The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-10-10
MONTANA AS SEEN BY
AN OAKLAND BOY
Bernard Gender, Telegraph Operator,
Writes Interestingly OF the North
West.

with his intimate friend, Gen. J. w.
Denver, who served IN the Mexican
Army and was afterwards Governor of
Kansas, Stephen A. Douglas. brought
out map of the west saying he intend
ed TO introduce a bill to form some new
territories, and he wanted Denver to
suggest appropriate names. q want
name for a territory | am going to
mark out up here in the Mountains, 3"
said Douglas. Denver's life in the
west tand his services in the Mexican
War had made him familiar with many
Spanish words and he remarked: ''Why
not call it Montana?" What does it
meant" Denver replied that it meant
mountainous country" By the way
of re-assuing himself, Douglas called
his wife, who was a Spanish scholar,
repeated his question and received the
same answer. General, it's just the
thing" said Douglas, Il shall adopt it, "
Thus originated the name of the third
largest state in the Union (Montana).
Although situated in the Rockies, it is
one of the richest mineral producing
states in the Union. The home of the
buffalo; also a state to be remembered
in history
As a copper producer she is first in
rank; second in silver, and fifth in gold.
The total values up to 1903 amounted
to $l,0Ol, 7s2, 177,OO Montana could
easily lead in silver if it would pay to
mine it. Her copper is now the most
important metal. The richest of the
Empire are shut up by the abrupt curve
of the Rocky Mountains that circles
Butte. The production of the red metal
in and around Butte is the greatest of
any region on earth. One fourth of
the worlds whole copper comes from
Butte. Precious stones, blue as the
sky, rare as diamonds, are also found in
Montana. Sapphires of values some
times exceeding the price of diamonds
are found in different localities, the
Yogo mines of Fergus county, being
the most productive.
On the plains and in the foot hills
where roamed the buffalo by the hun
dreds of thousands years ago, can now
be seen any number of fine ranches,
which furnished many train loads of
cattle and sheep for the city markets.
On the mountains in the western por-
ton of the State there are thousands Of
acres of fine timber land, mostly all
pine, fir and tamarack Oak, chestnut
and other woods as in Garrett county
are not to be found here.
Montana, although a young state, is
one Of historical events. For instance
note the route taken by Lewis and
Clarke in their expedition in the early
eighteen hundreds, which extended up
through Montana Also the great
Indian wars, two of the most horrible
battles being the Battle of the Little
Big Horn, June 25th, 1876, where Gen
eral Geo. 4. Custer and his entire regi-
ment were entirely annihilated by the
/,
and his braves, and the Battle of Big
Horn, where General Gibbons defeated
the Nez Perces Indians, under Chief
Joseph in three days hard fighting Aug.
9Th 10th and 18th, 1877, at which place
Lieut.. Brady and thirty others were
killed and forty wounded, there also
being one hundred Indians killed and
two hundred wounded.
In Montana there can be found quite
a number Of Indians yet, there being
four tribes on reservations IN different
parts Of the state, namely, the
Flatheads, Blackfeet, Northern Chey-
enne and Fort Belknap.
am within thirty miles Of the
Flathead reservation, which under
stand will be thrown open to settlers
some time next summer.
know of no state in the Union where
they pay the wages as they do here for
labor. A man cannot even be procured
to work on the farm for less than 81. 50
per day and board. 1t is utterly impos-
sible to find men enough to fill the num-
erous vacancies which exist, especially
in the big construction work. And yet
with all of this labor wanted one can
see twenty or thirty hoboes on the
trains going back and forward each day.
Some perhaps have been over the same
route hundreds of times. Every time
you meet one Of these professional
tramps he will ask you how far it is to
the next station and at the same time
he could almost tell you the exact num-
Der of telegraph poles. They do this to
give you the impression that they are
not really boes, but men out of work.
The school system in Montana is one
of the finest in the country. She spends
% cents each day on each child in school.
This is exceeded only by two other
states. Besides her primary and gram
mer school Montana has large number
of excellent high schools, and the State
has five state schools: The University
Of Mo,fava o+ A. Z