The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-25
MINING AND AGRICULTURE
Madison County Is Rich in Great Natu-
raj Resources Evidences OF Thrift
and Prospcrity-Many Beau
tiful Valleys.

and not only Madison county but TO
the whole of the state Indirectly. for IL
will be the Means of opening up and
developing one of the richest mining
and agricultural sections in the state.
The area of Madison county Is ALSO
square miles and contains some OF the
best farming and agricultural lands in
the state. But the principal industry,
for the present at least. is mining. espe-
cially gold mining. for no other county
in Montana has produced as much gold
look one is safe 10 assert that history
will repeat itself.
To the owners OF mining propositions
the railroad will bring untold benefits.
Ii VIII be the means of Introducing cap
ital and more modern and cheaper
methods of mining and will be a boon
To countless mine owners who have
hundreds of tons of low grade ore that
could not be handled heretofore, owing
To the extra expense of hauling by
wagon TO the railroad. The Northern
Pacific people have an unlimited
amount of confidence in future great
ness OF the town and tributary coun-
try, as they are erecting a large two
story depot building said to be the
third finest one on the line i'm the West.
The stock yards are large. and. in fact.
all improvements are strictly up-to-
date. A description of the terminal
point the view obtainable by the
passenger as he enters Madison coun-
ty viii not be amiss. The first scene
that attracts the eye Is equally as i'm
posing as the one Moses beheld when
permitted to view the valley Of Jordan
and the promised land from Mount
Nebo.
Like the great amphitheater OF Rome.
with its wallis to guard and protect,
and all points theTefrom meeting in
one common center of life, ambition
and contest SO do the natural noun
tains hat skirt the broad jefferson
valley. where the confluence OF the
Ruby, the Big Hole and Beaverhead IA
at this one natural point at Twln
Bridges. Go where the traveller will,
east to west north to outh. he must
pass this beautiful spot. Fol 80 miles
the view Is open, n all along the gen
tie slope OF this valley are to be found
evidences of thrift and prosperity. To
the north lies the fertile Jefferson val
ley, ever green and inspiring. To the
right your eyes behold cattle and horses
on a thousand hills, and beyond them
the hustle and activity of mining life
In Coal. Bear, Goodrich and Georgia
gulches. In the south the valley re-
ferred to above can be seen. not So
broad and fiat as that of the others,
but with a followed center. Two end
one-half miles from Twin Bridges lies
the almost forgotten town of Salisbury,
a place which occupies a prominent
place In the early history of vigilante
| days in Montana.
Ten miles away lies Sheridan, a pref
ty little town among the farmers. At
Is miles IL Laurin. Thirty miles, and
to the left, is to be found the old capt.
tai, Virginia City. while bearing to the
| right one comes to Yorke Rancho, the
home of lena Metzel. Fuller Springs
and Home Park. Between this valley
of the Ruby and the Beaverhead. which
lies south, are the Ruby mountains,
upon which is found enough timber TO
supply a big demand. The natural
gateway between Beaverhead and Mad
isop counties is at the Point Of
Rocks" where the stages have passed
to and fro since the early COS up to the
present time.
The Beaverhead valley In Madison
county Is about Is miles in length. av-
erages 10 miles in width. fiat and -
thy sloping toward the north. The
Beaverhead and the Ruby unite one
mile above Twin Bridges. the former
keeping the name. Throughout this
valley there are to be found as fine
homes as exist in any rural portion of
the state. h prospective towns of
Pageville and Centerville lie between
the Bridges and the Point.
This valley widens on the west whera
it receives the waters of the Big Hole
river. This river winds around Nc
Carly mountains from Melrose. whicn
is due west. and enters this valley
somewhat south OF west.
The Big Hole canyon is not wide nor
adapted to farming. but as soon as the
valley opens into the Beaverhesd the
surface is level n fertile. Here ard
the famous Zeigler springs. which are
a great resort for people from this val
ley, Dillon, Rochester and Metros
About southwest from this common
center is the Pennington mine. which
was recently bought by an English
syndicate, but they only worked the
property a short time. McCarty lies n
little further to the west. Several
good mining propositions are located in
this district. some OF them being
opened this season. Rochester il dut
west 10 miles. This town is we'll known
by mining men. as 1t has nearby SOM
excellent properties, including th1
Company mine. Cooper. Bartinia, Buf.
falo, Elgin and watseka. The Big Hol'
river skirts the western DUN OF lns
valley and runs about two miles ives
OF town. Here Is the twin bridg,
that. with the one across the Beaver
head at town. gives rise to the name o
Twin Bridges. The Lott Bros. place.
bridges across these rivers in the early
DAYS for the ~nvenienc of travellers
The old bridges have outlived their use
fulness and have been replaced by sus
pension ones. Between Rochester OF
the west and the place of beginning ar
the mining properties of James NJ
Page. Silver star and Iron Rod. 4
circle having its center at the r~ailros,
terminus and a radius of II or Is mile
will embrace all points In this descrio
ton except the upper Ruby country
The valleys all slope this way excep
the jefferson, and all shipping from thi
place can be hauled here on down grad
roads. The Big Hole has most excellen
natural water power: The Parra
company, now at Parrot. had stroni