The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-03-13
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-
rIcuItural 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.

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 aud
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
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 fif-
teen miles TO Grantsdale. IT will soon
he extended about forty miles further
to the head Of the valley The new cut
off line To the Cour d'Alene mining
towns also leaves the main line at Mis-
solla. Running down the valley for
about seventy five miles, Of which TWEEN
ty-iive are completed, it strikes up the
st. Regis de Borgla river, crosses the
Bitter Root mountains, and comes down
" III.
Fork Of the Cpur d'Alene river, l25
miles from Missoula. This road, con
nected with the line from Mullan to
Spokane Falls, already partly finished,
will effect II saving of sixty-iiye miles in
distance over the present route by way
of the Pen d'Orelle, and will, as "A 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 10 secure much OF
the trade OF the Cwur 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
10 the British boundary. There is no
question as TO its early construction.
The Washington and Idaho line OF
the Union Pacific already completed rs
far east as Mullan. has been located 10
Missoula, paralleling the Northern Pa
cific's new line. The question Of further
construction has not yet been deter
ment. IL the road comes to Missoula it
will undoubtedly so on 10 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 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 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 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 to he 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 RESOURCES or
MIssoULA.
The valleys Of Missoula county are
and will continue to be the pride Of
Montana. Southeast from Missoua 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 side. alfording homes
for thousands besides what the valley
proper will support. The soil is rich
alluvial, producing grain. grasses, yege-
tables. etc. with a minimum Of labor
and maximum Of yield. Al small
fruits. such as strawberries blackber-
berries, currants, etc. as well as apples,
pears: plums, prunes, grapes. etc. do
we'll and bear abundantly. The clim1te
OF the Bitter Root valley is noted for
mildness and the seasons open some
months earlier than further south and
east. Farmers lind no trouble in dis.
posing of all they can raise for cash. and
! at good prices, ms the miners require
more than can be supplied with the
| present farming population and meth
ods. The towns II Stevensyllle Cor
wallis Victor, Grantsyille. etc. up this
valley are tourishng, growing places.
| Still the valley is not one fourth settled.
Patented land Of the very best quality
can he bought for from ten 10 fifteen
q. 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 aud pros.
pectors, thus assuring a good market at
every door.
IL has generally Leen admitted that
the past year was the dryest ever
known, but this did not prevent the
farmers Of Bitter root Wiley from rails
ing $4,000 pounds Of small fruits. which
found a 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 of
two and half tons per acre. Thes
cereals lind a ready sale, and hay is now
bringing s2o per ton.
For further particulars write or call
npon
MCCONNELL, COOK Il Co,
Missoula, Montana.