Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-08
MONTANA'S ABUNDANCE
A MAGNIFICENT CLIMATE ANN
SOIL OF UNSURPASSED FERTILITY.

2OA>N>A n
SOIL OF UNSURPASSED FERTILITY.
sesom's Graphic Letter Descriptive or the
Northwest, Particularly of Montana-In.
teresting Facts Gained by Actual Inye.ti.
CATION.
GREAT FALLS, Montana, Feb. Is. 1880
man need not be very old to remember
when Chicago was in the far West, and a
lou beyond the Mississippi was like 60
roads run to the Rocky Mountains. and the
Pacific coast is separated from New York as
Monday is from Saturday. Lewis and
Clarke, whose wonderful trip in the early
years OF the century gave the world first
knowledge OF this vast region, were over q
year in reaching this locality. rowing, polling.
and pushing their canoes for nearly 3.on
miles against the swift current of the Mis-
souri,. Now it takes day or two in a
manitoba palace car or free-colonist
sleeper to reach here. and no danger or
pr Mtl and three good meals day.
look upon this part Of tho continent as so
lar north. SO cold. so snowy, so far away
and lot of other so-so's-that It wonld
probably never be a fit abode for mankind:
put the facts show to the contrary. WHY,
hundreds OF miles north of here there is a
those of the north New England States, and
summers more suitable to the growing Of
grains. We are separated from that
region by the forty-ninth parallel. an
imaginary l, political boundary which nature
WI not take into account when adjusting
affairs in the future. The intermingling Of
people of the same blood. speech, religion.
ideas. and ambitions will obIiterate il.
statesmen have foretold it and business
interests will hasten it. Those who think
Dakota and Montana are sections of the
NIS
should n look to the east. The south line OF
Dakota is the fo1ty-thir parallel of north
latitude. Follow this line across the AZ
iantlc and much of Europe will be found
lying north of it. All Of Britain and Nor
way way, and nd Sweden lie full degree above the
tories tories, Edinburgh, st. Petersburg. Stock
nom, and Christiana. in the midst of
swarming population. are on the
parallel Of Sitka. Alaska. And Sitka is as
lar from Great Falls as the Gulf Of Mexico.
EhSland and the north OF Europe are made
stream. The kuro-Siwo-the Black Ocean
tlvcr OF the Asiatic coaster the Japan
Current. gives to this northwestern region
the same mildness of climate that the Gulf
stream does to Northern Europe, and why
should not this country, like that, be filed
me coast OF Southern Asia sweeps across
tne Pacific Ocean and tempers the climate
OF our western coast nearly up to the Arc
tic Circle. This river of warmth gives to
British Columbia. Washington, and Ore
gon winters SO mild that ice is a
roses bloom in the gardens along the
coast at Christmas time. Imparting it's heat
to the air, which, ascending, passes over the
Rocky Mountains much lower here than in
the south. it affects the climate of a region
larger than the original United States. Com
rf %np, A..
lantlc coast arc most favorable to Montana.
me rivers OF Montana close later and open
earlier than those of States far south OF this
parallel. The Missouri River here is clear
OF ice month earlier than it is ut Omaha.
In the light OF existing knowledge who will
west Is not as capable of being settled as
kussla and Norway and Sweden south of
that line?
Glance at the physical features of this
portion OF the continent and one will see a
great plain sloping northward. 1t is the
Nowhere else in tho world is there such a
succession OF lakes and navigable rivers; no
OGhef country possesses such an area of
agricultural land so intersected by fresh
water. Within a radius of 1000 miles is
hall the fresh water of the globe. At Grand
l,OoO feet above the sea. Follow the river
to its mouth, Lake Winnepeg, and it has
descended 300 feet. and in u boat one can
steam westward on the Saskatchewan more
than 1000 miles; and then double
Red River to it's source in Lake Traverse.
and in high water a boat can reach Big
Storm Lake. the source OF the Minnesota.
and thence pass to the Mississippi. thus
joining Hudson's Bay and the Gulf of Mex
leo. Two hundred miles to the cast is Lake
Superior and a water way to the Atlantic.
Three hundred miles to the west the Mis-
souri, can be reached, and the traveller be
borne into the shadow of the Rocky Noun
tains. from whose western side another
mighty river. springs-the Columbia-and
leaps to a different sea- After the Mis-
sissippi and Missouri the Columbia draws
the largest basin in the republic.
From Lake Superior along the northern
boundary ofthe republic to the Pacific Ocean
the average altitude is less than 1000 feet
above the sea. 1t is the only line on which
connected agricultural settlement can be
made across the continent. 1t is the ce-
real belt, and history shows that mankind
gathers in larger numbers where food Is
most abundant and cheapest. South OF here
is the roof of the continent; the plains of
Colorado are almost as high as the noun
tains OF Montana; Denver. surrounded by
productive farms. is Il half-mile higher than
tho average of Montanas valley and plains.
Between Omaha and Sacramento there is a
continuous elevation of quite 1000 feet.
Ascending every 300 feet makes a difference
of one degree in temperature.
OF the twenty-five States and Territories
west of the Mississippi, each one is larger
than all of New England. while Dakota and
Montana each possess area double that
of the New England States. Montana,
scarcely known by name in England. is
larger than all of Great Britain. and is rich
est per capita of all American common
wealths. Single counties of Montana are
larger than fair sized Eastern States. The
of Choteau and Dawson. in North
contain more acres than the State
Of Iowa. With the exception of a few
and high burtes. the whole
Of the two counties is described
IS rolling prairie. covered with
grass and flied with running streams. The
main rivers are the Missouri. Milk Marias,
Sun. and Teton, q total of 1,20O miles OF
not to speak of numerous
tributaries. all flowing through valleys OF
generous width and of great depth and
:ichness OF soil. Here the story of the buf-
alo was closed. Strange that the American
people. usually sagacious, so long consid-
cred this Western land as sterile and worth
ess, regardless Of the fact that it gave sup
port to countless heads of untamed cattle.
1t is no doubt true that animal life had its
origin in the warmer climates. but it is also
rue that the colder climates have de-
'eloped the most sturdy, energetic and
'rainy races OF men as we'll as the best |
breeds of domestic animals Frost and
health lines seem to BIO synonymous. The
aces OF the frost climes are the most vigor-
,uS: il ia the lesson of history that North |