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: THK TKE AS URK STATE 173 • 



• • 



SHERIDAN COUNTY. 



Sheridan county, occupying the extreme northwestern corner of Montana, was 

 created out of a portion of Valley county in 1913, and since that date has enjoyed 

 wonderful progress. This county is a vast expanse of fertile prairie land, 

 through which runs the Big Muddy and Popular rivers. 



The southwestern portion of the county is in the Fort Peck Indian reserva- 

 tion which was opened to settlement in 1914. At the time of the opening but 

 a very few of those who were successful in the government drawing availed them- 

 selves of the privilege of filing upon the claims, this being due to the fact that 

 the appraised price, running from $1.25 to $7.00 per acre, had to be paid for 

 the reservation land, while, outside the reservation, just as good land could be 

 secured under the homestead law. Since that time, however, the rapid acquisition of 

 the free homestead land in this vicinity has served to call atention to the at- 

 tractiveness of the reservation land and during the past year practically all of 

 the reservation, not alloted to the Indians, has been filed upon by settlers. 



There are a number of good towns in Sheridan county, Plentywood, the 

 county seat, is the largest and most important. Although less than seven years 

 old, the town now boasts a population of almost 4,000 and is rapidly growing. It is 

 a thoroughly modern little city, boasting all conveniences. Medicine Lake is 

 likewise an excellent distributing point and is growing fast. Scobey, the present 

 western terminus of the Great Northern's branch line, is the trading point for an 

 immense territory, while Poplar and Wolf Point not only supply the greater part 

 of the Port Peck reservation but also enjoy a big trade in the country south of the 

 Missouri river. East of Scobey are Opheim and Glentana, both rapidly growing 

 inland towns which have excellent prospects. Dooley, Outlook, Daleview and 

 Whitetail are important points along the Soo road, which parallels the Canadian 

 border for a distance of more than sixty miles in the northern part of Sheridan 

 county. 



Sheridan county has been one of the largest flax producing sections of Montana, 

 while wheat, oats and barley also yield heavily. Good farming is the rule rather 

 than the exception in Sheridan county, and the rapid growth of this section of the 

 state is, to a large extent, due to the exceptionally large proportion of real farmers 

 who invaded this territory when it first began to attract the homeseeker a few 

 years ago. 



The present population of Sheridan county is estimated at 23,510 and the 

 assessed valuation of the county, in 1915, was $10,599,544. 



LAND AREA — Sheridan county, which is in the Glasgow land district, em- 

 braces an area of 5,103 square miles, including 662813 acres of unreserved and 

 unappropriated public land available for entry under the homestead law and 181,256 

 acres of state land. Of the total area of the county, 653,531 acres are privately 

 owned. 



CROP PRODUCTION — The following gives the estimated crop production for 1915: 

 wheat, 3,600,000 bushels; flax, 750,000 bushels; barley, 125,000 bushels; corn, 

 130,000 bushels; oats, 875,000 bushels; potatoes, 192,000 bushels; hay, 32,000 

 tons. 



In 1915, the assessor's rolls showed the following livestock: horses, 20,168 

 head; milch cows, 5,928 head; other cattle, 10,116 head; sheep, 5,694 head; swine, 

 4,229 head. 



SILVER BOW COUNTY. 



Silver Bow, the smallest county in the state, having an area of but 698 miles, 

 is by far the richest and most populous. Its prosperity is derived largely from 

 the marvelous richness of its copper and zinc mines, and, while the mining industry 



