Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-21

presents a better opportunity for growth
through proper irrigation. as 1t is a
complete network of streams of various
sizes.
TIL assessed valuation of Sweet Grass
county has increased over half a mill
ion during the past year, and q great
portion of this increase is due to the oc-
cupation of hitherto unsettled home
steads land, desert lands, and the rural
development generally. In 1899 It's as
sessed valuation was s., 400, 121, while in
1900 it reached So, 651, 1872. thus showing an
enhancement of $250, AL, quite Il sub
stantial sun in one short years time.
One element that within the last two
or three years has accomplished Won
ders towards the settling up of the
county is what is known as the Holland
Irrigation Canal company. Through
their efforts many families of that ma
tionality have been brought into the
county. When completed Il canal "A
miles in length, With a width of 16 feet
at the bottom and "A feet wide at the top
will be the result, while an average of
five feet of water will course through it.
This will irrigate $4,000 acres, half of
which is open for homestead and entry,
and the balance owned by the N. T..
Railroad The central location
of his enterprise has been named
Wormser City, which already has several
stores and churches, where a year or two
ago practically nothing existed. A daily
stage traverse the route carrying mail
and passengers. The head of the canal
begins at a point 13 miles above Big
! Timber. This region is especially adapted
to the production of barley, oats, wheat,
rye, vegetables, hay and particularly al
falfa.
The first census of the county was
taken in the present year, previous to
that time it being a part of two ada
cent counties. The nearest result obtain
able as to it's population is drawn from
the election returns of 1896, which
showed it to have about 2,400, while the
census returns for 1900 places it at $500,
a substantial increase of 900. OF this
population about 1000 reside within the
plotted limits of Big Timber, nearly 800
at Melville and the balance on the ram
ches and farms of the county.
To give a fair idea of the county's re-
sources it is estimated that there are
nearly half a million sheep and $4,000
cattle within it's borders at the present
time. In one year alone 5000, 900 pounds
of wool was shipped from Big Timber
alone, while sheep shipments reach up
into the hundreds of thousands from
the county, cattle shipments reach as
high as 5000 a year. And yet it is in it's
infancy. If the remarkable growth of
the past few years continues far into the
future, the coming years will make
Sweet Grass county one of the foremost
cattle and grazing sections in the state,
while it's wonderful adaptibility to all
fruits and cereals will give to it an i'm
petus that no region of like proportions
in Montana can eclipse.
Politically the county has been a bat
tie ground for the two great parties, yet
III the last election it was WreSted from
the democrats by a handsome majority.
IL 1898 the highest vote cast for any
office was COS, while in 1900, the present
year, it reached 40. showing evidence OF
its progression. With two exceptions.
that of clerk of the court, and superin-
tendent of schools, every officer is a
staunch republican. The complement is
as follows: Senator, j. nj. Kelly; rep
resentative, Robert Beaulnlee; clerk OF
court, Benz. NJ. Mjelde (dem.); county
commissioners, Francis Irvine, o. Il,
Neyins,, r. J. Mcconnell; county attor-
ney, f. NJ. Hall; county clerk and re-
corder, DR.. J. H. Moore; sheriff, Oscar
Fallang: treasurer, j. w. Geiger; as
SCISSOR, c. @. Hathaway; public admin
istrator, A. CT. Yule: superintendent OF
schools, Stella Wolkes; surveyor, D.. j.
Wildwood.