The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-20
THE 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 or the Dakotas,
and is the only section west Of the Miss.
issippi river which can rival the cele.
bra cd Red River Valley of the North in
the superior quality of its 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 'rles, raspber-
ries are being raised successfully. With
a ready market for all products Of tie
soil in the rich mineral di tricts to the
east, west a d south, the farmers of ths
Flathead valley will soon be classsd
among the wealthiest and most !nt4uen-
tailo this new country. Wheat averages
thirty five bushels per acre, oats sixty
bushels, barley forty bushels, rye thirty
bushels, potatoes 400 bushels, cabbfge
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 Whitetish
! rivers, with their hume -ou br anches,
making a total of over Coz 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 aud tors report,
OF the 1O3,489,2s3 feet of lumber uawed
in the st tie during the year 1891. l00,-
| 100000 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
roads are already building, and the de-
velopment of thus resource alone will
render this section the Pittsbuag OF the
northwest. Adjoining these immense
bodies OF coal lie large tracts oil oil land,
which G We 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, u thirty-foot start
um of the finest quail ty of fe
clay is found, which off rs excep.
tional opportunities for the manufao-
ture of potievry, and aft rds the brick
maker a conyeai Nv and unlimi ed sup.
ply for his kiln. Common and pressed
brick of a most superior quality have
sen made from this clay, and m
Gus handsome buildings throughout the
valley stand as u 8 TO this in-
dusiry.
Mcntana's mineral output, which now
surpasses that of any 0 her 3 ale in The
uni n, will be largely augmen cd by the
development of he hidden treasures in
The mountain ranges surrounding the
Fa head valley. Rich veins of gold,
silver, copper and lead, which have
already been discovered, are atirac ing
the attention OF the CAPT ais = who
have invested largely in mining proper
ties throughout this section, and are
rapidly pushing their DEVELOPMENTS