The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-03-20
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 Valleys---The =
Best Mines and the
Largest Forests in
All Montana.
4 City. the County Seat and Center of This
Enormous Natural Wealth. city
Destined 10 Have Remark
able Growth.
lBy Leased wire.1


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
Beayerhead ranges Of mountalne, and
through these passes the roads must
come. II il becoming one OF the most
important points on the Northern Pa
ciAc 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
DIVORCES here and runs up the valley iif-
teen miles 10 Grantsdale. IL will soon
lie extended about forty miles further
90 the head Of the valley. The new cut
off line 10 tho Cmur d'Alene mining
towns also leaves the main line at Mis-
eoula. Running down tho valley for
about seyenty-iive miles, of which twen-
tyfive are completed, it strikes up the
st. Regis de Borgla river. crosses the
Bitter Root mountains, and comes down
10 Mullau, at the head OF the South
Fork OF the Cmur d'Alene river, 125
miles flom 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 dOreille, and will, us a con-
sequence, become tho route OF the
III ough trains to the Pacific coast. IL
will be completed this year and will at
once enable Miseoula to secure much OF
The trade Of the Cpur d'Alene camps
and towns.
The Northern Pacific has projected a
line through the tlathead vallay 10 the
fine agricultural region and the coal
fields north OF F'lathead 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 its early construction.
The Washington and Idaho line of
the Union Pacific already com pleted to
far cast as Mullan, has been located as
Missoua, paralleing the Northern Pa
cifcs 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 go on TO junction
with the Unions old line. either at Gar
rison OF Anaconda.
The Manitoba Company, now called
the Great Northern. has determined TO
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 TO
Missoula. Another runs north by way
of the Flathead lake country and the
Kootenai valley A choice uf route will
probably not be made until spring. The
building of the road through MIssoulu.
opening q 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 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 REsoURcFs OF
MIssoUIA.
The valleys Of Missoula county are
and will continue 10 be the pride of
Montana Southeast from Missoua the
famous Bitter Root valley is capable Of
supporting n population of hundreds of
thousands from agriculture alone. Lat
eral valleys penetrate the mountain
,stl.ar II.
for thousands besides what the valley
proper will support. The soil is n rich
alluyial. producing grain. grasses. vege-
tables, etc. with minimum OF labor
and maximum OF yield. All small
fruits, such Hs straw berries. blackber
berries, currants, etc, as well as apples,
pears: plums, prunes, grapes, etc. do
well and bear abundantly. The rl mate
lf the Bitter Root valley is noted for
nildness and the seasons open some
months earlier than further south and
vast Farmers find no trouble IN dis
posing Of all they can raise for cash. and
NJ good prices, as the miners require
more than can be supplied with the
present farming population and meth.
ods. The towns II Stevensvllle, Cor
vallis, Victor. Grantsville, etc, up this
fhileH ulN uolllhnlDp, HtpNinR I'id'e-s
Sill the valley is not one fourth settled
Patented land Of the very best quality
can be bought for from ten 10 fifteen
i 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
every door.
it has generally Teen admitted TINT
the past year WAS the drsest ever
known, but this did not prevent the
farmers Of Bitter root valley from rails
ing 225oO0 pounds of small fruits which
found a ready sale. Oats there yielded
from seventy 10 eighty bushels Dor
acre; wheat, twenty-five TO forty bushels
and the hay fields yielded an average o
two and half tons per acre. Thes
cereals lind a ready sale, and hay Is now
bringing go per ton.
For further particulars write or call
npon
MCCONNELL, COOK & Co,