The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-11-16
FOR SALE-SCHOLAkSHIP IN THE Hell.
J. ena Business College. Cali at this office.
THE FLATHEAD VALLEY.

IHE FLAIHEAD ALL Y.
The Flathead valley, ten years ago an
almost unknown region, the home of the
savage and wild beast, to-day is thu
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.
ba Ell 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 strawLer.
ries, blackberries, goosebe rles, raspber-
ries are being raised successfully. With
a ready market for all products of the
sol in the rich mineral di tricts to the
east, west a d south, the farmers of thu
FIathead valley will soon be classsd
among the wealt hiest and most intluen-
tail of this new countr Wheat averages
thirty five bushels per acre, cats sixty
bushels, barley forty busbel rye thirty
bushels, potatoes 400 bushes, cabbage
ten tons per aero, rutabagas thir y tons
per acre.
h Flathead river, with it's tribu-
taries-the North, South and Middle
forks-the Saltwater and Whitefish
rivers, with tn .ir hume rous 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 aad cellar.
Under tho recent law enacted by con.
gress these bolndless tracts of timber
land can be purchased at $3.50 per acre.
According to the state auditors report,
in the st tie during the year 1891, 1O0,-
0CO.O0O 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 q superior
quality of coal towards which the rail-
roads are already building, and the de-
yelopment of this esource alone VII
render this section the Pits buag of thu
northwest. Adjoining these immense
bodies OF coal lie large tracts OF oil land,
which give promise of equal ing the rich
petroleum fields of Pennsylvania.
Natural gas has also been discovered in
this region.
Underlying large portion OF
the valley, a thirty-foot start
UNI of the finest quail ty of fl
clay is found, which OIL r. excep.
tional opportunities for he manufac-
ture of pot. evry, and affords the brick
maker a conyeHi NJ and unlimi Q sup
ply for his kiln. Common and pressed
brick Of a most superior quail y have
b zen made from this clay, and numer-
Gus handsome buildings throughout Tho
va ley stand as monumen 8 10 this in
dusiry.
Montana's mineral output, which now
surpasses thal of an. o her s a = in he
uni n, will be largely augmen ed by the
development of he hidden treasures in
tho mountain ranges surrounding the
Fla head valley. Rich veins OF gold,
silver, c pper and lead, which have
already b en- dis ,ov red, are attrac ing
the attention of the CAPT ais 8 who
have invested largely in mining proper.
ties throughout this sec ion, and a.s
] rauidly pushing their developr