The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-31
THE VALLEY.

THE FLATHEAD VALLEY.
The Flathead valley, ten years ago an
almost unknown region the home OF the
savage and wild beast, to-day is tha
most productive section OF the north.
west, yielding per acre double the out.
put OF Kansas, Iowa or the Dakotas,
and is the only section west of the Miss.
issippi river which can rival the c,le.
bra ell Red River Valley of the North in
tae superior quality of its cereals. 1t is
the only agricultural section in the state
O. Montana, where crops can be rlised
without irrigation. Vegetables of all
kinds are grown il abundance, while
apples, plums, peaches, cherries, pears,
and the small fruits such as strawber.
RES, blackberries, goosebe ,rles, raspber-
ries are be'ng raised successfully. With
a ready market for all products of the
sol in the rich mineral di tricts to the
east, west a d south, the farmers of the
Flathead valley will soon be classsd
among the wealthiest and most %iniuen-
tail of this new countr Wheat averages
thirty five bushels per acre, oats sixty
bushels, barley forty bushels, rye thirty
bushels, potatoes 400 bushels, cabbage
ten tons per acre, rutabagas thirty tons
per acre.
The Flathead river, with its tribu.
taries-tte North, South and Middle
forks-the Saltwater and Whiteish
rivers, with th9ir numer ous br anche3,
making a total of over GOo miles of log
ging streams, all of which converge at
kalispell, flow through vast forests OF
pine, tamarack, fir, larch and cedar.
Under thu recent law enacted by con.
gress these bolndless tracts of timber
land can le purchased at $3.50 per acre.
According to the state auditors report,
of the 1O3,4S9,2S3 feet OF lumber Gawed
in the st tie during the year 1891, 100,-
10000 was sawed in M ssoula county,
thus demonstrating this portion Of the
| states SUI remacy in the lumber in.
dustry.
In the northern portion of the valley
| are hidden vast measures OF a superior
quality OF coal towards which the rail-
roa6s are already building, and the de-
%velopment of this resource alone will
render this section the Pittsbuag of the
northwest. Adjoining these immense
bodies of coal lie large tracts OF oil land,
which give promise of equaling the rich
petroleum fields of Pennsylvania.
Natural gas has also been discovered in
this region.
Underlying a large portion Of
the valley, Il thirty-foot start
UNI of the finest quail ty OF fl.
clay is found, which ole rs excep.
tional opport mites for the manufac-
tura Of poLevry, and affords the brick
maker a conye4i ~ and unlimi ei sup.
| ply for his kiln. Common and pressed
brick of a most super or qualify have
b zen ale from this clay, and numer-
GUS handsome buildings throughout The
va ley s and as mum 8 10 this in-
dns ry,
Mcntana's mineral output, which now
surpasses hat OF any o her 8 Il in he
uni n, Will be largely augmen ed 10y tho
Development OF he hidden treasures in
The mountain Ranges surrounding the
Ia head valley. Rich veins OF gold,
silver, G pper and lead, which have
already b en- dis ;ov red, are attrac, ing
The NJ tenlion oil the CAPT alis who
have inves ed largely in mining proper
tics throughout this section, and are
rapidly puthinr iheir dsvelopmen.