Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1901-07-10
IERGuS, MAGNIFICENT 0

holders Of Fergus county and the rapid
strides they are taking In the upward
march is very clearly shown in the re-
suit Of this years assessment which,
fairly compared with that OF 1900,
an increase in assessed valuation
OF S740, Sc or nearly three fourths Of Il
million. But for the reduction in the
valuation per head Of sheep and cattle
the six million mark would have been
well passed and Fergus become a II
" Of the 9th class. taking rank among
the ten richest counties Of the statcand
this without a mile Of railroad within
its limits. Should the valuation on its
principle property not bcrcduced again
next year it is safe 70 predict that the
total win be close to six millions and a
half.
The detailed figures of this years
assessment we print in tabulated form
elsewhere. Some Of them are worthy
of comparison with last years totals.
The assessed acreage has been in
creased 31,gl3 and is now G,O.51O. No
change was made this year in the yalu-
alton placed upon town property and
consequently there is little increase in
that direction. but the value of i'm.
provemcnts thereon has increased
Su.,7o. which speaks well for a years
growth in Lewistown,
The mining interests Of the county
do not show up very well in the totals.
Not a cent was returned under the
head Of net proceeds OF mines. notwith-
standing some return in that column
had been promised and it is known
that one or more companies have de-
clarcd handsome dividends upon their
investment. This Is a feature which
should be given attention by the
authorities. The companies are taking
their wealth from the soil OF Fergus
county; to be sure they are paying
large amounts in wages and other cN-
penscs, but their industries are paying
in proportion and il is but just that
they, like others, should pay some
thing upon the property they accumu-
late. Mining claims are assessed at
but SiG0 more than last year. The i'm
provements thereon show an increase
of SAC, 900 over the previous year and a
considerable portion of the increase of
S2g,3i5 in the valuation OF machinery
should doubtless be credited TO the
mining companies.
The total increase in the value of real
property and improvements is s909,23
over 1900.
In the returns upon personal property
the only item aside from the stock re-
turns, which may be noted with in
%terest, is the reduction in value of
wheat, oats, wool, etc. on hand. This
is doubtless owing to the poor crops of
last year. The total this year is but
Lbs.
There are 703 fewer horses in the
county this year than last, but as the
valuation was increased from $40 to SIS
per head the total valuation is increased
Sii,GGj over last year. At last years
figures the valuation would be SaiG,9s0
while the report of of the assessor
shows it to be s2s9,43j.
From month TO month we hear much
about this section being no longer n
cattle country and doubtless this is in
a measure rue for nowadays large
herds cannot be safely handled on the
public domain. But the number in the
county continues to increase and is this
year 40,52l, an increase of 1,65a over
1900. These are valued this year at
Ss72, SOS, but had the valuation per
head not been reduced from S25 to sa2
the total valuation would have been
S9s3, 605-nearly a million. Even at
the lower valuation the total is this
year s7G,i93 in excess of that of 1900.
That woolgrowers are today paying
the larger portion of the burden Of
government in this county and will
continue to do so for many years is not
open to question. Their tiocks are this
year valued at 81 ,5s5, 39s, an increase Of
So, 10 over 1900. And this increase is
Notwithstanding a decrease in the as
sessed valuation of from Sa.75 to $3.50
per head. Had the valuation not been
changed the grand total to the credit
of the woolgrowers would have been
81. al. iaa. There were ON March LIST
last 620,l77 sheep in the county, which
is Gs,Osi more than were reported u
year before. Including the lamb crop
there are few less than l,000,On0 sheep
upon the ranges of Fergus county to-
day and il stands without a rival as the
woolgrowing county of the en-
tire country. Some rivals of the wool
growers may decry their ambition 10
have much to say regarding the con-
luct of public affairs but they pay
upon their tloeks nearly one-third of
he taxes in the county and as well a
,ery large portion of that upon the
acreage assessed. They make their
here and they spend them here.
Notwithstanding the decrease in the
of sheep and cattle the total
Increase shown by the assessors figures
5 s5lG. COG. He overcame the loss of
'22l. q in valuation and added a half
AA