Daily inter mountain., 1900-12-21
TETON COUNTY.

|
! 1900 square miles, of which the Black
feet reservation takes one-fourth. 1t
now has a population of 500. which is a
gain of about 1000 in two years. 1t was
| created in 1898 out of the western part
| of Choteau and has always been graz
! ing country The soil is varied ana we'll
| adapted to raising wheat. oats barley.
rye, flax, timothy. alfalfa and vegetables
OF all descriptions. The snow fall Is
very heavy, but is counteracted by the
/ chinook. For the agricultural products,
| Great Falls furnishes a ready and con-
yenient market and the Great Northern
railway runs across the entire length
from east to west. while the Great Falls
and Canada crosses in from north to
Seattle. The valuation of the sheep and
cattle exceeds a million dollars.
| The assessed valuation of the county
this year is nearly $30oo00o, s76l, ,94S be-
ing on realty, $926214 on personal prop
erty and $661 ,o60 on railroads.
The ceded strip of the Backfoot res
ervation lies on the eastern slope OF the
Rocky mountains, and extends from the
Canadian boundary on the north TO
/ Birch creek on the south, distance OF
go miles and varies in width from 10
to % miles. 1t was purchased by the
general government in 1895 from the In
dians for a consideration of $1,5000O0
The principal mineral zone, so far as
now known, is in the st. Mary's lake
and Swift Current region, so to 80 miles
! northwest of Blackfoot station, en- the
Great Northern railway This zone IS
about 1OX20 miles in extent, and pene-
trating it are several systems OF true
! ledges" bearing copper, silver and gold.
| Within the past two years a great
amount of prospecting has been done, as
owl a "a
scale Tunnels have been driven, con-
centrators built and preparations made
for working the ores. Next year it is
confidently predicted will see here one of
the liveliest mining camps in the state
of Montana.
This country in the northwestern part
of the county has been described as un-
surpassed in the beauty majesty and
sublimity of it's scenery. The whole re-
gion is veritable wonderland. Gbound-
ing in quiet, sylvan dells, luXuriant in
foliage and wild fruit, threaded with
babbling brooks and silvery streams,
carpeted with moss thicker and softer
than ever graced a lady's bower; in
picturesque miniature valleys, centered
by placid lakes shimmering in the sun,
or beauteous in shadow with the rich
reflected tracery of bordering pines; in
splashing, rushing, foaming falls, bril-
liant in bridal wells of spray, as if water
| nymphs We're there being welded to
some woodland elfs; in giant peaks and
: mighty chasms rugged glens and tor
, tuous canyons, with miles of almost i'm
l penetrable forests on every side"
While the western part of the county
= is mountainous, the eastern part is un-
y dulating prairie, with valley lands along
: the numerous streams, all of which flow
. | in an easterly direction These streams
e furnish abundance of water for stock,
and this is in fact a stock county. 1t
:. is grazing section, and is largely util-
). lied by those engaged in the sheep,
|, cattle and horse industries. While dis
:, tinctively a stock country, it has never
d theless a considerable amount of excel
e lent farming land, which, when irri-
e gated, produces splendid crops of wheat
: oats, barley, all root crops that can bt
s grown in this climate, and the cultivated
+ grasses, such as timothy, redtop, blue
l. grass and alfalfa. On the Burton bench
a few miles east of the town of Choteau
is to be found one of the most prosper.
Gus settlements in the state. Something
e like two townships have been reclaimed
IL and settled within the past seven years
! Several large bitches convey water from
II the Teton river to these naturally ricl
1t lands, and they now blossom as the
AN
s. but an arid waste. The thrifty settlers
'e mostly from Minnesota, raise success
Id fully everything that can be grown ii
TO this climate, and are all rapidly becom
ae ing forehanded.
E. The Conrad Investment company ha!
ID Just completed an immense canal A
le miles in length through which water Il
n to be conveyed from Birch creek to tn
benchlands lying east of Dupuyer Thes
Sc lands are extensive and will become
re when irrigated, as rich and valuable a.
W those of the Burton bench.
IN Another great irrigation scheme unde
to consideration is the turning of the wat
IN ! ers Of St. Mary's river across into tn
S. north fork of Milk river, thence int
the south fork, thence to be carried
eastwardly to the Sweetgrass hills an
In beyond, passing them to t;e south. Thi
Ill gigantic work it is hoped and expects
ne will be undertaken by the general gov
er ernment. The carrying out of such
H. work would be of incalculable benef
ne to northern Montana, and especially t
ne Teton county.
T. The Great Northern roalroad traverse
ed Teton county from east to west a dis
IN tance of 90 miles. The company has re
m Gently made Cut Bank, a point just cas-
at Of the reservation line, the end Of
EN- division, and will build shops, round
wv houses and depot at that point. Thi
ly will doubtless soon be an importar
ed place. The Great Falls & Canada run
e- through the eastern part of the TetC
county from north to south. a dista IL
r. OF ia miles.
te Shelby, at the junction of the tw
" railroads. is lively little town. tt