The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-03-23
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.
a City. the County Seat aud Center of This
Enormous Natural Weslth-A City
Destined 10 Have Remark
able Growth.
lBy Leased Wire.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
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
citic system, and not only because OF the
magnitude OF its traffic. but us basis
Of operations for the building Of new
lines. The Bitter Root Valley branch
diyerges here and runs up the valley fir
teen miles to Grantsdale. IL will soon
be extended about forty miles further
10 the head of the valley. The new cut
of line 10 the Ceur dAlene mining
towns also leaves the main line at Mis-
soula. Running down the valley for
about seventy-tivo miles, OF which twen-
ty.iive are completed, il strikes up the
81. Regis de Borga river. crosses the
Bitter Root mountains, and comes down
20 Mullan, at the head of the South
Fork Of the Cpur d'Alene river, 10
miles from Missoula. This road, con
nected with the line from Mullan to
Spokane Falls, already partly finished.
will effect n saving of sixty-five miles in
distance over the present route by way
of the Pen d'Oreille, and will. as a con-
seanence, become the route Of the
tn ough trains 10 the Pacific coast. IL
will be completed this year and will at
once enable Missoula TO secure much OF
the trade of the Crur d'Alene camps
and towns.
Tho Northern Pacific has projected a
line through the flathead vallay 10 the
fine agricultural region and the coal
fields north OF Flathead lake. which
will be ot very considerable help in the
building up Of Mlss0ula. This road
will be about 100 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 mpleted to
far east as Mulan, has been located as
Missoula, paralleling the Northern Pa
ciiics new line. The question OF further
construction has not yet been deter
mined by the Union Pacific manage
ment. IL the road comes TO Messoula il
will undoubtedly go on TO junction
with the Unions old line. either at Gar
risop or Anaconda.
The Manitoba Company. now called
the Great Northern. has determined 10
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 Of route will
probably not he made until spring. The
building of the road through Missoula,
opening a second trunk line east and
west, would be of enormous advantage
TO 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 Mssoula 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 tins
natural trade center.
THE GREAT AGRICULTURAL REsoUBCFs OF
MIssorLA
The valleys of Missoula 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
oral valleys penetrate the mountain
ranges on either side, atfording homes
for thousands besides what the valley
proper will support. The soil is rich
alluvial, producing grain, grasses vege-
tables, etc. with a minimum uf labor
and maximum Of yield. All small
fruits, such HIS strawberries, blackber
berries, currants. etc, as well rs apples.
pears; pums, prunes, grapes. etc. do
well and bear abundantly. The climate
of the Bitter Root valley is noted for
mildness and the seasons open some
months earlier than further south and
east. Farmers find no trouble in dis.
posing OF all they can 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 Of Stevensyille, Cor
wallis, Victor, Granisyille, etc. up this
valley are tlourishing, growing places.
Still the valley is not one fourth settled,
Patented land Of the very best quality
can be- bought for from ten to fifteen
dollars 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.
1T has generally heen admitted that
the past year was the dr,est ever
known, but this did not prevent the
farmers of Bitter root valley from rails
ing 92j,OOO pounds Of small fruits, which
found ready sale. Oats there yielded
from seventy 10 eighty bushels per
acre; wheat, twenty-five 10 forty bushels
and the hay fields yielded an average o
two and a half tons per acre. Thes
cereals find a ready sale, and hay is now
bringing $50 per ton.
For further particulars write or call
npon
MCCONNELL. COOK a. CO,
Missouls, Montana.