The Helena independent., 1890-03-11
A Great March FIood--Thou-
sands of People Seeking
Homes, Are Attracted to
Missoula by Its Won
derful Resources.
A County With the Finest Agri-
rIcultural ValleyS---The
Best Mines and the
Largest Forests in
All Montana.
A City, the County Seat and Center Of This
Enormous Natural wealth-A City
Destined to Have Remark
able Growth.
Try Leased Wire.l


CHICAGO, March S.-A recent
number OF the Arkansaw Traveller
contained the following article regarding
an important railroad center Of Montana:
Missoula is destined to become q great
railroad center. She cannot escape this
destiny. Her situation commands the
passes through the Bitter Root and
Beaverhead ranges of mountains, and
through these passes the roads must
come. IL is becoming one OF the most
important points on the Northern Pa
cific system. and not only because OF the
magnitude of it's traffic but as basis
of operations for the building Of new
lines. The Bitter Root Valley branch
dive ges here and runs up the valley iif-
teen miles to Grantsdale. II will soon
he extended about forty miles further
10 the head OF the valley. The new cut
off line TO the Ceur d'Alene mining
towns also leaves the main line at Mis-
soula. Running down the valley for
about seventy-iive miles, OF which TWEEN
ty-five are completed it strikes up the
st. Regis dc BorgIa river, crosses the
Bitter Root mountains, and comes down
10 Mullan, at the head OF the South
Fork of the Cuur d'Alcne. river, 12j
miles from Missoula. This road, con-
nected with the line from Mullan 20
Spokane Falls, already partly finished,
will effect a saving OF sixty-iive miles in
distance over the present route by way
OF the Pen d'Oreille, and will. as con-
sequence, become the route Of the
through trains TO the Pacific coast. 1t
will be completed this year and will at
once enable Missoula to secure much OF
the trade Of the Cour d'Alene camps
and towns.
The Northern Pacific has projected q
line through the Flathead yallay 10 the
fine agricultural region and the coal
fields north OF Flathead lake, which
will be Of very considerable help in the
building up of Missoula. This roat
will be about $50 miles long ending close
10 the British boundary. There is nc
question as to it's early construction.
The Washington and Idaho line oi
the Union Pacific already completed a
far east as Mullan. has been located to
Mssoula, paralleling the Northern Pa
cfic's new line. The question of further
construction has not yet been deter
mined by the Union Pacific manage
ment. II the road comes TO Missoula il
will undoubtedly 90 on TO a junction
with the Unions old line, either al Gar
rison or Anaconda.
The Manitoba Company, now called
the Great Northern. has determined 10
start from Great Falls this year for the
Pacigc coast. The route is not yet set
tied. One survey, and the easiest for
crossing the Rockies, takes the road up
the Dearborn river, through Cadottes s
Pass and down the Big Blackloot 10
Missoula. Another runs north by way
of the Flathead lake country and the
Kootenai valley A choice OF route will
probably not be made until spring. The
building OF the road through Missoula,
opening a second trunk line east and
west, would be OF enormous advantage
To the place, but even in case the north.
ern route is selected the development of
farms and mines and lumber in the
northern part of Missoula county that
would follow could not fail to be OF great
benefit to the city. Its present suprema-
cy as the distributing point OF western
Montana would not he endangered. and
the new towns that would spring up
would only add to the trade OF this
natural trade center
THE GREAT AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES OF
MIssorLA.
The valleys Of Mssoula county are
and will continue to be the pride CT
Montana. Southeast from Missoula the
famous Bitter Root valley is capable Of
supporting a population of hundreds Of
thousands from agriculture alone. Lat
eral valleys penetrate the mountain
ranges on either eide. affording homes
| for thousands besides what the valley
proper will support. The soil is a rich
' alluvial. producing grain, grasses, vege-
tables. etc. with minimum Of labor
| and maximum Of yield. All small
fruits, such as strawberries, blackber-
berries, currants, etc. as well as apples,
pears; plums. prunes, grapes, etc. do
we'll and bear abundantly. The elm lte
| of the Bitter Root valley is noted for
| mildness and the seasons open some
months earlier than further south and
east. Farmers find no trouble in q s.
posing of all they can raise for cash, and
at good prices, as the miners require
more than can be supplied with the
present farming population and meth
ods. The towns of Stevensvlle. Cor
wallis, Victor, Granisyille. etc, up this
valley are fourishing. growing places,
sun the valley is not one fourth settled.
Patented land OF the very best quality
can be bought for from ten TO fifteen
liars per acre all ready for the plough.
water for irrigation can be had any
where. On each side of the valley the
mountains are full of miners and pros.
pectors, thus assuring good market at
avery door.
II has generally been admitted that
The past year WAS the dryest ever
known, but this did not prevent the
farmers OF Bitter root valley from rails
ing 22oOOO pounds Of small fruits. which
ound a ready sale. Oats there Welded
from seventy 10 eighty bushels per
acre; wheat. twenty-five TO forty bushels
and the hay fields yielded an average of
two and half tons per acre. These
CEREALS find a ready sale, and ha.' is now
bringing sop ton.
For further particulars write or call
apon
MCCONNELL, COOK & CO..