The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-03-18
A County With the Finest Agri-
rlcuIturaI Nalleys---The
Best Mines and the
Largest Forests In
All Montana,

llly Ica-cl wic.l

CHlcAGo, March s. % nj
number of tho Arkansaw Il,
contained the following article re- n.
an important railroad center OF Nom
MissDula is destined TO become gre.
railroad center She cannot escape this
destiny Her situation commands the
passes through tho Bitter Root and
|Beaycrhcad ranges of mountains, and
through these passes tile roads must
come. II is becoming one OF the most
important points on the Northern Ia
| uilic system, and not only because OF the
magnitude Of it's traffic. but MS basis
7 of operations for the building Of new
| lines The Bitter Root Valley branch
DIVORCES here and runs up the valley iif-
teen miles 10 Grantsdale. IL will soon
| be extended about forty miles further
10 the head Of the valley. The new cut
/ or line to the Cnur d'Alene mining
towns also leaves the main line at Mis-
eoula. Running down the valley for
about seventy five miles, OF which TWEEN
f "a five are completed. il strikes up the
+ st. Regis de Borgl1 river, crosses the
Bitter Root mountains, and comes down
F to Mullan. at the mead ot the South
/ Fork Of the Ccur d'Alcne river, l25
miles from Missoula. This road, con
nected with the line from Mnllan 10
F Spokane Falls. already partly finished,
will effect saving OF sixty live miles IN
| d stance over the present route 10y way
| Of The Pen dOreille. aud will, as "a con
sequence, bccome the route OF the
| th oulh trains to the Pacific coast II
' will be completed this year and will at
once enable Missoula 10 secure much OF
| tho trade of the Cuur dAlene camps
| and towns.
The Northern Pacific has projected a
|lino 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 no
question as TO IFS early construction.
The Washington and Idaho line of
| the Union Pacific already completed as
| far east rs Mulan. has been located 10
| |Nlissoula, paralleling The Northern Pa
cific's new line Tho question Of further
|cnnstrurtinn has not vet been deter
XnilneN Df llit I Hlph ! h'hl' NhhHH-'
ment If the road comes to Missoula IL
will undoubtedly 70 on to IA junction
will the Unions old line, either at Gar
rison or Anaconda.
The Manitoba Company, now called
' the Great Northern. has determined TO
start from Great Falls this year for the
Pacigc roast The route is moi yet set
tied. One survey. and the easiest for
.rrussing the Rockies. takes the road up
. the Dearborn river. through Cadotte
Pass and down the Big Blarkloot TO
Mlssnua. Another runs north by way
. OF the Flathead lake country and the
. kootcnai valley A choice uf route will
probably not DE made until spring. The
building oc the road through Mlssoul0,
|oponing a second trunk line east and
west would be OF enormous advantage
| to The place. but even in case the north
crn route is selected the development of
farms and mines and lumber in the
rorthern part Of Missoula county that
would follow could moi fail To be of great
benefit to the city. Its present suprema.
cy as the distributing Tont ut western
Montana would not be endangered and
the rev towns that would spring up
would only add to tile trade Of tins
haiural trade center
THl GREAT AGRICULTURAL RE-oCGci 5 OF
MssorLA.
The valleys Of Missoula ro,yty are
and will continue to be the pride 81
Montana. Southeast from Missoula the
famous Bitter Root valley is capable Of
supporting population Of hundreds Of
thousands from agriculture alone. Lat
Pral valleys penetrate the mountain
ranges on either side. arording homes
for thousands besides What the valley
Ipropcr will support The soil is rich
alluvial. producing grain, grasses. yege
tables. etc. with q minimum of labor
and maximum Of yield. Al small
Iruits. such us straw berries. blaVkber
berries, curranls, etc. as wei! as applcs.
pears; Dlums, prunes, grapes, et'. do
well ard bear nbundanlN The cl mote
bf the Bitter Root valley is noted for
|mildness and the Seasons open some
months earler than further south and
Pnst Formers lind no trouble in d
posing NJ al they can raise Tor cash. AMI
il good price,. ns the miners require
|uore than ran bp Supplied with the
preleut farming population and meth
pds. The towns &C StCgrnsylllc. Cor
wallis Victor, Gr6rtscllc. etc. up this
Esley are iiourishing, growing places
Sill tie valley is not one fourth settled.
Patented land Of the very best qunliiy
ran he bought for from ten tu iiltrcn
llars per acro MI ready Tor the pluugh.
Water for irrigation can bc hal any-
Whert. On each side OF the valley tho
nuuntains are full o. mincrs and pros
pcct}rs, thus assuring a good market az
bvey door.
1t hns generally leen admitted that
he past year WAS the drycst ever
known, bat this did not prevent tho
Iarmcrs ~ Bitter root valley from rails
srg 80 ODO pounds Of small fruits. which
Ionnd a ready sale. Oats there yielded
Irom seventy TO eighty bushels per
here: wheat. twenty-five to forts bushels
and The hay fields yielded M average 0
wo and bali tons per acre. Thes
cereals lind a ready sale, and hny is now
bringing S2Op per ton.
For further particulars write or call
apon
MCCONNELL. COOK & CO..
Missoula, Montana.