The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-07

gross, ms a delegate from Bohemian, aud is
largely interested in the West GallAtin
Canal company. He hs.ieves the prickly
Pear offers a fine field for u biz irrigation
enterps Use, and speakipg of it. said: II
believe there is q chance for your local
capitalists to do a great thing for Helena
by retaining that portion OF the
Prickley Pear valley o without water.
Judge there arc at lcast 1900 0 acres of land
in the valley that can be reclaimed. 1t
would mean IN addition OF 1000 people at
least to the population of the valley. di-
rectly tributary to Helena, and the valley
can he reclaimed. 1t is posaible to bring in
q big canal from tho Jefferson river, SUI
t~iciently high no on the table lands ocross
the valley. to irrigats every foot of it. I
do not think il would cost near so much as
people estimate, and even If 1t should. it
would repay every cent it would cost many
times over, i'll the increased value of the
land. I nave no doubt but the railroad
land could be bought very cheaply, and the
increase in the value Of 1t. did the pro-
motors secure it before beginning opera
tions, would make them whole. Such an
enterprise would be- worth more to Helena.
than half u dozen branch railroads, though
the latter are good things to have"
Few people have any idea of the amount
of lumber consumed every year in Mon
tana. Special Agent Haley, Of the general
and Office, whose duty it is to look after
depredations, and who is rs oompe-
tent to judge as any one in the state, says
that during 1891 2OO,0 900, 600 feet of lumber
was turned out in Montana. OF this
amount the Anaconda consumed 40.O 600, 900
feet. This does not include cord wood, but
is manufactured lumber used in the mines.
Referring to the question of granting per-
mits for cutting timber, Mr.. Haley says
cut down 50 per sent. Where a man asks
for a permit not to exceed five sections. as
a rule it is favorRbly recommended. But
some Of the applications are out of all rea-
son. Quo instance was cited where a party
wanted to out off six townships. TIL most
modest request is from a man who desires
to cut from half a section.
A. B. Hamilton, assessor OF Choteau
county and one Of the big stoekmen Of thar
region, is III Helena on a visit. Mr.. Ham
ilton thinks that z railroad scheme that
would reach that region just east of tho
range and extending from Helena to be-
yond Choteau City, would prove q benefit
TO the s~ountry it passed through and a
profitable investment for those who owned
it. Starting from the end Of the Marys-
vile line of the Northern Pacific, it would
Choteau City and all the region up to the
Marias pass. This country is filled with
ranchers, most of whom are quite prosper
Gus, while the stock interests are immense.
At present the wool growers along this line
have to ship their product fifty miles by
wagon to Great Falls before it strikes a
railroad. A road such as is suggested
would tap the country now reached only
by the Great Northern's western extension.
The people of the upper part of Lewis and
Clarke and the western part of Choteau
county are very anxious to haze the
Northern Pacific extend its present line
from Marysville up, and would see that
suoh a road did not suffer from lack of
patronage. @
At Butte the other day when the Min ers'
union, 1000 strong, swooped down on the
graders working on the Mountain View
spur and made them all Join tho union
there was an amusing occurrence. One Of
the railroad men demurred when urged to
take the oath of the union. He was pressed
for his reasons. The reply rather startled
the miners. He said he had no kick COM
ing on wages. "I'm a foreman and getting
SO per day." He was sent up to the plat !
form and attended to Later after the others
had all become members Of the powerful
organization. * ," u.s.