The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-13
THE FLATHEAD VALLEY.

The Flathead valley, ten years ago an
almost unknown region, the home of The
savage and wild beast, to-day is tha
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.
b'a ell Red River Valley of the North in
tie 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-
RES are being raised successfully. With
a ready market for all products of t q
sol in the rich mineral di tricts to tha
east, westa d south, tho farmers of thu
Flathead valley will soon be classed
among the wealthiest and most influen-
Tail of this Q countrI.. Wheat averages
thirty five bushels per acre, oats sixty
bushels, barley forty bushels, rye thirty
bushels, potatoes 400 bushes, cabbf gs
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 Whitefsh
rivers, with th,ir hume o br anches,
making a total of over CO.. miles OF log
ging streams, all of which converge at
kalispell, flow through vast forests OF
pine, t%amarack, fir, larch aad CO lar.
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 ~103,4s9,2s3 feet of lumber rawed
in the st tie during the year 1891, 100,.
OF 1000 was sawed in Nj ssoula county,
thus demonstrating this portion If the
states SUI remacy in the lumber in
dustry.
In the northern portion OF the valley
are hidden vast measures OF n superior
quality of coal towards which the rail-
roa(s are already building, and the de-
veloI ment Of this resource alone W II
render this section the Pittsbuag of tina
northwest. Adjoining these imm ense
bodies of coal lie large tracts OF oil lard,
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, Il thirty-foot start
UNI Of the finest quail ty OF fl o
clay is found, which Offers excep.
tional opportunities for The manufao-
ture of potleyry, and affords The brick
maker a convent nj and unlimi cd sup
ply for his kiln. Common and pressed
brick of a most superior quality have
b,en made from this clay, and numtr-
GUS handsome buildings throughout The
valley stand as monuments 10 this in
dus,ry.
Montana's mineral output, which now
SURPRISES that of any O her 8 ate in tho
uni n, will be largely augmen cd by the
development of The hidden reasures in
the mountan ranges surrounding the
Fla head valley. Rich veins OF gold,
silver, upper and lead, which have
already ben discovered, are attrac ing
the attention OF the CAPT alis' who
have invested largely in mining proper
ties throughout this section, and a.a
rauidly pushing heir DEVELOPMENTS