The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-19
FROM STEVENSVILLE.
The Old Town Is Pulling Along With
a Steady Pull.
1T IS GROWING STEADILY
A Water Supply 10 Needed-This 10
a Supply Point for Hay and
Crain-Mlnes OF Victor .
VIII Plant Trees. 81

town has undergone more radical
change during the past year than any
other In Western Montana 1t has made
some very decided Improvements In its
appearance and In the facilities for
handling the strangers that wander
within its gates and II some of the old
timers. who knew the town when 1t
was in Its youth could see IL now they
would be proud of the old town that
has grown up so quietly under st.
Marys peak. or course there Is In
Stevensville none of the hustle and stir
that characterzes a mining town or
manufacturing town, but IL is busy
place for an agricultural village ana
has more conveniences and better ac-
commodations than many a more pre-
tentious place can boast. This year
has witnessed the erection In Stevens
Vile of the large exposition hall of the
horticultural socitey, a new business
block and several handsome residences.
To the visitor who has not seen Ste
vensville for year or more the change
for the better is very apparent. $50"
One thing Stevensville lacks-a pub
lie water supply. Good water is here
in any quantity and on all sides and
there are numerous excellent wells In
the town, but even these sometimes
fail and cause immense discomfort ana
serious annoyance to the pubic. An IN
stance of this Is a notice that has been
posted for several days in the hotel.
which reads:
BATHS will be 80 cents Until / get
Well fixed. Then they will Drop back
to 25 cents again. PERRY. o..
OF course nobody blames Perry for
charging four bits for two-bit bath
when he has to pack the water from
his neighbors in buckets. 1t is cheap
at that. Anybody would do 1t. Perry
isn't to blame in any way. the mol
dent is simply cited to thow the incon.
venience that may arise under the well
system of water supply. or course
Perry isn't to blame for the fact that
his well needs fixing. He couldn't help
that 1t is simply the fault of the we'll
There are two periods of intense ex-
citement in Stevensville every day.
Sundays excepted,as the railroad time
cards say. These are the hours when
the bus arrives and departs for the
railroad station. 1t Is evening when
the south-bound train comes in ana
the bus brings to Stevensville the mai
and passengers from the main line. AS
Cad, the driver. swings around the
turn in the road by old Fort owen ne
excites his bay mules to increased ac-
ltivity and the bus, which In winter
garb resembles a Black Maria, rattles
along the road, jumping chuck holes
| span the numerous irrigating dltches.
Merrily the team comes into the VIII
| lage street and pulls up at the hotel 70
discharge its load of passengers. inns
done. the mules amble along to the
postoffice and the excitement Is over
for the evening. 1t is early in the
morning when Cal and his Black Maria
are astir and begin to rattle around
the village streets to collect the pas
sengers and baggage for the outgoing
train This preliminary work also
seems to timber up the mules and TO
get them into condition for the run to
the depot. They need to be in condi-
tion, for there is always some tardy
guest at the hotel to keep the 'pus
waiting and when the mules square
away for the trip to the train there Is
never any time to spare. When al last
everything is ready Cal draws up the
lines, unwinds his blacksnake and the
mules lump into the collar like artil-
lery horses. The ride across the fiat on
a frosty morning is an event pever 10
be forgotten. The Black Maria nits
only the high places, but II hits some
of them too soon and too hard ana
there is a general mixing up OF passen-
gers and baggage, but the mules don't
mind that and they keep right on:
When the depot is finally reached and
the passengers have been sorted GUY
from the grips and sample cases. IL Is
usually discovered that the train Is
half an hour late. Then there are some
very delicate compliments paid to the
mules and the second period OF excite
ment Is ended. s 81
Stevensville is becoming an import
ant supply point of hay, grain and
pork for the state markets and all the
fall there have been heavy shipments
OF these products. The old Fort Owen
ranch, which played such an important
,~lx tCtA nf
Montana, is now devoted almost en-
tirely TO the more pacific occupation OF
hog-raising and May Brothers have
hundreds of fat porkers in the fields
and corrals of their extensive farm.
The raising of pork In the Bitter Root
valley was long regarded as a ven
turesome experiment, but these men
have demonstrated that II can be made
q profitable industry. Peas. wheat and
alfalfa prove excellent substitutes for
corn in the fattening of hogs and near
~ every farmer in this part of the VAL
ley is doing something In this line.
II promises to rival the fruit growing
industry as a source OF revenue for the
valley. May Brothers have recently
opened a handsome wholesale and re-
tail market in connection with their
ranch.
There are at present strong indica-
tions that the group of mines about
Victor will soon furnish a good local
market for the Bitter Root produce.
The concentration of the Curlew is now
running with a big supply of ore In
sight. The new shaft is down 100 feet
and there Is a fine body of ore at the
SO foot and another at the 100 foot
level. On the Whip oor-Win a new
shaft is being sunk as rapidly as pos
sible. and IL is stated here that there
will be 200 men at work in this dis
trict next spring. Under Eph Hack
etts management the old Curlew Is
coming 10 the front again and II looks
now as II the stockholders who have
held on so patiently during the discour-
agements of the past few years would
make a strike, after all.
Ravaali county's finances are a source
Of much satisfaction TO the residents
OF this valley. The young county is