Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1906-06-26

Five and one-half times the size of
Rhode Island, a sovereign state of this
great union: three and one-half times
the size of Deleware, another power
full state of our commemorative; one
and onehalf times the size Of Connec-
ticut, one of the most ancient and
most influential Of our sisterhood OF
states; lacking but fifteen hundred
three states combined; rivaling in the
richness of her resources-undevelo
though they are--within her boundar-
les the potential greatness Of these
three Of the happy and prosperous
subdivisions of our country-such Is
Fergus county. justly called the In
land Empire of Montana.
Were Fergus county as thicl<ly pop
ulated as Rhode Island, over two and
one-haf million pope would find
homes within her hospitable borders.
Were her resources developed as are
those of the midget commonwealth h,
her taxable property would amount to
ON half a billion dollars.
It's Il big country" is the express
sion frequently heard from those
whose business take them to the ut
| ternost parts of Fergus county. only
| to those who have made the trip doe.
ha ,tff Gin
1t gives one not only better idea OF
the largeness of his county but mater
tally increases his respect and pride to
rige for three or four days over noun
tains and meadowlands, through
fields and across fenceless plains--rid-
ing at good stiff gait for the greater
part Of week and then to discover
| that he has covered but a fraction OF
| the area. has not been nearer than 5(
| miles of the boundary lines at any
| time.
1t causes one to pity yet more thar
who stitle and starve in the crowded
| tenements Of this great cities where
| there is SO little of Gods outdoor.
| with its green grass and all goot
| things which really make life wortl
| the living waiting out here for then
| to come and to awaken it to fruitful
| ness with the hand Of toll.
! In Salt Lake City, Utah, few
months since, there was held a con-
vention of people whose object was te
| induce Americans to see their owr
| land before spending their substance
| travelling amongst trans-Atlantis ru.
| ins. The movement has certain com
| mendabe features and might be ap
! piled locally.
| The variety Of the resources OF Fer
| gus county do not excel the variety O.
her scenery. We have here the noun
tains which pierce the clouds, wei
cultivated ranches, vast stretches o
plain, beautiful in their expanse, "bae
lands SCARED by the erosions o
| millions of years Of glacier and tor
rent. every acre a volume of old eartl
history; we have crystal caves ant
water falls and mountain passes
week ago, the writer rode out o
Maiden after spending a day in th
first metropolis of Fergus county. II,
could have reached his objective poin
by a nearer route but he choose th
canyon road. 1t is worth a few mile
of extra riding to go through the con
yon If some enterprising America,
had the Maiden canyon under canvas
and charged fifty cents per head 70
riding through it, excursion trains
would be running to Maiden crowded
with the eager throng. as it is onl,
about one-fifth of the people of Fer
gus county have ceen this peerless piec,
of Natures work. On either side. tn
walls rise, jagged and irregular, fiv,
hundred feet, showing many speci
mems of chiseling which the Master
Sculptor does with his tools of wint
| and rain and sum-
Passing out of the canyon and turn
ing to the left, one comes into one O
the most fertile and most highly cui