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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1885)
THE WEST SHORE. 309 Little Wood Rirar... . Tml- Bmukjr Bullion , ' l Milking a daily ci,.aci(y of " The construction of more mills and concentrating works in contemplation. At IWk nn,l Can.,) creeks Blone, it is believed, over 100 additional stamps, having a capacity of 200 tons per clny, will be put in plaeo in the next twelve months. The Agricultural In mis of Wood River nre rich, but not very extensive; they nre mostly pre-empted. They can only be farmed at n oonsiderablo outlay for irrigating ditches; but once this advantago is secured they art' turned into perfect garden, where anything known to the north will grow. A few thousand dollars would make a good many fine farms on Wood Itiver. Five hundred acres adjoining Ketchum have been fenced with wire and boards and nenrly all placed under cultivation. The cost of securing irrigation was about fcl.OOO, fencing tho same, and now the land yields a crop that will net the owner about 3,000 a year. This is an instance. The chiof agricultural section of this region is Camas rrnirie, a fertile plain thirty by fifteen miles in extent, lying about twenty miles went of llailey. Tim whole prairie is magnificently watered, and in season covered with a luxuriant growth of grass, making it a paradise for stock. The soil is a rich black loam, about twenty inches in depth, witli a heavy clay subsoil. The mi r- otis creeks flowing through the valley keep the clay soil wot, so Hint, however dry tho top soil may look, plenty of moisture is always found within a few inches of the stir face. Water in endless tjuantitics can I mi found alumni anywhere on the prairio, at a depth of from two to eight feet below the surface. Many settlers have wells with Builiciont water for all stock at that depth. This comli tiou of soil renders tho lands of this prairie very produc tive. Immense crops of oats, wheat, barley ami till small grain, and all kinds of vegetables and fruits, can lie grown easily and to great profit. The natural grasses yield wonderful crops of hay, and tame grasses, whercvci tried, flourish amazingly. Timothy, alfalfa and clover have been sown, and have proved luxuriant and very hardy in growth. Tame grasses anil all (inn small grain find their natural elements here, and coiiHeiiHutly yield enormously. All kinds of vegetables, such si Nitutocii, lieeta, turnim, peas, beans, onions, cabbagee, etc., are successfully and very profitably cultivated, ami the mar ket for all that is not noedetl for home consumption is sure ami nt paying prices. The mountains in the uorth nre covered with a heavy growth of pine timber, thus giving plenty of wood for fuel and lumbering purposes. Two ( r three saw mills ye here, from which good building and fencing lumber can be obtained for from fit) to f 10 r 1,000 f.-L In tho hills surrounding the prairie are found choice graa iug lauds, where stock find good living mid keep fat all the year roumL Cattle, sheep and horses rejuirn but little prepared food and scarcely any shelter, tho bunch grass of the hills affording splendid feud all through the year. There can bu no doubt that this valley will prove a wonderful agricultural belt, mid that it is a choico sin t for new-comers in search of a pleasant home. No mora fertile or productive liui.L cuu Lo Lml in I.U.o, 10 such n diversity of crops can be raised with so little laW and expense. Several settlements linvo sprung up on Camas Prairie within the past two years. DILLON AND GLEN DALE, MONTANA. f IMIK nourishing town of Dillon, Montana, is a good 1 example of the progress made in the Went under the joint inllticnco of railroads and mining interests. Five years ago but one solitary log cabin stood where now is a prosperous town of l.liOO inhabitants. The land and cubin were purchased by the Scbree, Ferris A White Company, and laid out into a town in 1HM. U ( njt. nted on the line of the Utah A Northern Railroad, sixty nine miles south of 1 tut to and 3 IS north of Ogdeu, It is a commercial centre of much ImMirtauco iu Motithcru Montana, and is made a common Mint with Hutte and Helena for freight mid passenger rates by Ixith the Northern Pucillu and I'tah A Northern, being the llixt town on the line of the latter occupying that Misitiou. Indeed, only those two populous cities exceed it in Mon. tana in the volume of business transacted. Dillon has several substantial brick business houses, containing heavy stocks of goods, and the trade of its merchants extend throughout Hotitherii Montana ami to many siiiita in Idaho, since it is Uie only commercial town of imMrtauce Mwecn Ogdeu and Hutte. In H.H the First National Hank drew exchange to the amount of f'l,IHHI,(HM, and is only exceeded in its volume of general business by three banks iu Helena ami one in Hutte, Not only lilts this bunk done a largely increased husincHS the current year, but the Dillon National Hunk has Ih'cii organized to furnish the additional blinking facilities needed, and rosrls a proMiroii business. Not only commercially, but educationally and socially, Dillon is the centre of Houtherit Montana, It contains a handsome school house, which cost f.'O.OOO, of wlne advantages the people of the surrounding country avail themselves as much as stssible. Many wealthy men en gaged iu mining or stock mixing reside hi the town, mid a iiiiiiiImt of very neat residences have lieeu built. One esK'cially elegant attracts the eye of the stranger. It is the pnM.rty of Mr. W. C. (Irr.on which lis has expended :i.ri,(HH). Hematkiihln progress has Is en matin in flva years in giving the town an air of ngu and solidity, which is the result of the enterprise of its citizens mid its excel, lent locution ns a wriimiieiit commercial xiut. Hi self, evident is the certainly of growth and prosperity, Hint no one hesitates when hn builds to erect s sulwttantinl ami eipemtive structure. '" ,' The development of mines in ths surrounding couu. try is an iuiHirtaut factor iu the pnmjMirity and growth of Dillon, lienverheiul County stands third iu the list of mineral producing counties iu Montana, lxiiig ex. ceede-1 only by Kilver Dow sml Uwis A Clarke, These mines offer a ready cash market for the merchants sml help to sustain tho agricultural and stock intriiU, wide I ,