Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-02-28
CRAWLING MICHIGAN THURSDAY FEBRUAtY 70 1867

Sheep pelts and COW hides have taken the
place OF buffalo hides and furs which form
erly gave prominence to this region. Horses
do quite as we'll as sheep. and every year in
creases the demand for Montana horses.
The mounted police Of the British Dominion
draw their supplies from this Territory, and
in "A recent call for the purchase OF cavalry
horses for the United States army the Quar-
termaster General exp essed preference
for Montana stock. The possibilities Of the
country. however, are not confined to stock
raising alone; the soil is exceedingly rich.
and wherever cultivated yields prolihc
crops. The first settlers gave little atten-
tion to agriculture. and 1t has only been In
recent years that they found out what the
country Is capable OF in this direction.
Sixty bushels of wheat 10 the acre Is not
uncommon. and other grains IN proportion.
Potatoes, onions and other root crops an
vegetables arc easily produced and the
yiell Is o ten enormous. The demand for
iarm produce among the miners and stock
raisers has SO far kept prices at high nR-
ures. eggs and butter In particular bringing
about double the prices ofthe States.
The coming OF the st. Paul, Minneapolis
& Manitoba Rail- Dad has given great
impetus to affairs in North Montana.
and the next few years Will witness
marvellous growth. No otranscontinentalr road
passes through a region OF such varied
wealth as lies between the mountains and
the Mississippi River. Passing through the
granary OF Dakota-the valleys OF the Red
and the Mouse-the vast pasture fields ana
valleys of Montana, II taps the granite vaults
OF the great hills. filed with gold and silver
and copper, but guarded with time locks. to
be fully opened now by the advent OF COM
petitive railway facilities. rough noun
tain is valueless for agricultural purposes.
but when full OF rich ores "A single acre as
wealth producer compensates for thou
sands of acres OF arabic land. Montana
is the richest mineral bearing district in
the United States; tho output OF precious
metals last year led all the other States
and Territories. the total being nearly one
fourth OF the entire production OF the coun-
try. The dream of the alchemist has boon
realiEedi the laborer Of yesterday Is the
millionaire Of to-day. The mountains arc
not only lined with veins OF precious metals,
but iron. lead, coal. and building stone
exist In limitless Quantities. Coal Is scat
tered over the entire Territory, in North
Montana cropping out in many places along
the Missouri and other rivers. North OF
the Missouri River. along the st. Paul. Min
neapolis and Manitoba Railroad tho coal Is OF
the conch shell formation, black and shiny.
and burns to n red ash, while the variety
south OF the river Is known as the Peacock
coal, on account of It's chromatic colorlng,
and leaves a white ash. The coal OF the
plains eastward into Dakota, Is Ignite. but
the mountain coal Is bituminouS. The
other day / went into a coal mino. eight
miles from Great Falls. in which the vein
was ten feet thick, the entrance being in
the side OF hill under heavy roof OF Tock.
1t could not have been more conveniently
planned by man. This mine is reached by
q branch OF tho Manitoba. The extension
OF the Manitoba road. the rapid and solid
construction OF which was one OF the me-
chanical feats OF the age. has opened up
large area of both agricultural and mining
territory, and the wise and practicable
course Of the compaey in dealing with the
public will soon result in large settlement
and great prosperity to the entire country
traversed.
Near where the Sun River enters the Mis-
souri, is the city of Great Falls. from whence
write. II Is 100 miles from Helena and
40 miles from Fort Benton. From here to
the Gull, as the river runs, II Is farther than
from Chicago to London. To ST. Paul 1t is
1.073 miles. There are five distinct ranges
of mountains in sight from the city, and
none nearer than 35 miles. yet person not
familiar with this air would declare 1t an
after supper walk to reach any of thcm.
The valleys AMI plains leading up to these
, mountains ara covered with grass;
AS far as the eve can reach. and
thousand times further, not an acre is val
ueess, and in time will be covered with farms
| and stock ranches. Much OF IL is still gov
ernment land and free to settlers. The
grandeur is not all In sky pictures, lofty
mountains, winding rivers and grassy
plains. but near by is cataract second
only to Niagara, with an accompaniment OF
| other falls, giant springs and cascades-a
| combined fall of over 500 feet-which must
make this n leading Northwestern resort.
| Henceforth the great river will not be al
! lowed to idle away Its time in rushing and
leaping, year in and year out over the
rocks. IL is being put to work for the good
Of the human race. grinding wheat and
| corn, weaving cloth, crushing ores, Saw
/ ing lumber, and in making this great mart
OF industry-a city OF homes, OF comfort and
prosperity. Already the most perfectly ar
| ranged smelter in the country for handling
| gold and silver ores is in operation. with a
| daily capacity OF $50 tons, and so construct
| cd that enlargement can be made to 1,OOO
| tons without an increase Of buildings or
machinery. A roller -four mill. the first in
| dustry inuugurated is the only one for 1000
miles along the upper Missouri. great
grain region Is already a. tributary, and
| sooner or later n railroad from here will
penetrate tho wheat-flel and pastu Q
lands of the Saskatchewan. far to the north /;
even now the p.olect is being formu-
lated. Readers of this will live to
| sec a railroad to Asia and Europe by
way of Alaska and Behring Strait. Iron and
| steel works. woolen factories, and other in
dustries are contemplated at Great Falls.
| and not 1.-THE of the rivers strength Is yet
| laid out; there is power enough TO build up
| a Minneapolis and n Lowell combined. With
wide streets. spacious business blocks, fine
residences, churches. and school-houses. a
| city is being reared by men born in the
East but developed in the West. Barely in
| its third year, Ii supports two bright daily
| papers. Nature could not have made a
more suitable site for city. and one laid
| out on a scale commensurate with its
mighty surroundings. There are already
! three railroads, the st. Paul, Minneapolis
and Manitoba. the Montana Central. and
| the Nehart Valley. The former, in connec-
tion with the Union Pacific at Butte, gives
from st. Paul through line to Washington
Territory. Oregon. and California.
/ M