The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-02

by sitting them up, owing to their con-
siderable extent, and it is probable that
it will be necessary to construct
f1ume across this place.
The government gaging station on
Gallatin river is located at the railroad
bridge at Logan, six miles above the
mouth Of the river. The data show
the amount of water running to waste
at this point, and present also the dis
charge of Gallatin river. Area drained,
1000 square miles; annual discharge,
sol, 554 acre-feet; highest, May, 232, 240;
lowest, August, 27,546.
The Missouri itself is first measured
at Townsend. The chief says: "Ob-
servations of gage heights are main
tanned by the Missouri River Com
mission, and although the section is
not an idle one, it still seems desirable
to make occasional measurements, as
the station Is easily accessible and the
daily gage observations are taken at
no expense to this survey. In the fall
of 1897 dam for an electric plant was
practically completed on Missouri river
a short distance below Canyon ferry.
The power developed is to be trans
mitted by wire and to be used in the
smelters in the vicinity of Helena"
Area drained here, 1880 square miles:
annual discharge, 3,s49,7s4 acre-feet;
highest, May, $4,000; lowest, Septem-
Der, 1896.
Milk river valley Is reported as fertile
and well adapted to agriculture for the
harder grains, such as oats, wheat,
barley and hay. Development in this
section has been slow, however, owing
to the lack of transportation facilities,
the Great Northern railway having only
been built within recent years; and I'M
| til recently the entire strip of country
| between the eastern state line and the
| Rocky mountain divide, and bounded
| on the south by the Missouri and Marias
rivers, including the basin of Milk
| river, was an immense Indian reserva-
| tion. 1t was thrown open to settlement,
| however, few years ago, and develop
ment since has been rapid. The area
drained by Milk river after it re-
| enters the United States is one vast
rolling prairie land excellent for graz
| ing purposes, still covered with a good
| growth of grass, in contrast to many
of the noted grazing lands in Wash
| ington and Oregon and other parts OF
| Montana, which have been nearly de-
stroyed by the amount of stock main
tanned on them.
A number of canals are now con-
structed taking water from both sides
of Milk river The most important is
that of the Fort Belknap Irrigation
| Company, which heads on the north
/
the gaging station at Chinook. anG
near old Fort Belknap, and iscontrolled
by a corporation of farmers and stock.
men irrigating lands in the Vicinity OF
Chinook. A small ditch, the Davey
ditch, heads on the south bank of the
| river Just below Toledo and extends
from there to Yantic. The next ditch
of Importance is Harlem canal, owned
by a stock company and irrigatine
lands between Zurich and Harlem
Paradise Valley canal is an enterprise
of considerable magnitude, taking water
from the south side of Milk river JUS
below the mouth of the North Forl
and about five miles east of Chinook
A number of smaller bitches irrigatt
lands on private rancehs from thu
tributaries of Milk river, the most no
table being North Fork ditch. Cool
ditch is a recent enterprise from thi.
latter tributary.
The main crops raised here are oat.
and hay, which find a ready marke
at the military posts and on the stool
ranches, where, on account of the Sc
we're winters. the more progressiv,
stockmen have found it necessary t.
feed their stock during the white
season.
! Owing to it's great length, Milk river