The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-10-31
THE HOLLYWOOD REGION.
A Tribune Representative Visits This
Prosperous Section and Tells of
Prolific Crops and Big
Stock Ranges,
HIGHwooD, Mont, Oct. Is. 1891.

Stock Ranges.
HIGHwooD, Mont, Oct. IS. 1891.
The Highwood mountains are cast of
Great Falls and form a gradual rise from
Belt river, which is ten miles east. to al
most the mountain tops. This incline is
traversed by numerous small streams
which are fed by the melting SHOWS and
mountain. rains of summer and furnish
a constant supply of water. This region
is not far from Benton and the natural
quality of soil and moisture led settlers
here in an early day who have now fine
ranches well improved. The region
south and last of the mountains is de-
voted to stock raising and further east
toward the Judith to stock raising en-
tirely.
There are some of the largest farming
ranches here found in Cascade county.
Quite a number of them this year have
crops yielding from three to six thousand
bushels each. One noticeable in particu-
lar is that of Jas. Gillett. perhaps the
largest grain grower in Montana east of
the mountains. His ranch is on Willow
creek, between the Belt and the noun
tains. and contains an immense tract
suitable for agricultural purposes. 1t is
estimated that his yield would have been
10000 bushels of grain but for some
slight damage done by the hail early in
the seas n.
The vegetable productions along the
Belt and other streams can hardly be
estimated. No larger yields or finer
quality of potatoes. turnips, carrots,
beets. onions or cabbage can be found in
any market garden in any part of the
world.
On the east of the mountains, as has
been said, stock raising, principally
sheep, is the main industry. This being
an old stock country there are many
herds quite large and all are well bred.
The accommodations for the stock in
winter can not be excelled. Some of the
largest sheep owners in this region are
Currier, Hay Bros, Poole. Libbey IL
Merrell, Thornton and Bower Bros. the
latter owning $4,000 head. Curripr. who
lives just south Of the mountains. has Il
very fine ranch and is increasing his
herds by several thousands which he has
purchased in Colorado.
The Highwood mountains are not par
ticularly noted for nice scenery. The
range is not so lofty as the Belt and the
elevation is so gradual to them that
when reached they appear hardly more
than ordinary hill. They are not much
broken and are covered with grass or an
inferior quality of pine. The forest fires
in this range of mountains have done I'M
told damages to the better quality OF
timber that once covered the mountain
sides.
Perhaps the most beautiful scenery in
the whole range and undoubtedly the
most pleasant, is that III the canyon that
partly divides the range. The form OF
the range is in the shape of two hearts
with their lower portions pointing TOWARD
each other and overlapping and the
longest extension from north to south,
This pass across the range is from north
/, to south over the longest way of the
range and a road leads across. Entering
: the pass at the south by a gradual rise o.
/, some eight miles one reaches the divide
which is almost as high as the highest
, peak in the range. 1t is a very beauti
!, full sight on this mountain top and thu
rarity of the air is perceptiby felt. \
|, feeling exists like a desire to fly and ;
smile will inevitably take possession o
the features. The descent toward thu
. the north is longer and the scenery more
beautiful as the fire has done less dam
age. There are two or three places be
> low the divide for beautiful and wiert
scenes | have never seen equalled. Th'
t broad pass makes an attempt to clos'
: and forms a very narrow canyon witt
. high over -hanging lodges as if reaching
T to overlap. Between these are the mos
3 beautiful pines and spruces with small
err ones growing beneath. a stream o
water washes in a narrow chasm he
tween those that echoes on all sides. 4
\ person is enraptured and charmed by th'
4 the spectacle and can not help but stoI
and admire it. TRAVELLER.