The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-17
THE FLATHEAD L

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 or the Dakotas,
and is the only section west Of the Miss.
issippi river which can rival the Gale.
bra cd Red River Valley of the North in
the superior quality of it's cereals. 1t is
the olly agricultural section in the state
o. Montana, where crops can be raised
without irrigation. Vegetables of all
kinds are grown ia abundance, while
apples, plums, peaches, cherries, pears,
and the small fruits such as %strawber.
ries, blackberries, gooseberrles, raspber-
ries are being raised successfully. With
a ready market for all products of the
soil in the rich mineral districts to the
east, west a d south, the farmers of thu
Flathead valley will soon be classsd
among the wealthiest and most inhuen-
tail of this new countrl. 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 thir, y tons
per acre.
The Flathead river, with it's tribu.
taries-tte North, South and Middle
forks-the Saltwater and Whitetish
rivers, with th,ir hume Gus br anches,
making a total of over Coz miles of log
ging streams, all of which converge at
kalispell, flow through vast forests OF
pine, tamarack, fir, larch aud cedar.
Under the recent law enacted by con.
gress these boundless tracts of timber
land can be purchased at $3.50 por acre.
According to the state auditors report,
| of the 1~O3,4s9,263 feet OF lumber cawed
| 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-
roads are already building, and the de-
velopment of this resource alone W II
render this section the Pittsbuag of tia
northwest. Adjoining these immense
bodies OF coal lie large Tracts OF oil land,
which & We promise of equa'ing the rich
petroleum fields OF Pennsylvania.
Natural gas has also peer discovered in
this region.
Underlying a large portion OF
the valley, thirty-foot start
UNI of the finest quail ty of fl
clay is found, which oil, rs excep.
tional opportunities for The manufac.
ture of potleyry, and affords the brick
maker a convent NJ and unlimi o sup
! ply for his kiln. Common and pressed
BRICK of a most superior qualify have
b zen made from this clay, and m
Gus handsome buildings throughout the
va ley stand as monumen 8 10 this in
dusiry.
Mcntana's mineral output, which now
~surpasses that OF any o her S ace in he
uni n, will be largely augtnen ed by the
development OF he hidden easures in
the mountain ranges surrounding the
Fla head valley. Rich veins OF rold,
silver, @ pper and lead, which ave
already b en- dis:ov red, are atirac ing
the attention OF the CAPT; ais 8 who
have invested largely in mining proper.
ties throughout this section, and are
rauidly pushing heir DEVELOPMENT.