The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-01-11
THE VALLEY.

The FLATHEAD VALLEY.
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 cale.
b;a ed Red River Valley of the North in
tae 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 strawber.
ries, blackberries, goosebe,rles, raspber-
ries are being raised successfully. With
q ready market for all products of the
soil in the rich mineral di- tricts to the
east, west and south, the farmers of thu
Flathead valley will soon be classed
among the wealthiest and most intiuen-
tail of this new countr5. Wheat averages
thirty-fiv e 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-tbe North, South and Middle
forks-the Saltwater and Whitefish
rivers, with their numer rot br anches,
making a total Of over 600 miles of log
ging streams, all of which converge al
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 1~03,4S9,2s3 feet of lumber sawed
in the st ate during the year 1891, 1OO,-
100000 was sawed in M .ssoula county,
thus demonstrating this portion of the
states SUI remacy in the lumber in.
dustry.
1n,the northern portion OF the valley
are hidden vast measures OF q superior
quality of coal towards which the rail-
roaGs are already building, and the de-
velopment OF this resource alone viii
render this section the Pittsbuag of the
northwest. Adjoining these immense
bodies of coal lie large tracts of oil land.
which give promise of equaling 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 manufao.
ture of POTTERY:, and affords the brick
maker a convent mt and unlimi cd 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 us monuments 10 his in-
dus ry.
Mcntana's mineral output, which now
surpasses that of any O her safe in Tho
uni n, will be largely augmen cd by the
development, Of he hidden reasures in
The mountain ranges surrounding the
Fla head valley. Rich veins OF gold,
silver, upper and lead, which have
| already been discovered, are attrac ing
the attention OF the CAPT alis's who
| have invested largely in mining proper
tics throughout this section, and R!s
yauidly pushing heir DEVELOPMENTS