USA > Montana > Yellowstone County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 36
USA > Montana > Park County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 36
USA > Montana > Dawson County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 36
USA > Montana > Rosebud County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 36
USA > Montana > Custer County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 36
USA > Montana > Sweet Grass County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 36
USA > Montana > Carbon County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 36
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Senator J. N. Kelly resigned in the spring of 1903 to accept the office of receiver of the Bozeman land office, and on April 30th Gov- ernor Toole issued a proclamation calling for a special election in Sweet Grass county to elect a successor. May 16th was the date set for the election. The Republicans nominated J. W. Bailey and the Democrats W. P. Frank-
14
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HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
lin. The vote was: J. W. Bailey, 272; W. P. Franklin, 100.
B. F. Mjelde resigned the office of clerk of the district court in the summer of 1903 and on August 5th of that year the county commissioners appointed Harvey C. Pound to fill the unexpired term.
Seven hundred and eighty-six votes were cast at the general presidential election November 8, 1904, the largest number that had ever before been cast in the county. Again were the Republicans successful in electing every candidate on the county ticket. Theo- dore Roosevelt carried the county for president over Judge Alton B. Parker by a vote of 538 to 174, and the Republican candidates on the state ticket carried the county by nearly as large a vote. Following is the vote at this election :
Presidential Electors-Republican, 538; Democratic and Labor, 174; Peoples party, I ; Socialist, 48; Socialist Labor, o; Prohibition, 2.
Congressman-Jos. M. Dixon, rep., 533; Austin C. Gormley, dem., lab. and pp., 185; John H. Walch, soc., 43.
Governor-William Lindsay, rep., 477; Jos. K. Toole dem., ,lab. and pp., 261 ; Malcom G. O'Malley, soc., 40.
Judge Sixth Judicial District-Frank Henry, rep., 605.
Senator-Chas. McDonnell, rep., 420; W. L. Martin, dem., 325; W. J. Knapp, soc., 35.
Representative-Benjamin O. Forsythe rep., 434; Herman Utermohle, dem., 296. Thomas B. Breedlove, soc., 36.
Treasurer-Dick Budd, rep., 618; M. N. Olmstead, soc., 49.
Sheriff-Oscar A. Fallang, rep., 473; Henry Schrader, dem., 248; Frank Schaefer, soc., 65.
Clerk and Recorder-Harry C. Allen, rep., 566; A. E. Walker, dem., 188.
Assessor-Ralph S. Jarrett, rep., 516; Geo. Munroe, dem., 227; J. M. Dunbar, soc., 32.
County Attorney-John E. Barbour, rep., 434; H. A. Hatch, dem., 316.
Surveyor-Derk J. Walvoord, rep., 532. Superintendent of Schools-Alice Web- ster, rep., 452; Mattie Smoot, dem., 314.
Clerk District Court-Harvey C. Pound, rep., 443; John H. Ammerman, dem., 286; L. C. Bade, soc., 34.
Under the new law the nominations for county offices were made at a primary election held September 4, 1906. The result of the Republican election was as follows :
Representative-Robert Brownlee, 311 ; P. O. Forsythe, 284.
Sheriff-O. A. Fallang, 292 ; H. M. Lamb, 260.
Treasurer-Dick Budd, 587.
Clerk and Recorder-H. C. Allen, 499; F. O. Maerdian, 131.
Assessor-Ralph Jarrett, 259; J. W. Davis, 248; E. L. Patterson, 122.
County Attorney-J. E. Barbour, 331 ; J T. Vaughan, 305.
Superintendent of Schools-Mary R. Deegan, 383; May Baxter Vestal, 243.
Surveyor-D. J. Walvoord, 567.
County Commissioner (two year term) -- H. O. Kellogg, 294; Jos. Kern, 214; B. O. Hollopeter, 97.
County Commissioner ( four year term)- John Rye, 522.
County Commissioner (six year term)- Geo. Loasby, 447.
The Democrats, believing that there was very little hope for any ticket they might name and not desiring to go through the expense of two campaigns for one election, did not attend the primary election in any numbers. There were a few votes cast, however, for nominees on the Democratic ticket, many of them being for Republicans. The result of this election, as canvassed by the board of county commis- sioners was as follows : Representative, Robt. Brownlee: treasurer, Dick Budd; clerk and recorder, H. C. Allen ; assessor, R. S. Jar-
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HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
rett; county attorney, John T. Vaughan; su- perintendent of schools, M. B. Vestal; sur- veyor, D. J. Walvoord; commissioner (two year term), Theo. Olson; commissioner (four year term), Jos. Lay; commissioner (six year- term), Henry Nicholson. There were ties on the vote cast for some of the offices and these were decided by lot by the board. For the of- fice of representative Robt. Brownlee and Geo. WV. Baker received the same number of votes, and the former was declared the nominee by the board. For county commissioner, two year term, Theo. T. Olson and Jos. Kern were tied, and the former was selected by lot. Some of the candidates named by the Democrats re- signed and others were named by the central committee.
When the general election was held in No- vember there was opposition to the Republi- can ticket only for four offices-representative, county attorney and two commissioners. The result was a falling off in the vote, only 586 votes being cast. The Republican ticket was elected without a break, although the result was close on one of the commissioners. Fol- lowing was the official vote :
Congressman-Chas. N. Pray, rep., 403;
Thos. J. Walsh, dem. and lab., 152; John Hud- son, soc., 22; J. H. Calderhead, pp., O.
Representative-Robert Brownlee, rep., 407; Geo. WV. Baker, dem., 154.
Sheriff-O. A. Fallang, rep., 498.
Treasurer-Dick Budd, rep. and dem., 528.
Clerk and Recorder-Harry C. Allen, rep. and dem., 534.
Assessor-Ralph S. Jarrett, rep. and dem., 521.
County Attorney-John E. Barbour, rep., 309; A. G. Hatch, dem., 277.
Superintendent of Schools-Mary R. Deegan, rep., 467.
Surveyor- Derk J. Walvoord, rep. and dem., 487.
County Commissioner (two year term)- H. O. Kellogg. rep., 301; Theo. T. Olson, dem., 243.
County Commissioner (four year term)- John Rye, rep., 425.
County Commissioner (six year term)- Geo. A. Loasby, rep., 281 ; Henry Nicholson, dem., 277.
Coroner-Mulkern, rep., 44.
CHAPTER IV
DESCRIPTIVE.
Sweet Grass county, Montana, is located in the south central part of the state, its south- ern boundary being only about ten miles from the Wyoming line. It is about eighty miles in length from north to south-and its great- est width is a little less than fifty miles. On the north lies Meagher county; to the east is Yellowstone county; Carbon county is on the southeast, separated by the Stillwater
river ; Park county bounds Sweet Grass on the south and west.
The area of Sweet Grass county is 2,887 square miles, and the altitude ranges from 4,000 to 11,000 feet above the sea level. Of this area a rough estimate would place about one-half in the class designated as valley and bench lands; the remainder consists of moun- tain ranges and forests. Of the latter 570
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HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
square miles are included in the Yellowstone forest reserve and 90 square miles in the Crazy mountain reserve. There are, perhaps, five or six hundred square miles of the area of Sweet Grass county that can be irrigated, while the rest is grazing land. While there is that much that can be used for irrigated farm purposes, less than one-tenth of that amount of land is under water today. The remaining acres are still waiting for the ap- plication of work and water to make them pro- ductive and profitable to their owners.
Within the county of Sweet Grass are rugged mountains and sheltered valleys, many rivers and creeks, deep canyons, great forests, a land of sunshine and shadow and peaceful homes. The summers are cool and delightful, and the winters are exceedingly mild and com- paratively free from severe storms. The air is pure and invigorating; the scenery grand. Here are opportunities for those who are seek- ing homes in one of the best countries in these United States. And Sweet Grass county has a population of about 3.500 people !
In the northwestern part of the county is the Crazy range of mountains with their per- petual snow covered peaks, from which rise the streams that flow into the Yellowstone from the north. There are many high peaks in these mountains within the borders of Sweet Grass county. Among these are Crazy Peak on the western boundary line of the county, raising its snow covered head to an elevation of 11,194 feet above the sea level; Fairview Peak, also on the western boundary line; Cin- namon Peak in the extreme northwestern cor- ner; and Porcupine Butte, in the northwestern part of the county, which has an elevation of 6,970 feet. In the southern part of the county are the Absaroka range of mountains, not less lofty and awe-inspiring than the Crazies. Mount Douglas is the highest mountain peak of this range in Sweet Grass county ; its eleva- tion is 11,300 feet.
Sweet Grass is one of the best watered
counties in Montana. The Yellowstone river, flowing from west to east, divides the county into two nearly equal parts, Flowing into the Yellowstone from both the north and south sides are no less than fifteen or twenty import- ant creeks, which, with their tributaries, form a perfect network over the county, furnishing the elixir of life to vegetation in erevry por- tion thereof.
On the south the county is hemmed in by spurs of the Rocky mountains, from whose snow-capped summits come many important tributaries of the Yellowstone. The farthest west of these is Wright creek, in the valley of which some of the earliest settlers took up residences. A little to the east of Wright creek is Prather creek. Then comes the Big Boulder river, or creek, one of the most important streams of the county. Its principal tributaries are the West Boulder, East Boulder and Bahel creek. Some sixty miles from the point where this stream flows into the Yellowstone at the town of Big Timber a little spring bubbles out of the ground, and this is the commencement of the Boulder river. This is in the extreme southern part of the county, away up in the mountains which cover the whole of that part of the county. The journey from that point to the mouth is an ever shifting panorama of beauty. Surrounding the upper valley are the giant peaks standing guard over the untold mineral wealth buried there; down in the lower valley are the happy homes and highly de- veloped ranches of the men and women who have builded.
The power that could be generated along this stream is incomprehensible, and were it properly harnessed to modern machinery it would produce sufficient electricity to run many mills and factories, besides furnishing light and heat for a large city-and that with- out in the least interfering with either present or prospective diversion of water for irriga- tion purposes.
Twenty-eight miles above the mouth of
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HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
Boulder river are the Natural bridge and the Natural bridge falls, where the waters of the river fall a distance of about one hundred feet. The Natural bridge is a limestone formation over the river at the head of the falls, it having been carved out by the action of the water. At the ordinary stage of the river the water goes under this bridge, but in high water the river flows over the bridge.
Continuing east from the Boulder we find these other streams coming into the Yellow- stone from the south: Upper Deer, Lower Deer, Bridger, Work, Hump, Whistle, Section House Gulch, Countryman, which is formed by North Fork, South Fork and numerous other creeks, and then the Stillwater river, which forms the southeastern boundary of the county.
Flowing into the Stillwater from the Sweet Grass county side are the following creeks : Buck, Jackson, Cow, Spring, Trout, Bad Can- yon, West Fork of the Stillwater and others.
Equally well watered is the northern half of the county. From the perpetual snow fields among the lofty peaks of the Crazy moun- tains come down numerous babbling creeks. traversing the whole of the northern part of the county and furnishing abundance of water during the irrigating season. Farthest to the west is the historic Duck creek, upon the banks of which located the first white settler of Sweet Grass county. There are three principal forks to . this creek. Next to Duck creek is the Little Timber, with east and west forks and other tributaries. White Tail creek lies to the east of this.
The next stream of importance is Big Timber creek, which rises in the Crazy moun- tains just outside of Sweet Grass county, flows in a southeasterly direction, and empties into the Yellowstone opposite the town of Big Timber. Its principal tributaries are Swamp creek, South Fork, Devil creek, Amtong creek and Hailstone creek. Otter creek empties into the Yellowstone a short distance east of Big
Timber, and with its branches drains a large territory. Its most important branches are Ten-Mile creek, Wheeler creek and the North and South Forks.
One of the most important streams flow- ing into the Yellowstone from the north is Sweet Grass river, or creek, which has its source in the Crazies at a point twenty-five miles north and west of Big Timber, flows in a southeasterly direction, forming almost a half circle, and debouches into the Yellowstone at a point about twelve miles east of the mouth of the Big Timber. Its tributaries are the East Fork, Cayuse creek and Scofield creek. To the east of this river is White Beaver creek, which has a large tributary in the West Fork.
The Musselshell river touches the county on the northeast corner, and the extreme north- ern and northeastern part of the county is drained by creeks which flow into that river. One of these is Big Elk creek, which flows across the extreme northwestern corner. Lebo creek and American Fork are two important streams which drain the northern part of the county and empty into the Musselshell. Other important creeks in the northern and north- eastern part of the county flowing into the Musselshell are Fish creek with numerous trib- utaries, Mud creek and Big Coulee creek.
Now let us consider the relation these num- erous streams bear to the prosperity of Sweet Grass county. Anyone at all conversant with the nature of the soil of the arid west and the scarcity of rainfall realizes the value of moun- tain streams. While the plainsman regards the mountains as representing so much waste land, the western farmer knows that they are the very fountain head of his wealth and prosperity. These mountains conserve the water supply until the heat of the long summer days melt the snow, which has been held in storage in the higher ranges, at a time when it is needed by the farmer to moisten his crops. While there is some "dry
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HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
land farming" carried on in Sweet Grass coun- ty, it is the exception rather than the rule. The principal crops of the dry farms are winter wheat and rye.
Because of the splendid distribution of water and the ease with which this water can be diverted from the streams, owing to the natural slope of the land, hundreds of canals now tap the sources of supply and carry the water to every portion of the numerous val- leys. As a result many thousands of acres of arid land, which in days gone by were consid- ered worthless, have been reclaimed from their desert state and now produce crops of grain and grasses that are unsurpassed in quality and quantity anywhere on earth.
The farming lands of Sweet Grass county are, of course, in the valleys of the streams, and nearly all of these valleys are highly pro- ductive. It shall be our purpose now to de- scribe some of the most important of these agricultural areas.
The Yellowstone valley extends across the county from west to east, and its length in Sweet Grass county is about fifty-five miles ; its average width about two miles. There are many fine farms in the valley.
The Boulder river valley is one of the best known and most prosperous in the county, and has been described as the "Garden Spot of Sweet Grass County." In fertility of soil and scenic grandeur it is unsurpassed. From the mouth of the stream at Big Timber for a dis- tance of thirty miles up the stream it is all taken up with ranches, and many hundreds of acres are under cultivation. Including the bottom and bench lands, the valley is about five miles wide. Of the Boulder valley a writer in the Big Timber Pioncer of December 13, 1906, said :
No transformation could be more bewil- dering than that which has taken place in Boulder valley within the past ten years-and alfalfa is its name.
Oats and wheat are among the most profitable crops grown on the Boulder. The yields are enormous,
and the market very satisfactory. The hog industry has not yet assumed large proportions, but it is re- garded as holding bright prospects for the future. Whilst the cattle industry has been the most im- portant on the Boulder, the big sheep feeder has early recognized the superior fattening qualities of alfalfa.
As in all parts of the county the Boulder valley is watered by irrigation, and it contains numerous private irrigating ditches.
The valley of the Sweet Grass was the first part of the county that received settlers, and it is one of the richest parts. Near the foot of the Crazy mountains, where the stream heads, the valley is in the form of a large basin, in which are many thousand acres of rich farming lands. Following down the stream the valley narrows, yet many ranches are scat- tered along it, all using the Sweet Grass water in the cultivation of the adjacent lands. About eight miles from the mouth of the creek the valley widens again, and here are many thou- sand acres more of good land. Of the many private ditches in this valley there is one of special importance. This is 19 miles long and carries 1,000 inches of water. It was com- pleted October 15th, 1903, for O. B. Nevin. Three thousand acres of land were covered at a cost of $4,000. The water is taken from the creek at a point about two miles north of the town of Melville.
To the west of the Sweet Grass valley are a number of valleys which are very productive and thickly settled. These are the valleys of the Big Timber, Otter and Swamp creeks, all of which have their source in the Crazy moun- tains. The Big Timber valley is about six- teen miles long and the average width about a mile and one-half; the south fork of the Big Timber is five miles long and one mile wide; Swamp creek is ten miles long and about one mile wide. These valleys are watered by canals taken from the streams and run paral- lel with the creeks.
Another one of the important valleys of the
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HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
county is the Stillwater, lying along the south- eastern border. This valley is 65 miles long, and on the Sweet Grass county side there are about forty ranches in the valley. This was in the Crow reservation until 1892, since which time it has been settled. Leaving the Yellowstone at Columbus you can pass up the Stillwater and see mile after mile of land in alfalfa, oats, wheat and other cereals in the valley proper, while back in the hills are graz- ing lands of unsurpassed luxuriance. If you go up the river far enough you will come to what is known as the lower canyon, far famed for its beauty and grandeur, with its midnight gulch, its natural bridge, its bee-hive rock, its ramparts and battlements, and its buttes. Then comes the far famed Stillwater basin, with its coal, copper, nickel and other precious metals.
One of the best and cheapest water pro- perties in the state of Montana is that operated by the Dry Creek Canal company, a co-opera- tive irrigating concern which has its canal south of the Boulder river. The canal is eight miles long, carries 2,500 inches of water and supplies 3,200 acres of land, comprising sep- arate ranches. The greater part of the stock was issued in exchange for labor performed by members of the company and beneficiaries of the canal, and the expense for water is limited by the cost of maintenance, which is merely nominal. There are no flumes, the ditch being cut through solid ground. This ditch was put in by a settlement of Mormons.
In the northern part of the county are other agricultural communities, on American Fork and other streams.
Many of the ranches of Sweet Grass county contain from 25,000 to 30,000 acres, but these are gradually being divided into smaller ranches. Except on dry land farms, where summer fallowing is necessary and only one-half of the farm can be cropped every year, 160 acres is plenty large enough for any farmer to cultivate as a farm should be cultivated.
Within the last five years ranch property has fully doubled in value. Ranches that could have been purchased for $3,000 five years ago cannot be bought for less than $6,- 000, while lands that were barren wastes and considered worthless at that time are now pro- ducing splendid yields. The rapid decrease of the public range compels the stockmen to depend more on the production of his ranch to feed his stock. As the result the ranchman is paying more attention to the intensified farming of his land by adopting more ap- proved methods, thus increasing the produc- tivity of the soil. This, in connection with an increasing demand for tillable land, ac- counts for the rapid increase in valuation. Lands improved and unimproved sell from $10 to $50 per acre. Agriculture is only in the in- fancy of its development in Sweet Grass county, and the opportunities and natural ad- vantages here are unsurpassed in the west. It is estimated that there were 6,500 acres more land under cultivation in 1906 than there were in 1905.
Formerly the public range was depended upon almost entirely to provide feed for stock, but under the new order of things an acre of land will produce sufficient food to keep ten times as much stock as it did before.
On properly irrigated ranches wheat yields from forty-five to sixty-five bushels per acre, oats from sixty to one hundred and five bush- els, barley from seventy-five to one hundred bushels, potatoes from two hundred to four hundred bushels, alfalfa from three to six tons, timothy from two to three tons, and other pro- ducts in like quantities.
Although for a long time it was supposed that fruit could not be raised in this climate, Sweet Grass county is now producing fine ap- ples and plums, while the smaller fruits-ber- ries, currants, strawberries, etc .- grow every- where.
One of the leading industries of the county is stock raising, although it is not carried on
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HISTORY OF SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
as it was in the early days before the ranges were taken up for ranches. Nowhere in Mon- tana are the natural advantages more favor- able for stock raising than in Sweet Grass county. Blessed with a most generous supply of water, a very essential commodity for grow- ing forage crops and for the winter feeding of stock, and sheltered by the mountain peaks from the cold winds and severe storms, Sweet Grass is indeed a paradise for the stockman. Among the stock, sheep easily lead. In fact, for years Sweet Grass county had the reputa- tion of being the greatest sheep raising county in the state. During the winter of 1906-07 fully 350,000 sheep were fed on the ranches of the county. Of this number, about 110,000 were owned by sheep men of other places, who rec- ognize the superior quality of Sweet Grass county alfalfa.
This is also a great cattle country. During the year 1906 there were shipped from Big Timber 355 cars of cattle, which went to the eastern markets.
Another industry that is fast coming to the front is the raising of hogs. Those who have tried the experiment have found it very profit- able. The hogs are fed on alfalfa during the summer and then fed on grain about two months. During the winter of 1906-07 A. L. Bray shipped, from Big Timber, five or six cars of hogs to Seattle and Billings.
A writer in the Big Timber Pioneer of De- cember 13, 1906, tells of mineral resources of the county as follows :
In the matter of mineral resources few states and not every nation can claim the variety or amount found and utilized in Sweet Grass county.
Gold, silver, lead, iron, copper, coal, lime and sandstone, all have been mined and sold from this county.
Gold to the amount of about $200,000 has been ex- tracted from rock and gravel in the Boulder river district. Silver in combination with lead-galena- has been shipped in car load lots to be smelted, and profitable returns received.
The Boulder river district is continuous from Big Timber southward for a distance of sixty miles, the
valuable metals being found in the part beyond thirty miles from Big Timber. Through the canyon, the rocks, corroded by water and ice to a depth of hundreds of feet, show metal bearing seams continuously, so that even those that run may see.
Every mile of the thirty miles of canyon has located claims, some being worked, many held be- cause of lack of money to do more; the owner sure of its value confidently looks forward to the time when the Boulder will come to its own and its worth be appreciated.
Hundreds of mining claims, showing now only a little hole in the ground and a little pile of ore near by, were at one time valued in the thousands of dol- lars, and at such valuation inany were sold. Now they can be secured by anyone taking the trouble to claim them.
Commencing at Big Timber and continuing south- ward directly great beds of sandstone are seen, all of a uniform gray color, but for building or shaping. this stone is as good as can be found in Montana.
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