The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-03-17
A Great March Flood--Thou-
sands OF People Seeking
Homes, Are Attracted to
Missoula by Its Won
derful Resources.
A County With the Finest Agri-
rIcultural NalleyS---The
Best Mines and the
Largest Forests in
All Montana.
A City, the County Seat and Center of This
Enormous Natural Weaitb-A City
Destined 10 Have a Remark
able Growth.

lllS Leased Wim-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
Beaverhend ranges OF mountains, and
through these passes the roads must
come. II is becoming one OF the most
important points on the Northern Pa
cifc system. and not only because OF the
magnitude Of It's traffic, but rs a basis
Of opera,ions for the building Of new
lines. The Bitter Root Valley branch
diverges here and runs up the valley iif-
teen miles 20 Grantsdale. IL VIII soon
be extended about forty miles further
to the head of the valley. The new cut
off line To the Crur d'Alene mining
towns also leaves the main line at Mis-
soula. Running down the valley for
about seyenty.live miles, Of which TWEEN
ty-ive are completed, il strikes up the
ST Regis de Borgla river. crosses the
Bitter Root mountains, and comes down
10 Mullan. at the head OF the South
Fork of the Cmur d'Alene river, Id
miles from Missoula. This road, con-
nected with the line from Mullan TO
Spokane Falls. already partly finished,
will effect saving of sixty-iive miles in
distance over the present route by way
Of the PEN d'Oreile, aud will. as con-
sequence, become the route OF the
tn ough trains 10 the Pacific coast IL
will be completed this year and VIII at
once enable MisEoula To- secure much OF
the trade of the Cmur 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 no
question as TO lis early construction.
The Washington and Idaho line OF
the Union Pacific already completed as
far east MS Mulan. has been located to
Missoulp, uarallelng the Northern Pa
cities new line. The question OF further
construction has not yet been deter
DN Iiit 1Dlnn hNlii'
ment. IL the road comes To Missoula it
will undoubtedly go on to a junction
with the Unions old line, either at Car
rison or Anaconda.
The Manitoba Company now called
the Great Northern, has determined to
start from Great Falls this year for the
facgc 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
Mssoula. Another runs north by way
OF the Flathead lake country and the
KOotenai Wiley 4 choice OF route will
probably not lie made until spring. The
building OF the road through Missoula
opening a second trunk line east and
west, would be Of enormous advantage
10 the place. but even ia case the north
ern route is selected the development Of
farms aud mines aud lumber in the
northern part of Mlssoula county that
would follow could not fail to bc of great
benefit to the city. Its present suprema-
cy as the distributing Tont OF western
Montana would not be endangered, and
The new towns that would spring up
would only add 10 the trade of this
natural trade center.
THE CRLAI AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES OF
MIssoULA
The valleys Of Mssoula county are
and will continue to bc The pride Of
Montana. Southeast from Missoula the
famous Bitter Root valley is capable Of
supporting "A population ol hundreds OF
thousands from agriculture alose. Lat
eral valleys penetrate the mountain
ranges on either eide. alTording homes
for thousands besides what the valley
proper will support. The soil is rich
alluyinl. producing grain. grasses yege-
tables. etc. with u minimum Of labor
and maximum of yield. All small
fruits, such as strawberries. blRcsber-
berries, currnnts. etc. rs well as apples.
pears; plums. prunes, grapes, etc. do
vel and bear abundanily. The cl mQtc
oi the Bitter Root valley is noted for
nildness ard the seasons open some
nOnths earlier than further south and
nast. Farmers find no trouble in Ills
posing ~ all thuy can raise for cash, and
E,t good prices. ms the miners require
nore than can be supplied with the
present farming population and meth.
ods The towns ~ Stevensvillc. Cor
wallis Victor. GraulsyIle. etc. up this
Valley are ilourishing, growing places,
Stlll the valley s not one fourth settled.
Patented land Of the very best quality
,an he bought for from ten a. fifteen
liars per acre all rcady for the plough,
Water FOR irrigation can be bad any
where. On each side OF tho valley the
mountains nre full ot miners and pros.
poet rs. thus assuring a good market at
arcry door.
1t Las generally leen admitted that
he past year was the dryest ever
nown, but this did not prevent the
armers of Bitter root valley from rails
ne 92J000 pounds OF small fruits, which
ound u ready sale. Oats there yielded
rom seventy TO eighty bushels per
lcre; wheat, twenty-five 10 forty bushels
md the hay fields Yielded an average
wo and a half tons per acre. Ihes
efeals lind a ready sale, and hay is now
bringing SO per ton.
For further particulars write or call
ppon
MCCONNELL. COOK & Co.
Missoula, Montana