The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-02
THE VALLEY.

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 csle.
bra cd Red River Valley of the North in
the superior quality of its cereals. 1t is
the only agricultural section in the state
of 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, goosehe ,rles, raspber-
ries are beng 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 ct thu
Flathead valley will soon be clasnsd
among the wealthiest aud most intuen-
tail of this new countr F. Wheat averages
thirty five bushels per acre, oats sixty
bushels, barley forty bushels, rye thirty
bushels, potatoes 400 bush 8, cabbf 60
ten tons per acre, rutabagas thirty tons
per acre.
The Flathead river, with it's tribu-
taries-the North, South and Middle
forks-the Saltwater and Whitetish
| rivers, with tn sir hume ous br anches,
making a total of over COZ miles of log
~;.-. ~ Ill - ,,b5,b aop,yarra oA
kalispell, flow through vast forests OF
pine, tamarack, fir, larch and ce lar.
Under tho 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 1O3,4S9,2sS3 feet o. lumber cawed
in the st tie during the year 1891, lo0,-
10000 was sawed in M ssoula county,
| thus demonstrating this portion Of the
states SUI renlacy 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
roa6s are already building, and the de-
yelol ment of this resource alone WI II
render this section the Pittsbuag of the
northwest. Adjoining these nm enss
bodies of coal lie large tracts OF oil land,
which & ve promis. of equa ing the rich
petroleum fields of Pennsylvania.
Natural gas has also Deer discovered in
this region.
Underlying a large portion OF
the valley, II thirty-foot start-
um of the finest quail ty of fire
clay is found, which off rs excep.
tional opport n ties for he manufao-
ture of pot,eyry, and affords the brick
maker a conys i n and unlimi ei sup
ply for his kiln. Common and PRESSED
BRICK of a most super or qualify have
b en- made from this clay, and numer-
GUS handsome buildings throughout The
va ley s and as monumen 8 20 THIS in
dus ry.
Mcntana's mineral output, which now
aurpasses Ina of a.. o her s n 9 in tho
uni n, will be largely augmen ed by the
de velopmen. of he hidden treasures in
The mountan ranges surrounding the
+ q head valley. Rich veins of gold,
silver, @ PIPER and lead, which have
already ben diseov red, arc at,rac ing
the attention OF the capi alis = who
have invested largely in mining proper
ties throughout this sec ion, and u Q
] RAPIDLY pushing their deyelopmenL