The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-03-10
A City. the County Seat and Center of This
Enormous Natural Wealth-A City
Destined to Have a Remark
able Growth.
lBy Leased wirc.1

lby Leased Nlrp.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 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. II is becoming one Of the most
important points on the Northern Pa
cfic system, and not only because OF the
magnitude Of its traffic. but as a basis
of operations for the building OF new
lines. The Bitter Root Valley branch
diverges here and runs up the valley fif-
teen miles to Grantsdale. 1t will soon
be extended about forty miles further
to the head Of the valley. The new cut
off line to the Cnur d'Alene mining
towns also leaves the main line at Mis-
soula. Running down the valley for
about seventy five miles, Of which twen-
ty-five are completed, il strikes up the
st. Regis de Borgia river, crosses the
Bitter Root mountains, and comes down
to Mullan. at the head of the South
Fork Of the Cpur d'Alene river, 125
miles from Missoua. This road, con
nected with the line from Mnllan to
Spokane Falls, already partly finished,
will feet a saving of sixty-five miles in
distance over the present route by way
of the Pen d'Oreille, and will, as a con-
sequence, become the route OF the
through trains 10 the Pacific coast, IL
will be completed this year and will at
once enable Miss soula To secure much of
the trade of the Cnur d'Alene camps
and towns.
The Northern Pacific has projected a
line through the Flathead vallay to 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 road
will be about $50 miles long ending close
to the British boundary. There is nc
question as to its early construction.
The Washington and Idaho line OF
the Union Pacific already completed a.
far east as Mullan, has been located 10
Missoula, paralleling the Northern Pa,
cifc's new line. The question Of further
construction has not yet been deter
mined by the Union Pacific manage
ment. If the road comes TO Missoula il
will undoubtedly go on TO a junction
with the Unions old line, either at Gar.
rison or Anaconda.
The Manitoba Company, now called
the Great Northern. has determined 70
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 Cadotte S
Pass and down the Big Blackfoot 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 second trunk line east and
west, would be of enormous advantage
10 the place. but even in case the north.
ern route is selected the development ct
firms 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 Iont 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 Missoula county are
and will continue TO be the pride of
Montana. Southeast from Missonla the
famous Bitter Root valley is capable of
supporting population of hundreds OF
thousands from agriculture alone. Lat.
eral valleys penetrate the mountain
ranges on either ride, affording homes
for thousands besides what the valley
proper will support. The coil is a rich
alluvial. producing grain, grnsses, vege-
tables, etc, with a minimum Of labor
and maximum of yield. All small
fruits. such as Strawberries, blackber
berries, currants, etc. as well as apples
pears: pInms. prunes, grapes. etc. dc
we'll and bear abundanty. The cl mate
of the Bitter Root valley is noted foI
mildness and the seasons open some
months earlier than further south anc
east Farmers find no trouble in DIS
posing Of all they can raise for cash. ant
at goodsprices, as the miners require
more than can be supplied with the
present farming population and meth
otls The towns of Stevensville, Cor
wallis, Victor, Grant5ville, etc, up thil
valley are iiourishing, growing places
Sill the valley is not one fourth settled
Patented land Of the very best qualit,
can he bought for from ten to iifteei
liars per acre all ready for the plough
water Tor irrigation can be lad any
where. On each side OF the valley thu
mountains are foil OF miners and pros
pettors, thus assuring a good market a
every door
ii has generally been admitted tha
tho past year was the dryest eve
known. but this did not prevent tn,
farmers of Bitter root valley from rails
ing 225QO0 pounds Of small fruits. which
found a ready sale. Oats there yielde,
from seventy to eighty bushels DE
acre; wheat, twenty-five to forty bushel
and the hay fields yielded an average o
two and a bali tons per acre. Thes
cereals find n ready sale, and hay is nov
bringing $40 per ton.
For further particulars write or cal
npon