, 1886-09-11
THE NORTH.
owns, Settlements, Goa, Beds and
Oil Fields.
Agricultural Developments and Incl
dents of Range Life.

region north of us. He has spent the last
six weeks in travelling over the country,
making it his business to mark the resour-
ces Of the various sections through which
he passed.
In Crook county, the valleys OF the
numerous creeks of the Sundance section,
are rapidly settling up with an intelligent
and hardy class OF farmers. These val
leys are of considerable area, are rich, and
already the %neuclus OF many a fine farm
appears On Inyan Kara creek especial
ly, the Improvements Of the settler are
seen, and this fine valley has evidently
been selectc! as the center of development
of the region.
Near the head of the Little Powder
river, is a growing settlement. Mr.. j G..
Calhoun is the moving spirit of this ener-
getic frontier community. and under his
active supervision, a ditch will be taken
out which will cover a large aggregation
Of fine bottom lands.
At Walker ranch, on the Horseshoe,
a tributary of the Platte, millet has been
grown this year with the greatest success.
The grass is very heavy, and attains a
height of over :hree and a half feet. On
the same ranch, corn fully developed has
been raised, the ears measuring from ten
to twelve inches in length.
Settlers are occupying the magnificent
bottoms Of the Platte, Just opposite the
mouth of Shawnee creek, whose valley is
the bed of the vast coal deposits being
developed by the Northwestern. These
settlers are taking wagon loads of lumb, r
with them, and the SHOWS of winter will
fall upon home improvements, and pre-
oars no small area of land for spring plow-
ing.
There seems to be a decided impression
abroad, that there will be a fourishing
town in the near future, near old Fort
Casper. This locality IL on The immediate
edge of the rich oil fields of the Rattle
snake mountains, and an oil emporium is
already talked of.
At the mouth of Deer creek, on the
immediate line of the Northwestern, a
growing town is gathering strength. Al
ready there is a general store, a drug
store and two saloons here. There is a
strong probability that this new town will
be called Mutual" after a gentlemIn
already well known in the annals Of the
railroad section.
just below the Miller horse ranch on
the Belle Fourche, Pennsylvania capital
lists are developing most promising oil
fields. The boring is done by steam power
and oil, rich in quality, has been struck.
The main deposit seems to be deep, and
more powerful machinery has been or
dered from the last. and will shortly ar.
rive.
The Ridgeway road ran h is a new and
acceptable frontier convenience. 1t is sit
uated on the Belle Fourche. between the
Ship Wheel and the lOl cattle ranches,
near the mouth of Donkey creek. This
creek is noted as possessing the undevel-
oped coal valley of the region. 1t is
claimed that the coal deposits here are
practically limitless.
A week or two since Mr.. John Porter,
a rider in the employ of the l0l Cattle
company, had an exciting adventure with
abear. While riding through the pineswith
a companion, Porter espied bruina short
distance off, and at once determined to
lasso him. The pines were scattering and
the country tolerably open. The chase
began and was kept up for an hour.
Bruin also evinced a decided intention,
and Porter was chased quite as frequently
as the bear.
The cowboy could have easily shot the
animal at any time, but he was deter
mined TO put his tug on him" In this
he was at last successful. The 1.-THE and
ready rawhide settled over bruins head.
and he was dragged TO the earth. The
capture once effected, the bear was slain.
He weighed, when dressed, FIVE hundred
pounds.
Bands of wild horses are beginning to
make their appearance on the Belle
Fourche range. Near DR.. Moore ranch
not long since, quite a bunch of them was
started by the range riders, and a colt
captured.