The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-09-05
CAUGHT on THE WING.
What a Tribune representative Saw be-
tween Great Falls and Stanford.

tween Great Falls and Stanford.
Especial Correspondence OF the TRIBuNE.l
STANFORD. Mont, Aug. 27.-Dr. John
son once said hat an obseryant man
might learn more perched on the ton of
an English stage coach from Leeds to
London than some people would in a
tour OF the continent. When the pro
found doctor gave vent to that idea there
was no stage running from Great Falls
to the Judith or the writer would take
exception. Could that great master of
English prose be brought back from his
"windowless palace of rest" and induHcd
to make the journey from the metropolis
OF northern Montana to this thriving
section Of the state he would have to
confess that he died nearly a century too
soon; that this is a state of matchless
resources; that Great Falls NAV rival
Leeds as IA manufacturing centre. and
that a trip to the Judith is indeed "a
wonderful educator
The writer lays no claim to the title of
an observant man, 50 gentle reader spare
his bushes, but he will present for your
pcrusal Il brief summary of the condition
of the crops aud the appearance of the
country in general as any ordinary tray
eler would see them.
From Great Falls to Belt. a distance
of about ~ miles. the route lies in a
southcasterly direction, across a rolling
country. which is covered with a splendid
growth Of grass. There is an abundance
of water in numerous creeks and occa-
s~ionally there are small lakes or ponds,
the result OF the bountiful rains of the
last four months. The same can be said
of all the country passed through, water,
water everywhere and plenty to drink.
too. We have the advantage of the
ancient mariner in that particular.
Water can be found this year in cou-
lees and buffalo "wallows' that for years
have beer dry. Before arriving at Belt
we crossed Box Elder creek. which runs
through some fine farming land that has
been settled on for the last dozen years.
Crossing another ridge the trail descends
into the Belt valley, and a charming val
ley 1T Is. With high bluffs on either side
and about a half-mile in width it would
be hard to improve this valley from a
scenic point OF view. In the line of ag,
rlcultural products and general fertility
OF soil 1t has few equals in Montana.
The stage stops at Belt long enough for
all on board to eat dinner at John Cast,
ner's n for the driver to change horses
Anyone who has ever stopped there
knows there is no place like Johns for
a square
1t can't be beat. A meal eaten there
reminds n OF the good old-fashioned
days at home where we always said nc
one could cook like mother. There are
some fine gardens in Belt fairly .glisten,
ing with all kinds of vegetables and
beautitied with sweet smelling flowers
too numerous to mention. In Mr.. Mil
lard's garden we saw corn standing seven
feet, well tasselled and nearly every
stalk bearing a well developed ear OF
corn. Wheat and oats in adjoining
fields gave promise of a large yield pei
acre. The proyerbial oldest ~inhabitan'
could remember nothing like it..
There are some well defined leads OF
bitumincus coal around Belt. 1t makes
a first class fuel, every one in that vicin
ity uses it.
Arlington, two miles above Belt, has
had IA remarkable growth and bids fail
to become a commercial center. tol
a young town Arlington has made
rapid strides. 1t already controls con.
siderable OF the trade OF this section OF
the country. Over a million pounds OF
wool were shipped from there this veal
and with ampler storage facilities that
amount will be increased next year.
From Arlington to Stanford the roac
leads most of the way through valleys
that are comparatively thickly settled
Big and Little Otter creeks contain
some fine farming lands, which at this
season of the year are covered with hay
and grain.
Arrow creek. which heads in the Little
Belt mountains and flows into the Mis-
souri,, is also well settled and has a fine
mon ara located IN this stream and al
have well-equipped ranches. Crossing
the TiuOe from ArTOW creek the ROAD tie