The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-09-04
USEFUL OBJECT LESSON.
Seen at the First Annual Display Of
the Yellowstone Fair As
sociation.
Evidence of What Has Been Done.
s9 Substance of Things to
Be Done.
Crops in the Yellowstone yalIey-Extont
2 ""S
Profits of Farmers.

RrLIINGs, Sept. 3.-[Special. The first
exhibit OF the Yellowstone Fair association
will be held in this city Sept. 28, 20, and 30,
and will be the most extensive display Of
tins agricultural resources of Montana ever
hold, and Mt the same time will serve as an
Invaluable object lesson. teaching the value
OF irrigation as the prime factor in the
development of the arid region. Tho dis
play will consist Of farm and garden
products and fruits. grown entirely on irri-
gated lands in profusion and luxuriance
scarcely equelsd in the world.
The fair grounds are conveniently located
at the foot of the hills just north of town,
probably mile distant from the business
center of Billings They comprise about
thirty acres, and before the date set for the
opening extensive and modern buildings
and stands will be completed. Ths pre-
miums will approximate $4,000, of which
sum ono half will be hung up in
race purses. ]. d. O'Donnell,
the president, IL q leading citizen farmer
OF the county. and is proving capable
and energetic executive. Under his direc-
ton. and with the hearty cooperation of
the people OF Billings and the farmers Of
Yellowstone county. the frat fair OF the as
sociation cannot be otherwise than graft
flying success. X. J. Martin is vice-presi-
dent, Geo. M. Hays secretary, and A. L.
Babcock treasurer. Enough exhibits are
alrsady assured to make certain fine dis
play, one we'll worth going a long distance
to see, and it ls confidently expected that
the attendance from other sections of the
state will be large. Beside the attractions
of the agricultural exhibit there will be
racing each day, including cow-horse con-
tests, running by Indian ponies. and by In
dians on foot, bicycle races, and also regu-
lar running and trottine races.
The fair of the Yellowstone association
becomes matter of state importance when
it ls considered rs an actual demonstration
Of the fertility Of Montana soil and prophet
OF the llmltless latent resources of the state.
Clark's Fork bottom of the Yellowsto ne
valley to-day supports an agrarian popul a.
tion of several thousand persons who buy
and sell and pay taxes and support county
and state and national Institutions, and in
tact are an important factor in the great
ls..ohlem OF human life. 10 the art of irri-
cation alone must be given the credit for
their presence in the county and the fer
| tility of the soil, for men may SOW and men
may plow, but without water there is no in
crease.
In Yellowstone county there are some
thing over 200 miles Of main ditohes and
not less than that number of laterals, irri-
eating and making productive 200, GOO acres
of Other wise vase land. The largest of
these bitches is the one owned by the Min
nesota and Montana Improvement COM
rany, forty-one miles in length. For the
sum of $4,000 this company secured from
the Northern Pacific Railroad company
20. 900 acres of valley land, including the
townsite of Billings, the condition being
the building of the aforementioned ditch.
The ditch was put in for S65.O00, and the
company sold $250,Oo0 worth OF town lots
in Billings, leaving a cash profit OF $85, 900.
and the land besides. About 5000 acres Of
land have been sold by the company, from
which they realized ct least 100000.
leaving them to-day the owners OF
a5G acre; s;+on of .hie rich farm lands
yearly in earning capacity. Can capitalists
expect to do any better in safe, legitimate
enterprises? I here ars $4,000 acres of til
liable land under this ditch, representing
10000 small holdings. Other main bitches
in Yellowstone county, in the Clark's Fork
miles long; Clark's Fork. ten; the Italian
Ditch oompany's ditch, fifteen; Mill Ditch
company, fifteen; Yellowstone Ditch COM
pany. eleven; the saltwater ditch, ten; the
Keyser Creek ditch, five; MoAdow's ditch,
five; the Newman, Miller and McGirl
ultCueS, tHIeo, SIX Auu tnree Mlles III lenQCn
respectively. In the Musselshell country
there are also several main lines of canals.
of which the Jacobs and the Ryan Bros
bitches are the most extensive, being If
teen and eleven miles long. Smaller bitches
radiate from FattiR and Hawk creeks, five
miles each. while the several Half Breed
ditches aggregate fifteen miles. In the
Painted Robe section there are five miles
of canals and ~ much more mako up the
Parrott system.
Lake Basin s a section of country COM
prising 576, 600 acres. almost all of which
could be made to groan under the burden
of annual harvests BY the construction of q
big ditch that would carry water forty
miles Thirty five hundred farmers could
be given = quarter of Il section each in this
great basin. They would embrace q total
rural population OF $1,000 people, and
would support several hourishinR towns.
At present 15, 600 &C es Of Lake Basin land
are watersd by nearly forty miles of small
ditches. About as many acres are watered
by the Saltwater ditch, lying west of
YounR's Point. and the same extent of land
is reclaimed BY the Musselshell canals.
The staple crops grown ON these irrigated
lands of Yellowstone county are hay and
oats. Other crops are being introduced,
however. as it 10 demonstrated from year to
year that the soil will bear almost anything
that springs from the earth. Vegetables Of
all sorts are cultivated and the extent of
their production will keep pnos with the
demand. Markets are near at hand for hay
and oats. Last year $4O.0 900 worth Of hay
WIS shipped from Billings to Butte, Helena
and othsr state points. Ths year previous
the shipments were larger. Most OF the
land held by small farmers in this county
was bought for $l0 per acre. II per cent in
tereAt ON deferred PAYMENTS. One year Of
good Crops and under a ditch no crop
should fail, the purchase price can be real
ized, with money to spare for improve
ments. stock and farm machinery. Many
Of them are buying small tlocks OF sheep
and feeding them alfalfa, Al 1t 10 found that
sheep increase in weight and wool 70 per
cent over tho range animals when fed on
this grass. Improved ranch land around
Billings 10 held ut $40 per Rers, unimproved
at half that figure. Water privileges cost
- per aors per annum.
Farming in isllowAtons county il we'll
advanced. but what 10 true of tho posi-
hilitiss Of the industry III this county 10
approximately trus of almost every county
Of thu state, and the aggregate 10 astound-
ing. Mining Is AL important industry and
always will be; open range stock growing Ii
NJ yet the chief business of the eastern por-
tion Of the state, but added together and
multiplied several times they do not reach
tho possibilities Of the Treasure state whom
her tens OF millions Of tillable nores shall
hs made productive by the fruetifyinC in
tusnoa OF the iivsra OF water that annually
How through them and are wasted IN the
ossAa.
81 l "