The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-01-05
THE FLATHEAD 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 CT the Dakotas.
and is the only section west Of the Miss.
issippi river which can rival the csle.
b'a cd Red River Valley Of the North in
tae superior quality Of it's 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 RES, raspber-
ries are being raised successfully. With
a ready market for all products of tho
soil in the rich mineral di-tricts to the
east, west a d south, the farmers of tha
Flathead valley will soon be classed
among the wealthiest and most intiuen-
tail of this 9 countr,. 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 Whitefsh
rivers, with thar hume: IL br anches,
making a total of over 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 1O3,4S9,2s3 feet of lumber sawed
in the st tie 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.
In the northern portion OF the valley
are hidden vast measures OF o superior
quality of coal towards which the rail-
roads are already building, and the de-
yelolment OF this resource 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 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
um Of the finest quality OF fe
clay is found. which offer excep.
tional opport an.t ties for The manutac.
lure Of potlevry, and affords the brick
maker a convenient and unlimi ed sup.
ply for his kiln. Common and pressed
brick of n most superior quality have
ben made fiom this clay, and numer-
GUS handsome buildings throughout the
va ley stand as monuments 10 his III.
dus ry.
Mcntana's mineral output, which now
surpasses that Of any o her 8 asin The
uni n, will be largely aHgmen ell by the
Development of he hidden reasures IN
The mountain ranges surrounding the
Fla head valley. Rich veins OF gold,
silver, copper and lead, which have
already been discov- red, are attracting
the attention OF the capi aiis's whn
have invested largely in mining proper
ties throughout this section, and Ate
rauidly pushinu heir ~deyelopmenk