, 1891-11-29
GARDEN OF THE ROCKIES
Wyoming's Rich and Fertile North
ern Section.
Magnificent Crops in and About
Noted BattIefields.
Prof. Bailey Writes of His impress
sions to a Chicago Paper.
A story OF Progress.

BUFFALO, Wvo., Nov. ala few
have read the travels Of Fremont through
the picturesque central portions along the
Sweetwater rivers and have a vague idea
that there are. after all, some places in
this state worth seeing besides the won
dcrland of Yellowstone park. 1t is only
now and then, however, that people are
found in the East who really know where
the Garden of Wyoming is located.
Running north and south, dividing the
north half of the state into two nearly
equal portions. is the snow clad pictur-
esque range of the Big Horn Mountains.
Along their eastern tanks, stretching east
to the Powder river, is a region of broad
valleys. rolling p~rairies, snow-fed rivers
and creeks, whose clear, sparkling waters
arc the homes of the dainty speckled trout.
The scene is full OF picturesque beauty, of
frownIng CANYONS. pine-clad foothills,
handicapped peaks, green pastures and
fields gold tinted by their burdens of grain.
A few years ago this whole region was
the lucky battle-ground OF the fierce
Sioux warriors. For 200 miles north and
south along the stage road from south of
Buffalo to Fort Custer there is not a creek
or town but marks the site of some fierce
conflicts with the red warriors. Three
miles off the stage road Just over the Mon
tana line is where the gallant Custer made
his last rally. On the top of the highest
nil between Buffalo and Sheridan is
where the gallant Lieutenant Fetterman
and his command fell IN 1867, in the ter
rible massacre of Fort Phil Kearney. At
the creek crossing at Trabing Is the scene
Of Captain Burke's gallant struggle. Every
creek. every butte has its story of Custer,
Crook, Howard, Miles, Burke, Harvey,
Sibley, and a score of others of lesser
fame. 1t is the last of the frontier. Ever
closely following the footsteps of the VIC
torious troops was a little army of settlers
who began to turn over the soil and build
homes. Until within the last year there
was not a single railroad in the north half
of Wyoming. Even now the Burlington
: is the only one that has pushed into it.
Yet there are thriving towns and county
seats located in the midst of prosperous
agricultural communities all along the
front OF the mountain range. Towns
whose citizens we're obliged to stage it $50
miles north to the Northen Pacific or still
farther south to the Union Pacific.
The comparatively low altitude of the
agricultural land along the foothills more
than compensates for the latitude. The
farms are from 2, 500 to 3. $500 feet abovesea
Level, as a rule, but l have seen at least one
place where alfalfa was successfully raised
over 5000 feet above the ocean. The
cereals are raised fully as successfully as
the forage crops. Without irrigation
crops used to be raised one year in five;
under the ditch failure is unknown.
When from drouth or deluge the farm
ers East are cursing their farms and
rushing into politics, the farmer here is
raising from thirty to forty bushels of
wheat per acre. and from sixty to ninety
bushels of oats that will weigh from
forty to forty six pounds per bushel in
stead Of from thirty to t%hree-thirds as in
the Mississippi valley. The list of what
is raised will astonish the tenderfoot. The
first prize of the American A0ricalttrist
for the largest yield of potatoes In the
whole United States. was captured by
William ]. Sturgis. who lives on Pole
creek. not far from the site of old Fort
Phil Kearney. He raised 975 bushels to
the acre. Mr.. Edwin Hurlbut, on Little
Goose creek, took the prize of the same
journal for the best crop of oats. At the
recent fairs at Sheridan and Buffalo there
were exhibited tomatoes weighing a
pound each, turnips and rutabagas from
six to ten pounds each, MELONS large
enough to give a whole family The morbus
crampus and apples that would be a credit
to an Eastern established fruit growing
country.
The state laws are strict. and no ditch can
be started without the consent OF the state
engineer, and full records are kept of the
capacity and purpose of each. In view
of these facts 1t is disheartening to read
the United States census figures on irri-
! cation. OF the census figures the only
thing reliable about them is their cost.
! BY the expenditure of 100000 n
variety OF statistics nave been collected
s having unreliability as their chief
characteristic. The census says that the
area titled is already beyond what can be
covered with water, when water has been
. turned out Of the bitches into the streams
1 again as there was already all the land
under water that the farmer cared to
n handle. The water supply is Just begin.
y ming to be utilized. Corporations with
large capital will take hold and put in
systems of main bitches, starting
high up in the mountain CANYONS, thai
will treble the present supply and rendel
new areas useful for crops. When Uncl,
Sam turns over the arid lands to tn,
y several states, reservoirs will b.
d built high up near the snow
N of Cloud Peak and its friends
es This year witnessed the first visit II