Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1889-02-28
MONTANA'S ABUNDANCE.
Al MAGNIFICENT CLIMATE AND 4
SOIL OF UNsURPASsEDF FERTILITY.

SOIL OF UNsURPAssEDFE RTILITY.
sesom's Graphic Letter Descriptive of the
Northwest, Particularly Of Montana-In-
teresting Facts Gained by Actual Investi-
cation.
GREAT FALLS, Montana, Feb. Is. 1889.
man need not be very old to remember
when Chicago was In the far West. and a
journey beyond the Mississippi was like GO
Ing into far country. Now dozen rail-
roads run to the Rocky Mountains. and the
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 a
year In reaching this locality, rowing, polling.
and pushing their canoes for nearly 3,UOU
miles against the swift current Of the Mis-
souri,. Now it takes day or two In u
Manitoba palace car or free-colonist
sleeper to reach here. and no danger or
privation and three good meals day.
Most people have been SO accustomed to
look upon this part OF the continent as so
far north. SO cold. SO snowy. 80 far away
and lot of other $3.50 SHAT 1t would
probably never be O fit abode for mankind:
but the facts show to the contrary. Why.
hundreds of miles north of here there Is a
country with winters no more severe than
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 political boundary which nature
will not. take into account when adjusting
affairs in the future. The intermingling OF
people OF the same blood. speech. religion.
ideas. and ambitions will oDliterate it.
Statesmen have foretold 1t and business
interests will hasten 1t. Those who think
Dakota and Montana are sections Of the
arctic region slipped down out of place
should look to the east Tie south line Of
Dakota is the forty-thtrd parallel of north
latitude. Follow this line across the At
lantic and much of Europe will be found
lying north of it. All OF Britain and Nor
way and Sweden lie full degree above the
northern boundary OF our two great Terri
tories. Edinburgh. St. Petersburg. Stock
swarming population. are on the
parallel Of Sitka. Alaska And Sitka is as
far from Great Falls as the Gulf OF Mexico.
England and the north of Europe are made
habitable by the influence Of the Gulf
Stream. The Kuro- Siwo-the Black Ocean
river 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 filled
the coast OF Southern Asia sweeps across
the 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 its heat
to the air. which. ascending. passes over the
Rocky Mountains much lower here than In
larger than the original United States. Com
PARSONS OF temperature made with the At
lantic coast are most favorable to Montana.
The 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 at Omaha
In the light OF existing knowledge who will
say that up to the Goth parallel in this north
west is not as capable of being settled as
Russia ami 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
latitude of the continental water system.
Nowhere else in the world is there such a
succession of lakes and nayigable rivers; no
other country possesses such an area OF
agricultural land so intersected by fresh
water. Within q radius of 1000 miles is
half the fresh water OF the globe. At Grand
Forks. Dakota. the Red River Is less than
to its mouth. Lake Winnipeg. and it has
descended 800 feet. and In boat one can
steam westward on the Saskatchewan more
than 1000 miles. and then double
the distance on other rivers. Follow the
Red River to it's source in Lake Traverse.
and in high water 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
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 2.0O0 feet
above the sea. 1t Is the only line on which
connected agricultural settlement can be
made across the continent. 1t Ia the &C.
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 a half mile higher than
the average OF Montan9's valley and plains
Between Omaha and Sacramento there is a
Ascending every 800 feet makes difference
of one degree In temperature.
OF the twenty-tw 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 10 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
counties Of Choteau and Dawson. In North
Montana, contain more acres than the State
Of Iowa. With the exception of a few
mountains and high buttes. the whole
of the two counties is described
as a rolling prairie. covered with
grass and filed with running streams. The
main rivers are the Missouri. Milk. Marias.
Sun. and Teton. total Of 1900 miles OF
waterways, not to speak OF numerous
tributaries. all flowing through valleys Of
generous width and of great depth and
richness OF soil. Here the story of the buff
falo was closed. Strange that the American
people. usually sagacious. so long consfd-
cred this Western land as sterile and worth
less. 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 1t Is also
true that the colder climates have de-
yeloped the most sturdy. energetic and
hrainy races OF men as well as the best
breeds OF domestic animals. Frost aud
health lines seem to be synonymous. The
races OF the frost climes are the most ylgor-
ops; 1t Is the lesson of history that MOI tn
ern nations have always been more success
fpl In war and progressive in peace than
theip Southern neighbours. The material
and moral conquest of the world belongs to
the races OF the frost lands; they have been
the most energetic explorers and pioneers,
the most adventurous colonizers, the
mest, active merchants. the, best
founders OF governments. and the
wisest OF rulers. Sanitary statistics
prove the healthfulness Of the Nofthwest