Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-05-10
FLATHEAD VALLEY.
APIcTuREsQuE AND DECIDEDLY
FERTILE REGION.
Rich Farming Lands-Excellent Timber
Varied Mineral Wealth - Large Rivers
and Lakes Mid and Hsslthfui Climate
A Paradise for spovtsmen.
Garden Of the Northwest.


Garden Of the Northwest
Kalispsll Mont, correspondence;
In only two localities In tho United
States can the Rocky Mountains be
seen from steamboat, and both OF
these are In Montana; first on the Mis-
souri, River at Fort Benton, east OF the
range, and then on the Flathead river
and lake, west OF it. Surprises await
the tourist who descends into the moup-
tain-girted valley Of the Flathead,
wlnere he finds everything OF magni-
Jude in keeping with the general feat
ures Of Western Montana, where Ma
tufs has rfSated rivers, lakes, foresIts.'
prairies, and valleys upon large scale.
The Flathead, instead OF being shall
low rivulet dashing down the mountain
sides, is a majestic stream larger than
the Mississippi at st. Paul. f!athead
Lake is the largest body Of fresh water
west OF the great lakes. and is but one OF
anumber OF pretty bodies of water scat
tered over the valley. Situated upon
the Pacific side OF the continent, the
climate give, mild winters and fine
summers, much in contrast with the
seasons in the same parallel on the At
lantic coast. There are no billiards
and cyclones. The liberal rainfall has
nurtured forests OF pine and other trees,
not only on the mountain sides, but In
tho valley itself, the timber being
interlaced with prairies which give
the country park-like appe arance re-
sembling the oak openings of Michigan,
Ohio, and New York. Unlike the soil
where pine grows in other localities,
here it Is rich loan and makes the best
kind of agricultural land when cleared.
Seeing is believing" is an a1age as
old as it Is true, and there are those SO
incredulous that only with reluctance
will they accept any but this kind Of
proof. TO all such visit 20 this val
ley is a source of delight, and the COM
mon admission is that the half has
never been told" What a change, too,
after the magnificent trip through the
Rockies, over which the railway has
con luered Faith, solid and safe, to
pass down among peaceful and attrac-
tive prairies with cultivated fields and
gardens, and see busy towns with hun
suits of peace and home-seeking, where
q
roamed in search of game and fish. A
few years and thousands more whites
will be here sharing the plenty indus
try is certain to give all willing to WOO
the earth with its treasures OF field,
mine. forest and water.
Flathead County, formed by the last
Legislature, has an area OF Z, 100 square
miles, a territory larger than the
States of Connecticut and Rhode Island
combined. The Great Northern Rail
way from its first station in the county
on the east to its last on the west runs
distance of 1913 miles. The Flathead
River and tributaries, with logging
waters aggregating 600 miles in length,
converge at Kalispell, and the manu-
facture Of lumber and shingles is be-
coming an important industry. The
principal forest trees are the cedar,
tir, birch, pine, and tamarack, the lat
ter often attaining diameter of six
feet, instead OF being mere telegraph
pole as in the east. 1t makes fine fur
niture, samples of which we're seen in
the Montana Building at the Worlds
Fair.
There is much that is attractive from
health-giving, scenic and sporting
standpoint in this region. Snow peaks
are in view all the year round. and the
winters are seldom cold enough to close
the streams TO navigation. Lake Mo
Donald, near by, is becoming noted
resort. Among the visitors last sum.
mer we're Bishop Whipple, of Minnc-
sofa. and Vice Presid Webb, OF tho
New York Central Railroad Lakes
and streams abound with trout and tho
hunter has chances to look along hts
gun barrel at deer and grouse. Farm
ers dis tant from town are said to build
high fences around their gardens TO
keep the deer out. Skins to be seen at
stores show that bear are still to DO
found.
The mountains in all directions con.
tain precious and base metals, and in
the northern part Of the county largo
beds of coal and petroleum springs ex-
ist. Railway surveyors have been over
a route to this sect and also on q
line south to Anaconda and Butte.
New sources OF wealth making are be-
ing constantly brought to light as set.
tlement progresses from the common
centers along the railway, which gives
connections between st. Paul, Minne-
apol,s and Puget Sound. Much of the
country is still Government land, and
valuable tracts of timber and ia ming
land can be taken up under the home
stead law. Two years ago the site Of
kalispell was vacant spot on the
prairie; now it has over 2,U0O people,
several banks, three newspapers,
schools, churches, electric lights,
waterworks, large Touring mill, saw
mills, business houses and excellent
hotels.
The other towns along tho Great
Northern Railway in this country are
Columbia Fails, Pleasant Valley, Jen-
nings, Troy and Libby Creek, the lat
ter being a prominent point in the
Kootenai mining district. Jennings is
steamer point for the Fort Steele
gold district in British Columbia.
nalispell Is county seat and division
point of the Great Northern Railway,
with two-story brick passenger depot
and Office building. The writer is un-
der obligations t. G. T.. Conrad, Presi-
dent OF the Conrad National Bank,
Kalispell, Mont, for printed matter
and other Information. All applicants
and inquirers will get prompt alton
tiOu from the same Oentlaman