Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1895-12-13
MODEL AGRICULTURAL COLONY
The New Colony Of Burton is Growing
Fast-HOw They solve Gov
eminent Problems.
New Creamery to BE Erected-lt
Will Supply Great Falls With
Pork and Dairy Products.

growth and development when it can be
confidently pronounced a success. Il. Il.
Burton, who came in from the colony
the other day on his way to Helena,
gave a very interesting account of the
colony, it's accomplished successes and
its aims for the future. AS this colony
looks almost altogether for it's market
in this city, and as it is the first system
attic attempt to develop the vast a%gricul.
tural wealth Of this section, which has
been dormant for centuries, Great Falls
peoplu have always taken a lively inter-
est in its progress.
The colony owes its inception and its
present condition largely to the enter
prise and brains Of one man and that is
it's founder, Il. I. Burton. Recognizing,
as many men have done before
him, the great fertility of the
prairie lands in this section
of Montana when brought under the
bcneiiccnt influence of sufficient sup
ply Of water, MIR. Burton did not stop
at expressing the opinion that some day
a vast area OF this country would be re-
claimed from it's wild state and trans.
formed from mere p~asturage into q rich
agricultural country filled with gardens
and waving with crops of grain. He
proceeded at once to demonstrate the
practicability of his opinions by action.
To commence, be secured a large tract
of land and begun the building of
d ditch which should bring it under an
abundant supply of water. Many ob
~stacles were encountered, which it re-
CURED faith, ability and perseverance Of
no ordinary kind to overcome before the
land WAS ready for the settlers. When
this was accomplished, the hard times
commenced, and 4 man Of less energy
thar Mr.. Burton would have post
poned the attempt to settle the
land till some moro suspicious season
Mr.. Burton, however, started in bravery
two years ago to induce settlers to come
TO the new colony and purchase irrigated
farms. Here, again, great wisdom was
displayed in securing the right class CT
colonists. No one was permitted 10 set.
on the lands except practical farmers,
and men with sufficient money to build
themselves a home and STOCK their
farms. During the short space Of two
wears about 100 families have Colue from
Minnesota, Dakota and other agricultural
srates and taken I'D lauds on tine Burton
tract. A recent census shows 70 chilire Il
in the colony Of school age. There is a
population of about 300 people living Oh
the track whero d few years ego it was
mostly wild prairie land The character
of the population is shown py the fact
that among the settlers are three eX-
sherilIs, four eX- memDere VI the itgleIa-
ture and one ex-senator, all from east-
ern syatee. The school house recently
erected, il presided over by d lady who
was formerly principal of g high school
in 40 eautGln city. Ihc Ouiidlng is d
commoulOus and handsome One and is
built OF logs, c!apboarded On the outside,
and piasterod and celled on the inside.
Burton has recently been SGT oil as d
school district, but as they had no funds
available for building at the time the
people did not wait for the slow process
OF raising Z tax. A dozen men and tname
volunteered to 20 to the mountains and
get logo, while another force gave their
services 10 putting up tho ernoolnouse,
rII III IL NEIS EEDtL tIJ!E Lilc tibL punt
building ir the new community was
erected, and it is a good Indication of
the Americaui5m of the colony th.t that
first puildiug was & ach~Oo!huO-e.
The colony consists Of all kinds of PEG
pie, as far At race origin goes. TheScaL-
dinavian element, perhaps, predomlnates
but there are a good many Germans,
Americans and others comprising the
whole. OF course a few undesirable citi-
zens were bound to get in among 20
many newcomer, but the colony has al
effective way Of purging The mselves of
these kinds OF people. A short time ago
it was found that one of the settlers had
a nasty nabit of stealing his neigh
bors' goods. A meeting was held al
Mr.. Buttons house and the culprit
summoned to attend. He was rendered
back the money, notea, and contract for
the land he had purchased and told to
leave, a gentle intimation being thrown
out that the climate would not agree
with his health il he tarried many days
after the warning. Another mar who
filled to perfection the role OF kicker and
general mischief maker-a parsonage
found in nearly every commupity-was
told that he could have a ticket to any
point within reason to which be
wished to go, but he WAS no longer
wanted in the colony, and he, too, van
ished, much to the good of the commu
nifty. The colony has not had occasion
so far for policeman, constable, justice OF
the peace or lawyer. Such disputes az
occur are left to arbitration, Mr.. Burton
I generally acting as arbitrator and his de
. cisions are takon az binding and are gen
I orally aa satisfactory as though resort
4 was had to the courts, and far less ex
u penaiye. Altogether the new commu
nifty 10 run somewhat on the ".patriarcha
4 theory of government, aud 1T is fount
10 be not without some great advantages
1t is the intention of the colonists mex
season to build a creamery. The plans
j are already prepared for a building 30,
10, and most Of the material is now or
the ground. When the creamery ie bull
the colony expects to be able to furnish
Great Falle with a good deal of the but
ter that o comes from the east. The.
N oIcp ov,a,fp o., mr. ip+r +bo b,ciroc, ,