The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-10-05
MONTANA.
The Territory in a Poor Con-
Condition.
THE GOVERNORS REPORT.
The Irish Bar Indignant - Nr
Mackay's VeDtures-FrOm the
CaPitaI-Other Notes.
Montana in a Bad Fix

WASHINGTON. D. c., October As. T.
Hauser, Governor of Montana Terri
tory, in his annual report to the Secre
tary of the Interior, concerning the con
dition and progress Of Montana during
the past year, says: Agriculture has
been almost a failure, certainly not over
half crop having been raised. Long
continued drouth, lasting for three
months, and the fact that the fall OF
snow last winter was less than half the
usual amount, resulted in driving up
many of the streams Ithas been diff
cult, therefore, to procure the neces-
sary water for irrigation, without
which it is impossible to raise
crop in this Territory. A great por-
ton of our mary valleys along the
larger streams and rivers will not be
utilized for agricultural purposes until
there is a proper system of irrigating
canals built. Irrigating canals, how
ever, are expensive and their construc-
ton will be greatly retarded If not in
definitely postponed, if the desert land
act is repealed. But the most serious
of all losses, the full extent of which
it is impossible as yet to estimate,
says the report, IS that of our natural
grasses, our sole dependence for vast
herds of cattle, horses, sheep and other
stock, both winter and summer. Our
ranges are almost bare, or so nearl Y so
that our stock is in poor condition for
winter, and should it prove a long and
severe one, great loss must inevi-
tably follow In anticipation of such an
event, some of our large stock owners
are driving their herds north to the
British Possessions. 1t lis q matter of
such urgent Importance that would
urge upon your department to secure,
by friendly interposition, the privilege
on such terms as may seem Just, for
some portion ofOur stoekmen who can
best avail themselves thereof,
to pasture their herds during
the coming winter on the extensive In
dian reservation north of the Missouri
River and those south of the Yellow
stone River. l cannot too seriously
urge upon your immediate attention
this suggestion to avoid or lessen the
danger that threatens so important an
interest as that of our stock, whose
numbers and value have been steadily
increasing until it represents a vast eg-
gregate of wealth, probably $4,000, 900.
On basis of an estimate made last
year, counting the last natural increase
of last spring, and a large importa ton
before the drouth began, our
cattle must now number 500 COO
head. horses 13O, 1000 head, and sheep
2 600, 900. The Governor estimates
the permanent population of the Terri
tory at 10000. an increase of about
10000 during the year. On the subject
of transportation, the Governor says:
This question underlies all the others in
the development of Montana. Railroads
are more important to US and our
industries than any other portion OF the
United States. The products of the
mines of the Territory for the past year
are estimated as follows: Gross value
Gold. $3,450 600; silver, $4,000, 600; cop
per, S8,0OO,000; lead, Sl25 900. Total,
$22, 300, 0O0. The Governor discourses on
the subject of silver legislation at some
length. and says: The necessity of the
free coinage OF, silver with gold is grow
ing daily more evident, The, Governor
makes various Recommendation in the
way of legislation for the good of the
Tarrif0rv oLH Ata.-.a a.tE r-a'NH