The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-11-30
THE FLATHEAD VALLEY.

THE FLATHEAD L
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 cele.
bra ed Red River Valley of the North in
the superior quality of its cereals. 1t is
the only agricultural section in the state
O. Montana, where crops can be r lised
without irrigation. Vegetables of all
kinds are grown in abundance, while
apples, plums, peaches, cherries, pears,
and the small fruits such as strawber-
ries, blackberries, goosehe rles, raspber-
ries are being raised successfully. With
a ready market for all products of the
soil in the rich mineral di tricts to the
east, west a d south, the farmers OF thu
Flathead valley will soon be classed
among the wealthiest and most %intluen-
tail of this new coun1rf. Wheat averages
thirty five bushels per acre, oats sixty
bushels, barley forty bushels, rye thirty
bushels, potatoes 400 bushe:s, cabbs ge
ten tons per acre, rutabagas thir y tons
per acre. -
The Flathead river, with it's tribu..
taries-tfe North, South and Middle
forks-the Saltwater and Whitefish
rivers, with tn sir hume ous br anches,
making a total of over co. miles of log
ging streams, al of which converge at
Kalispell, flow through vast forests OF
pine, tamarack, fir, larch and cedar.
Under the recent law enacted by con-
gress these boundless tracts OF timber
land can be purchased at $3.50 per acre.
According to the state auditors report,
! of the 1O3,4S9,2S3 feet OF lumber cawed
in the st to during the year 1891, 100,.
10000 was sawed in M 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-
| roads are already building, and the de-
velolment of this resource alone WI
render this section the Pitts buag of the
northwest. Adjoining these immense
bodies OF coal lie large tracts OF Oil lard,
which give promise of equa, ing the rich
petroleum led 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 9
clay is found, which oife rs excep.
tional opportan ties for he manufac-
ture of pot,evry, and affords The brick
maker a ~couveni n. and unlimi ell sup
ply for his kiln. Common and pressed
brick of a most super or qualify have
b zen made from his clay, and numer-
GUS handsome buildings throughout tho
va ley sand as monumen 8 10 this in
dus ry.
Mtn,ana's mineral output, whieh now
surpasses ,har of any O her s a. in he
uni n, will be largely auglnen cd by the
Development of he hidden reasures in
The mountain ranges surrounding the
Fa head valley. Rich veins of gold,
silver, Q ,pper and lead, which hive
already b.en discov red, are atirac ing
the AT ention OF the CAPT ais s who
have inves' ed largely in mining proper
Tics throughout this sec, ion, and ais
rauidly pushin9 heir DEVELOPMENTS