The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-12
In THE BITTER ROOT
The Whole Country Is Verdant and
Beautiful.
BIG PROMISES
SPRINGS
Hamilton IL Just as Busy as Ever
and the Chances for a Prosper
Gus Season Are Splendid
at This Time.

this valley to the Flathead reservation
have never become 'reconciled to the
change. and Old Chariot and his tribe
yearn as strongly as ever for their
old hunting grounds and pleasant
homes in the Bitter Root. The traveller
who journeys up and down the valley
at this season OF the year easily under
stands this longing and sympathizes
with the homesick Indians, who have
been exiled from this little Paradise.
this month. and visitors who come
from the East or from the West are
amazed at the pleasant prospect which
spreads before them as they ride up
the valley, and the beauty of the scene
makes them forget the discomforts of
a journey at the tail end of a train of
20 freight cars. with its bumps and jars
and snail-like pace.
But the days of the slow train are,
happily, almost at an end, and next
week the trip from Missoula to this
place will be accomplished in less than
two hours. instead OF consuming four
or five. The change will be appreciated
by the travelling people. but will be
especially good news to the shippers of
small fruits, who have been much an
noyed in the past by the damage sus-
tanned by their shipments from the
fearful knocking about which berries
and currants have received from the
banging stops made by the long, I'M
wieldy train The freight service viii
now be independent and the passenger
train win not be numbered by the long
line OF box cars and fiat cars that have
heretofore preceded IL. The ride up the
valley will be a pleasure after Mon
day.
The trip by rail. however. is not the
best way to see the valley. The rail-
he .uf
ton OF the valley-railroads always do
this-and 1t is not possible to form any
correct idea of the valley from what
is seen from the car window. The
drive from Missoula to Hamilton over
the country roads is a very different
experience. Instead of running over
sidehill cuts and going through wooded
marshes, the traveller by wagon road
passes through the most delightful
stretch of farming country In the
Northwest. The trip is particularly
pleasant this week. when the thou
and the fresh green of the sprouting
grain has covered the brown earth. 1t
Is like riding through vast garden.
There Is no interruption to the success
sion OF beautiful and attractive scenes
that present themselves for the enjoy
ment of the traveller and the entire
drive is fraught with pleasures.
OF the products OF the valley. rhu-
barb is the first to become marketable.
and IL is now in full season. Every |
train that goes down the valley carries |
hundreds of pounds of the "pie plant" |
as the people up here call IL, and old |
timers open their eyes wide and shake |
their heads. They never thought OF |
making money out of the rhubarb. II |
has been growing in their gardens for |
years and they have made pies OF II.
hl1t thew fhnn0hf ~
Instead of turning penny in this way |
in the spring, they have borrowed |
money to live on till harvest time, and |
when that came they have found their |
oats and hay absorbed by the grocery
bill and the other expenses. IT is the |
new blood in the valley that has
shown the advantages of diversified /
farming. and now poultry. pork. fruits |
and vegetables have been added to the |
hay and grain upon which the Bitter
Rooter formerly depended for his ex-
istence.
The prospects of a good fruit year
continue to be good, and the orchard-
lists are happy. Thursday night there was
a white frost In the lower valley, but
reports from the ranchmen are to the
effect that the crops were not injured
by the cold. II is estimated that the
fruit crop OF the valley will be twice
as large this year as last, and prepara-
tons for the shipment OF the big crop
are already being made. The ranch
men and fruit men are already feeling
the effects Of the fruit show held last
fall. as orders for autumn apples are
already coming in. Three years ago
II was not known 80 miles away from
the valley that apples would grow
here. and now orders are being placed
In May.
Hamilton is as busy as ever. The |
logs from up the river are beginning
TO come fntothe pond at the mill, so
that there is no danger OF the supply
short. The mill is being run
at Its full capacity. and the new sash
and door factory Is crowded. The
prospects for a lively summer are
good Work is progressing favorably
pm the new Lucas opera house. and the
new hotel will be built this summer.
This hotel viii be a gem IL the accepted
and will be finished in
the most modern style.
One has to make but a casual exam-
nation of the valley to predict that the
Ravalli county fair next fall will be
4 splendid one. The plan of the associ-
alton Is TO have genuine old fash
oned country fair, with all its depart
nents. Every branch of farming will
have space, and there will be room
enough for all. The stock show and
he fruit exhibit viii naturally be the
thief attractions. but the dairy dis
,lay and the exhibits of grain will be
as well. The fair should
attract visitors from all parts of the
'tate.
On the whole, IL is safe 10 say that
here il no more prosperous section OF
he state than the Bitter Root valley
With good crops and good market,
here is no reason why IL should be
otherwise. AS the season advances the
'ear seems full OF promise. and the
Bitter Rooters are looking forward to
he banner year in their history.
MISSOULA NEWS.