Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-07-01
A, DECKER ON
HIS WAY HOME

you are looking for what little re- |
mains of the western frontier come |
to Wyoming. But even here you
will find nothing of the wild and
woody remaining. The last 100 miles
before reaching Sheridan is coun-
try of prairie dogs and sage brush
with sheep everywhere. The city
and county of Sheridan is the land
of the saddle horse and automobile.
A country of large wheat and hay
fields and many coal mines.
| am now on historic ground. The
Big Horn Mountains are to the south
and west covered with snow and in
the bright sunshine make fine pic
ture. The little Big Horn River on
which occurred Clusters battle thir-
old Custer trail is not far from here
old Custer trail ism OF far from here
and this city is named after Phil
Sheridan, who made his camp where
the city now stands.
The Big Horn Basin is noted for
it's excellent hunting and fishing.
Deer and Antelope being so common
they need little mention, but here
and in the Big Hole Basin are found
the mountain sheep which next to
the Grizzly Bear is the most highly
priced wild animal that can fall to
the American gun on account of its
scarcity and the difficulty in Sc
curing them. He is typical of the
Rockies, and the Rockies are a prom
inent part of the great west.
Coal mining is one of the leading
industries of this part of Wyoming.
/ took an automobile ride to one OF
the large coal mines 10 miles away
where $500 tons of coal are taken
out daily. This mine constituted a
thrifty little village and it was one
of the cleanest and most orderly
I ever saw. The Company Publishes
each man cozy little cottage with
garden patch and an unlimited
amount of coal, electric lights and
water for $3.50 a month. The men
are provided with gymnasium, bath
and reading room and are paid from
$500 to $500 for eight hours work.
After visiting several of these mines
it seems foolish for us to even talk
Of the time when we will be out OF
coal.
The next day / took an automobile
ride to the Big Horn Mountains, SO
named from the abundance of the
Big Horn sheep. On this trip we
passed many wheat fields in the IT.
rigated district of 500 and 600 acres.
7 walked out in one of these fields
and the wheat came above my shout
ders. They told me it would yield
from 40 to so bushels per acre and
| am prepared to believe almost any
thing about this country. This is
one of the incest automobile trips
that | have had in the west. Many
times I saw an alfalfa field of hun
dreds of acres while on the opposite
side of the road would be nothing
but sage brush showing what this
country. can produce when water is
applied. We visited the old town OF
Big Horn Nesting in the foothills
far back from the railroad where the
State University was formerly To-
Gated
The best irrigated land with a
perpetual water right can be secured
here for about $4,000 an acre. Fuel
and meat are cheap, but other liv-
ing expenses are rather high.
The city of Sheridan has a popula-
ton of about 10000 people and from
all appearance it is one of the best
cities to call home that l have found
in the state. like the people here,
they are cultured and congenial and
resemble the southern people as to
their hospitality. The city has many
fine homes, good hotels and substan-
tial business blocks; it is the div
ision station on the Burlington and
with Fort Mackenzie laying but 8
miles away where several companies
of troops are kept it makes the
monthly payroll here average about
$500, 100000 every month in the year.
This includes several large coal
mines surrounding the city. ::
From what l can learn from COM
mercial travellers, business is not at
its best through any part of the west
They nearly all complain of quiet
times from Denver to Seattle and
times from Denver to Seattle and
over this entire plains country. But
a general revival of business is ex-
pected by October 1. 1 expect tc-
spend the month of July at home.
A. DECKER.
gn0Anr 0@0GRFRR