The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-03-14
A County With the Finest Agri-
rIculturaI 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 a Remark
able Growth.
lpr Iensci wire.l

CHICAGO, March s. - recent
number OF the Arkansaw Traveller
contained the following article regarding
an important railroad center Of Montana:
Missoula is destined 10 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. 1t il becoming one oil the most
important points on the Northern Pa
cific system, and not only because OF the
magnitude Of its traffic. but as basis
of operations for the building of new
lines. The Bitter Root Valley branch
diyerges here and runs up the valley iif-
teen miles to Grantsdale. II will soon
be extended about forty miles further
TO the head OF the valley. The new cut
Off line TO the Cuur d'Alene mining
towns also leaves the main line at Mis-
soula. Running down the valley Tor
about seventy five miles, OF which TWEEN
ty-ive are completed, II 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 Cmur dAlene river, 10
miles fIom Mlssoula. This road, CON
nected with the line from Mullan 10
Spokane Falls, already partly finished,
will effect saving OF sixty-iive miles in
distance over the present route by way
Of the Pen d'Oreille, and will, US con-
sequence, become the route of the
through trains to the Pacific coast. IL
will be completed this year and will at
once enable Missoula to secure much Of
the trade Of the Cuur d'Alene camps
and towns.
The Northern Pacific has projected n
line through the Flathead vollay TO the
fine agricultural region and the coal
fields north Of Flathead lake, which
WI be CT very cons.,iei aOle help H. the
building up OF Missoula. This road
will be about $50 miles long ending close
10 the British boundary. There is no
question as to its early construction.
The Washington and Idaho line Of
the Union Pacific already completed as
far east as Mullan. has been located to
Mssoula, parallelng the Northern Pa
cific's new line. The question of further
construction has not vet been deter
mined by the Union Pacific manage
ment. IL 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 TO
start from Great Falls this year for the
Pacgc coast Tho 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 Blackioot to
Missoua. 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 Mlssoula
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 of
farms and mines and lumber in the
northern part Of Missoula county that
would follow could not fail 10 he Of great
benefit 10 the city. It's present suprema-
cy as the distributing point OF western
Montana would not be endangered, and
the new towns that would spring up
would only add TO the trade Of tins
natural trade center.
THE GREAT AGRlct LTrEAL REsoUEcTs OF
MIssorLA
The valleys OF Mssoula county are
and will continue TO be the pride Of
Montana. Southeast from Missoula the
famous Bitter Root valley is capable of
supporting population OF hundreds of
thousands from agriculture alone Lat
eTal valleys penetrate the mountain
ranges on either .ide affording homes
for thousands besides what the valley
proper will support. The soil is a rich
alluvial, producing grain, grasses, vege-
tables, etc. with n minimum of labor
and q MAXIMUM Of yield. All small
fruits, such Us strawberries, blackber-
berries, curTants. etc, as well as apples,
pears; Dlums, prunes, grapes, etc do
well aud bear nbundantly. The climlts
of the Bitter Root valley is noted for
nildness and the seasons open some
months earlier than further south and
east. Farmers find no trouble in DIS
posing OF all they Gun 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 uf Stevensvlle, Cor
wallis, Victor. tirauisville. etc, up this
valley are tlourishing, growing places.
Sill the valley is not ono fourth settled
Patented land Of the very best quality
can be bought Tor from ten 10 fifteen
d liars per acre all ready for the plough
Water for irrigation can be bad any
where On each side Of the valley the
mountains are full of miners and pros
pectors, thus assuring a good market at
every door,
II has generally teen admitted that
the past year was the dryest ever
known, hut this did not prevent the
farmers ot Bitter root valley from rails
ing 10 900 pounds Of small fruits, which
found ready sale Oats there yielded
from seventy 10 eighty bushels per
acre; wheat, twenty-five TO forty bushels
and the hay fields yielded an average
two and a half tons per acre. Jhes
cereals lind ready sale, and hay is now
bringing SOP ton.
For further particulars write or call
npon
MCCONNELL, COOK & Co,
Missoula, Montana.