The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-12-28
MANY HOMESEEKERS WILL COME,
TO MONTANA NEXT YEAR.
RAILROADS START MOVEMENT
Through the Older Farming States, -
Which Sets Forth the Oppor- t,.s
tunities Here. ~
Especial to Inter Mountain.)

Helena, Dec. 2S.-From the character
of the plans that are now being made to
bring new settlers to Montana next year
it is certain that the immigration to this
state from the East during the next
Il months will be the largest on record.
AS previously stated in the Inter Noun
tain. the state is to have a representative
of the state land department at the
county seat of every county to look after
the states land holdings in that partic-
ular locality. and land sales will be held
in every county in the state this year.
While these sales are held at the near
est convenient point to the land, it does
not necessarily follow that there will~not
be any outside bidders 1t is the purpose
of the state to induce immigration to the
state through the agency of representa-
tives at every county seat who will an
swer all inquiries from other states.
The railroad companies will undoubted-
ly do more to settle the state during
the next year than ever before. Plans
are now being made at the general offices
of the Great Northern and Northern Pa
citic in ST. Paul for an effective crusade
for Western settlers. Tons of literature
about the West are being printed for dis
tribution through the old farming COM
munitieS of the East. ,,,.,,v. .5. w..
Railroads Will Secure Homeseekers.
settlers and homeseekers' rates will
be announced in the spring for the year.
and both the Great Northern and North
ern Pacific will pay particular attentibn
to the settlement of Montana. During
the last season Montana gained many
new settlers through the efforts of the
railroad companies. but particular atten-
ton was paid to Washington and train
load after trainioad of settlers passed
through Montana without even stopping.
They were located on fertile lands in
Washington. \
AS soon as spring opens lecturers will
be sent through Iowa. Illinois. Wisconsin
and states east of that group. by ethe
companies to organize tourist
parties for the West. and in many cases
whole settlements will be transplanted
from the East to the West-the land of
golden promise.
A large number of new settlers will be
located in Montana upon the land that
will be made fertile by the distribution
of the waters from the Dearborn canal in
the northern part of Lewis and cake
county that will make fertile many thou
sands of acres next year. and will be ex-'
tended to benefit a still larger acreage
during the summer - ~-~@ -
= The last two years has seen the great
est tide of western immigration that has
ever been known. Montana will this
year benefit as it never has before.
AS stated, the railroad companies have
announced that they will make spe-
cialty of Montana this year, and much OF
the advertising matter that is now being
prepared in ST. Paul has to do with the
resources of the treasure state.
Big Ditch at Big Timber.
If the plans of the Holland Irrigation
and Canal company of Big Timber mate
rialize a 65-mile canal will be built to
carry water from the Yellowstone. water
ing a large fiat between Big Timber and
Wormser City. IN
The ditch will irrigate in the neighbour
hood Of $4,000 acres next fall, and will
enable these who go in during the spring
to put in their crops and rely upon the
water from the canal to save them from
the orouth in the late summer In adj
dtion to the main canal, which Will De
built IN two branches on either side of the
Yellowstone river, lateral canals will be
built in the future and the canal system
will be one of the largest in the state
The canal is to be built with bonds is
sued by the state arid land commission
by virtue of a special act OF the iegls-
lature, enabling the commission to issue
bonds for this purpose and to organize
irrigation districts in different parts of
Montana.
One of the most notable features OF
the immigration to this state is the fact
that nearly all the settlers are American
born and experienced farmers of other
states. They are nearly all of them, well
equipped with farm implements and
stock as well as an adequate amount OF
cash.
In most cases they come to Montana
as their farm lands in the East are be-
ginning to play out. They have been
able to dispose of their holdings at all
the way from $50 to 500 per acre and
buy cheap Western land. where crop
failures are out of the question in irri-
gated localities.