a hotel, kept by Dir. Cashier, a
store, owned by e. r. Clingan, and ablack-
smith shop. Mr.. Cashier keeps q good
house and deser~astaatronage. Mr.. lin
keeps a full line of general merchan-
disc and says that business is very good
with him.
The several coal mines at this place are
now being worked to get ready for the fall
business, and are certainly showihg some
magnificent coal. Watson and Willard
nave both developed their mines in such
a way that they can deliver a large guam
tity of coal on short notice. AIR. Millard
me some blacksmith coal that
would do credit to any coal field.
This Belt creek coal, which is proba-
bly, the same vein as that found In Sand
Coulee, is fully as good as the coal OF
Sand Coulee, which is more frequently
mentioned.
After leaving Little Pittsburg | went
down the creek, where are a number OF
very fine ranches, on which the owners
were busy harvesting their abundant
crops. RAMBLER.