Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-10-31
Twenty-Five Years AGO.

Inc TACT tnat the current weekly
edition of the River Press completes
its twenty-tifth year. may be of inter
est to some of the readers of this
newspaper. The first copy of the Riv
er Press was issued in October. 1880
its publishers being Messrs. Williams
Wright and Stevens. At that time
there We're only IA newspapers in Mon
tana: the number has since increased
| to over 100.
twenty-five years ago Benjamin F
Potts was governor of Montana ter
ritory, with James NJ. Mills as terri
toral secretary. Our present COVER
nor. Joseph X. Toole, was beginning
his, successful political career in 1880
being a candidate for joint council.
man to represent Lewis and Clark
and ChOuteau counties in the territor-
ial Legislature.
In 1880. Chouteau county included
what is now Teton county and part
Of Cascade. The total vote of Chou
teau county in the election of that
year was 740. while that of the en-
tire territory was only 14,181. The
election returns of last year show that
the total Montana vote has increased
to over 10000.
The population of Montana terri
tory in 1880, according to the federal
census, was 9,159, and it is now es-
tmated at nearly 100000. Twenty
five years ago Butte was credited with
population of only 1854, but its To-
cal directories now indicate a popula-
ton of about $4,000.
In the federal census of 1880 that
| part of Montana which was included
in the boundaries of Chouteau coun-
ty was credited with a population of
/ only 3,O5S white people. According
/ to the last federal census. it now con-
/ tains over 10000 residents
| twenty-five years ago the annual
/ product of Montana mines was valued
/ at about $S.0OO000: it consisted prin-
clpally of gold and silver, the copper
mining industry not having been de
! veloped at that time. The Montana
mineral output now has an annual val
! lie OF about $4,000, 900, copper repre-
! senting over one-half of the amount.
In 1880. the only railroad doing bus
mess in Montana was the Utah &
Northern, which had extended it's
track to Dillon, in Beaverhead county.
! Inc railroads now operating in Mon
tana have about 5000 miles of track
twenty-five years ago the value of
taxable property in Montana accord
| ing to the official records, amounted
to only $1S,OO0,0O0. It's total at the
| present time is about $4,000, 900.
The assessment of Chouteau county in
1880 was $1,350,000 but the same sec
tlon of northern Montana now has tax
able property valued at about $50 .O0O.-
| 600
Montana agriculture has made re-
markable growth in the past 25 years.
In 1880, the area of farms listed on
the tax rolls was about 100000 acres
The assessment Of Montana land now
includes over 12,5OO,OOO acres.
This increase in the area of Mon
tana farms, and the consequent con-
traction of the open range, has been
accomplished by an expansion of the
Montana livestock industry. Twenty
five years ago the annual Montana
beef output was less than $4,000 head.
while last year it had increased to
$4,000 head In 1880. the Montana
wool clip amounted to less than A..
100000 pounds. This year it's total
was little over 10000. The assess.
ment of Montana livestock now
amounts to about $28 1000 900.
In 1880, and for nine years subse-
quent to that date, all that part of
Montana lying north of the Marias
and Missouri rivers and extending to
the international boundary line was
an Indian reservation. The only
names on. the map were those of In
dian agencies, military posts, streams
and mountains. In this big stretch of
country are now located the homes
of about 10000 Montana citizens, who
have founded and built up thriving
business centers and villages and de-
veloped their local resources to a re-
markable degree.
This is brief story of a quarter
century of progress in Montana, and
we are now marching on to still great
er achievement. Who will venture
to foretell the advance that may be re-
vealed by newspaper retrospect rs
years hence?-Benton Press.