The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-16
THE FLATHEAD VALLEY.


The Flathead valley, ten years ago an
almost unknown region. thu home OF The
savage and wild beast, to-day is the
most productive section O. The north.
west, yielding per acre double the out.
put OF Kansas, Iowa er tle Dakotas,
and is the only section west of the Miss.
issippi river which can rival tie cole.
b a Ell Red River Valley of the North in
the superior quality of its cereals. 1t is
the OILY agricultural section ia the state
0 Montana, where crops can be raised
without irrigation. Vegetables Of all
kinds rs grown il abundance, while
apples, plums, peaches, cherries, pears,
and the small fruits such as strawLer-
ries, blackberries, goosebe rles, raspber-
ries are be'ng raised successfully. With
a ready market for all PRODUCTS of t Q
soil in the rich mineral di tricts to the
east, west d south, the farmers of tn.
Flathead valley will soon be classed
among The wealthiest and most iniuen-
tall of this g countr :. Wheat averages
thirty five bushels per acre, oats sixty
bushels, barley forty bushelr, rye thirty
bushels, potatoes 400 bush 8, cabbi GO
ten tons per acre, rutabagas tlir y tons
per acre.
The Flathead rivtr, with it's tribu.
tafies I'll! North, South and Middle
forks-tho Saltwater and fish
rivers, with tn Dir hume Gus br anchei,
making a total Of over tO0 miles of log
ging streams, al Of which converge at
kalispell, flow through vast fores s OF
pine, tamarack, fir, larch and cellar.
Under tho recent law enacted by con.
gress these 10 indles5 tracts of timber
land can lie purchased at $3.50 Fer acre.
According to the state aud tors report,
of the 1O3,4 8 ,2s3 feet OF lumber cawed
in the st tie during the year 1891, 10O,.
0 @ 900 was sawed in M ssoula county,
thus demonstrating this portion ef the
states SUI ren.acy in the lumber i'll.
dustry.
In the nor hera portion Of the valley
are hide vast measures OF a superior
quality OF coal 10 wards which the rIil-
roats are alre dy building, and the de-
velol ment of this resource alone w II
rem or this section the Pitt buag of thu
northwest. Adjoining tn SO imm snse
bodies OF coal lie large tracts oil oil laid,
which G We promiss of equa ing the rich
petroleum fields of Pennsylvania.
Natural ga has also been discovered in
this region.
Underlying a large po,tin OF
the valley, Il thirty-foot start-
UNI of the finest quail ty of fl Q
clay is found, which oil, rs excep,
tional opportun tics for he manufac-
tura Of POT evry, and iff rds The brick
maker a conye i Il and unlimi 9 sup.
ply for his kiln. Common and ressed
brick of a most super or quail y have
b zen male from this clay, and num.r-
Gus handsome buildii gs ihroug out Tho
va ley 8 and as monumen s 10 this ill.,
dus ry.
Montana's mineral uiput, which now
SURPRISES that of any o her S a in he
uni n. will be largely augnen el by the
Development OF he hidden q in
the mounta n renges surrounding the
F. head valley. Rich veins of pold,
silver, @ pper and lead, wnich i've
already b en- dis ov red, are atirae ing
the aC,enlion OF the CAPT ais s wh)
have inves cd largely in mining proper
ties throughout this sec ion, and are
sapidly pushing their DEVELOPMENT.