The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-11-01
THE 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.
bra ed Red River Valley Of the North in
the superior quality of it's cereals. 1t is
the only agricultural section in the state
OF 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, blackberries, g~oosebecrles, raspber-
ries are being raised successfully. With
q ready market for all products Of the
soil in the rich mineral districts to the
east, west aud south, the farmers of thu
Flathead valley will soon be classed
among the wealthiest and most influen-
tail of this new countrJ. 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 Whitefish
rivers, with their br anches,
making a total of over 600 miles OF log
ging streams, all 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, 1888 feet of lumber sawed
in the state during the year 1891, 10O,-
| 100000 was sawed in M ssoula county,
| thus demonstrating this portion of the
| states supremacy 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 will
render this section the Pittsbuag of the
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 a large portion Of
the valley, n thirty-foot start
UNI of the finest quality of fire
clay is found, which offer excep-
tional opportunities for The manufac-
ture of POTTERY:, and affords the brick
maker a convent Mt and unlimi ell sup
ply for his kiln. Common and pressed
brick OF a most superior quality have
b zen made from this clay, and numer-
Gus handsome buildings throughout the
valley stand as TO this in
dusiry.
Montana's mineral output, which now
surpasses that of any o her 8 ase in tha
uni n, will be largely augmen cd by the
development of The hidden treasures in
the mountain ranges surrounding tho
Fla head valley. Rich veins of gold,
silver, copper and lead, which hlva
already been discovered, are atirac ing
the attention OF the CAPT alis 8 who
have invested largely in mining proper
ties throughout this section, and ato
] raDidly pushing their ~deyelopmenL