The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-01-10
THE FLATHEAD L L

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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 cele.
bra cd Red River Valley of the North in
the superior quality of it's cereals. It is
the only agricultural section in the state
OF Montana, where crops can be raised
without irrigation. Vegetables Of all
kinds are grown in abundance, while
apples, plums, peaches, cherries, spears,
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 istricts to. the
east, west and south, the farmers of thu
Flathead valley will soon be classed
among the wealthiest and most inhuen-
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 ions per acre, rutabagas thirty tons
per acre.
The Flathead river, with it's tribu.
taries-the North, South and Middle
forks-the Saltwater and Whitetish
rivers. with their numerous br anches,
making a total of owe 600 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 1~O3,4S9,283 feet of lumber eawed
| in the state during the year 1891, 1OO,.
100000 was sawed in M.ssoula county,
| thus demonstrating this portion Of the
| states supremacy 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-
veloI ment of this 0 alone will
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 ~convenie II and unlimi ed sup.
ply for his kiln. Common and pressed
brick of a most superior quality have
ben made from this clay, and numer-
Gus handsome buildings throughout the
va ley stand as monuments 10 this in-
duslry.
Montana's mineral output, which now
SURPRISES that OF any 0 her state in The
uni n, will be largely augmen ed by the
development OF the hidden treasures in
The mountain ranges surrounding the
F.a head valley. Rich veins OF gold,
silver, copper and lead, which have
already been discovered, are attrac ing
the attention OF the CAPT, alis's VIII
have invested largely in mining proper
ties throughout this section, and az
ranidly pushing their d~eyelopmenh