Montana Sheep Ranch and On to Spokane

Sept. 17, 1910
Got up rather early and had breakfast. It rained during the entire morning. Had jack rabbit for dinner and it was fine. After dinner, Frank, Seisel, Charles, and self started out to climb to the top of “Black Butter” Mountain which is the highest peak around here. It is all of rock and quite hard to ascent in some places. When we reached the top, we stacked up quite a pile of rock to leave in memory of our exploration. On the way back Charlie killed a hawk and we ran across a bunch of forty chickens.

Sept. 18, 1910
Got up and after breakfast went out to hunt chickens and run across quite a number. Seisel killed three and Charlie killed two. I fired a couple of shots at them but might as well shot at a barn. The German family were over here and the baby. Quite hard to understand them talk. Took care of baby while others had dinner. Seisel & Robert washed dishes. Seisel & self went after the cow this evening and it was a very pretty sight to see the moon come over the hill. Spent the afternoon talking.

Sept. 19, 1910
Started out @ about 8 o’clock to go to Clear Creek which seemed to be about twenty miles. The country was very beautiful and the valleys appear to be very fertile. Went over there to fish for trout and they surely can go some. Caught quite a few and then a government man came along. Robert fell in the creek. We cooked the fish for supper at the deserted cabin. Old Mr. Sheets came along with us. They weighted the bunch, posted own with rocks. The gates are very old. Saw quite a flock of chickens. The ride home was fine and the moon very bright. Reached home @ 8 PM.

The irrigation ditches here are very queer and some of them look as if they run up hill. The ditches are not very deep and run every way in order to be level. The water comes from Springs or reservoirs which are built. Oats is worth $2.50 a cwt. And alfalfa worth $10 to $12 a bu. One man had a piece of alfalfa yield 20 Bu per acre and sots $1 to thresh it. When any stock dies, they just leave it and it does not appear to have any odor during the time it decays.

Sept. 20, 1910
Got up and fooled around. Then Seisel, Robert and self went over to Mr. Jesses after a pair of deer horns for Warnie. We had quite a little fun with the baby. Got back to the house about noon. After dinner, we all changed clothes and went fishing. The water was very cold and so clear that we could see the fish. We caught enough suckers for a very good mess. The threshing machine men came along and were here over night. After supper Charlie, Seisel, Robert and self went over to Cleveland after the mail. It is about four miles over there. A very fine moonlight night. When we reach home, everyone had gone to bed.

Sept. 21, 1910
Joe broke his leg when he went after the horses. After breakfast we started to thresh and took about an hour and half. They had about 11 bu. of oats and quite a bit of wild oats and mustard seed. Seisel, Robert & self went over to help Mr. Lewis thresh and it took us until noon. After dinner Mr. & Mrs Taylor and son Chas. went up to Chinook to stay overnight and leave in the morning for Madison County. Frank took the people to town. Mr. Lewis’ grain was not bound and pitched it with a four prong fork. After the folks went away played cards to see who had to churn milk and who was king tomorrow. Robert lost and must do everything.

Sept. 22, 1910
After breakfast Robert went out to milk the cow but before hand Seisel had milked her and Robert was none the wiser and went on ahead and got about a pt. of milk. We then went out to hunt chickens and saw a many, but got note. Then came back to the house. I had to split wood and Seisel & Robert had to wash dishes. After dinner we went over to the Prairie Dog Town and tried to shoot them but had no luck. Then went over to Cleveland and it was very cold. After finishing supper, a sheep herder said that he was sufficiently amused. War and Robert went after the mail. Frank and Self washed the dishes.

Sept. 23, 1910
Noticed a heavy cloud which looked like smoke down below the mountains and we thought it was a fire and went over there to see. Fooled around the house in the morning and Robert pressed our clothes. After dinner went over to Dog town and Seisel killed two of then. The prairie dog resembles the ground hog in a great many ways and they say that they dig their holes down to water. The dogs do not scatter our over country but just inhabit these towns. We then went to hunt chickens and Seisel killed one. It grew Quite cold. After supper, I popped some corn. We played cards and tried to read a little. Frank went over to the Reservation and took a couple of herders over there.

Sept. 24, 1910
Got up and it was snowing and then turned into rain and made it very disagreeable. Robert washed some of his clothes. Seisel went out and killed a couple of grouse. Robert milks this evening. Seisel has to churn in the morning, and I wiped the dishes. It rained and snowed the entire day and we stayed in the house all the time. We sleep in the afternoon and then later read a few stories in the Sat. Post. In the evening it was very dark and wind blowing quite a gale and was still snowing. Played cards in evening and went to bed rather early. Could not see “Black Butter” at all.

Sept. 25, 1910
Quite a little snow on the ground and later on sun came out and all the snow melted off of the ground but was still up on the mountains. Seisel, Robert & Self went out and caught a rabbit out of lumber pile and had rabbit & grouse for dinner. Frank & Mr. Sheets came back from Reservation in time for dinner. Seisel & Self washed the dishes. After dinner, Warnie made some candy & popped some corn. Robert went out and drove the cattle out on the road. Seisel had to milk the cow. It surely was a fine day and it is very queer how the sun is shaded by the high hills. The night grew very cold. In the evening we had a lesson in bookkeeping. Hit Robert with snow ball. (Buffalo grass looks nothing but equal to corn in Ohio.)

Sept. 26, 1910
Robert and Self cut up some wood. Frank & Seisel went over to Sheets. Robert having a great time doing his ironing. Frank & Seisel did not come home for dinner, but reached home early. We fooled around the house most all of the time that day. In the evening we played cards and read awhile. When the telephone gets out of order out @ Seisels’s, they have to take it to Chinook and then send it down to Havre. One time they ere without their phone for 3 months. It appears everything is done in rather a careless way. The dog they brought back from the Reservation surely can run fast. Frank & Seisel are trying to get the Bill Sheets Ranch which is half of the Roberts, Taylor and Sheets Ranch which is big.

Sept. 27, 1910
We started to town in wagon at 7:40 AM. We notice the Canadian Line. Saw a coal mine. Reached Chinook @ 1 PM. The ride was very enjoyable and noticed that where they had corralled the sheep overnight there was no grass left. Went down to the RR station after some freight; agent was sweeping the platform and Seisel told him he was after some frt. He just kept on sweeping and we had to wait until he finished. Went down to see Mrs. Mary Brown who is from Wyandot Co. Mr. and Mrs Harvey Mapes of Marion, O. came down and we had a very pleasant evening. Left Chinook @ 1:40 AM and started for Helena. Had to take an upper berth.

Sept. 28, 1910
Got up at 8:30 AM. We were an hour late in reaching Helena. They were having their State Fair here now and we cannot get a bed, so we strike out for Spokane this evening. Went past the Fair Grounds coming in on the train. Went by the capital building and it is a pretty structure and at present, they are building on same. There is surely a nice crowd down at the RR Station. The station is a nice one and owned by the Northern Pacific. We did not get out of Helena until 8:55. We had no order for a berth and were quite fortunate in getting a lower. Just before we left Helena, it started to rain a little. The State Hair at Helena has made great progress in the last few years.

Sept. 29, 1910
Was awake at Hope (ID). We were an hour late. The land in and around there is timber land. Right near Spokane and on into the city the land which ten or fifteen years was worth $20 to $40 is now worth about $500 (an acre). We reached Spokane at about 9:30 AM and came up to the Empire Hotel. The rooms are very good and the meals are just fair. Robert went down to the Post Office and got the mail. Spent afternoon in reading & writing. After supper went down to the Post Office which is a fine building. The we went down to the Orphium and they had a very good vaudeville bill. The fellows just rush ahead and sit down and their girls follow them. Not a very good looking theater. Music of orchestra very low and not much good.

Sept. 30, 1910
Robert had been down to Post Office. Got up and had breakfast and then we took a walk down street. Have some nice business building and appears to be a busy city. All fruit sells at a high price. Noticed a great number of real estate offices. After dinner went down to Washington Theater and saw a vaudeville bill and had a monkey. Then we went down and way the Davenport Restaurant which is quite large and very good looking. After supper went down to the Great Northern RR Station and it is a pretty good one. Went to bed early. In Spokane they have not system in running autos and vehicles and turn comes any way. People walk every way.