The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-02
TIDE REACHES MONTANA
A Flood of Emigration Expected
in the Spring.
AFTER DESIRABLE LAND
This Milk River Valley Country Will Be
Exploited by tine Great Northern.
Marks an Epoch in the
Growth OF the West.

oleal + dllS, Dec. LIT is al uliSiSpu-
table fact that the immigration tide has
reached the Montana border. For years
the two great transcontinental lines,
spanning the country from the great
lakes to the Pacific, have spent thou
sands Of dollars In interesting the push
Ing and progressive class Of Eastern
farmers and stockman in the fertile
lands Of Minnesota and North Dakota.
The report of the land department of
the Northern Pacific for the year 1898
showed sales in Minnesota and North
Dakota to actual settlers of over a mil
lion and quarter acres. The report
Of the Great Northern Railway coia-
pany showed similarly large sales,
while those Of private companies ag-
gregated over two millions of acres,
says the Glasgow Review.
The meaning Of this is obvious. The
day is near at hand when the supply
OF desirable land will be exhausted. AL
ready 1t Is impossible for private agen-
cies to secure large tracts of lands for
sale and many Of the professional I'M
migration agents are being forced to
seek new fields to supply their Gus
toners. It has been stated by the i'm
migration agent of the Great Northern,
C. w Mott that their company has not
sufficient land in sight in North Dakota
to locate those who have indicated their
desire to purchase. Mr.. Hill, IN a re-
cent interview, said that they mad no
large blocks of land for sale in Mime
sofa or Dakota and that their !mni-
grafton department was preparing to
push the country along the central and
western portion of the road. He caller
particular attention to the MILK River
country in Eastern Montana. This
country" said he. has already 1een
carefully Investigated. 1t has proven
41.o 10 stock
ton OF the West, but It is capable OF
raising fi,1e crops of small grains and
vegetables in abundance, with very lit
tie irr.gating.
such land is in demand now as it
never was while the price Of land fur
| Their east was low. But, with the RAPID
| increase in value of arabic land, the
! attention of land seekers must turn to
| those cheaply irrigated.
This valley, covering over 10000
| acres can be watered at nominal ex-
| pense and changed from an unproduc-
| tive desert into rich farming country.
| While the company has no land for
| sale. the recent act passed by the NJ on
| tana legislature, known as the arid
land act, offers great inducements 10
companies reclaiEing desert land.
There Is an abundance of land and all
that remains is to put the valley be-
fore the overcrowded East and this our
immigration department is preparing 20
do. The rapid settlement of this val
ley in the near future is inevitable. be-
ing an especially favored tract. West
ern Dakota is hampered by the severity
Of its winters and lack of water. 1t has
no wide valleys as Eastern Montana
can boast To the company which
makes the first move a fortune is as
sured.''
The settlers already here are in posi-
- rp hfo tTte
tide of immigration. Now. while the
country is comparatively unsettled,
too many of an easy going disposition
have squatted upon desirable port,
built home and left their future rights
to chance. At present, POSSIBLY, they
are secure, but the history Of every new
county has been that where there IL
a valuable location and a chance for a
contest, a contest has resulted. Were
we to offer advice to those settlers Tho
have nothing more than Il squs tiers
right to their home, it would lie to
make 1t good, for you know not the day
nor the hour when you have a rival
fer the fruits of your labors. Our gov
eminent is exceedingly liberal in its CT
fers to actual settlers. Its land Law 8
are nowhere equaled in the simplicity
and eheapness of securing perfect title
to all the ground one can justly claim.
1t is worse than foolish--alTlost imhe-
cility--for one who has established his
ranch to pass by the opportunity he
now has of making it his home forever.
The trouble and expense of perfecting
title is nothing compared to the contin-
gency of being deprived Of the home so
| dearly wrested from the wilderness.
| The day OF large cattle outfits is now
| a-drifting with the things that were,
| and here and there the country is dot
| ted with the log huts OF individual
stockn,en. 1t marks an epoch in the
growth of the West. Already hay rights
| are questioned, ranges are more re-
| stricted: another step, the next, will
soon be upon us. Are your rights so
esta biished as to be beyond question or
| need of defense?
| To-day we are commencing to fesl the
pressure OF competition, but it 9 moth
! ing to that which will be IN us. Land
that is most easily watered. most Pro-
lnctive. will rapidly enhance il veiue
| and. with real value. it IS worthy " III
utmost efforts to make 1t your own. In
the new era coming with the commance:
ant~Sp rEus a