MONTANA, mfin-trna, the °Treasure State* (admitted to the Union 8 Nov. 1889), is bounded north by Canadian provinces, east by North Dakota and South Dakota, south by Wyoming and eastern Idaho, west by Idaho. Capital, Helena; area, 147,182 square miles; population (1910) 376,056; percentage of in crease in 10 years, 54.5; estimated population, 1918, based on school census, 750,000. The name is Spanish for mountain. The floral em blem of the State is the bitter-root. The yellow pine is the State tree. The State seal contains the words Oro y Plata, gold and silver.
The State has within its borders 94,196,780 acres of land. Of this amount approximately 26,000,000 acres are classed as mountain lands, 50,000,000 acres as farming lands and 18,000,000 acres as grazing lands. This is approximately 40,000 square miles of mountains, 78,000 square miles of farming lands and 19,000 square miles of graz ing lands. The mountain area of the State is about equal to the area of either Indiana, Ken tacky, Virginia, Ohio or Tennessee. Its graz ing land is about equal in area to Delaware and Maryland. Its farming land embraces an area about as large as Michigan or Minnesota. The mountain area is mainly in the western part. The main range of the Rocky Mountains enters the State on the north at a point about a hun dred miles east of the Idaho-Montana State line, and extends across the State from north west to southeast, in a very tortuous line, leav ing the State where the Divide enters Yellow stone National Park. Glacier National Park (q.v.) embraces a portion of the main range and outlying and projecting spurs. In this sec tion is some of the finest scenery and sharpest peaks of the entire State, although the altitude of the mountains is by no means as high as in the southern part. Among the peaks included in Glacier Park art Cleveland (10,438), Merritt (9,948), Wilbur (9,293), Grinnell (8,836), Gould (9,541), Seyeh (10,004), Going-to-the Sun (9,594), Red Eagle (8,800), Little Chief (9, J 542), Gunsight (9,250), Blackfoot 9,570), Stimpson (10,155), Pinchot (9,332), Jackson (10,023), Kintla (10,100). Hanging on these mountains are many glaciers, large and small, which give the name to the park. The most important of these glaciers are Agassiz and Kintla glaciers, on Kintla Peak; Rainbow glacier on Rainbow Peak; Carter glaciers on Mount Carter; Chaney glacier on Mount Mer ritt and the Divide; Sperry glacier on Edwards and Gunsight; Harrison glacier on Mount Jackson and Walton; Blackfoot glacier on Mount Jackson and Blackfoot; gla cier on Blackfoot; Grinnell glacier on Grinnell and Gould; and Vulture glacier on Vulture Peak. About the middle of the State a portion of the main range is called the Anaconda Range, with Mount Haggin (10,598). Mount Howe (10,475) and Evans (10,635). Here the range makes a sweep to the west, then turns at a sharp angle southward, forming the boundary between Montana and Idaho. The remainder of this boundary line of mountains is made by the Bitter Root and Coeur d'Alene ranges. The higher portion of the former range is in projecting spurs, and includes Lobo (9,075), Saint Mary (9,335), Ranger (8,810), Ward (9,010) and El Capitan (9,936). The smaller ranges in the western part of the State are variously named. In the extreme north western part is the Kootenay, which extends northward into British Columbia. Between the Kootenay and the Bitter-Root Range are the Cabinet Mountains, extending approximately southeast and northwest, and continuing west ward into Idaho. The Mission Range extends almost due north and south for about 100 miles, the northern end beginning in the valley at the upper end of Flathead Lake, rising higher to ward the southern end, containing McDonald (10,100), Sinyaleamin (9,500) and McLeod (8,500). East of the Mission Range lies the Swan range, extending almost parallel witn the former, and continuing much farther north. Like the Mission Mountains, the Swan Range is highest at the southern end, culminating in Swan Peak (over 10,000), and Baptiste. East of the main range are many small ranges, in some cases quite isolated, and in others con necting the Great Plains to the Continental Di vide. The Big Belt Mountains form the
boundary line between Meagher County on the east side, and Lewis and Clark and Broad water counties on the west. The range extends from northwest to southeast for more than a hundred miles. Between Chouteau and Cas cade counties are the Highwood Mountains, a range of beautiful summits, including High wood (7,600), Middle (7,000) and Arrow (7, 420). The Little Belt Mountains are between Meagher and Cascade counties. The highest summit is Neihart (9,000) ; Thunder Mountain is 8,000. Between the Little Belts and the Crazy Mountains further south are the Blue Mountains, the Elk Range and the Castle, a series of crags with an elevation of 8,606. The Crazy Mountains, the first mountains the travel er is likely to see as he speeds along the rail road near Bigtimber, lie partly in Meagher and partly in Park counties. They contain some beautiful mountains, Crazy Peak (11,178), Sun light (10,087), Conical (10,731), Loco (9,187) and Fairview (8,400). In Fergus County, which is about as large as the State of Massa chusetts, are three small ranges called the Big Snowy, the Little Snowy and the Moccasin mountains. In the southern part of the State, just north of Yellowstone Park, in Park County, are the Absaroka Mountains, also called the Snow Range, with some high summits, whose majestic snow•caps are seen 100 miles away. Among these are Pyramid (10,760), Haystack (10,990), Emigrant (10,969), Cowan (11,190), The Needles (10,939), Douglas (11, 300), and Sheep (10,620). East of the Absarokee Range, and bordering the State line, are the highest mountains in the State, the Beartooth Range, culminating in. Granite Peak, with an elevation of 12,850. Extending north and south in Gallatin County is the Gallatin Range, with many lofty and beautiful summits. Among these are Blackmoon (10,196). Hyalite (10,110), Twin (10,246), Bighorn (10,000) and Gallatin, between the Gallatin and Madison ranges (10,967). Also in Gallatin County, and north of the Gallatin Range, is the Bridger Range, with Bridger Mountain as the highest point (9,106). This range also contains a mountain named for the Indian Bird Woman who accompanied the Lewis and Clark expedi tion, Sacajawea. West of the Gallatin Range, in Madison County, are the Snow Crest Range, the Ruby Mountains, the Tobacco Root Moun tains and the Madison Range. The last named contains the Sphynx (10,000), and the Wedge (10,606). Along the Wyoming boundary, and east of Yellowstone Park, are the Pryor Mountains, in Bighorn County, and still farther east are the Rosebud Mountains. In the ex treme southeastern part of the state is the High Plateau Ridge. Southeast of Billings is a long elevation called Pine Ridge, which in level countries would he called mountains, but which in comparison with the high ranges is not so called. In the central part of the State near the eastern boundary, in Wibaux and Dawson counties, is a series of high and wooded hills called the Blue Hills. In the central por tion, Sweet Grass County, is a range called the Sweet Grass Hills. In the eastern and north ern part of the State is a series of isolated buttes, some of them of sufficient size and ex tent to be called mountains. Among these are Mountain Sheep Bluffs, nearly 100 miles long. Between the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers, and between Yellowstone and Musselshell coun ties, are the Bull Mountains, the location of a big field of coal. North of the Missouri River are several important small ranges, although the larger iortior of the country is in the plains country. Where Chouteau, Hill and Blaine counties join is located the Bear Paw Range, culminating in Mount Garfield (5,794), Hancock (5,078) and Centennial (6,074). Much of the mountainous region is yet unex plored, save by the hardy trapper and prospector. The transcontinental railroads give the traveler a poor idea of the sublimity of the scenery which the mountain ranges afford. Many of the peaks, lakes, glaciers and creeks are un named. Owing to the varied topography and elevation of the State there is great variation in the soil and climate, resulting in correspond ing variation in occupations of the people.