Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1889-08-07
HONEST OPINIONS.

There was recently in Great Falls, Hon.
John 9. Campbell Of Streator, Illinois,
who came here to see and judge for him
self the nature and extent of our resour-
ces. He visited the Milk river country,
Assinaboine, Great Falls, Helena, Butte
and the intervening territory. He is a
broad guage, western man, who has ex-
tensive coal interests in Illinois where he
and his associates are large employers.
He has a general knowledge of farming
combined with the capacity to gather in
formation and sift it. Regarding the
Milk river country he says:
The soil is undoubtedly fertile, and in
the valleys and lower bench lands, varies
from one to three feet in depth, the upper
bench lands. and hills are covered with
grass which makes excellent ranges for
stock. Much of this country is fairly
we'll watered by springs and creeks, some
of it is pretty dry. In the vicinity OF
Great Falls the soil is of substantially the
same quality, though probably not quite
as heavy or productive as some of the
Milk river, or Assinaboine country.
Referring to the subject of irrigation
Mr. Campbell says:
| can, however, truthfully say that
have made this question one OF the prin-
ciple subjects OF my investigation, and
have sought reliable information from
every source that it seemed possible to
CLEAN it from so far as this information
can be relied upon, and much of it comes
from sheep holders and horse and cattle
| men, who do not want wheat farmers in
the country, the weight of testimony
goes to show that in ordinary years wheat,
and oats, can be grown successfully at
least in many localities without cation.
This has been undoubtedly the dryest
year experlanced by Montana for more
than 20 years. am satisfied of this be-
cause have had it corroborated from
scores of reliable sources, from widely
separated districts.
Despite this dry season Mr.. Gibson has
raised good field Of wheat and s. s.
Hawkins and others have raised on the
very high bench land near Sun river and
in sight of the city excellent potatoes
which he will show any one who calls to
see them at his store. Regarding Mr..
Gibson's wheat field Mr.. Campbell says
Gully 2D:
On piece of ground about two miles
| from this city, situated on the bench land
at least 400 #. above the level of the
| Missouri river is a 40 acre tract of hard
| spring wheat, which l am satisfied will
turn out 25 bushels to the acre. There is
no hearsay evidence to this statement, l
have visited the field several times and
examined it carefully, not drop of
water has been put on it artificiaIly and
precious little by nature, but there it
stands, fast ripening, field that the
average Minnesota or Wisconsin wheat
farmers would be proud of almost any
year.
In seeking the solution of this called
upon the owner, Mr.. Paris Gibson of this
city. His statement is, that there is no
trouble in raising good wheat here every
year, if farmers here will take the same
time, and trouble to prepare their grounds
and SOW their seed, that they do in the
eastern states. He in the fall plowed his
grounds, sowed IN the latter part of Feb
ruary which he says always can be done
here if the ground is ready, and that he
says, is all there is to it. His field of
wheat Is certainly a knock-down argu-
ment in his favor. 1t would certainly
seems if wheat can be raised this year, on
bench lands without irrigation, that it is
a reasonably sure crop with proper care
and attention in preparation of grounds
and early seeding. '@
Mr.. Campbell thus tersely sums up his
impressions of north Montana as farm
ing country:
In conclusion, would say, that to the
man who wants a farm of his own, and is
,,,;11 IL, 1,,;t e.,,,
Inconvenience for while, there are all
en- of, abundant opportunities to secure
what, in my Judgment in the near future
will be productive and valuable lands.
This, however, is not the country for
falnt-hearted men and women, who want
to go back east upon the first discourage
ing circumstance. That kind of
people had better remain east, for they
will find plenty of excuses for wanting to
get back; but to the hearty, vigorous,
young or middle aged men, with plenty
of pluck, muscle and some brains, of fair
ly economical habits and industry, there
, is surely an opportunity here, in many
directions, to attain Independence it not
great wealth. On the whole Lam pleased
with what have seen of Montana, espec
tally of Great Falls and believe there is
y great future for this territory soon to
become-let us all hope-a democratic
state.
These impartial, independent opinions
on our region are worth bushels of the
verbiage which Frank Wilkeson writes
to crafty the sensational greed of the
New York press and public.
Since he wrote the letter referred tc
Mr.. Campbell has visited the Sand Cou
lee coal fields and the Belt mountain
mineral regions. AS already stated in the
TRIBUNE, he formed high opinion Of
both, He was especially well pleased
: with the coal, on which he could speak
I, with authority from long experience il
: coal mining.
IT ought to be customary to writ,