The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-10-26
4 View Of North Montana.
All Old MinneSotian Answers Many
Important Questions
Regarding the Soil, Climate. People.
Productions and Resources
OF Cascade County and the Country
Around Great Falls.
Questions and Answers.

in the east, which we find published in
the Farm, Stock and Home of 18th inst.
The questions being similar to those
addressed to this Office by persons resid
ing in nearly every section If the Union,
we republish them, as being correct and
answers of the leading ques
tions arising in the public mind concern
ing this new and interesting portion of
the great northwest. Mr.. Muzzy prefaces
his article by stating:
receive so many letters of inquiry from friends
in Minnesota that enclose a list of questions
lately received, whchl are representative, and my
reply to them, which, if you can find room to pub
lish, will save many of your readers the trouble of
asking substantially the same questions, as well |
as myself the labor Of answering each by mail
1st. How far from the centre of your town,
especially down the river, can good government
loud be secured?"
Down the river fifteen miles or more; south
and southwest, ten to fifteen miles. In other di
recti0ns about the same, except one occasional
quarter section that has been passed by. l secur-
ed good claim within four miles; perhaps others
that would suit you might be found as near.
End. "Was the past the dryeSt season ever
knoWn?"
Yes All agree that no such season has ever
been kdown by white men. The Missouri river
has not been so low for twenty-three years.
3d. what was the average jed of grain on
bench lands?"
Grain sown early on fairly well prepared ground
wheat Is to 25 bushels oats, 80 to 80. Late sown
on badly prepared land, nearly failure, as the
Ian dry tn start
4th. "Will tame grass, clover and alfalfa, corn
| and trees succeed OH bench lands?''
Farms on bench lands are Ill new, and not
enough is known by actual tria! to speak advs ed
ly on the matter of growing grass; but | will say
that from what have seen Of grass corn and
trees (chiety boxelder) makiI struggle-on
half rooted sod and badly hanC ed-to live, and
did i've and make Il small gro III, even under
that unusually severe test, l an convinced that
what succeeds in Minnesota will here, and with
| fewer failures, corn among the rest Anyhow, l
shall act on that theory, and SOW such crops here
as there and, with one exception, handle the
land similarly; shall break deeper-say to in
ches, lay the sod fiat and harrow down soon after
breaking and break it either in the fall or spring,
as the condition of the ground will warrant.
5th. "Does not limestone underlie all lands?'
| No, not the bench lands. There is, however
abundance of lime in the soil and subsoil. fiaky
or shell (soft) sandstone underlies our bench
lands. 1t is porous. receiving and holding the
rainfall as no other substance cam neither clay OF
sand retains moisture as does this sandstone
formation This explains why the bench lane
produces paying crop with little or no rain.
9th. when does spring seeding commence?'
The same as in Minnesota, as soon as the
ground can be worked: usually In March; some
times in February; sometimes as late as in April
though very seldom As in Minnesota so here
land must be got in the best condition for seedin
In TIE fall, SO that seeding may be done as earl
as possible. If this is done, grain has time t.
germnate, get well rooted and filtered out befor
the May and June rains come on. In this condl
tion we have right to expect big yield, ant
usually get it.
7th SIS the soil on bench lands loose ant
: gravelly or tough clay?"
1t Is neither, but a very fine sandy loan. Q
rather sedimentary formation, as II the land ha
sometime been the bottom of a lake, and appear
to be wonderfully fertile, except in places wher
the rock lies near the surface, and the wash
rains has carried the soil away. There is no
however, much Of this washed land, and wha
there is, is in small patches.
, sth "Can good water be relied on at reason
t able depth?"
Yes, SO far as wells have been sunk. know
only one that had to go too deep (95 feet, a
others are from Is to 40 feet deep with plenty
= good water This on bench land
: 9Th "Is 1t soft or hard?''
Not usually entirely soft, nor very hard.
10th. "Are there any sloughs there?"
llth. SIS 1t certain that grain-raising can
| lands without
Yes I am convinced that such Is the fact
grain is sown as have indicated at least as ce
'"l i2th viii raising garden sass especially OF
Y, ions) be profitable business near your town?
:, Yes. this town has a future-"dOn't you forg
q it," All along the new railroad just begun callt
Il the Neihart road gardening will be paying bu:
" ness as that road will run twhen completely flS
l. to the richest mining region In this or any oth
18th What will heavy young mare 1.-TWO yea
w infer you mean a grade Clyde or Norma %
which will cost from S75 to 500. according
a make up. Fairly range colts, from $50 to u
- COWS COWS ail the way from $40 to s75, the same as
st iith, Can light work be secured to pay expe
Q have never wintered here, but am told that
depends on the man looking 1or WORK Solle @ en- III
thina th1 ~ 10 do "Rustlers' are wanted-"dead bea
IL not conclude you could find work: -,
IT, 18th Are furniture, Implements etc.' Ill
''!Th There is little difference between the prizes
Great Fails and the country towns IN MlnnesO
with the exception of farm implements, winch
&C. 18TH Are the peop!e, law-abiding' or do VIII
on ~ Not A bit of it. People, mean resident inht
~, itants~are a alaw-abiding people Liquor is llce
I'll ed and openly used, but the law Is respected
es that there has been neither rum row, !
"' ..shootinp scrap" in Great Falls since cal
us here. ,..-.,,-;,,,,, o,o,,,an+ ,.roa o.,
abnut the same as in Minnesota towns. r
churches are already organized. Inree III
bnuses hut and two are being built. They a
PRESBYTERIAN, church built and occupied; Met
or dist church and house; Episcopal have Gnu
,n and house: Catholic. foundation laid; Bap'
iii Inst organized with q charter members ana nj
III a nice chapel under way services wee OF other
nominations are occasionally neiu.
er 18th "What are board and Wagesp
~ Roard is from SIS per'week up as high as you
II oaord wages are Common labor, 81 per
or S4O per month and board; other work c'
mands wages from that up to $3.50 per day.
am aware that many who come mere 40
=, aea things as do and do not like the coun
tn Shond yon come you may be one of that sort,
ba thinpsEeyerything- ditfernt from what we n
iAe in Minnesota; but, for all that, believe n
m given Won facts only in my answers TO your 6.
fions Your better way is to come and look TIL
over and if suited, locate your claims ana PREF
to oct onto your land with good team
nlonsh MS early in the spring as the weather
aIInW YOU TO break and put in crops. 1t Is exp
big ad that Montana will experience ralhef Se'
r. UJrtar next and good season following.
~ GREAT FALLS, Mont. W. ACE4
ar
,,orvraor in all Grades an(