The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-11-28
THE FLATHEAD 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 the
most Productive section Of the north.
west, yielding per acre double the out.
put OF Kansas, Iowa CT the Dakotas,
and is the only section west of the Miss.
issippi river which can rival the cele.
bea e. Red River Valley of the North in
the superior quality OF its cereals. 1t is
tho Only agricultural section in the state
o Montana, where crops can be raised
without irrigation. Vegetables of all
kinds are grown il abundance, while
apples, plums, peaches, cherries, pears,
and the small fruits such as strawter-
ries, blackberries, goosebe rles, raspber-
ries are being raised successfully. With
a ready market for all products of tie
soil in the rich mineral di tricts to the
east, west a d south, the farmers of tn,
Flathead valley will soon be classed
among the wealthiest and most induen-
tail of this new countrt. Wheat averages
thirty five bushels per acre, oats sixty
bushels, barley forty bushels, rye thirty
bushels, potatoes 400 bushes, cabbage
ten tons per acre, rutabagas thir y tons
per acre.
The Flathead river, with its tribu.
tnries-tle North, South and Middle
forks-the Saltwater and Whitefish
rivers, with tn ,ir hume Gus br anches,
making a total of over ,OJ miles of log
ging streams, all of which converge at
kalispell, flow through vast fores s OF
pine, tamarack, fir, larch and cellar.
Under the recent law enacted by con-
gress these bolndless tracts of timbsr
land can be purchased at $3.50 rer acre.
According to the state aud tors report,
of the lob, 489,2 83 feet of lumber cawed
in the st tie during the year 1891, 1O0,-
10000 was sawed in NJ ssoula county,
thus demonstrating this portion Ct 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-
veloI ment OF this resource alone IL
renGer this section the Pitt buag of thu
northwest. Adjoining tn 80 immense
bodies of coal lie large tracts OF oil land,
which G We promise of egua' ing the rich
petroleum fields of Pennsylvania.
Natural gas has also been discovered in
this region.
Underlying "A large portion of
the valley, a ~thirty-foot start
UNI of the finest quail ty of fl q
clay is found, which offtr excep.
tional opportln' ties for The manufac.
turo of pot eyry, and affords the brick
maker q conyeli nj and unlimi g sup
ply for his kiln, Common and pressed
brick of a most superior quail y have
b,en made from this clay, and num.r-
GUS handsome buildings throughout the
va ley stand as u 8 10 this in
dus ry.
Montana's mineral output, whieh now
surpasses that of any o her 8 a in he
uni n, will be largely augmen ed by the
Development of he hidden treasures in
tho mountain range surrounding tho
Fla head valley. Rich veins of gold,
silver, C pper and lead, which ave
already b en- discov red, are attrac ing
the attention OF the CAPT alis 8 who
have invested largely in mining proper
ties throughout this section, ind a.e
RAPIDLY pushing their d~evelopmenL