The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-04
THE FLATHEAD VALLEY.

i ILL Liza 1L1IaD NAA1111 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 cd Red River Valley of the North in
the superior quality of it's cereals. 1t is
the only agricultural section in the state
o. Montana, where crops can be raised
without irrigation. Vegetables OF all
kinds are grown in abundance, while
apples, plums, peaches, cherries, pears,
and the small fruits such as strawber.
ries, b~lackberries, goosebe ,rles, 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 AID south, the farmers of the
Flathead valley will 1901 be classed
among the wealthiest and most influen-
tail of this new countr,r. 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 it's tribu.
taries-the North, South and Middle
forks-the Saltwater and Whitefsh
rivers, with their numerous br anches,
making a total of over 600 miles of log
~;~.. ,4ro,~,, Ill - ,.,L..l orra, ~
kalispell, flow through vast fore ts 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 1854 ,2s3 feet OF lumber sawed
in the st tie during the year 1891, 100,-
100000 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 esource alone will
render this section the Pittsbuag Of thu
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 n large portion of
the valley, n thirty-foot start
UNI of the finest quality of fl 9
clay is found, which offers excep.
tional opportunities for The manufao.
ture of pottevry, and affords the brick
maker a convent n. and unlimi ell sup.
ply for his kiln. Common and pressed
brick of a most superior quality have
b en- made from this clay, and numer-
Gus handsome buildings throughout the
va ley stand as monumen, 8 TO this in
dustry,
M~ontana's mineral output, which 10y
surpasses tha, of any o her s a.e in he
uail n, will be largely augrnen cd by tho
development OF he hidden reasures in
the mountain ranges surrounding tho
Fla head valley. Rich veins of gold,
silver, copper and lead, which have
already been discovare are attrac lug
the attention OF The CAPT alis 8 who
have invested largely in mining proper
lies throughout this section, and a:s
rauidly pushing their deyelopmenL