Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-04-10
Thousands of Cattle Are Now
Raised There.
WAS AN UNKNOWN COUNTRY
Urtil the Battle Between the Ameri-
lean Forces and Indians Was
Fought in 1877.

Twenty-Five years ago next August .
occurred the battle of the Big Hole, one
Of the bloodiest and most desperate
known in the annal of indian warfare IN
Montana. The fight was the Nez Perces,
under Chief Joseph, and General JOIN
Gibbons forces, consisting of LAG regular
troops and "a civilians. against twice that
number of savages. About one-half of
each band was wiped out in a country
south of Anaconda, which was then a
barren wilderness, but is now one of the
most extensive cattle and stock growing
countries in Montana. AT al earlier date
French gulch, which is on the road from
Anaconda to the Big Hole country, was
a prosperous placer mining camp, but the
country beyond was unknown to the out
side world until the battle of the Big
Hole was fought and the Indians routed.
Since then the settlement of the valley.
or what is known as the Big Hole basin,
has been gradual and permanent, until
today it is m that fully 0,090 head
of horses and cattle are within its bor-
ders, which embrace the northern part
of Beaverhead county. Surrounded on
all sides by mountains. and diversified
iiiilii NINolilS Nii' iN'
into the principal river, which drains a
valley all the way from three to thirty
i've miles wide for a distance of over 100
miles. together with the valleys along the
smaller streams, makes a grazing district
unparalleled in Montana for its area. The
country is not warm, neither is it cold in
winter. although the snow fall is heavy.
Here in the summer time the grass grows
knee deep along the streams. which is cut
for hay and that is fei to the stock dur
ing the winter, SO that the cattle thus fed
com out rolling fat in the early spring.
Right now, when beef cattle are scarce
from one end of the country to the other,
representatives of the large meat COM
panies from the Mississippi river west to
the Pacific ocean find their way into the
Big Hole in search of beef. Last Satur-
day William Daushtry, representing the
Pacific Meat company Of Tacoma, shipped
200 beef cattle-a trainload-frOm Mill
creek. three miles east of Anaconda,
which were purchased in the Big Hole. 1t
took four days to drive them from the Big
Hole, via French gulch, to Mill creek,
where they We're loaded on the cars for
Tacoma. Mr.. Daughtry will return in 10
days and ship another ~trainload of cattle
from the same region. He would ship a
dozen train loads if he could purchase
them there, but he cannot, for there are
buyers on the range from ali over the
country. Last week an Omaha meat
purchased and shipped to that
city a trainload of beef cattle and LOCO
head of stock cattle which were purchased
from Andrew Nelson for $50 per head.
The average price of beef cattle "a years
Old is s55 per head. Mr.. D. D. Walker Of
this city, who. is one of the most extern
sive cattlemen in the Big Hole country,
saws the StOckmeD over there are irving
to purchase stock cattle instead of sell
ing. Those who have sold stock cattle
now regret having done so. Anyone who
has never seen the Big Hole basin can