The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1922-12-14
WILD WEST SHOW
CONTINUOUS HERE
BIG HOLE VALLEY. WHERE ON
RANGE CONDITIONS OBTAIN,
COWBOYS PARADISE
High-Heeled Boots, High-Crowned
Stetsons and Furry Chaps Are the
Conventional Garb of This Old
Time Cow Country, Where the
Pillow Has Not Yet Turned the Soil.

RodeOs may be we'll devised to
present pictures of the wild west that
is passing, but up in the big corner
of Beaverhead county adjoining Deer
Lodge county and extending its area
into the latter, is a basin where the
sensational exploits of the arena are
everyday matters for the husky
specimens riding the range.
This is the famous Big Hole valley,
where the cattle industry is still car
ried on just as it has been since the
pioneer days of the Treasure state.
It's superb beef-producing qualities
are known in every livestock market,
where the grass-fed animals compete
with the best corn-fed output of the
central states.
High-heeled boots, higher crowned
Stetsons, and furry chaparajos are
still conventional garb in the basin,
and not merely accessories of dress
parade exhibitions. Utility is what
counts there, and these articles have
proved their value in the wardrobe of
the cowboy who has his work to do.
They serve not only or the range,
but for the drives to market and still
form familiar sights on the streets
of Dillon, Anaconda and Butte, which
serve as shipping points for the fat
tened herds.
The cattle are ranged over the
vast acreage of the valley during the
summer, and in winter are fattened
in the feed yards to supply which
great h~ayfields are cultivated. Some
unique factors in the climate are
given credit for the food qualities Of
the grass that make it the equal of
corn for the stockmen.
The basin has been the scene of
operations in past years for many of
Montana's pioneer cattlemen, and
many of them still have their big
holdings, and still make Wisdom, the
little city that is the center of bust
ness activity for the district, marked
by all that was best and is most
treasured in the characteristics of
the real western community.
The largest operations of the pres
ent are those of the Huntley inter
ests, under the management of Carl
Huntley, who came to Montana from
Spokane to represent the company
which has large holdings also in
other northwestern states and in Can
The ranches in the Big Hole valley
acquired and operated by this COM
pany have approximately 10000
acres, on which 5000 head of stock
will be fed during the winter, In prep
aration for spring shipment. Carl
Huntley recently brought 1000 head
of straight range cattle from Canada
to be fattened in the beef pens, and
the number now in his charge is the
largest in the history of the ranch.
The Huntley interests also extend
to the Wisdom State bank, and the
management is taking an active part
in the development of the dairy in
to supplement the beef raising
activities of the basin. A result of
has been the establishment of
the creamery at Wisdom, from which
supply of butter goes regularly to
the Butte market.
All Indications are that the cattle
industry of this prosperous section is
Natural factors all work
toward this, and the trend of organi-
has been toward placing 1t on
a scientific basis with efficiency in
management to eliminate the hazards
that once attended the undertaking
Of the cattlemen.
But in doing this there is no proba-
bility that the picturesqueness of the
ranch will be lost. The traditions
elsewhere are becoming high
lights in the show game were not
as a pose in the old days,
but became established customs be-
cause they were serviceable and best
to conditions encountered