Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-02-13
S HEART- RENDNG as Ger

W
- the last few years, grasshOppers
are not a new menace to Mon
tana agriculture. flock OF
them wiped out the only four acres Of
wheat in all southwestern Montana m
a single afternoon one summer day
back in 1865. As a result, three men
who had been unsuccessful in their
search for gold, and who had turned
to farming on a miniature scale IN the
valley Of the Jefferson river in the
hope of lettering their fortunes, put
In q mighty tough winter.
It was in the spring of 1865. that
RomuluS Brown, John Snow and John
Hacker, following very uncertain and
pretty much hand-to-mouth existence
during the preceding winter in the
valley Of the Madison, went into the
Jefferson valley in the vicinity OF Fish
creek, and embarked upon their agri-
cultural operations.
The men were all proSpectors, but
there was no work to be had IN the
Virginia City district, where the labor
market was glutted with miners from
Colorado and California. Brown was
printer. too, but there was little OPP
portunity for employment IN that IN
dustry.
There were hundreds of men who
Hocked into Montana during the gold /
rush days of the early sixties, Wha
sought the precious metal in vain; /
who toiled day in and day out pros
pecting in the hills or working under
ground for someone else; who went |
fhrough untold hardships, and Of whom
the world has never heard Yet their
sacrifices were as great and their Ell
forts as worthy, sometimes much more
so. as those Of other men who achieved
fame and fortune almost overnight:
Some of these men remained in the
Treasure state to become substantial,
solid citizens, prosperous to a degree,
but not what would be called rich men.
Romulus Brown achieved success OF
that kind, but not from mining. He
made it ranching. 1t may be that the
crop which he and Snow and Hacker
nut in that year on the banks OF the
Jefferson, and which the grasShopperS
wiped out between dinner and supper
time, spurred him to the efforts OF
later years which were so slgnal4y
crowned with success.
Planted Wheat for a Stake
Flour was scarce and hard to get IN
Montana at that time. 1t sold some
times for as much as $50 sack. Inc
three figured If they could raise wheat
in the fertile soil of the Jefferson
valley, they would be able to sell II
for a figure which would give them
each a substantial stake. A team OF
oxen UuIClldSEu Will bA4C RSOASA
sources Of the three furnished the ,
power. Their only piece OF machinery {
was a plow pretty much home mace, {
but with which they managed 10 TURN r
the sod on four acres. i
They leveled and pulverized the land
with log drags, they sowed by hand r
the treasured pounds OF seed Wheat
which had been purchased with the r
last of their money. Z
It sprouted, grew with amazing speed s
to an unusual height, and headed out. +
It looked fine. Then came the grass a
hoppers.
wild Hay Saved the Day s
Undaunted, the men turned to the
wild hay which grew on the river O
banks. There was plenty Of grass IN o
the country, but there were few men Il
who had the inclination to cut 1t, nor +
the tools with which to do so even II v
they had. AS result hay was worth v
from SIS to $50 a ton in Virginia City. q
Brown, Snow and Hacker cut sew b
eral tons with a scythe, raked 1t up a
with a hand rake and stacked it. o
When, during the winter, the party n
ran out of provisions, it was decided h
some one of them must take the hay
to Virginia City, sell it, and bring back o
a load of grub. Brown drew the short I
straw They loaded the hay on their 81
wagon, hitched the yoke OF oxen to It, 7
and Brown started for market so miles Il
away. n
The weather was cold. He was poorly S
clad, with neither underclothing, over 81
coat, nor socks. His other wearing APP st
parel was threadbare. He had Scant
bedding and q short supply Of food. IT
took him four days to make the trip, D
sleeping in the hay at night and re- N
gretfully watching his team Of oxen e.