The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-11-25
THE VALLEY.

IHE 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.
b a ell Red River Valley of the North in
the superior quality of its cereals. 1t is
the oaly 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 strawter-
ries, b~lackherries, goosebe 'rles, raspber-
ries are beng laised successfully. With
q ready market Tor all products of tie
soil in the rich mineral di tricts to tho
east, west a d south, the farmers of tn,
Flathead valley will soon be class3d
among the wealthiest and most intiuen-
all of this new countrF. Wheat averages
thirty five bushels per acre, oats sixty
bushels, barley forty bushels, rye thirty
bushels. potatoes AGO bush3 s, cabbage
ten tons per acre, rutabagas thir y tons
per acre.
The Flathead river, with it's tribu-
taries-the North, South and Middle
forks-the Saltwater and Whitefsh
rivers, with their hume Gus br anches,
making a total of over UOJ miles of log
,,,.. III - -l:l -
kalispell, flow through vast forests OF
pine, tamarack, fir. larch and cedar.
Under the recent law enacted by con-
gress these bolndless tracts of timber
land can Ee purchased at $3.50 per acre.
According to the state auditors report,
of the 1O3,489,2S3 feet of lumber sawed
in the st lte during the year 1891, 1OO,-
o OO0O was sawed in M ssoula county,
Illus demonstrating this portion Of the
states SUI reuacy 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
roaGs are already building, and the de-
veloI ment of this resource alone W II
render this section the Pittsbuag of tia
northwest. Adjoining these immens,
bodies of coal lie large tracts oil oil land,
which give promise of ~equa,ing the rich
petroleum fields 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
clay is found, which Oft rs excep.
tional opportHn ties for he manufao-
ture Of poGacvry, and aft rds Tho brick
maker a %conyeai n and unlimi o / sup
| ply for his kiln, Common and pressed
BRICK of a most super or quail y nave
b en- ale from this clay, and numer-
Gus handsome buildings rhrougf out he
va ley s and as monumcnl 8 10 this in
dus ry.
Montana's mineral output, which now
surpasses that of any o her s d Z in lhe
mi n viii be largely augmen cd by the
Development OF he hidden treasures in
tho mountan ranges surrounding tho
+ n head valley. Rich veins of gold,
silver, )pper and lead, which hive
already b en- distov red, are attrac irg
the attention OF the CAPT alis q who
have invested largely in mining proper.
lies throughout this sec ion, and as
rapidly pushing their d~eyelopmenL