SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA 



59 



WEALTH PRODUCTION — Estimated 1922 crop value,. $3,042,000; estimated live- 

 stock value, January, 1923. $2,067,000: lfi21 lumlier cut, 147 M feet; total bank deposits, 

 September 15, 1922. $7,327,147. 



TAXATION 1922 — Total assessed valuation, $75,971,311; total taxable value, 

 $23,119,234. Total out.«tanding county bond indebtedness, $894,000; total outstanding 

 county warrant indebtedness, $12,709; total outstanding scbool bond indebtedness, 

 $989,442; other school debts, $51,634. Total general and special county taxes, $489,146; 

 total general and district school taxes, $576,465; total municipal taxes, $461,818; total 

 state taxes, $107,608; total tax (inclusive municipal), per capita, $55.23. 



EDUCATIONAL — Number graded schools. 99; enrollment, 6,159. Number high 

 schools, 7; enrollment, 1,021. Other institutions, Billings Polytechnic Institute. 



BUSINESS STATISTICS — Number of railroads, 4; railways mileage, exclusive spurs 

 and sidetracks, 164,55. Number of manufactures, 105; average number wage earners, 

 1,184; value of products, $9,064,815. Number of banks, 15. Number general stores, 27; 

 confectionery, etc., 35; groceries and meats. 105; lumber yards, 25; total number mer- 

 chants, 698. Total assessed valuation 1922 merchandise, $4,562,049. Number grain 

 elevators, 18; total capacity, 536,000 bushels. Number creameries, 5. Number flour 

 mills, 2. Number saw mills, 1. Number of lawyers, 68. Number of physicians, 35. 

 Developed hydro-electric plant capacity, 1,440 horse power. 



AGRICULTURE (1920 census) — Number farms, 2,211; farm acreage, 1,067,425; im- 

 proved farm acreage, 333,174; irrigated acreage, 101,378; average value all property, per 

 farm, $16,474. Livestock assessed 1922 — number cattle, 20,375; number sheep, 30,045; 

 number horses. 12,475; number swine (census), 9,566. 



CLIMAT0L03ICAL DATA — At Billings. Elevation, 3,115 feet. Average date last 

 killing frost in spring. May 16; average date first killing frost in fall, September 26. 



An- 

 Jan. Feb. :\rar. April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. nual 



Ave. Prec. .68 .40 .80 1.16 2.79 2.37 1.20 .98 1.13 1.21 .80 .44 13.96 

 Ave. Temp. 22.5 25.0 34.2 47.2 54.8 63.0 70.8 68.9 58.7 48.1 34.7 26.5 46.2 



County Seat, Billings. Population County Seat, 15,100. 

 County Agricultural Agent — Yes. 



STILLWATER COUNTY 



ESOURCES of Stillwater couuty are almost 

 as diversified as its elevations, which range 

 from 12,700 feet on Mount Wood, the second 

 highest named peak in the state, to 4,000 



_ feet in the non-irrigated areas of the north- 



S^ ^ ^ ern part, (iood agricidtural and stoek-rais- 



f,MSbi. iJ k ^ i^-M^..,^.^ i"S districts, natural gas, water power, and 



among other minerals what is asserted to 

 he the largest deposit of chromite in the 

 L'nited States, and coal are probably the 

 most important assets. 



Stillwater county lie!«' in south central 

 Montana. It is about 80 miles in length 

 from the northea.st to the southwest, and 

 in width about 25 miles. The Yellowstone 

 River crosses it east and west, about mid- 

 way of its length. High mountains rise in 

 the southern end. The Stillwater, East and 

 West Rosebud Rivers and Fishtail Creek 

 are the chief streams in the south half of the county. Oppt)rtunities exist for 

 the extension of the irrigat(>d lands. 



Non-irrigated farming is follnwcd in the northern part of the coiuuy. particu- 

 larly in the Lake Basin district. Soil types here vary from clay loams to sandy 

 loams, Unless careful cultural practices are observed with the sandy loams, soil 

 Mowing causes trouble. Suinnu'i- fallow and corn production are generally prac- 

 ticed in the rotation system followed in the non-irrigated districts. There is much 

 irrigated land in the Yellowstone valley. Alfalfa and corn are the principal 

 feed crops. There is a considerable a<'reage devoted to sugar beets in the eastern 

 part of the county which has developed the winter feeding of stock, especially 

 sheep. Irrigated farming is followed in the mountain and hill valleys south 





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