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: 13« M O N T A N A - 1 9 1 « * 



acres of state land, and 421,242 acres of national forests. Of the total area of the 

 county, 1,292,953 acres are privately owned. 



CROP PRODUCTION — The following gives the estimated crop production for 

 1915: Wheat, 2,100,000 bushels; oats, 1,500,000 bushels; barley, 250,000 bushels; corn, 

 40,000 bushels; flax, 15,000 bushels; potatoes, 250,000 bushels; hay, 100,000 tons. 



In 1915, the assessor's rolls showed the following livestock: Horses, 12,800 

 head; milch cows, 4,582 head; other cattle, 30,701 head; sheep, 229,095 head; swine, 

 4,828 head. 



For further information regarding Great Palls and Cascade county, address 

 A. J. Breitenstein, secretary Great Palls commercial club. 



CHOUTEAU COUNTY. 



Chouteau was one of the original counties of the state which has been reduced 

 several times by the formation of new counties. In 1912 Blaine and Hill counties 

 were formed from the eastern and northern parts respectively and Chouteau county 

 was reduced from an area of 15,539 to one of 4,594 square miles, besides losing 

 the greater part of its population. The county, though so greatly reduced in size, 

 is still very extensive and the development of its resources is indicated by the fact 

 that its population and wealth are now greater than before the division. 



The Missouri river enters Chouteau county from the south, flows northeast 

 about sixty miles and makes its great turn to the southeast. The Teton river, 

 coming from the west, and the Marias river from the north, join the Missouri near 

 the center of the county. Arrow river forms a part of the southeastern boundary. 

 In the southwestern corner are the Highwood mountains in which rise Highwood 

 and Shonkin creeks and tributaries of Belt river. In the northeastern corner is a 

 part of the Bear Paw mountains. 



The industries are stock growing and farming. This part of Montana 

 has long been noted as a stock region and the county contains many cattle and 

 great numbers of sheep, 'rne native grasses are luxuriant and nutritious and the 

 permanence of the industry is assured by the extent of good grazing lands near the 

 mountains and along the rivers that are too rough for farming. 



Farming, which until recently was relatively unimportant, has made great 

 advances in the last five years. A limited area of land adjacent to streams is 

 irrigated, but the chief advance in the development of agriculture has taken place 

 on bench lands which are farmed without irrigation. Homesteaders have come into 

 all parts of the county but there is some vacant land still subject to entry. 



The county seat is Fort Benton which is situated at the head of navigation 

 on the Missouri river and had a population of 1,004 in 1910, and now has an 

 estimated population of 1,600. Before Montana was organized as a territory Fort 

 Benton was an important fur trading post and for years following the gold dis- 

 coveries in the early sixties was a very busy place. Steamers, starting from 

 points on the Missouri river near where Kansas City now is, brought numbers of 

 passengers bound for the gold fields and great quantities of freight to Fort 

 Benton. Stage lines carried the passengers to Virginia City and other points and 

 numerous freighting teams hauled needed supplies over long and dangerous 

 trails to the mining centers. Fort Benton maintained its commercial importance 

 until the coming of railroads into the state. The steamboat service on the 

 Missouri river was abandoned when the trunk lines were completed. 



Some of the present great fortunes of Montana were founded at Fort Benton 

 in the days when it was the trading center for a great territory and the seat of 

 large business establishments whose activities extended for hundreds of miles in 



