: 156 MONTANA-1916 • 



• • 



electric power is available, part of which is being utilized by the Montana Power 

 Company which has built, seven miles from Norris, a dam across the Madison river 

 and established a large plant that generates 20,000 horse power the year around. 

 The power is transmitted to several points in the state, to Butte and Anaconda on the 

 west, and to Bozeman, Livingston, Billings and other places on the east. 



A mountain range forms the eastern boundary, another is in the center, and a 

 third in the western part. The chief agricultural districts are in the valleys and 

 between the ranges. The Jefferson valley extends from the northern boundary to 

 Twin Bridges where the river is formed and embraces in its own drainage basin 

 and those of the South Boulder and Willow Creek a great extent of excellent farm 

 land. South of Twin Bridges are the Beaverhead and Ruby valley, the former about 

 15 miles long and five miles wide, and the latter about 30 miles long and from one 

 to three wide. The extensive area in these valleys contain many highly improved 

 and very productive farms. The trading points are Waterloo, Twin Bridges, Sheridan, 

 Laurin and Alder. A part of the Willow creek valley is in Gallatin county, but the 

 upper part is in Madison county and extends to Pony and Norris. South of Norris 

 is the Madison valley, about 36 miles long, and, including the bench lands, about 5 miles 

 wide. Large crops of oats, wheat and hay are raised. Meadow Creek, McAllister, 

 Ennis, Jeffers, Cameron and Lyon are postoffices in this valley, which has room 

 for at least five times its present farming population. Many excellent stock ranches 

 are in this section. 



In the valleys are irrigated areas and on the benches, farming without irrigation 

 has been successful. Several projects are pending that will increase the acreage of 

 irrigated lands and some of the large ranches are being subdivided and sold in farm 

 lots. 



The county is sparcely settled and offers good advantages to the homeseeker 

 who desires to secure farming and fruit lands by purchase at low prices. The 

 markets of Butte and Anaconda are convenient; and fruits, dairy products, eggs and 

 chickens are always in demand. 



The principal towns are Virginia City, the county seat, an important com- 

 mercial and mining center, a rich town and of great historical interest, having been 

 the territorial capital; Pony, a mining town and trading point for the Willow creek 

 country; Sheridan, a pretty thriving town, surrounded by rich farm lands and near 

 producing mines; and Twin Bridges, which is situated at the head of Jefferson 

 valley near the confluence of the Ruby, Beaverhead and Big Hole rivers and at 

 the outlet of the valleys of those rivers. Twin Bridges possesses a favorable location 

 for growth in size and business importance and undoubtedly has a very bright 

 future before it. 



The State Orphan's Home is at Twin Bridges and occupies buildings that have 

 been erected at the cost of $160,000. It has numerous inmates and is well supported 

 by appropriations for its maintenance. 



The Northern Pacific has a branch line extending from Whitehall to Alder and 

 another from Sappington to Pony and Norris. The extension of the Pittsburg and 

 Gilmore railroad from Dillon to Twin Bridges and Whitehall is a probability of 

 the near future. 



The population of Madison county is estimated at 9,870 and the assessed valuation 

 is $7,493,144. 



LAND AREA— Madison County, which is in the Helena and Bozeman land dis- 

 tricts, embraces an area of 3,588 square miles, including 686,032 acres of unreserved 

 and unappropriated public land available for entry under the homestead law, 121,698 

 acres of state land, and 839,382 acres of national forests. Of the total area of the 

 county, 565,184 acres are privately owned. 



