Distinctly Montana Magazine

www.DistinctlyMontana.com 55 The grim reality was that Indigenous people already resided in this area sought by homesteaders, but it didn't take the federal govern- ment long to find a way around the situation. "(In 1887) Congress uni- versally ended previous treaties," says Weston. He explains that the General Allotment Act, also called the Dawes Act, declared that on the reservations, any land in excess of Native need could be homesteaded. In practical terms, if a teepee wasn't sitting there, it was often offered as a homestead or sold to a speculator, who set down new tracks or sold parcels to immigrants. While Hill purchased land directly from the tribes in many instanc- es, Weston says, "Going through native lands is a source of Hill's wealth. The federal Indian policy, at that time, is why the railroads were so successful." BRINGING IN HOMESTEADERS After the success of the St. Paul and Pacific, which was reorganized in 1879 as the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway Company, the Manitoba line headed west, making the most of the potential resources. Weston says Hill firmly believed that "Agriculture is the reason the land has value. He was interested in a sustainable business that would grow more profitable because it was a good idea," not because the government was writing a check to do so. To encourage family farms, Hill's railroad ac- tively promoted homesteading dreams to European immigrants, and the population of Montana grew 300 percent between 1890 and 1920. A visionary in many respects, Hill stressed the importance of "proper utilization of the soil," even offering the keynote presentation during President Theodore Roosevelt's conservation commission at the White House. Weston says, "He didn't approach nature with just a 'take' atti- tude. It was a radical departure from the attitudes at the time." As homesteaders spilled into Montana, Hill's passion for agricul- ture lent support to their efforts. Weston notes that Hill owned hobby farms in Minnesota where he bred cattle and crops that grew well in northern climates and shared these with the homesteaders. "He really saw himself as a great benefactor of farmers," Weston says. Unfortu- nately, this did not play out in the long term as many farmers blamed Hill for their failures during the disastrous time around 1919 when drought, wire worms and grasshoppers decimated crops. Montana's Best Hotel in 1917 and Again Today 33 S. Idaho St., Dillon MT | 406-925-5024 Whether you're staying for the week or the weekend, working or playing, The Andrus Hotel puts you in the midst of Southwest Montana with spacious and refined accommodations. AndrusHotel.com Fully Equipped Kitchens 24/7 Guest Only Gym Rooftop Terrace Concierge Service Ideal location in Historic, Downtown Dillon MT Private Guest Elevator Meeting Space for up to 10 12 Unique Suites

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