The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-22
THE L L


The Flathead valley, ten years ago an
almost unknown region, the home OF the
savage and wild beast, to-day is tho
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 cele.
b a el Red River Valley of the North in
tie superior quality Of its cereals. 1t is
the O lly agricultural s9ctionin the state
o. Montana, where crops can be raised
Without irrigation. Vegetables of all
kinds ire grown Ia abundance, while
apples, plums, peaches, cherries, pears,
and the small fruits such as strawber-
ries, blackberries, goosebe, rles, raspber-
ries are be 'ng raised successfully. With
a ready market for all products Of the
soil in the rich mineral di tricts to the
east, west d south, the farmers of thu
Flathead valley will soon be classed
among the wealthiest and most infiuen-
tail of this new country. Wheat averages
thirty five bushels per acre, oats sixty
bushels, barley forty bushels, rye thirty
bushels, potatoes 400 bushels, cabbage
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 Whitefish
rivers. with tn Dir numerous br anches,
| making a total of over coo 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 auditors report
of the 1O3,4S9,293 feet OF lumber sawed
in the st lte during the year 1891, 1O0,-
| 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
roa6s are already building, and the de-
veloL ment of this resource alone will
render this section the Pittsbuag Of the
northwest. Adjoining these INN ense
bodies of coal lie large tracts OF oil land,
which & We 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 qualty of fi.s
clay is found, which Offers excep.
tional opportunities for The manufao-
turs Of pot,eyry, and affords he brick
maker a conyeai Mt and unlimi cd sup.
ply for his kiln. Common and pressed
brick of q most superior quail y have
ben made from this clay, and numer-
Gus handsome buildings throughout ,hs
va ley stand as II 3 10 this in
dustry.
Mcntana's mineral output, which now
surpasses that of any 0 her s Il q in he
uni n, viii be largely anglnen cd by the
Development of The hidden reasures III
The mountain ranges surrounding the
Fla head valley. Rich veins of gold,
silver. copper and lead, which have
already been discovered, are attrac ing
the attention OF the CAPT ellis 8 who
have invested largely in mining proper
ties throughout this section, and ass
rapidly pushing their Developments