The Western news. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1890-1977, 1907-02-13
THINGS LOOK BRIGHT
IN BITTER ROOT
Valley Will Witness Unpar.
alleled Prosperity. Big
Canal Means Much.

Residents of the Bitter Root valley
who have visited in Missoula during
the past three days express the opinion
that the coming spring and summer
will be the most prosperous in the his
tory of that famous orchard, farming
and numbering region, says Mondays
Missoulian. The prosperity that will
come as natural result of the con-
struction of the Milwaukee road. and
the line change of the Northern Paci-
hc in Western Montana, will naturally
have its effect on that region.
The contractors will buy all the sup
plies they can get in Western Montana
and there will be a ready sale for
Bitter Root products. Railroad men
say that the idea that increased acre
age should be planted this year in
| order to meet the demand of several
thousand workmen who will be
brought here, can not be too strongly
impressed on the farmers. The Bitter
Root valley is one of the most re-
l
noted for its bountiful crops and the
high grade of its products. This year
there will be greater demand for them
than ever before.
The construction of the big canal of
the Bitter Root District Irrig alton
company, definite announcement of
which was made some time ago, will
be one of the contributing factors in
the development of the valley this
year. Construction work on a small
scale has already commenced. The
canal will have a capacity of $50
second feet, sufficient to irrigate about
$4,000 acres. All of the land will be
irrigated by this means is that which
up to this time has produced little be
cause it has been impossible to get
water onto it. 1t is rich land. how
ever, and when it is reclaimed the re-
suit will be large increase IN the
products of the valley.
The source of water supply will be
Lake Como. Careful attention has
been given to the natural posi- bilities
of the water power afforded, and COM
plete reports and estimates have been
made by Chief Engineer Lord. Be
cause of 436 foot fall between the
lake and the Bitter Root river a small
amount of water will develop a great
power at small cost. This power
ansrnitted, electrically. to Anaconda,
Butte or the Occur d'Alenes would be
easily salable at profitable figure.
The state lands in the region of
Three Mile creek are being carefully
surveyed by the company engineers
with a view of selecting some of the
best pieces. If a sufficient number of
acres of first class land, lying conven-
iently in one compact body can be
secured, purchase may be made, in
spite of the high price Of $40 per acre
required by the constitutional enact
ment of the state. The company has
estimated that the possibilities of de-
veloping to advantage large number
iently and consisting of first class
soil, will offset largely the high price.
The lateral ditch from Burnt Fork
would be made large enough to irri-
gate this land, and enough water
would be kept from the lands above to
supply this need.
The company believes that it's go
ing into the valley, even with it's
smaller project, is the most important
single event in the history of the Bit
ter Root, insofar as the prosperity and
development of the valley is con-
cerned. The spending during the
next year of hundreds OF thousands of
dollars in construction alone means
much to the immediate prosperity of
every one of that region,
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