THE WEST SHORE.
191
we nearly completed. The channel in front of the town
has a good depth, ranging from twenty feet in low water
season to sixty feet in high water, time enabling ocean
vessels to approaoh at all times. As Port Hammond 1h
the farthest point east where the railroad can le readied
by ocean vessels, it is probable that it will become an
important shipping point. As a place of residence it
will be very desirable, since the climate is mild and quite
uniform and the scenery most beautiful.
After mentioning sixteen bars of bullion, valued at
144,000, the produot of two weeks' run at the Drum Lura
mon; the shipment in April of 1125,000 worth of bullion
from the Helena Mining and Reduction Works; the re
sumption of work on the Legid Tender and Bonanza
Chief; the regular shipment of bullion from the Llkhorn
mines on Crow Creek: the steady yield of dust in Con
federate Gulch, and the shipment in April of $50,000
worth of bullion from the Gloster mine, the IndeitnuUnt
- says: " We cannot begin to enumerate the different
duces in the viointv of Helena where gold (hint and
bullion is being taken from. Suffice it to say that there
are many and many thousands of dollars per month
bronchi into our oitv. which is boooming so common an
occurrence that but little attention is paid to it How
ever, we doom it wooer and right that those living out
side of our city should be posted as well as those living
in it, hence the occasional publication of these facta." . It
predicts that Montana's output of $9,750,000 of gold nnd
silver m 18H4 will be excooduu the current year.
Mr. D. II. MoNeil. the recently atiointed Govern
ment Guide for British Columbia, returned from an ex
nlorins trio to the North Comox Valley, on Vancouver
Island, and also on Valdoa Island. In the valley there is
sufficient alder bottom and swamp land to provide aliout
twenty-five families with locations. The Gonna district
roads are convenient for the land, some of which fronts
on the ooast and extends np the VBlley about seven miloo.
Two settlers who aooomoanied Mr. MoNoil found good
locations, and will begin at once to clear the land f he
land of Valdos Island is swamp and marsh, with fine
alder patches. Sufficient land is known to locate about
fifteen families. There is a cranberry marsh on this
iulnn.1 on. I a I art uvnrnl tllnceS where this DOIHllar f Ttllt
can be successfully cultivated. On the island there is a
strotch of nrairie of about one hundred acres without a
stick of timber on it, oovered with a luxuriant growth of
grass. There are also other patches of similar land of
smaller extent A further exploration will no doubt dis
cover that on this island there are other extensive stretches
of good agricultural land The Comox Valley offers
special inducements to settlers, as there is already a large
settlement, with good roads, schools, churches, stores and
weekly mail communication by steamer. LOioniii.
The improvement the great bands of horses, eattle
and sheep which graxe on the Western ranges are eon
Bjmtlv uiidorifoins is a matter of congratulation to our
stockmen and business men generally, since it indicates
increased prosperity of the steck industry and all branches
of trade in the least dependent nwm it The vast herds
nf Una horned bonv and gaunt Isxas cattle tiial covered
fnw VRAM iicm uta rnnidiv ..KAnimriiiir. am
in Uieir plaoos are seen fat, beefy cattle worth twioe as
much er pound This result has been produced by the
imnnrtiilioti of nure blood or grade short horn bulk
The range cattle of to-day are the mixed descendants of
the long horns and short norns. a ihw more years win
work even a greater change, as the short horn uloml still
predominate over the native Texan. -This all
means greater value per boad and loss excuse per dollar
U valoo in handling stock. It also means prsstigt in tho
market, which is an essential feature of the highest suo-
h in the ptofjc bnninr?n. Tho tr.:uo li L'Uo ul
raising, rcrcheron stallions have been put on our
rnngos, with tho result of wonderfully increasing the sir.e
and value of the scrubby horses so common in enrlior
years, rresorviiig all the toughnoss ami endurance of
tho dam, tho descendants also partake of the characteris
tics o the sire, and Uie indications are that in a few yoaro
the most desirable horsos for general purposes will oomo
off our Western ranges.
It is stated on good authority that the Chicago ft
Northwestern Company is determined to push its Ne
braska lino through to a junction with the Central Pacific
lailroad, at some point in Utah, perhaps Corinne or Pro-
montory. If this is so it means a union of the North
western and Central Pacific to parallel the Union Pacific
The locating engineers have already reached a point in
Wyoming near the headwaters ol the Niobrara. I hence
the line will push forward to the continental divide at
Coal Creek, following that stream to the North Platte
and Stillwater, and so westward to a junction with the
Central Paoifle, as has been said It is stated that the
track will roach the Wyoming line this year, Should tho
Northwestern and Umtral raeitlo form an alliance as a
transcontinental oomctitor with the Union Pacific, it is
very likely that the latter will spring away from its con
nection with the Central Pacifio anil strike out for tho
western ocean on its own liun. J It lias already done this
by building the Oregon Short Luio. Ko.1 Nor will the
paralleling stop here, lhe Uhioago, Milwaukee ft ht
Paul and the Chicago, lturlington A Ojuinoy have occi
dental ambitions, and will not lie content until their iron
is rusted by the salt water of tho Pacifio Ocean. The
more competitive lines across tho continent the tatter.
Tho time is not far distant wheu the lumlwr ot the Pacifio
Coast will froolv minule witli tho two nines of the country
east ot the Hookies, while the fruits of tho Cascade slopes
and valleys will be found on tho humblest tames of the
Cast at moderate prices. Aiorihuwiiirn iiumiHTimm.
Artesian wells as a water supply for Irrigating are
coming into great favor in California. Ten years ago.
when Hanta l;lara and im Angeles counties ooniatiiixl
nearly all tho Mowing wells in the State, there was natu.
rally much doubt whether local experience thero would
avail much elsewhere, but during the last decade there
has loen such a multiplication of wells in widely distant
regions that tho presumption now is in fuvor of success
in most places, although tho dnjith to bo penetrated and
tho consequent cost vary greatly. There are thirty. five
flowing wells in tho vicinity of Pomona, twelve of them
within an area or thirty acres, ihoy range in depth
from KM) to '200 feet, and it has Iwcn demonstrated that
the flow of old wells is not materially diminished by the
sinking of new ones in the immediate vicinity. In Tulare
County there are upwards of lt, with new ones con
stnntly being added. They vary in depth from 1123 foot
to 700 feel, and cost from P'M to $1,200. An arte inn
well will irrigate from 40 to Il'JO acres of land, depending
uHin the size of the well, character of the soil and tho
use to which tho land is put My reason ot their flowing
ceaselessly day and night, they enable their owners to
grow any desired kind of crop, and licautify their homes
with gardens ami shrublsiry as much as they will. With
the boring of these wells has sprung up a desire for small
farms, and tho district has the capability of supporting a
large istpulation where before but few could have fouud
a livelihood TilB West Hiioiil has often urged the sub
ject of artesian, wells upon its readers. Thert are largo
triictt ot land where tho soil is ooncodod to bo good, but
wboro tho natural rsiufsll is too light fr mwwMful uU