WEST
for each flior, supplied with light from biy window tad roof lights. Caw
has been taken that the arrangements shall be such as to place this hospital
on an equality with any other of like nature in the country. Its staff of
physicians embraces the most eminent practitioners in the city, which Is an
excellent recommendation to those having occasion to avail themselves of
the services of such an institution. While the management Is nnder the di
rection of the Catholic Sisters, the sick and afllicted of every rank, creed
and color are made welcome, and all receive the care and attention their
cases require. The style of architecture is Flemish renaissance, and with
its pressed brick walls and terra cotta trimmings the building will present a
striking appearance, and will reflect great credit npon its designer, Mr. Jus
tus Krumbein, the well-known architect of this city.
CHANGES ON THE STOCK RANGES.
One who observes the stock interests of the northwest cannot but note
the change that is taking place on the ranges. In fact the range stock bull
. ness is fast losing its distinctive character. The glory that attached to the
life of a cowboy, or vaquero, and sheep herder of even half a decade ago is
already a thing of the past in most sections of the northwest country. The
cattle king has abdicated his throne and the business is broken np and
popularised. Of coarse there are still large live stock Interests on the bunch
grass lands. Bat soil that will grow good bunch grass will raise good wheat,
and the settlers are fast poshing the herders to the mountains.
The papers of Eastern Washington, Eastern Oregon and Montana are
constantly chronicling the shipment of large numbers of live stock eastward.
Probably the eastward movement of sheep is more noticeable than that of
any other animal. They do not go east directly to market either. The Da
kota offer the most attractive grating ground now for sheep, and hundreds
of thousands of these animals are annually being sent thither from the
ranges of Oregon, Washington and Montana. Even the Judith basin in
Montana, the valley of the Yellowstone and the northern plain, are sending
their sheep to more eastern pastures. The Northern Pacific and the Great
Northern railways are carrying train-load after train-load east, the ship
ments beginning Immediately after shearing In the spring and continuing
till snow flies. The movement of cattle and horses is less marked but It is
by no means imperceptible. Those animals more uniformly go to market
when sent east.
Probably one reason for sending so many sheep east is that the climate
of the Pacific slope is more favorable to breeding animals and that it Is found
profitable to breed here and send to a more rigorous climate, If needs be, to
pasture. This reason, however, will not apply to Montana shipments, and
it is really a minor one in any case. The most likely cause for the transfer
may be found in the comparative conditions of the two regions as regards
their occupancy by settlers who actually till the soil. The record of the Da
kota, especially of the northern twin, since admission to statehood, hat not
been such as to establish any great degree of confidence In the breasts of on
coning thousands in search of homes. So now they pass through what was
two or three years ago regarded as the promised land and occupy the newer
and more attractive region to the west. The Dakotas are prime grating
states anyway, and, being nearer the market, their stock is driven to the
shambles Taster than it grows and they have to draw on the western ranges
for recruits. The Bad lands of Western Dakota and Eastern Montana otter
superb advantages for the sheepmen, who are fast covering the knobs and
gullies with western sheep. There It a good deal of what might be called
grating in transit done in the sheep business for Instance, leaving Oregon
in the spring by rail, stopping till (all In the Bad lands and then continuing
to market.
There are always losses In shipping animals such great distances. For
sheep the cars are " double-decked " and all animals have to be unloaded
at a number of feeding station! on the road. From 4,000 to 6,000 sheep
constitute an ordinary train load and two or three men accompany each
train to attend to the animals. Care must be taken not to let any of them
lie down while In the car, tor then their companions are sure to trample
them to death. Stock trains are special and there are more or less of them
on the road constantly. Some shipments are made from the inland empire
to the coast market. The whole trend of the business now It toward an Im
provement In the blood of range stock and reduction of the site of bunches,
private ownership and Improvement of pasturage and the production of bet
ter meat and wool and horses. It will be many years before all the features
of the old styled range business will disappear, but many of the character
istics have already faded and It it only a matter of time when the rest will
follow.
But the country It not getting poorer by the change In the live stock
business. From Texas to Wyoming and from Oregon to Dakota the bands
move. They return to Texas for the winter but they do not return to Ore
gon and Washington. Texas remains a wild grass-grown plain. The north
west It filling with people who mike the land yield vastly more nnder til
lage than when grating animals roamed over it at will. And the stock In
terest, like any other, mutt readjust itself to the changing conditions.
SHORE. 183
EPA jE Sir
WH1TB SULPHUR SPRINQ3, MONTANA.
The traveler passing through the valley between the Great and Little
Belt mountains, is surprised to see In the south-central part of Meagher
county a clean, beautiful, well-built town, out, as It were, In the wilderness.
It lies between the north and south forks of Smith river, a short distance
from their junction, with majeetio mountains looming high east and west.
The site is a gentle declivity which slopes westward. Here are the springs
which give the name to the town. Nine of these are In park in the west
ern part of the town, In which there Is a bath-house, containing tubs and
a small plunge, a bath In either of which is delicious. The water of all of
them it hot, ranging from 110 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. The surroundings
teem dirty, though they are not, the appearance resulting from the corro
sive effects of the water, which Is strongly Impregnated with sulphur.
About one square north of the park there are springs which are used to give
mud baths, and cures are sometimes effected by them when the others fail.
These springs were known to the Indians, and the ground to them was sac
red, where there was always peace. It has been ktiown to the whites from
the earliest times, but not until recently were the virtues of the waters fully
known and appreciated. About these springs have gathered a people who
have laid off a splendid townslte, and have ereoted good buildings which
are kept In first-class order. Here has sprung up a trade which reaches far
and wide, and is larger than that of any place of its site In the state. There
are two papers, the Rocky Jfountai'n Ilmbaniman, and the iltaghtr County
Neu$. An excellent court house, and a school house that Is a monument to
the taste and intelligence of the people, have been built. Jtftrttn Rerieu.
A large body of asbestos was discovered last week on the Skagit river
about three miles from Sedro, Washington. It Is said to be of excellent
quality, the fibres being long, fine and very flexible. This mineral la found
In large quantities in Bwltierland, Scotland, Virginia, Vermont, and on
Staten Island, off the New Jersey coast. The finest quality yet discovered
comes from Italy. The use of thit material hat been familiar for many
yean in all countries. It has been extensively applied in the manufacture
of fire-proof roofing, flooring, steam packing, clothing and lamp-wlcklng.
It is now principally used as a non-conducting envelope of steam pipes, and
for the filling np of sales.
There are 1,316 cars, built expressly for fruit transportation, now en
gaged in carrying California fruits to the eastern markets, besides other cart
pressed into the service. Over twenty carloads are tent east from Sacra
mento daily. This industry has done as much as any other one agency to
make California known to the world, and could its Importance and the sure
remuneration it brings to the grower be fully impressed upon the minds of
Oregon farmers, the number of cars required to supply the eastern demand
from this state would greatly exceed that of our southern neighbor.
At the Tacomt mill, the Norwegian ship Thar, Is ready for tea with the
finest cargo of lumber ever shipped from that port. She has 809,000 feet of
lumber, taken from the best timber to be found In the state of Washington.
Among the cargo are 400,000 feet of timber ranging from 10x10 to l!4i:4 In
ches and from tlxty-flve to 120 feet long.
An agent of a New York commission house liss bought a carload of ap
ples at Medford, Oregon, for shipment to England. He it highly pleased
with Oregon's fruit, and says the apples are superior to any be hat teen on
the coast.
The Vancouver Land & Securities Co., limited, of England, have opened
a bank in the city of Vancouver, B. C, with a capital stock of 2,500,000.
The WtMy Ntwt It a new eight page paper which made Its flr.t ap
pearance at Halsey, Linn county, Oregon, last Saturday.
A new bank is soon to be established In Salem, Oregon.