Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1890-08-07
Judith Gap and Vicinity.

.N,,ure in a kindly mood, left gaps and gate
WAYS In those mighty walls which frown upon the
outer tribes, yet cherish those within.
Judith Gap, the sonther gateway
to the garden OF the Judith, is an m
viting pathway entrance to a region
truly favored; generous IN dimensions
grand in scenery, salubrous IN climate
and fruitful OF soil, the gap Is not
marrow cleft"
The Snowy mountains on the East
are twelve miles or more from the
precipitous walls OF the Belt range on
the west, and, by custom, the country,
bounded by West Buffalo and East
Buffalo creeks on the Northwest and
Northeast respectively and extending
South to the Musselshell divide is in
cluded i'm that common name OF 1.-THE
Gan" The country thus bounded
forms an irregular pentagon; its area
roughly estimated. is l30 square
miles; it is well watered and erassed
usually; its rounded hills and broad
"natural meadows" alternate, and
hardly foot OF its surface is abso-
lutely worthless.
The diversified character OF the
country, the many small streams and
sprinps. the rich soil and luxuriant
grass. with an abundance OF timber III
the neighboring mountains and ia'r
quality OF bituminous coal easy oil
access and i'm great quantities, seem
to peculiarly fit this region for pop
ulation following II diversity OF pur'
suits. Small farms, small herds and a
large relative population naturally
follow such cOndit ions.
In this natural portal to the won
, derfully rich Judith Basin the first
settlers saw n strategic stronghold, u
n commercial sense, and We find tina
in the summer Of 1879 stephens Bros
> and X. W. Doyle located on the Mus
!, selshell side OF the divide and A. X
. Barrows built cabin near wher
= Tibet now stands, i'm the Gap, proper
}, all intending tn engage in trade.
J. The season of 1850 saw quite a
= influx OF pioneers To the BASIN AN
a few oil them found homes in the Gal
Severance Il Co. from the Musselshei
J. prazed their sheep ON the rolling hill
y of Red Spring creek and IN the iall {
s. the year. A. Il. Barrows moved hi
u little herd of blooded cattle to I'll
e valley OF Ross Fork, where they WEI
" kept during the winter OF 'so-Sl.
II the season oi 1881 the present "city
?. of Tibet WAS founded and the mo-
d favored ranches We're located.
s. The horse, cattle, dairy and shee
"a interest are well represented. oi II
"sheep men," {. II. Perrine, Alexand'
ie Greene. George Jackson, ID. ;. Has
y inps, W. q. Straw, Paul Lester M
~ W. II. Dohrs are fit representative
~ The Seyerances, father and son, we
oil the first to Craze their ilocks IN Il
he Gan and have acquired cOnsiderall
III ranch property in that favored sectl 10
n making it the headquarters for son
''e OF their bands.
ng Of the horsemen, c. l.. Hasset, NJ
US Court Bros, and \. Il. Hays, a
types. They breed draft horses
res most exclusively and are proud IN t
Irt possession OF some OF the finest st o
DO in eastern Montana.
At The cattiemen, not cattle "baron'
nd are represented by John Dawes, Wo
sa- sey & Marcellus, Frazer X Strattt
,il- Samuel Lutz. Thomas Gregory II
cd Samuel Dalgan.
SITS Abetter class of settlers could har,
las be desired. The older valleys OF
no Territory were becoming "erowde
OF TAT least the pioneers, who are pr'
erbially fond OF elbow room, thoul
es- SOL when the Basin first attract
ing settlement, and we find that many
OF the residents OF the Gap first serve
res term OF probation in western Nj
gh- tana and did not seek its eastern fir
ter tier with the intention of devot
low their whole time to the culture
by watermelons or aesthetics, but unc
'ere standing stock raising and mount
the farming, turned their knowledge {
the industry to good account as will
and shown by the treasurer's books at
trail county seat, as well ~ by their t
hen homesteads and thrifty stock.
lon Concerning the future of this sect
Der, one can foresee community of sil
han farmers and stOckraisers, Deepen,
ling more upon the quality OF their
for ducts than upon the quantity. BE
nap facilities for transportation will AS
, OF a greater output from the 81
the diaries already in operation and la
4 OF for the excellence OF their butter
will lead to the establishment
and creameries and cheese fact cries.
Mild when the railroad comes \
to- porous, modest little town will ma
; OF ally find site somewhere on
r. of Judith side OF the divide and Il