The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-07-02
Waysitls Notes from Our Travelling Cores
p0ndent.
EDITOR OF THE LEADER:

Clark to visit the mammoth sheep ranch
of Messrs. Clark Bros s. Co., located at
the foot of the Rockies, 25 miles from
ChOteau.
This ranch was entered by Messrs. Per
cy & Walter Clark of New York city,
and graduates of Columbia college, about
5 years ago; after two years, their cousin.
Mr.. George Clark, entered the firm and
constitutes the company.
Immediately after our arrival ut the
ranch we had the pleasure of being in
troduced to the father of the two gentle
men first named, Hon. B. s. Clark, re-
tired manufacturer of the metropolis.
Mr.. Clark, Sen. is a hale, we'll preserv-
ed old gentleman of 50 years. The hear
ty cordiality of his manners, and his
brilliant conversational powers, and COM
prehensive knowledge of men and things
both in the past and present, combine to
make true picture of a gentleman of
the old-school, Henry Clay type, whose
superior as IN after-dinner talker we
have never met.
Mr., Clark is at present enjoying Il brief
trip to this country to see his boys, and
breathe some of the invigorating noun
tain air of Montana; heretofore he has
been spending his summers in Europe,
but he pronounces the climate of Mon
tana ahead of anything he has seen else
where. +M
The Home ranch is without doubt one
of the most elegant if not ahead of any
thing else in the territory for comfort
and completeness of its fixtures. The
dwelling house is handsome building
one and a half stories high; it has five
rooms, three Of which are spread with
carpet of an elegant pattern, furnished
with sofas, arm-chairs and brica brac,
reminding one of cheerful home life in
the east.
On the north side Of the dwelling arc
built the employees quarters and also the
shops in which all the repairing needed
on the ranch is done. Among these are
blacksmith shop, carpenter shop, gen
eral repair shop and large building
containing farming implements of every
description. A large root house with
double walls with the space between the
inner and o"tcr walls filled with three
feet Of saw dust makes a splendid recep-
tacle for all kinds of vegetables and also
| for milk and hrftar
Through the courtesy of Mr.. Walter
Clark, who is in himself a jolly set, We
were shown over the different ranches
controlled by the company. In all there
are seven ranches, each fitted up will
sheds and fencing; while on the outside
of the ordinary fence and corral arr
stakes driven in circular form abou
four feet apart, and around and between
these bushes and boughs Of trees art
twisted to a length of five feet; by thi:
excellent arrangement the severity of tlAt
snow storms is much abated, as the snow
is kept from blowing and drifting into
the enclosures where the sheep an(
lambs are kept.
All the AGRICULTURAL implements usc(
here are of the most modern improved
kinds. Instead Of the old fashioned VII,
Of loading and unloading hay with +;
pitchfork, are used the patent running
ladders for loading and unloading, each
operation requiring but about three min
utes, thus making Il saving in time anc
muscle that is invaluable. One mil,
from the home ranch arc built the work.
for asserting, shearing and dipping, sale
to he among the most complete and eX
tensive in the west.
Here is Il ditch, or, more properly
speaking, trough, sixty feet long; this i:
filled to a depth of six feet with a mix
ture, into which the sheep are driver
and thoroughly washed after having bee,
sheared, while at the farther end of tht
trough are numerous large pens will
sloping board floors upon which tli'
sheep are let stand while dripping, S,
that the drip runs back into the trough
One of the wonderful things abou
this great sheep farm Of such imperia
extent and perfection Is the fact that it i
all the work of only a few years.
Five years ago MIR. B. 5. Clark startct
his sons, fresh from their graduating
honors from their Alma Mater, into thi
business with $500 ewes, and from thi
beginning has grown the present I'M
provemcnts and $4,000 head of sheep, TIL
increase this year numbering G,750 lambs
But this does not seem 50 strange whel
we remember that the work has not hec
left to the herders alone, is is too 0ftc
the case. During all times of the yeal
especially in lambing and in winter til
entire business has had the most activ
and untiring supervision of the owner:
who seem to put into practical utility tn
proverb that "There is no eye like tn
masters eye
The original. herd were Of the Merin
variety, but the most careful attentio
has been constantly given to breedin
into superior brands such as the Shror
shire, SO that the present quality Of tn
herd is far above the average, both i
size Of animal and in the quality of tn
wool
On the point Of excellency of wool W
: leave the following letter to speak fe
itself:
Ne" YORK, May 12, 1889.
Messrs. Clark Bros. s. Co., ,Choteau, Mont