The Mineral argus. [volume] (Maiden, Mont.) 1883-1886, 1886-01-07
THE BANNER COUNTY.
Its Creation Formation of
Country Inhabitants
Assessed Value.
variors Industries. Cattle, Horse and Sheen
Raisiag...Agricultural Pursuits.
Mining
SETTLEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT or
THE PAST YEAR.



Though now in embryo. by virtue
OF an act passed by the Fourteenth
Legislative Assembly. that deliberated
last winter, Fergus County (named in
honor of one Of our oldest and most
respected citizens, Hon. James Fergus,
who, as a member of the council drew
up. introduced and championed tho
bill to its passage) becomes entitled to
all political privileges accorded coun-
ties, December 4tl,, 1886.
The act creating the county desig-
mates and bounds the territory to be
embraced therein as follows:
beginning at the northeast corner of said
Meagher county, thence west on the north
line of said county tn Arrow creek: thence
mp said Arrow creek to the intersection oi
what is known as Surprise creek; thence uI
said Surprise creek to the center of the
divide between the waters of Belt and
judith creeks; thence in south and south
| easterly direction on the center of the di-
vide between the waters of the Belt. Smith,
Musselshell and Judith rivers to the most
easierly point Of the Belt mountains, at the
Judith Gap. thence due east to the nearest
branch of Careless creek; thence down the
middle Of Careless creek to the Mussel-
shell river: tn, nee down the middle of the
Musselsheli to the place of beginning.
In other words, all that portion OF
what is now Meagher county lying
east of the Highwood and Belt moun-
tains and Careless creek.
The territory thus bounded is 100
miles from east to west, 10 from north
to south and contains nearly or qnite
1000 square miles. Latitude AZ
degrees north passes through its GEN.
ter, while it lies between 81 . and 80
longitude west from Washington.
SURFACE AND INDUSTRIES.
Its surface is very diversified, consist
ing of valleys, table lands, vast pla-
tcaus and mountains, thus enabling the
profitable pursuit of all the industries
common to Montana in general, or
any country on the Western hemis-
phere in the same latitude. The
numerous broad valleys are adaptable
to agricultural pursuits, and yield the
best of crops-cereals and vegetables
both as to quantity and quality, as has
been amply demonstrated within the
past two or three years. The table
lands, where irrigation is practical, can
be readily converted into good farm
ing lands, as has been proven by the
redemption Of large tracts of the
Judith Basin, and such as cannot be
easily watered. covered as they are
with most luxuriant growth of grass,
furnish pasturage that is veritabe
paradise for the immense hocks and
herds that are to be seen on every
hand.
MINERAL
Its mountains, the Judith, Mocca-
sin, Belt and Snowies, contain variety
Of minerals, consisting in part of gold.
silver, copper, lead. iron and coal.
At the point where the Belt range
forms the north western boundary of
the county, mining has been and is
now successfully conducted the
Moccasins are known to contain
quartz, yet the only mining thus far
prosecuted in these mountains has
been placer. which has always paid
the miners good wages. For the last
live years mining-both quartz and
been a successful voca-
lion in the Judith mountains. and it is
positively demonstrated that these
contain vast and rich de-
posts Of gold and silver that but
awaits the advent of capital to wrest
he treasure from mother earth and
add II to the nations wealth.
CLIMATE.
The climate of eastern Montana,
that portion that is SO
situated as to receive the tuil benefit