The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-09-30
. Most Important Industry Yet
Founded in the State OF
Montana.
~,u.,uuition Of the Agricultural Pos.
.ibilities Of the Great and
Growing Northwest.

ows:
MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, Sept. 81, 1892.
NJ Paris Gibson, Great Falls, Mont:
Have decided to build mill immediate
Have farmers prepare for large wheat
c.,duction. VIM. H. DUNwooDY.
There are now in the vicinity, plants
|or the reduction of ores, and other in
~Austries the construction of which have
[.orired the outlay of vast sums Of
money. and there are industries and
Ln,nufacturies projected, but none here
kotore mentioned will approximate in
vs,ue the one which is assured by the
telegram above printed.
The gentleman who sent the telegram
l. member of the firm of Washburne,
Crosby a. Co., the largest milling com
many in America. Their immense plants
in Minnesota, which are the outgrowth
If the experience of practical business
men may be taken as an indication of
what will result from the erection of a
mill at Great Falls. They brought to
the establishment of the industry at
Minneapolis a knowledge which resulted
in the building up of a business unrival-
led on this continent and the announce
ment that a roller mill will be built here
is the result of an investigation Of the
resources of the vicinity which would in
dictate a belief in it's possibilities that are
SO grand and unlimited that to recount
them is an impossible task.
The plant which will be put IN is to
have a capacity of 300 barrels daily and
50 constructed that it can be enlarged to
a daily output of 800 barrels when occa-
sion requires. An elevator with a ca
ncity of 100000 bushels will be con
stucted at once, and this can also be
enlarged to meet the demands. The
mill and elevator, which will be located
on the south bank of tho river. will be
frst,class in every appointment.
The erection Of this plant was decided
on after a thorough investigation of the
wheat growing country tributary to
Great Falls. Members of the Wash
burn & Crosby company visited this sec
ton and made a careful inspection of
the surrounding agricultural regions.
Every wheat-growing community was
visited and the agrlculturists talked to
until the promoters of the plan to erect
mill here were in possession of the as
surance that the wheat crops would JUS
tify their SO doing. The valleys OF Sun
river, the immense area OF tillable land
in the nelghborhood Of Highwood,
and all the country between Great
Falls and the Belt mountains was care
fully gone over. The impression gained
ground that these lands were sterile, and
that they couldn not produce enough grain
10 Justify the putting in of "A milling
plant. But this condition of affairs OBJ
tanned at one time in Minnesota, anu II
was not until 1853 that the farmers there
engaged Ia the cultivation Of grain to any
extent, Later the same form of skepti-
clsm gained prevalence against the agri-
cultural regions of Dakota, and the fal-
lacy Of such statements has been clearly
proven. In 1859 Minnesota was shipping
from Iowa and other western states the
greater portion of the flour used there.
Twenty years from that time the wheat
yield of Minnesota was almost 32.OOO.OOO
bushels yearly.
The soil of Minnesota Or Dakota, or OF
any other of the present great wheat
producing sections is not better adapted
to the cultivation of wheat than is Non
tana, nor do the climatic conditions de-
tract from the quantity or quality OF the
yield. The Gallatin is one OF the high
est cultivated valleys in the state n 1t
ranks first among the wheat producing
sections, and only by virtue OF the farm
ers sowing a larger acreage than those OF
o'her sections. The altitude OF the
valleys tributary to Great Falls
is less than that of the Ga!,atln'
and the conditions are more favorable TO
The growth Of the cereal. The available
farming land in the Sun River valley
alone is sufficient to produce enough
Wheat, If it were all titled, to supply the
demand Of the mil to be erected, which
will be between 5OO.OOOO and 100000
bushels yearly.
The old cry that the lands will not pro-
auee without irrigation falls fiat. Were
Necessary to irrigate the lands Of the
Gun River valley there is not a foot OF
ground to which an abundance Of water
eannot be conveyed, but yearly the rain.
'al is increasing, and underlying the
soil in northern Montana there is a sub.
stratum Of clay which aids in retaining
we moisture and makes the bench lands
susceptible to profitable cultivation
Nthout the aid of irrigation.
10 the farmers NJ northern Montana
"s telegram ia II harbinger Of tidings