Year: 1868

"No water Is the bug bear which at
present troubles our citizens in their
waking hours and haunts them In their
dreams, in some cases worrying them
into States fever and causing them to
determine upon an abandonment of the
Territory-a jumping-outofthe-frying-
pau-into-the-fire kind of operations which
shows neither pluck nor wisdom ON the
part of shose who indulge in it. For the
purpose of proving our last statement
we have only to refer to the well known
facts that there are ut this time thou.
sands of people out of employment in
New York, Chicago, and even that par
adise of many. San Francisco. And not
only in the large cities, but from every
town in the United States we hear this
same complaint OF stagnatiOn in busi-
ness, wages lower than have been known
since the war, and no work for many ut
any price. We believe that to day, with
all the complaints of hard times that
we have, there is more prosperity in
Montana than in any other portion of
America.


1t is true that we have SO little water
with which to work that not to exceed
one half of the usual amount of gold
produced upon the opening of spring is
now being taken out. More extensive


and thorough preparations for mining
have been made during the past few
months than ever before. and it is natu-
raj that those engaged in them should
feel disappointed. yet there is no just
cause for encouragement. In the spring
of 1865 matters wore an aspect equally
as discouraging as at present. But with
the advance of summer came copious
rains, more than had ever before been
known in the Territory. We believe, and
by means of which the streams were
swollen. an abundance of water furnish
ed. and the silver lining to the cloud
which had hung over Montana displayed.
We look for similar rains the coming
season. basing our anticipations upon no
weather wisdom of our own. but upon
belief that what fails to be furnished us
in one manner will be provided in an.
other But even should these rains not
comc-and we can show no arguments
to prove that they will-there is no
cause for discouragement to men of
nerve. a dry season will furnish oppor-
tunities for developing many portions
of our country which have. heretofore.
remained untouched. No attention has,
to ouf knowledge, AS vet, been paid to
the exploration of the beds of our large
rivers. Claims have been stakcd upon
Missouri. opposite French Bar. but no
work has ever been done upon teen. A
dry season, by diminishing the volume
of water. will render it manageable. so
that it may be turned by wing dams into
fumes and It's ancient bed Overhnuled
to- see If it has left any treasure there
This river bed mining has. as all know.
been found immensely profitable in Cal
itorna. and we know of no reason why
il should not prove SD here. n dry sea
son also furnishes facilities for drifting
in places which have previously been so
wet that to work them was impractica-
BILE In other words: the present season,
production of gold. is the most favorable
for extensive prospecting that has been
offered 10 our people and may. ulti.
mately, prove itself of more benefit TO
the Territory than any other that we
have experienced. And even il the
coming summer should be pregnant
with all the evils which croakers antici-
pate, next year will set all matters
right again and to those who have the
pluck to remain and work will grant. as
n reward, full measure of prosperity.


To the weak kneed and dcspondent,
to those who are constantly signing for
the flesh pots OF Egypt, and to those OF
little faith, we bid God speed on their
journey home. We do not want you
here. for, like discontented sailors, your
words and actions breed mutiny in the
crew of our good ship, Montana, and we
prefer to have you overheard. But to
every true man of the Territory, be he
miner, farmer,or merchant, we say rs be-
tween hard times in the States and hard
times here. choose the lesser evil and
remain with us. You will thus be on
the ground 10 share in the good time
coming, Il firm belief in which all Mon
taninns have incorporated in their
creed. tLE.LLlA 4 II