The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-15
THE IL VALLEY.

AAAA - 4A4A
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 tie cele.
b:a ell Red River Valley of the North in
tle superior quality of its cereals. 1t is
the 0 lily agricultural section ia the state
o Montana, where crops can be raised
without irrigation. Vegetables of all
kinds re grown in abundance, while
apples, plums, peaches, cherries, pears,
and the small fruits such as s%trawber-
ries, blackberries, goosebe rles, raspber-
ries are be ng la,sed successfully. With
a ready malk,t Tor all products of t .
soil in the rich mineral di tricts to the
east, west a d south, the farmers of thu
Flathead valley will soon be classsd
among the wealthiest and most infuen-
tail Of this new countri. Wheat averages
thirty five bushels per acre, oats sixty
bushels, barley forty bushels, rye thirty
bushels, potatoes 400 bush, 8, cabbfgs
ten tons per acre, rutabagas thir y tons
per acre.
The Flathead river, with it's tribu.
taries North, South and Middle
forks-the Saltwater and Whitefish
rivers, with tn Dir hume ou br anches,
making a total Of over L0o miles of log
g.ng 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 1O3,489 ,2S3 feet OF lumber cawed
in the st tie during the year 1891, 100,.
10000 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-
veloI 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 LAID,
which I've 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 fie
clay is found, which Offers excep.
tional opportunities for The manufac.
ture of POTTERY:, and affords the brick
maker a convent n and unlimi ell sup
ply for his kiln. Common and pressed
brick of a most SUPERB or quality have
b zen made from this clay, and numer-
Gus handsome buildings throughout the
va ley stand as 8 10 this in
dustry.
Mcntana's mineral output, whish now
surpasses that Of any Q her 8 AZ in he
uni n, will be largely augrnen cd by the
development of The hidden 'reasures in
the mountain ranges surrounding the
la head valley. Rich veins OF gold,
silver, G PIPER and lead, which hive
already ben dis:ov red, are attrac ing
the attention OF the CAPT ais who
have invested largely in mining proper.
iieB throughout this sec ion, and ats
ranidly pushing their DEVELOPMENTS