The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-09-09
|THt GREAT FLATHEAD.
Over q Million Acres That Cannot
Be- Excelled for Scenery and
Productiveness. &
What Mejor Peter Roman DID In
o Few Years for q Savage
Race.
kThs Coming Summer Resort Of tho State,
Owing to Its Low Altitude and the
Unsurpassed Natural DoautIcs.

t4y, In an interesting Communication. tells
Of the resources OF that section in this wise:
One Of the rerfot garden spots Of Mon
tana lies Within The boundaries OF tho Flat
head Indian reserve, q tract Of land en.
bracina about ], 1900. 600 acres of land diver
sinsd by mountaina and plains. lakes and
rivers. and making 40 4 whole q paradise
for those whose sole aim In life 10 to live a.
their fathers have lived. by The chass. ~
we'll a. for those whose education hiss ineul-
Gated habits Of thrift and whose exsrtions
have built themselves homes to which thsy
should be entitled In sevsfalty. Much OF
the material prosperity OF these psopls
can be directly traced to the intslli-
gent efforts of their late agent. Peter
Roman, who possessed In a marked degree
she confidence Of = PEOPLE whose confidence
ID hard 10 gain. His memory will. long b
cherished by them. Tho reservation 10 d.
yided for some distance BY the Pond
d'Oreills river. and that portion lying cast
OF tho river 10 evidently tho bed OF an an
cisnt lake, the soil being wonderfully rich
and productive The Mission range bound
ing the tract on the east furnishes the in
itial point Of the many fine streams that
dow. ON a generally westerly oourse. to the
river along whose margins ons hnds farms
40 we'll cultivated - those Of the old
states. Water for irrigation 10 plentiful,
but. - . rals. irrigation 10 not necessary.
the natural moisture being sufficient to in
sure good crops in ordinary years.
May of tho farmers have good ditchss
ready for the season.. that occasionally
comes, whom Irrigation IL needed Wheat,
oats and hay are the principal products,
but nearly every farm b.. it, garden patch
Small fruits can be suceessfully grown and
trees QroaninR beneath . burden Of apples
are not an Uncommon sight. 81. Ignatius
mission affords 4 school for the children
und they show the effects Of good training.
and many Of the children Of our towns
could learn by association with the ohil-
dren Of those who. a generation AGO. were
1he aavaQes of history. The mission itself
IL we'll worthy OF = visit, presenting 40 II
does . collection of hne houses for resi-
dsnoe, school and church purposss. With
grounds enclosed by fsnoss
beds.
One 10 always sure Of q warm welcome
from The fathers In charge Of the mission.
Who arc glad TO have visitors see the work
they are doing TO reclaim ths 'blanket In
dian" and make q Christian Of him and 1T
him for the place OF aself-supporting and
indspsndent man.. The time must soon
come whom those OF this people who are in
dependent and til, fly Hapest be given their
holdings in ssverslta.MXaMnty Of thrm are
nov :e !sd II . :,:' So wss,so oasnSYos s. q 'n %.n
could be proud. One Of the rcsfdents OF
the reservation, MI. Chas. Al'.r I'd, owns The
greatest herd Of buffalo nov IN existence.
and besides has ono Of the fnosts 39tfDs and
probably the finest ,esidsRRos,o n tassstrse.:
msr, but the rule 10 TO feed in winter. The
Mission range has many beautiful canyons
and nearly every ono contains . lake, some
of which equal In beauty the famed lakes
of tho world. The Flathsad lake lies partly
in the reservation and will IL the next few
fording 40 il does hne boating and good
fishing, besides q climate that Is u%nequAlsd
in the state. The low altitude Of the lake
and its natural moisture make q trip to this
region ono Of relaxation and rest to these
whose nervous system 10 strained BY NJ
mountains. The lake. and some thirty
miles of the Flathead river, is navigatsd BY
q large steamer and q trip over this route
would be a revelation to most of the people
of the state.
The Flathcad valley IL ono Of the finest In
tho state and the present season will prove
by actual results it, wonderful productive
ness, nearly every available acre having
been seeded. The timber interests are Of
vast o. proportions. but to get the best results
nm outlet TO the south must be had other
by rail or BY tho improvement Of the river
so that boats can connect with tho North
ern Pacific railroad atJccko and thus reach
the mining camps Of the state with both
lumber and farm produce. The river,
which 10 now nHvlQated from tho lake to
Demersvillc, Is a finc stream, averaging at
least 200 Yards in width and with a current
flowing at the rate Of one milo per hour
Its shores arc low and mostly wooded to
tho waters brink. with folioge of a vivid
green. The finest farms lie along the river.
In this locality no irrigation is needed.
The towns OF Kalispell and Columbia
Falls are rivals for the business of this VAL
lev, both having made great growth in the
past two yea 9 and give promise of better
thinQs for the future. The Great Northern
railroad runs through the north end Of ths
wiley, but the Tau TO get its produce to
the markets of Montana 10 too long ia
afo,d much relief to the farmer a som
mems must be provided to reach n ready
market for such produce as ia not needed
Mt home. The new county OF Flathead will
in a few yeas rank high in wealth md pro-
Effectiveness. populated az Ii ia with pro-
gressive mon and with its wonderful nat
uyal resources.
Our Public Schools
Are tho mnin.stay of our republic. 1r
them are being cultivated the minds whiOl