Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1909-01-01
FINECOUNTRY
Near the New Town
Of Hedges
20 MILES FROM JUDITH GAP

On the Great Northern East Of here..A Farm.
ing and Fruit Country, Well Watered, That
Has Great Possibilities For Producing
Wealth and Happy Homes.
In order to demonstrate to the world
more than anything else. that Mon
tana winter weather is not severe, and
to see the country III the dead Of win
ter, the journal force, in company
with II. l.. Bills, the banker, and
Angus Mckay, took a twenty mile
drive after O'Clock last Thursday to
Mr.. Mckay's farm home OH Careless
creek. We reached our destination at
6:3O. and soon after sumptuous re-
past. prepared by Mrs. Mckay, a
splendid hOusekeeper, was served and
to which was done full justice by the
hungry travellers.
Mr.. and Mrs. Mckay were married
in Scotland about ten years ago.
Before the honeymoon had ended the
groom was drafted into the Boer war.
lie went to Africa and served under
General Butler and later under Lord
Roberts. He was with Little BObs at
the capture of General COME and OH
the famous march to Johannesburg,
which ended the war. After Angus
returned to his Highland home he
made preparations to come to Amer
lea, and with his wife and two child
ren. he, seven years ago, arrived in
Montana and took up land where he
now resides. He took contracts for
grading OH the & reat tNOrthern through
here. The cloudburst that inundated
the Judith Gap country about two
years ago, caught the Mckay family
in cook tent OH Careless creek at
midnight. Mr.. Mckay, an excellent
swimmer, took his wife OH his back
and swan three-quarters of mile to
safety. His brother and nephew, both
old seaman, each took one of the
children and reached safety after a
hard struggle.
The Mckays have fine log house
and good improvements on their home
farm OH the banks of Careless creek,
and Mr.. Mckay is engaged in business
at Hedges. His home is about twelve
miles from the Snowy mountains,
where the Half Moon Pass gold claims
are located, and about eight miles
from Hedges.
Christmas morning a very mild and
balmy one we drove to Hedges through
one of the finest farming countries to
be found anywhere. On the way we
stopped at Harry Giltinan's big sheep
ranch and enjoyed the hospitality OF
himself and sister short time. Miss
Giltinan has lately arrived from her
home in Philadelphia to look after her
incorrigible bachelor brother, who is
altogether too good fellow and too
good a catch to be single. Miss Gilti-
nan presides over the comfortable and
coZy ranch home as she would in her
palatial home in the fashionable
quarter of Philadelphia. She is an
accomplished lady. true Montanan,
and delights III making visitors feel at
home when they visit the Giltinan
ranch. Mr.. Giltinan has 1900 acres
OF decided land, besides many sections
leased, OH which he feeds 1000 head
of sheep. The company of which he
is the head, is incorporated for
S4OO,OOO Well, it is no use telling the
girls any more about him. Leap year
has just come to close.
The territory from the mountains
to the Musselshell abounds in springs
and running streams, and the soil is
that rich brown loan which Prof.
Shaw says is inexhaustable for farm
ing purposes. There are many home
steads left in this section, but they
will all be taken before the close OF
another year. On account of the
abundance of water and the low alti-
tude it is the coming sugar beet and
fruit section of Montana. Several
years ago the live stock raisers of this
prolific section advocated the building
of an immense reservoir in the Snowy
mountains and ditching the water to
all sections of this vast territory.
The project was not feasible then
on account of scarcity of settlers, as
the entire territory was controlled by
a few stOckmen and the burden would
have been too great upon them. Be-
sides, there was plenty of water run
ming everywhere. and there was no
occasion to conserve the supply at the