The producers news., 1936-03-06

from 9,OO6 in 1880 to 10,157 in
1886. The increase was attributed |
to betterment in agricultural con-
ditlons and the sugar industry and
Indians.
Roosevelt county was another
where large numbers of Indians |
figured. 1t gained 11.5 per cent
going from 1852 to 1888. It
gained some from the proximity
of the new Fort Peck dam project |
and prospect for irrigation.
Little Treasure county stood
eleventh with Ill per cent gain.
1t had 1861 in 1880 and a popula-
tion of 1916 in 1886. These IL
counties complete the list of those
gaining more than 10 per cent in
population in the six year period.
COUNTIES WITH
HEAVY LOSSES
The counties that showed heavy
losses included large mining coun-
ties and those with dry land farms
and little hoped for in irrigation.
Deer Lodge county showed the
greatest loss. The reduction in
! forces at the smelter at Anaconda
due to curtailment in mining was
the greatest factor there. That
county lost over a fifth of it's pop
ulation decreasing from 1928 in
1880 to 12,757 in 1885,, drop of
21.7 per cent.
Golden Valley almost in the CEN
ter Of the State and of the dry
land farming section was the next
heavy loser with reduction in
population from 2,126 in 1880 to
1859 in 1886 or a 20 per cent loss.
The third heaviest loser was
Prairie county which had 3,941 in
1880 and only 3,2O7 in 1896. This
is a dry land section but the Buff
falo Rapids project between Miles
City and Terry it is anticipated
will help bring back this country
through resettleement plans.
Musselshell was the fourth
heaviest loser with a drop from
7,242 in 1880 to $500 in 1896 or a
loss of 1876 per cent. Most of this
was due to the introduction of
machinery in the coal mines by
which the number of miners used
was greatly reduced.
Judith Basin, another central
Montana county, lost II per cent
of it's population cutting down
from 5238 in 1880 to 4,348 in 1886
Petroleum, another of the same
group dropped from 2,O45 to Lila
in the six year period, losing 1872
per cent.
Garfield county was the seventh
heaviest loser in percentage with
1882 in 1880 and $500 in 1886, g
drop of 1916 per cent.
: Wheatland and Sweet Grass
counties showed losses of 9.8 pei
cent, Carbon county 9.6 per cent
Chouteau 9.3 per cent, Wibaux 81
J per cent, Daniels 8.5 per cent
Sheridan 8.3 per cent, Meaghel
and Saltwater 7.6 per cent each
and Cascade and Phillips 6.8 pei
cent each. Most of these losses
were due to distressed agricultur-
al conditions in those counties.
] Silver Bow county was hit haro
losing 3.723 or a reduction from
$500 in 1880 to 53,246 in 1896
This was a loss of 6.5 per cent
This was due to the mining situa'
) tion.
! The three counties that lost the
most actually were Silver Bow
first. with 3,723; Deer Lodge, sec.
ond with 1856, and Cascade, thirC
: with 2,796.
Liberty county lost 6.2 per cent
D Custer, Fergus, and Teton coun
: ties lost about 5.5 per cent.
0 SOME COUNTIES
o THAT GAINED
S Those counties that showe'
t gains of from five to 10 per cen
were the following: Broadwater
n Hill. Lewis and Clark, McCone
0 Mineral, Missoula, Rosebud Ioole
l Richland and Park.
9 "STAND-STILL"
: COUNTIES
9 A group of counties that show
ad SLIGHT losses or gains and L
which the changes were so srnal
= :. ~ mark them down as PRAGUE
= civ Wstand-still counties
; changes were the following: LlI
4 coin. Pondera, Carter, Beavernea1s
= Madison, Powder River, Powei :i
= Dawson. FaIlon, Gallatin, Grani'
R-AG@~mNT