The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-11-10
THE l. L

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,
bia ell 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, blackberries, goosebe RES, 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 ard south, the farmers Of thu
Flathead valley will soon be classed
among the wealthiest and most %iniuen-
tailo of this new countrf. Wheat averages
thirty five bushels per acre, oats sixty
bushels, barley forty bushels, rye thirty
bushels, potatoes 400 bushes, cabbfge
ten tons per acre, rutabagas thirty tons
per acre.
The Flathead river, with its tribu-
taries-the North, South and Middle
forks-the Saltwater and Whitefish
rivers, with their numer br anches,
making a total of over oU9 miles of log
ging streams, al of which converge at
| kalispell, flow through vast forests of
| pine, t%amarack, fir, larch and cedar,
Under the recent law enacted by con-
| gress these boandless tracts of timber
|, land can be purchased at $3.50 per acre.
According to the state auditors report,
| of the 103,499,2S3 feet OF lumber cawed
in the st tie during the year 1891, 100,-
o O00O 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
roaGs are already building, and the de-
velol ment of this resource alone VIII
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, a thirty-foot start
UNI of the finest quality of fis
clay is found, which Offers excep.
tional opportunities for The manufao-
ture of pot,eyry, and affords the brick
maker Il conyeui n and unlimi ell sup
ply for his kiln. Common and pressed
brick of n most superior quality have
b zen made from this clay, and numer-
Gus handsome buildings throughout the
va ley stand as monuments 10 this in-
dus ry.
Montana's mineral output, which now
surpasses hat of any o her s ae in tho
uni n, will be largely augmen ed 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 have
already bsen discovered, are attrae ing
the attention of the CAPT alis's who
} have invested largely in mining proper
ties throughout this section, and ore
] rauidly pushing their DEVELOPMENT.