Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1889-07-09

es from the foot Of the Buffalo Rapids
(which have good fall down the
river on the south side for fifty miles
ahd varies in width from one TO four
miles. A large ditch could be con-
structed covering an area amounting 2
TO 30 900 acres. II would Of necessity
be expensive, as the work at the Rap
ids would have to be done in solid
masonry. and the canal carried over
Powder river. either by acqueduct or u
tunnel under the bed of the stream.
In other respects its work would he
ordinary earthwork This would re-.
claim large area of the finest land in
Montana, at present used only for
grazing purposes.
Powder river. the next largest in the
county, flows from the Montana-Wy-
oniing boundary line a distance OF
about 10 miles to its mouth, where II
empties into the Yellowstone river.
The valleys covered by II will average
one and one-half miles ia width and
embrace about 1853, 200 acres, which is
good soil and very productive, where
water has been gotten on the lands.
Tongue river crosses the Montsna-
Wyoming boundary about $50 miles
from its junction with the Yellow
stone at Miles CITY aud flows through
valleys averaging one mile in width,
embracing about $4,000 acres. This
valley lie capable Of producing crops
equa. TO any that can be raised in the
territory, where water has been yut
on them, as has been demonstrated
on the river near the Wyoming line.
The Miles City Irrigsting Ditch Go.
have in course of construction and
nearly completed a canal that will
cover about 5000 acres of Tongue river
valley and be then carried to the Vel
lowstone valley east of Miles City,
where It Will be used on about q 200
acres.
In connection with the construction
Of this canal Tor que river has been
damned at cost OF $4,000. The
heavy cost Of ditch construction on
these streams is at the point of depart
ure from the bed OF its stream, the
earthwork being comparatively light.
Rosebud creek has its source In Gus
ter county and flows northeast, to its
confluence with the Yellowstone river
for distance of about 100 miles. This
valley averages about half a mile in
width on each side of the stream and
embraces about 1900 acres OF land.
The supply OF water 10 this stream is
limited, but for which fact the fertile
valley would be all under cultivation,
as the water can be taken out from the
bed of the stream at comparatively
small cost.
Little Missouri il in the southeast
ern portion of the county aud flows
through ii for distance Of 65 miles,
where 1t crosses into Dakota This
valley embraces about 1900 acres Of
land.
Little Powder river, tributary o.
Powder river, fiows through th'
county for distance of about so miles
Its valley averages about half n mill
in width on each side of the river anC
embraces about 10, 200 acres Of land.
In addition to the above NAMED
streams, there are numerous smaller
ones, which In most cases have had al
the available water taken out int
bitches. A noticeable fact about thes'
small str ans is that the water IL oftet
I'm pools. sometimes flowing for a qnar
ter Of a mile, when it will sink snd
not rise for frequently three and foni
miles, a fact which makes IL unavaila'
BILE for irrigation.
The season Of the year when Tn
largest volume Of water would be con
sumed is during the months Of May
June and July, this being the tim
when the crops would be growing, bu
for fall aud winter pasture Il can b
used adyantageously as late as Octo
Der.
Regarding the amount Of water NED
essary for the land, close observation
and the experience Of oil who hsv
given attention to the matter, is tha
one cubic or miners inch OF water
sufficient for the irrigation OF one acre
The valley lands OF Custer count
contain to-day fvlly $4,000 acres q
land that have been virtually nhan
doned after spending year, Of toll M
thousand. Of dollars In vain attemI
To successfully farm without irrig
ton.
The principal streams Of the coun'
are the Yellowstone, Tongue, Powdt
| Little Powder, Rosebud, Otter, Pun
kin, Muddy, Lame Deer, Beaver, Il
. Tie Beaver. Emmell's Reservatlc
Hanging woman and Little Nilsson