The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-19
THE L

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.
b'a ell Red River Valley of the North in
the superior quality OF its cereals. 1t is
the O nly agricultural section in the state
o Montana, where crops can be raised
without irrigation. Vegetables of all
kinds re grown il abundance, while
apples, plums, peaches, cherries, pears,
and the small fruits such as s%trawber-
ries, blackberries, goosehe' ries, 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 tha
Flathead valley will soon be classsd
among the wealthiest and most infiuen-
tail of this new countrI. Wheat averages
thirty five bushels per acre, oats sixty
bushels, barley forty bushels, rye thirty
bushels, potatoes 400 bushes, cabbsgs
ten tons per acre, rutabagas thir y tons
per acre.
The Flathead river, with it's tribu.
taries tie North, South and Middle
forks-the Saltwater and Whitefish
rivers, with tn ,ir numef o Il br branches,
making a total of over oO9 miles OF log
ging streams, all 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 boundless tracts of timber
land can be purchased at $3.50 per acre.
According to the state AUDITORS report,
of the 100, 8 1888 feet OF lumber sawed
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 i'll.
dustry.
In the northern portion OF the valley
are hidden vast measures OF a superior
quality OF coal towards which the rail
roacs are already building, and the de-
velol ment of this resource alone Will
renGer this section the Pitts buag of the
northwest. Adjoining these immense
bodies OF coal lie large tracts OF oil land,
which give 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 quality of fire
clay is found, which Offers excep.
tional opportunities for The manufac.
ture Of potteyry, anti affords The brick
maker a convent mt and unlimi ed sup
ply for his kiln. Common and pressed
brick of a most superior quality have
b zen made from this clay, and numer-
GUS handsome buildings throughout the
va ley stand as monumen s 10 this in
dustry.
Mentana's mineral output, which now
! SURPRISES that OF any O her 8 ATE in The
uni n, will be largely augmen cd by the
development OF he hidden treasures in
the mountain ranges surrounding the
Fla head valley. Rich veins of gold,
| silver, copper and lead, which have
| already ben dis GOV red, are atirao iug
the attention OF the CAPT ais 8 who
have invested largely in mining proper.
ties throughout this section, and are
ranidly pushing their Developments