Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-12-18
in farming, some in stock raising and some
In wool GROWING

ASIDE from the agricultural and
pastoral pursuits of the people
there are located here, what are
in all probability the best coal mines in
Montana. Quite a number of coal claims
have been located, but only three of them,
so far as we know, have been worked to
any extent, viz: Cashiers Millards' and
Graham's. The coal from Cashiers mine
is said to be just the thing for cooking.
In the canyon of this river are situated
large lime kilns, where limestone is buried
which yields lime unexcelled anywhere
for strength and whiteness.
Itis about twenty milesfrom Bette Great,
Falls. In this intervening twentymiles we
meet with several kinds Of soil, but a nice
sandy loan predominates over the other
kinds. We meet with no creeks of spe-
cial Importance, excepting Box Elder.
Three years ago there mere no ranches on
this twenty miles of prairie; now there are
lots Of them and room for hundreds more.
Water of good quality is easily obtained
by digging a few feet almost anywhere,
and timber may be hauled from the noun
talns or lumber and brick can be bought
at Great Falls, and for those who prefer
stone houses. there is building stone of
The finest quality to be had for the quarry
ing almost anywhere along the ridges or
bluffs skirting the valleys or c~oulees.
prat n ~ Afn,t-l, =, -.,.
ticle upon the Judith Basin and its tribu-
taries, so we leave that portion out of this
sketch. But we must not neglect Sand
Coulee.
Our home readers are acquainted with
all that we nave said and intend to say,
but we are nov writing for the benefit of
Eastern people Who are looking towards |
Montana for a home.
SAM CoUIEE
Is a great basin and its nearest point is
about two miles from Great Falls. That
branch called Main Sand Coulee heads up
into the Belt mountains
A stream of water flows nearly the whole
length of the valley, hut sinks before the
main basin is reached. This valley is re-
markahle for the number of springs that
gush out at almost every turn, and the soil
which is black as that of Highwood, seems
to have been washed directly into the val
ley from the mountains above. Vegeta-
ton here seems to be spontaneous. The
seed when sown usually receives no fur
ther attention until ready for harvest, and
it is the same way with the vegetable crops.
Many excellent farms are to be seen here
and there is still room for a limited num-
Der OF locations, Several ~ramitications of
Sand Coulee contain the great coal mines
of which we hear so much. The coal
from many of these mines is of an excell-
ent quality and looks very similar to the
hard coal of Pennsylvania. This great
valley abounds in sheep, horse and cattle
ranches, to say nothing of the extensive
farms, most of which are we'll fenced.
Large quantities Of good hay are harvested
every year and the bench lands around,
especially towards the mountains, also
yield thousands of tons of hay per annum,
as we'll as furnishing food throughout the
entire year for the large herds of range
cattle and horses.
There is a large space Of unsettled eoun-
,ry between Sand Coulee and the Belt
mountains that will be literally gobbled up
~ incomers a few years hence. Indeed.
such an event is not to be wondered at,
sor these bench lands are of the richest
Kind.
DEEP CREEK
s another important tributary Of the Mis-
'ouri. On the map it is called Smith riv-
,r and the local name was applied to it on
lccount of the great perpendicular height
If the walls of its canyon. Tourists, sports
men, naturalists and artists can all find
omething here to delight them.
The valley Of Deep creek is well settled
y industrious farmers and stock-growers. '
Iere, also, are coal mines which promise
,ssaething good in the future, The creek
) veil wooded and the timber in the
near by is quite accessible.
If one thing more than another assures
be growth and prosperity of any city,
reat or small, it is to have a productive
gricultural country tributary thereto. {,
Great Falls has all this in abundance
8 well as mines Of precious metals and
oal and iron without limit encircling her !.
All of the sections herein :
lentioned, as well as others undescribed, :
to be connected by a network of rail +,