Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1901-02-27
NEWS FROM THE ROCKIES
CONTRIBUTED BY MATHlLDA NASSE
Concise Description of Montana and
the Rocky NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Abe Jones on Poultry.
FARMINaToN, Mont. Feb. 20, 'Ol

T ESo' ~ Va
EDITOR PUBLIC OPINION:
AS it is now nearly two years since
my husband and left Decorah to
make trip to the wild west, as the
eastern people term it, l will send
your valuable paper few lines-per-
haps it will be of interest to many of
your readers to hear from this part of
Montana.
We are situated at Pennington,
Teton county, seven miles north from
Choteau. This part had not been
settled until the last five years, and
the bench consists of 5000 acres all
homestead and desert rights, but isnow
pretty well taken up, and everybody
seem to be contented and happy.
Many poor people came out here five
years ago who now have nice homes
and lots of cattle. Irrigation is used
throughout this section thereby insur-
ing good crops in dry seasons. The
sun or the warm winds do not effect
crops here like it does in the east, and
the winters are always mild. Oc-
casionally we may have few days of
cold weather and little snow but
these warm chinnok winds take the
snow off in day or two and then per-
haps spell of warm weather that at
times last six weeks. Cattle can be
seen on the range at all times in the
winter, and the reader will readily see
how easily cattle are raised. When
the spring season arrives each and
every farmer turn their cattle out and
sometimes they don't see them all
summer until the Ground up time, F"
then some are found forty-five or fifty
miles away, but all cattle are branded
so they can be easily separated. Oats
and wheat is the chief product. Oats
in some places are over five feet in
height. Poultry comes quite high;
dressed chickens are worth Is cents
per pound, and eggs from 80 to IS cents
per dozen. AS recently stated in the
PUBLIC OPINION in an article written
by Abe Jones, where he says he is
going into the poultry business, l
think this is just the place for him.
Plymouth Rocks won't do well out
here as there are no rocks to hatch
them on, but think Black Spanish
will do well to start with, but if you
are green at the business, my advice is
that you continue your "kalling" and
not meddle in the chicken business.
We are at distance of thirty miles
from the Rocky mountains. Last sum-
mer we took a trip up there and we
drew up at the foot of the mountain
Just as the last reflection of the crimson
hued sunset was fading away and the
dew of the evening was falling, and as
twilight was stealing up from the
valley, we could see the half-breeds'
camp fire and the red ambers through
the evergreen trees. 1t was wild and
savage scene. We camped in a log hut
and the aperature from which the
dome was illuminated was not a small
one as it was roofiess, and as we were
watching / fancied / was in the st.
Cloud hotel. We did not have the
good fortune of seeing Mr.. Bear make
his apr earance, perhaps we would
have been just a little frightened il
we had. And on rising in the morn
ing we saw the sun make its appear
ance between the mountain peaks and
bathing the mountain side and the
valley below; how lovely the situation
1t was surprising to see the great pines
growing on the rocks and several berry
bushes growing along side the rocks
We see snow on the mountain peak:
all summer. 1t certainly was treat
to camp over night in the Rockies
which we so often have read about in
our childhood. We have had such
warm days now for while thai
women have had to wear sunbonnet:
for fear of getting tanned, and think
winters are just as pleasant as summers
MATHILDA NAsSE.