The Irish standard., 1897-07-03
MINES OF THE MOUNTAIN STATE.
IRRIG. ALTON AND PROSPECTS lrON
THE RANCHMAN IN FUTURE.
SOME PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS
UPON VARIOUS CITIZENS WHO RAVE
CROSSED Our PATH.
Especial CorrcSpondcnce.)

| '-' :! g.
Special CorrcSpondcncc.)
Montana looks beautiful to the eye at
the present time. 1t has rained and
rained again during the past ten weeks
and washouts and landslides have been
quite numerous, causing much damage
to property in some sections This is
certainly not a common occurrence in
this state. in fact ii is something quite
contrary. particularly at this season OF
the year. The oft quoted remark that it
never rains but pours has we'll applied
to the noted precious metal state recent
! ly, though as we write GLORIOUS
Montana sunshine" is out i'll all its
spendor and a long period may elapse
again before its soil will be moistened
by rainfall. There is much more sun
shine here throughout the year than in
states farther east. but in that respect it
is largely to the advantage of the latter,
!! for rains in the east come more often,
more even, thus avoiding the necessity
of irrigation which the farmer of the far
west must put into practice or his crop
becomes an utter failure. There are
splendid possibilities for the farmer or
ranchman in various parts Of Montana,
! possibilities which will be more fully
realized at no distant day. as the work
of irrigation is becoming better under
stood and more easily and successfully
handled from year to year. With her
gold, silver. copper, lead, coal and other
mines, with ranchmen meeting with
| good returns for their labor as they arc
| destined, Montana will be able to keep
up her record in the future as In the past
of being one of the richest and best COM
monwealths in the Union For hours to-
day we passed through grazing coun-
try. essentially SO at least. Cattle
horses. sheep on all sides. so vast in
numbers as to be beyond all calculation
| The noted bunch-grass is the grass OF
this section, the most nutritious known
in any part of the United States All
kinds Of stock fatten on 1t both in winter
and in summer and sheep as we'll as
cattle are left to roam in the open ranges
during the four seasons of the year with
out any great losses. However many Of
those engaged in this industry lost quite
heavily last winter, which was a very
severe one in Montana. Severe as it
was if even slight attention had been
| paid to stock in many cases reports Of
losses would have been meagre. While
the winters of Montana are not of great
length they are nevertheless uncertain
and the stockraisers makes mistake
who does not provide some perfection
for his stock.
| Bituminous coal is an important in
dustry in Montana. There is Red
Lodge, busy little village on the Rocky
Forks, some sixty miles south Of Bill
ings. which produces this coal from It's
mines in large quantities the year
around. This is the home of James
Coleman, who was intimately acquainted
with Gen. Custer and who traverscd the
Big Horn country during the memoir
able Indian campaign in the '7Os. lead
ing up to June '76. when Custer was
killed, and after. Then there is Belt,
about thirty miles from Great Falls,
with it's magnificent coal mines The
population of the village is in the neigh
borhood af $500, 900 of whom work in
| and around the mines. The payroll at
| Belt, amounts to about 100000 a month
and steady employment has been given
to the miners there. during the past two
years at least, nearly every day In the
year, Sundays included. Recently this
has been somewhat changed. Sunday
work having been largely discontinued.
There are four attorneys and two just
ices of the peace in Belt who assist in
preserving the peace and dignity of tho
village. One of the attorneys is A. p.
McAnelly. who has built up a good prac-
tice since he came from Big Timber, this
state, few years ago Referrin to the
justices J.P. Fitzgerald. an cx Minncapo-
Titan. has the cream of the business
Fair and impartial, he is giving splendid
satisfaction. Henry ,Tecombs Is the
other justice. new school building is
soon to be erected al this point at cost
of $4,000. 1t is proposed to have the
same finished and ready for occupancy
before the 1st of January. The Miners
Union, a strong and influential orga-
nization has in contemplation building
| for the use of members. 1t will contain
an excellent hall and work on the bull
ding will commence at an early date.
There are five church edifces. The pas
| tor of the Catholic church Is Father Dc
manez and services are held the third
| Sunday Of each month. division of
the A. 0. H.. comprising about fifty
members, exists In Belt and in every
way is quite prosperous. Good lands
can be found in the vicinity OF Belt
along the creek Of that name. ONeil