The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1886-01-06

There are many gulches and smaller streams
that head in these and the Rocky Mount.
aims that are not enumerated.
VALLEYS.
| Most of the streams named above flow
through rich and fertile valleys of greater
or less extent. The most extensive and
important are the Boulder, Crow Greek
(Missouri), Upper and Lower Jefferson
Beaver Creek, Prickly Pear, Fish Creek
and White Tail Deer Creek. Most OF those
valleys are from one to five or six miles in
width, and from two to forty miles in
length. There are great many other small
valleys that are not named. The meadow
or hay lands generally lie on both sides ol
the stream, and are usually very product
i've. The native grasses are very nutritious
and most of the meadow Lands are still in
| their primitive state, but it has been ascer
tanned by experiments that timothy sown
broadcast over the land will take root and
eventually kill out the native grass. By this
process the hay is greatly improved. AS
most all of our ranchmen are engaged in
stock raising, hay is the most important
crop raised in the county, and all that ia
available is carefully harvested to feed the
calves and old COWS during severe winters.
BENCH LANDS.
Above the meadow lands are bench lands
of greater or less extent in all the valleys,
rising gradually to where they intersect the
mountain ranges that run parallel with
Nbo 10 Ilo Of fhnco
lands are being taken up from time to time
by the ranchmen, under the desert land act.
yet there are many thousand acres still
open to settlement, that will afford homes
for large population.
Water is an essential element in the cul-
the water that is available by cheaply con-
structed bitches is already appropriated,
larger and longer and more expensive bitches
taken from the larger Streams, will have
to be constructed before the greater por
ton of these lands can be utilized. This will
be too expensive an undertaking for indi-
viduals. Consequently it will either have
to be done by combination OF labor or
by capital.
The soil Of the bench lands is very pro-
ductive. Most of the grain and vegetables
raised in the county are grown upon them.
The average yield OF wheat is forty bushels
to the acre, and it sometimes runs as high
as seventy five bushels. average yield OF
oats, forty-five bushels, and in some
favored places it runs up to eighty bushels.
Both rye and barley are equally as good.
The yield OF potatoes il absolutely enorm-
GUS. Two hundred and 800 bushels to the
acre is n very common crop, and Tor size
and flavor cannot be excelled anywhere in
tn world. Nearly all kinds OF vegetables
can be cultivated with success.
GRAZING LAND OR RANGES,
upon which the herds fatten in summer
and fall. and to Il great extent subsist on
during the winter, consists of the unoccu-
pied bench lands, plateaus and the beauti-
fully roun.led-off, smooth hills and mount
aims that are free from timber, bus covered
by luxuriant growth OF the nutritious
bunch.grass, and the innumerable parks
that are interspersed among the timber OF
the higher ranges and mountains. The ex.
tent OF these ranges amount to nearly, il
not quite, one-half the area of the county,
possibly more. These ranges are absolutely
free to all settlers. No wonder then, with
the free ranges OF the magnitude of those
of Jefferson County contiguous to all the
ranches, that all who have been engaged in
the stock business for any length Of time
have grown into indenendence
MOUNTAIN LANDS.
As has been stated, the summit of the
Rocky mountains for about sixty miles in
length from north to south forms the en-
tire western boundary line of the county;
therefore, the eastern slope of those noun
tains for that distance lies in Jefferson
County. Some OF these slopes are free from
timber, but the principal part of them are
covered by dense growth OF pine, ''r and
spruce. Nearly all OF the wood consumed
and the timbers used in the mines of Butte
City and vicinity have been and are still
| taken from the eastern slope OF these
| mountains in Jefferson County. This trade
furnishes employment to great many
| men and teams.
The "Crow" Mountains are situated in
hs northeastern part OF the county, lying
between Prickly Pear and Muskrat Creeks
on the west, and the Missouri River on the
east. They are circular in form, and the
highest point, "Old Baldy," ia 10, 900 feet
above sea- level. A range called the Boul-
der and Prickly Pear divide, extends from
the Rocky Mountain system to these
mountains. This range OF the pass is 60O
feet above the level OF Boulder valley
These mountains on the north and west
are covered by dense growth OF timber
that supplies wood, fencing and building
timber for a large portion OF the Territory
There is, also, another system OF noun
tains in the southeastern part OF thu
county, called the Bull Mountains, sc
called from the peculiar sound tho vino
makes in passing through and over its
peaks, which resembles the believing OF ,
bull They lie between the Boulder on tn
north and the Jefferson River on tn
south. A dense growth OF timber grow
upon it's northern slope, facing Bo1lde
valley. They are also connected by
range from the Rocky Mountains, calle
the Boulder and White Tail divide, abou
the same height at the pass as the divid
mentioned above.
. RAILROADS.
The Northern Pacific runs through tn
northeastern part Of the county, from tn
y crossing OF the Mis- souri, river near Bedfor
to the county line near the Spokane Hous
The Jefferson County branch runs up tn
Prickly Pear to Jefferson City, thence t
Wickes, distance of nineteen miles. 1t
i said to be one OF the best paying feed ders
G the main line. A survey has been mac
J. from Jefferson City to Boulder, with u vie
l. of continuing the line to the latter place.
l. The survey Of the Helena branch Of Il
Utah & Northern road enters the count
at it's southern boundary near Fish cree
u and continues down the Jefferson rive
K through it's valleys and canyon to tt
head OF the Missouri, thence down the Je
:, ferson side OF the Missouri, through Gro
/. creek valley to Bedford, thence parall
with the Northern Pacific to the count