The Sidney herald., 1956-02-09
WRITER VISITS SIDNEY
SEES BRIGHT FUTURE FOR VALLEY
..NNOut0n0 This Week"

the west are acquainted, one
finds some of the most encour'
aging examples of what pioneer
with persevering faith and pur-
poSeful energy have accomplish.
ed in this great commonwealth
In speaking of pioneers, / dc
not restrict that term to those
when the Indians still roamed
and ruined the wilderness. The
real pioneering in this region
began long after that and there
is still much pioneering to be
done.
Every few years I have occa-
sion to get into this general re-
gion and it is always a pleasant
and stimulating experience. Glas-
gov, thriving metropolis OF
northeastern Montana, is one of
my favorite communities. Malta,
II miles to the west, is another.
And in what is known as the
lower Yellowstone, Sidney is by
all odds my preference. Among
other things, it has one of the
finest hotels in the entire state.
Richland county is an out
standing illustration of what can
be done through a diversified
farming-livestock program found
ed on irrigation and with the sug-
ar beet as the base. Here is dem
onstrated what irrigation can
really do and here the bureau
of reclamation has proved that
the concepts which brought it
into being as national policy are
sound and practical.
Recently there was a celebra-
ton at Sidney of special signifi-
cance. This celebration marked
the Both anniversary of Holly
Sugar company at Sidney and
the 50th anniversary of the be-
ginning of that corporation What
this observation really pointed
UP was the fact that three dec
AIDES ago a community with a
great agricultural potential be-
gan to develop its resources in a
manner that not only opened the
door to a full realization of the
fruitfulneSs of its soil but brought
economic prosperity and securi-
ty.
Yellowstone county, where
Great Western pioneered sugar
beet development, leads the state
in sugar beet production. But
although Richland grows only
about half the beets that Yellow
stone does. Richland is the Sec
ond county in Montana in beet
Many of us are fairly familiar
what the sugar beet means
IN the Billings territory and in
some other Montana communi-
les, but it may not be quite as
to US how important
livestock feeding has become in
,idental to beet growing and
processing.
For years I have been hearing
about the livestock feeder tours
conducted each winter out of
Sidney but it has not yet been
ny good fortune to participate
one. Time after time these
ours tell a story meriting repe-
.ition and re-emphasis. 1t is a
story of the success of DIVERSE
lied irrigation farming with the
beet as a base and what
his can mean in agrarian sta
)ility and in the ringing up of
more dollars in the cash regis
erS on Main Street.
A quarter of a century ago the
lichland County Fair had already
Won recognition considerably be-
'ond Montana's borders. So far
S the state was concerned, the
lichland County Fair was sec
nd only to the Midland En-
ire fair at Billings. When the
of Great Falls and Cascade
.unty undertook to launch what /,
4 1881 began its career as the !
Torth Montana State Fair, they
ad a keen eye on what had been /.
chieved at Sidney, and they !
ersuaded Harold F. DePue, Rich
and county extension agent and /
lanager of the Sidney Fair, to l
It up and manage the Great !
ais exposition. 1
On one occasion during that ;
arly period the Great Falls =
ribune assigned me to cover the :
lir at Billings and then go on $
Sidney for the Richland Coun- Y
Fair. But while / was at Bill !,
.gs some sort of political rump- s
) erupted at Helena and ] was $
'dered there. This switch from !
Impkins to politics prevented a
attending the Sidney fair {
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