Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XI.djvu/790

772 MONTANA meridian. Enclosed by the Bitter Root moun- tains on the west and the main chain on the east and south is a basin occupying the N. W. portion of 'the territory and embracing about one fifth of its area, which is divided by moun- tain spurs and streams into numerous valleys and terraces. S. of this is another basin, about half its area and of similar character, occupy- ing the S. W. extremity of the territory, and walled in by the main chain on the north, west, and south. E. of the Rocky mountains are several minor ranges. The Snow moun- tains enter the territory from Wyoming for a short distance, causing the Yellowstone river to make a detour in sweeping round their N. flank. N. of the Yellowstone the Belt, Judith, and Highwood mountains form an irregular group of short and broken ranges, around which the Missouri river flows N. before as- suming its E. course. N. of the Missouri the plain is interrupted only by the Bear's Paw and Little Rocky mountains. The mountains are generally less rugged and elevated than further S., and some of the valleys are de- pressed much below the lowest point in the Great Basin. The plains vary in height from 2,010 ft. at the mouth of the Yellowstone to 4,091 ft. at the foot of the mountains. The mountain valleys vary in elevation from less than 3,000 to about 5,000 ft., while the peaks rise above the line of perpetual snow. The N. W. basin is drained by tributaries of the Columbia river; the rest of the territory by the Missouri and its tributaries. Clarke's fork of the Columbia, formed near the centre of the basin by the junction of the Flathead and Bitter Root rivers, flows N. W. into Idaho, and is navigable for some distance in Montana by small steamers. The Flathead rises in Brit- ish America and has a general S. course near the foot of the Rocky mountains, expanding near the 48th parallel into a lake of the same name (the only one in the territory), about 30 m. long and 10 or 12 m. wide. The Bitter Root rises in the S. W. corner of the basin, and has a N. course, receiving the Hell Gate river, which rises in the S. E. extremity of the basin. The latter is formed by the junction of the Deer Lodge and Little Blackfoot rivers, and a short distance before entering the Bitter Root receives the Big Blackfoot from the east. The Bitter Root above the mouth of the Hell Gate is sometimes called the Missoula. The N. W. corner of the territory is intersected by the Kootenay river. The Missouri river is formed near Gallatin in the S. W. part of Mon- tana by the junction of the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin rivers, which have a general N. course, and flows N. and N. E., E. of Helena, to Fort Benton, whence it pursues a general E. course to the Dakota line, which it crosses near the 48th parallel. It is navigable to Fort Benton, more than 300 m. from the boundary. Its principal tributaries are Green river and Smith's or Deep river from the east; the Ar- row, Judith, and Musselshell, from the south ; and from the west and north, Medicine or Sun river, Teton, Marias, .and Milk rivers. Jeffer- son river is formed by the junction of the Big Hole or Wisdom, Beaver Head, and Stinking Water rivers, which rise in the Rocky moun- tains in the S. W. extremity of the territory ; Madison river, the middle fork, rises in the N. W. corner of Wyoming; E. of this is the Gallatin, rising between the Madison and Yel- lowstone rivers. The Yellowstone rises in Yellowstone lake in N. W. Wyoming, near the source of Madison river, and flows N. and N". E., draining the S. and E. sections of Mon- tana, and joining the Missouri on the Dakota border. It is navigable in spring and early summer by large steamers 300 or 400 m. above its mouth. Its chief tributaries are the Big Rosebud river, Clarke's fork, Pryor's river, the Big Horn, Rosebud, Tongue, and Powder riv- ers from the south, and Porcupine river from the north. The Little Missouri river crosses the S. E. corner of the territory from Wyoming, and joins the Missouri in Dakota. The pre- vailing geological formation in the east, as far as the 107th meridian on the southern bounda- ry and the 109th on the north, is the lignite tertiary. W. of this is a cretaceous region, having its widest expanse at the north. W. and S. W. of the cretaceous are narrow belts stretching across the territory along the foot of the Rocky mountains, composed of red beds, Jurassic and carboniferous rocks, and Potsdam sandstone. The Rocky mountain range and the two basins are largely of igneous origin, consisting of basalt, granite, and various meta- morphic rocks. Limestone, slate, and granite suitable for building purposes, and sands and clays adapted to brickmaking, are abundant. Bituminous coal has been found near Bannack, Helena, Virginia City, and Deer Lodge City, on the head waters of the Big Blackfoot, and in several places on the Musselshell, Yellow- stone, and Missouri rivers. Lignite exists in great quantities on the Missouri and Yellow- stone in the E. part of the territory, and on the head waters of the Teton and Marias riv- ers. Hot springs and geysers are numerous about the head waters of the Missouri and Yellowstone. (See GEYSER.) The precious metals, found in the metamorphic rocks, are abundant, Montana having been second only to California in the production of gold. The placer diggings are chiefly on the tributaries of the Hell Gate, Big Blackfoot, Madison, and Jefferson rivers, on the Missouri and its tribu- taries from the junction of the three forks to the mouth of Smith's river, and on the bars of the upper Yellowstone. The principal quartz mines are near Argenta, Bannack, Helena, Highland in Deer Lodge co., and Virginia City. Much attention is now given to silver and copper. These metals exist in conjunction with each other and with gold, and some- times separately. Silver is chiefly found on Flint and Silver Bow creeks, affluents of Hell Gate river; Alder and Ram's Horn gulches