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m i K 1 1 I I 1 C 1 I Vol 4 Helena, Montana, Thursday, October 27, 1870. No. 48 Helena Weekly Weraltl. Published every Thursday Morning by O. IV. FINK, i'rwprleror. II. E. MIKi editor. EEiVlim S'1'ATISl'H N OF MONTANA. ■ Fuel* ana Figure*. To til« Editor of tin; IlcraUl : I present below some of lI k; most impor tant and interesting facts taken from the census returns, just completed. The table of population by counties hns been heretofore published. The total popu lation enrolled by name is 20,580. The num ber of while males is 14.082; and of colored males 133. Of this number, 10.782 are en titled to vote, consisting of native born citi zens and naturalized foreigners over 21 years of age—or more than one-half of the tota J population. In New York State, it is estimated that there is one voter to every six of the imputa tion. The same ratio would give us 04,092 people. These we will not have until easier and cheaper means of communication are opened to our Territory. The number ot Chinese males is 1807, and of females. 120, making a total of 103G, or nearly one-tenth of the entire population, excluding Indians. These people are in creasing by immigrating rapidly. They Imve been coming all summer; have no chil dren or wiveshere. The females are all pros titutes. There must now be nearly 3000 Chinese in Muntuna. The average wealth of the people of the United States in 18G0, was $513 each. The value of the real and personul prop erty owned by the people of Montana, wherever situated, as given to the assistant Marshals is stated in the table below ; also, the indebtedness ot the several Counties. COUNTIES. Kcal Estate. Personal Prop erty. lion ded Debt. Other Debts. Chotcau.......... 4ft OOU 420 000 1 750 D'iwson ........ 12 500 «7 800 lüg Horn........ 7 SO I .cwirt and i'lurk. i os h Hi 3 «5<l 055 20 uou 50 uno Meagher......... 105 MM) fit« 415 ...... 20 000 }>cnr I.od#e..... 321 ftOO 2 00« «08 12 C0« 80 000 •It'ffereoii......... 71 120 1 202 017 Rut report'd Madison......... 1 2*'2 050 2 008 «08 31 TOO •14 560 Missoni a........ 325 lift) 715 807 ft 00 ) 11 000 < îaHitin ......... 583 031 «12 480 8 001) 12 000 Itnaverhcad...... 1 200 400 063 700 Total.......... $ 1,272,70ft] 13,887,5!« 77,70« 180,050 •Include* 4,SCO owin'; bjr Virginia City. Total of real and personal property, $18, 190.339. This gives an average of over one thousand dollars to each white person, or an average of $883 to each enrolled inhabitant, I do not think any State in the Union can show more woalth to the individual. The Chinese earn a good deal of money, but give in noth ing, and should not be counted in the average. The total indebtedness of the counties re ported in the above table is $2GG.95(I. and the average to each person in those counties is $14 25. The proportion varies much in the several counties. Tlie assessed value of property for taxa tion is very much less than given in the table above—this is always the ease. There are very good reasons for this in Montana. The person is required by the census regula tions to say what he considers himself worth in real and personal property, wherever it may lie, whether in or out of Moiituna; and as property owned out of the Territory, cannot, and should not, be taxed here; the value is not given to the Assessor, although it is to the Marshal. Then the law of Mon tana does not tax the value of mines, or the capital invested in them; only the capital invested in mills or machinery. Property is generally assessed for taxation at its lowest cash value at forced sale—hence, the differ ence. Ilelow, I give the value of property as re l timed to the Assistant Marshals, and as re turned to die Assessor for taxation in the counties in which assessment returns have been made to mo. Lewi* amt Clark.... Mcugltw.......... Uti-r Lodge........ Mis-oula........... Gallatin............ ik-nverhéad ........ 5 243 430 778 415 3 830 80S 1 071 057 1 305 511 401 203 A**e**cd for Taxation. 3 430 484 ooo oio 1 188 874 706 543 715 893 548 511 Total,. ............... *14 174 774 ! 7 474 043 Showing a difference of $4,899,831, or about 40 per cent, less than the actual wealth of the people, and I presume this proportion is true of the counties not re turned. The amount raised by taxation in the sev eral counties for territorial, county and school purposes, is as follows : In Chotcau $4,324; Lewis and Clarke $70,666 ; Meagher $7,000; Madison $43,800; . Deer Lodge $34,400; Beaverhead $8,810; Missoula $10,800; Gallatin $13,800, Total $202,-700 Jefferson county is not yet re turned. Dawson and Big Horn have no county organization, are not assessed, and pay no taxes. They are liappv in their iso lation. Thus it is seen that some counties pay each year ns much as they owe; the average is about tlirce fourths. SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES. Tlie number of children attending school lastycarin theorganizedcounties was: Males 907.females 824; total 1.791. Thisshowsvery well, considering how sparccly settled the counties are. The number of persons over ten years of age, who cannot read are returned at Oil; those who cannot write at 84t. These are made up in a great part from Indians und half-breeds, returned as living with the whites. The Methodists Imve four churches which will accommodate 1,150 persons, and are valued at $10.300. The Episcopalians have one church which will accommodate 700, and witli their other church property is valued at $5,500. Tlie Catholics have five churches, and other property valued at $77,000; and church accommodations for 1,700 persons. DEATHS IN YEAH ENDING JUNE 1, 1870. Tlie number of deaths in tlie Territory are reported at 175, oronu iu 117 of the in habitants. Of these, 129 died of diseases, and 40 from accident or violeucc. In 1800, in the whole United States, there was one death to each 09 of the inhabitants. The in ference is that Montana is more healthy than the average of tlie country. 1-IlODUCTS OE AG1IICULTUKE. Farming is the most important interest to day in Montana, next to mining for the pre cious metals, and in many respects more important than that ; because it is a perpet ually growing interest, forthc improvements on land mid the annual increase of stock re main with us; while, when gold or silver are taken out of tlie ground, it is of less value than before, and the product is carried out of the country. At present tlie products of gold much exceeds the value of agricul tural products, but ten years will probably, as in California, change this result, vastly the oilier way. The following figures will lie found worth reading. A table showing the products of eaeli county would take up too much space, although I have one pre pared, so I give tlie results of farming as re turned to me, for the whole Territory, for the year I860: No. of farm«....................... 871 No. of acre*........................1104,743 Cash value of farms................ *615,880 Value of farm implements and mu chincry......................... 133,088 Wages paid during the year.. _____ 4911,715 DOMESTIC AK1MAL*. No. of horses..................... 5,363 No. of mules and asses.............. MSI No. of mlleh eons.................. 14.667 No. of working oxen............... 4,944 No. of other eattle.................. 911.373 Total number of cattle............ 35,964 No. of sheep........................ 3,044 No. of hogs........................ 4,551 Cash value of all stock.............. 1.746,055 FARM CROPS. No. of bnshelsof Spring wheat raised 175.880 No. of bushels of winter wheat raised 3,349 No. bushels rye..................... 1.141 No. bushels Indian com........... 511 No. bushels oats.................... 141,846 No. bushels barley.................. 77,671 No. bushels buckwheat.............. 88 No. bushels pc is and beaus......... 4.314 No. bushels |H>tatoes................ 76,857 Value of products ot mill ket gardens. 16,480 No. tons hay....................... 16,889 No. bushels grass seed............. 31 DAMIT PRODUCTS. No. pounds blitter................. 374,400 No. pounds cheese.................. 46.903 No. gallons milk sold................ 80.386 Value of homemanufactures........ 141.397 Valncof animats slaughtered........ 146,691 Estimated value of all farm produc tions. including liettennents and additions to stock.............. 1,608,973 These returns arc for the year I860. The amount of capital invested in farming is as follows : Cash value of farms........................* 615.880 Cash value of fsrm Implements and machi nery.................................... 133 088 Cash value of all live stock................. 1,748,056 Total............................. ...... »2,475,093 Gallatin county produced about one half of the grain raised in the Territory; Meagher is second ; Missoula third ; Madi son fourth ; Lewis and Clarke fifth. Lewis and Clarke made the most butter, while Jef ferson, Beaverhead and Madison conic next and produce nearly equal quantities. Gal latin made nearly one-fourth of the cheese. There is no provision in the Census Schedule for taking the number of domestic animals, quantities of butter, milk etc., in towns or mining camps; that produced on farms, only, is returned ; and it is very large in proportion to our population. One-half of tlie men in Montana own a horse. I have before me the number of horses and cattle returned by the Assessors of Lewis and Clark nnd Deer Lodge coun ties. and also by the Assistant Marshals' LEWIS AMD CLARK COUNTY. Marshal's return. Assessor's return. No. of hor*es. .......... 971 m 391 No. of cattle.. ......... 9,499 3,164 No. of sheep.. 575 No. of swine . .......... 85 479 Total value. .......... $118,420 DEED 1.0 DO ■ COUNTY. $211,767 No. of bone*. ........... 967 1,568 No. of mole*. ........... fiO 181 No. of eattle. ...........6,064 6,450 No. of eheep. ......... 780 » No. otbop. ........... 168 988 Total value. ........... *484,300 *347,145 In these two counties we have returned by the marshals, 1,230 Imrses, while the county assessors return 2,450, which is almost ex actly double the assistant marshals' re turn. The same ratio would give us over 10,000 horses in the Toy tory, and I do not doubt that there are that'number. The true number of cattle, sheep upd swine is larger than we could get from farmers alone, but there was no provision for enumerating them off from farms. I have written to county oflk-era for the numbers returned for taxation, and will furnish the numbers when received, and add them to my census re port. In 18G0, the number of horses in all the States and Territories was 1.120,533, and tlie total population was 31,443,322. This gave every 27 people oue horse. Our 5,362 horses would give one to every four, and I think we have one for every two persons. In 1800. there were returned 14,671,400 cattle in all tlie States and Territories. This a little less than one itead >p every two per sons. The number of cattle returned in Montana is 35,964. This would give over one and three-fourths to each person of our 20,580 people With sueli an exhibit in our favor, while we have hardly commenced cattle raising, what results must we obtain'in a few years* It proves that Montana caunot lie excelled by any country in raising stock. 1 regret that there is no provision in the census schedules, or in county assessors' re turns for taking the number of acres of land devoted to different crops, so as to arrive at the number of bushels per acre. I am satis fied, from observation and inquiry, that 35 bushels per acre would be hut a mod erate estimate for all the small grains. There are many other things in tlie table of farm products I would likejfo notice, but my lime and your space forbid.' One great fact is apparent, however, ur»that is, that Montana is self sustaining jurNfar as the products of tlie soil can iiiiai^Vt so. We would raise abundance to sf|n' if we had cheap and speedy communications. As yet the mines have given us agood home market, and will continue to do so for * long time. Millions cun live in our beautiful valleys and have happy homes, while our mountains will yield their precious treasures of gold and silver, iron uud coal, copper and lead, for ages to come. PRODUCTS OE INDUSTRY, Lumber is furnished in every county at reasonable prices, for all purposes, in suffi cient quantities to satisfy ail demands. Pine, cedar, and fir limber is • inexltauslble, and when the North Pacific road iV completed, can furnish tlie whole prairie country from here to Minnesota with all they may need. Of flour mills there are enough to grind all the grain, yet in some loerjitiea money might he profitably invested in'wcw ones. We have a few foundries and machine shops, but no cotton or woolen mills. Every town has a brewery, nnd tvo distilleries mnkc wheat whisky, I am toh-L*/excellent quality. LalMir is too expensirelo be used in manufactories. GOLD PRODUCT. The most difficult and unsatisfactory re sult to obtain was tlie gold product It is so easily concealed and transported, and men aro so fearful of telling what they have made, for feir of robtiery, tuxation, or other motives, and there being no other way but asking the miner to get at the tk'dth, that I do not think this mode lias given more than one-third of what the yield was last yesr. A large munberof claims that were worked lust year were deserted this, and their pro duct could not be got; and many daims that were visited this year were not Worked last. lit Chinese, some 1.500 of whom worked in tlie mines, tell little or nd$fog, being fearful of loosing what they have mads, and often not understanding, they dn meOgre information. The result os fsr as ascer tained is as follows : DKKR DODOS COUNTY. Gold..... Silver.. ...................... 11,705,58(5 (Mil.... LEWIS AND CLARK COUNTY. • Gold .... MEAGHER COUNTY. ...................... BEAVERHEAD COUNTY. Gold...... MADISON COUNTY. Gold..... JEFFERSON COUNTY. Gold...... Ill: 1 SOULA COUNTY. Total.................................... *8,3«. 188. COAL. Several coal veins are opened. Below Ft Benton, on the Missouri, 500 tons have been taken out and delivered on contract On the Dearborn river, and near where Mullen's wngon road crosses the Kocky Mountains, fifteen miles from Helens, good ■weine have been opened for use. Near Baseman, in the Gallatin valley, is a flue eleven foot vein of good quality. n BUFFALO ROBBS, V About 40,000 robes have been fought by the traders in the past year, fromftha region of the Missouri and Yellowstonenvan, and several thousand from north of Mhutsna, in Biitish America. W. F. WHKELHt Ü. 8. w. Helena, Oct 25,1870. PICTt'lES OF THE VELMWHDSC couirrmv. SULPHUR MOUNTAIN AND MUD VOLCANO. September first our party struck camp near the Falls and moved up, still on the west side of the river, towards the lake. Hauser, Stickney, Langford, Moore, and myself, not yet satisfied with our views of the Fnllsdid not accompany the train, but returning spent the day 'til high twelve, slaking our souls with the beauty and inspiration flowing from those incomparable master pieces of nature. In about six miles from tlie Falls we came to a broad, open space of low-land, throngh the centre of which runs a considerable sized creek of alum water. We crossed without any trouble, where we anticipated much. From this creek we first came in sight of our train, near the base of an isolated mountain, to the right of our course, and some two or three miles away from the river. We could also sec smoke or vapor rising in continuous columns from the western end of this mountain. Pushing on as fast as the wet and loose nature of the ground would admit, we were soon in the midst of a new field of wonders, apparently, in the very crater of an extinct volcano, whose smouldering fires were finding vent through hundreds of smaller outlets. The field of this activity was confined to the southern slope of this mountain. At its base were several large sized, hot, boiling, sul phur springs. One among these deserves particular mention for size, activity, and ap pearance; its basin was twenty feet in diam eter. and was full to overflowing with scald ing water of yellowish clouded color, much impregnated with sulphur, which was de posited all around the margin of this basin and nlong the channel, by which its over flowings passed away. Tlie water in the basin wus in constant, violent agitation, sometimes bursting out with terrific force, throwing the Whole of its contents Into the form of an irregular cone, six feet in bight, and dashing it when it fell all over its sides, whence part would trickle hack and the most run away. The margin was beautifully scalloped and fluted, its inner facing bright yellow as pure brimstone, fa ding into gray further back. From another smaller crater, lower and further to the west, issued dense, sulphurous vapors, in irregu lar jets, accompanied with a deep, guttural sound, somewhat resembling the sound of a steamboat when laboring over a sand-bar. No water was visible in this crater, but its desliings in the depths below could be dis tinctly heard, and occasionally drops were thrown out. All over the southern slope of this mountain, from hundredsof crevices is sues fumes and smoke of sulphur, whilst every such outlet was encircled with con verging chrystals and orifices of pure bright, yellow brimstone. So brittle was the crust that it was constantly breaking under our feet, opening occasionally to view tlie most beautiful little caves and grottoes, lined throughout with the same bright, yel low chrystals. So hot was the surface of this part of the mountain that our thick boots in rapid motion could hardly be kept tolera ble. Acres of surface were thus covered witli almost pure brimstone. Tlie speci mens we brought away will speak for them selves. At tho southeast foot of this moun tain was a distinct basin of springs, which, as they did not exhibit any wonderful symptoms, we did not visit, but mounting again our horses we rode over to an entirely separate basin, about thirty roda to the south west, where, in our approach we were compelled to dismount, as our horses began to break through. In this heart-shaped ba sin were scores of mud springs of all de grees of consistency, end of great variety of color. It was the most dangerous looking crater to explore of any that we traversed. The surface appeared to be simply a crust of indurated mud over a boiling lake of fire and brimstone. Down through the many vent holes we could see the yellowish liquid, boiling and spluttering in receding caverns apparently connected together. It looked like an infernal dye-houie, where pots of pigments were in process of preparation. Here was a pot of light yellow color, within two feet another of pink, and another of lead color, with various intermediateshades. The lout ensemble was decidedly unique and picturesque in the extreme. So long had we tarried ,to survey these wonders, that we lost all thought of our distant train and declining day. Putting spurs to our horses we bounded over hills and heaths in the supposed direction of our train, skirting on our way a lazy creek, coiled up like a monster ssrpenl under a •and bluff; then, through si low, flat bot tom, almost on a level with the river's ski face, and covered with coarse swamp gy m s reaching to tbs hones' shoulder, than, bead ing around the baas of a protrading tyuff, we caught the welcome sight of camp among sittered Irres close by theriver's side. Sup per was nearly ready, and we were quite so. Such venison and trout as we had would be sweet to take under any cir cumstances, but for a keen relish commend me to a day's riding and pleasurable sight seeing. Dense clouds of vapor rung from a neigh boring pine grove, and low, sullen, booming soumis that made the earth tremble, gave notice that grander scenes awaited us. Hun ger is easier satisfied than curiosity. We were soon following sight and sound in a south west direction. General Washburn having been iu advance, became our guide, and took us first to see a most singular spring that issues from tlie mouth of a cave. The substance of the top and sides of this cave seem like decomposed marble, purely white, but tlie dashing of the water and the constant exha lations of steam have left a deposit of. the deepest green, vitrol looking substance, over much of thesurface, contrasting beauti fully with the white, as well as witli the per fectly clear water in the bottom of the cave. The debris from the crumbling sides had been carried out and built up by the dashing waters into an embankment of pure, white sand, aboula foot high, and a little out from the mouth of the cave. Back of this the waters rose to the brim, and overrun, at each spas modic exhalation of steam, recurring almost as regularly as those of a steam engine. This cave seemed to beat the head of a ravine and at the bascof a pine-covered hill. Themouth of the cave was about six feet in diameter, and its top sloped rapidly to the surface of the water, touching it at about 25 feet from its mouth. In any other vicinity it would have attracted more attention. About a dozen rods distant, perhaps twenty, the must singular phenomenon that had yet been seen in this region, prolific in wonders, attracted and absorbed our atten tion and interest. Front out the murky mouth of a mud-covered mound were roll ing rounded vo.umes of commingled smoke and steam, surda ged with sulpurous gas, an intermittent, rather irregular booming: sound, as of a mighty engine, which iKshoea through the deep woods, quaked the ground beneath us, and produced a feeling of awe as wc cautiously approached the brim of the crater. At intervals the smoke would roll back for an instant, and we could sec the shape and dimentions of the opening. It was nearly circular, thirty feet iu diameter at the top, then appearing to contract like the neck of an urn, swelling out again fur ther down. A t another visit, the day follow ing, and after a most thorough watching and examination, I gained an indellible impres sion of its force and appearance, whilst my wonder was proportionately increased. In one respect different from anything seen on our whole trip, this monster was of very recent date. Alone by itself, on the slope of a wooded hill, it bad evidently burst forth in an instant, hurling stone, soil, trees and muddy lava in hot and promiscuous ruin in all directions. Approaching from below, the mound rises thirty feet ; on the side next tlie hill it is but very little above tha natural surface. The entire surface of the mound is covered with a lead colored, very rough, indurated mud. The same substance covers all the surrounding trees and bushes, dried on just as it fell, with no rain or snow storm to dissolve or loosen it since. The wind has shaken these trees in vain. In all the rough fantistic shapes in which this plastic mud had first fallen, the sun hod baked it, and so we saw it. We tried to transport some specimens of small limbs thus covered, but they crumbled. For a radius of 400 feet I traced this mud on earth and tree, while other trees that stood along the crest of the hill above the crater, 200 feet above, were shorn of limbs. I watched with others for hours, trying in vain to catch sight of the liquid mass in the belly of the crater, whose surging and splashing we could distinctly hear, sometimes seemingly thrown almost to the top. This veritable mud volcano was surely of most recent date, probably not two months old, possibly not two weeks old. Should there yet be found in this region full fledged volcanoes emitting smoke, cinders and molten lava, it would not surprise me any more or convince me any stronger that this was a region of active volcanic forces. Between the mud volcano and the fini, about a quarter of a mile distant,Is a reman* able hot spring, becoming at tinea a spout ing geyser of inagnificient proportions. In a basin of about eight rods in diameter and containing several small springs of various qualities, this one spring has a funnel shaped bowl, sometimesquiteeupty and twenty-five feet deep, showing an aperture of no more than 15 or 18 inches. When empty the sides of this bowl become almost white. It has a beautiful mottled appearance, ruffled and ridged all over. This spring is recent, or the mineral solution slight, for the deposit is quite thin.though solid, specimens of which I brought away with me. Gradually and quietly this basin fills, when suddenly barste forth the most terrific agitation ; the whole mass of water turns to froth and leaps np in wild, irregular spouts. Sometimes the whole volumeseemsliftedatonce. Probably some of these jets reached the bight of 50 feet. The geysers that we subsequently saw in theMadi son valley were radically different in all their features, but this one was in our eyes so marvelous that we felt ourselves more thsu rewarded for the toil, trouble and ex pense of the trip. During this violent agita tion. not more than ten mlirat~~ *---- J --- unbroken volume of stesaa column that can beacon These snasm hours at oue time we'Mfi baring pines awaiting ike waten. It cams lajt--- Yours, adsMK: « eHm the