Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-10-02
OIL IS CHEF
OF PETROLEUM
COUNTY ASSETS

Petroleum county residents like to
recall the story of the farmer near
Winnett who. some % or % years ago
tried to trade his acreage for a team
of horses. but had no luck. and then
a few months later was gasping for
breath over his good fortune as high
quality crude oil flowed from wells on
the property.
Naturally not all of Petroleum coun-
tvs residents have been so fortunate
as the unidentified farmer, but TO all
of them the production of oil has
meant money in the bank. so to speak
Oil has been Petroleum's principal
crop" since even before Montana's
youngest and least populated county
was created in 1925. The Cat Creek
field 20 miles northeast of Winnett
has produced more than $4,000 600
worth of crude oil since the first strike
in 1920. That classes it as well over a
million-d ollar-a-year industry.
While the Ill wells in the county
now pumping out over 400 barrels a
day provide most Of the financial re-
turns for Petroleum residents, there
are other sources, too. Livestock rails
ing and grain production have helped
make the county one of the richest
per capita in the Treasure state.
Don't Mind Lack Of Beauty
Residents don't mind the county's
lack of scenic beauty. There are no
rugged mountain peaks or dashing
mountain streams to lure tourists to
the area, but to the home folk the
derrick fields giving out their
wealth of black gold" are beauty
enough.
Whether the residents brag about
them or not, there are, however, some
interesting spots in the county in ad-
dition to the Cat Creek wells and
the rolling graSslands and farm crops.
Flatwillow creek is dotted with camp
ing spots and fishing holes; Yellow
Water and Valentine dams offer good
boating; the Musselshell river is lined
with picnic grounds, and old Fort
Musselshell at the confluence Of the
Musselshel and Missouri rivers was
the scene Of early Indian battles and
a station for steamboat operators.
Fishing and hunting are becoming
better each year. There are over $50
small dams and reservoirs which pro-
vide good duck hunting and fishing
facilities. Deer and antelope are plen-
tiful in the hills. Last year 10000
Dream were stocked in Yellow Water
lake and many of the other streams
and lakes were planted with trout,
small mouth bass, catfish and bull
heads.
Evan W. Hall, agricultural agent for
the Milwaukee railway, which has
spur entering the county, is optimistic
over the future of livestock raising in
Petroleum He reports the business is
staging comeback and expects larger
returns in the years to come. Last
year 60 cars of lambs were shipped out
of Winnett and many cars of cattle
were headed to market.
While oil production and stock rails
ing are the financial backbone of Pc
troleum county, no small part of its
reputation, especially that of its county
seat, has sprung from an entirely diff
ferent source-amateur boxing. Win
nett has the name of being the
"fightingest little town in the west"
and for good reason. Since amateur
boxing was introduced there back in
1888, {. Winnett team has never en-
tered tournament that it didn't win
something. In 1899 the fight for fun"
lduS VI "l1dlSle SoPPSu lANS Va SAAS
eight state amateur crowns and many
of the boys have gained national fame
from their proves with padded mittS.
Many of the former Petroleum county
amateur champions are fighting in a
the folks back home believe they will
do as well with the armed forces as
they did in the ring.
Recent irrigation projects as Yellow
Water dam and War Horse lake have
greatly increased the use of water on
county farm lands. The Yellow Water
project waters 1000 acres and War
Horse 5000. But it's not irrigation that
Is considered the county's greatest
need, but rather rural identification
and better roads. The county seat is
at present supplied with electricity
produced by privately owned plant.
Winnett has plans for beautifica-
ton project in the years to come that
will include. the construction of civic
center and park covering an entire
block, but right now is rejoicing over
its most recent civic improvement
an artesian well 1925 feet deep which
Is the towns source of water supply
for its 399 residents. These 1893 persons,
incidentally, are over one-thlrd OF the
county's 1893 residing in the 1854
square miles bounded by Petroleum's
borders.
The oldest resident in point of ar
rival in the county is Henry N. Sibbert,
who came in 1894 and has lived here
ever since, engaged in sheep raising.
Created in 1925
This youngest Of Montana's Sc
counties was created from part of
Fergus by petition and election and
was organized Feb. %, 1925, just 60
years after organization of the nine
original counties in the state,
Winnett was named after Walter
winnett, owner Of the townsite. AS
q youngster, Winnett roamed about
the state with the Indians, and it is
said that Sitting Bull at one time had
q desire to adopt him into the tribe.
When out on hunting trip with a
party of Sioux, he came upon the
scene of the Custer massacre. He Is
said to have been the first white man
to visit it after the battle and claimed
tn have found Cl1ster's botiv