The Daily Missoulian., 1909-01-05

thrown open TO settlement, pEOVloins
homes for over 5000 people.
1.-THE Flathead will offer probably
the finest agricultural lands contained
within the boundaries of any Indian
reservation yet opened to settlement.
at least in the northwest country. 1t
mas been classified and divided into
first class agricultural, second-class
agricultural grazing and timber lands,
presenting a wide latitude of choice
to settlers. t
A Humid Climate.
Being on the west slope of the
Rockies that section has a more moist
climate and more copious rainfall
than other sections of Montana. Irri-
cation is probably less necessary there
than in any other part of the state.
Nevertheless, congress has made an
appropriation for the construction OF
an irrigation system on the reserva-
ton, which will economically water
perhaps 100000 acres of land
1.-The fruit growing possibilities OF
the Flathead are probably unsurpassed
anywhere, and this fact will attract
attention to its opening greater than
perhaps even the widest guesser has
yet prophesied. The recent Rosebud
opening in South Dakota resulted in
something like $4,000 registrations
(the number being given entirely from
the writer's memory, and with that as
a basis, in view of the unquestioned
superiority of the Flathead, 1t would
not be strange If the 100000 limit were
reached in the registration. Many ex-
pect to witness forty or fifty thousand
registration by Montana people alone.
On the Lottery" Palm.
Full details have not been worked
out as yet, but without doubt the
Flathead opening will be according to
the usual lottery" plan pursued by
the government in recent years 1t
| is believed that the homestead unit will
be 100 acres. Those who ge- the
earlier numbers will draw big prizes.
'It Is quite pleasure for one inter-
ested in the Flathead opening to visit
the office of Attorney William Q.
Ranft, where, under the direction Of
Leigh Freeman, is being perfected
an elaborate system for assisting
those who register for Flathead lands
in selecting for themselves the best
lands that are left open for filing
when their numbers happen to be
drawn from the box.
O.. Is Complete System.
This article will not attempt to
describe the Ranft system in detail.
Those interested can write Mr.. Ranft
for such data. 1t is based, first, on
a thorough knowledge of reservation
lands, their location, topography and
quality; second, on method of keep
| ing constant tab on filings while
they are being made, after the draw
ing, and marking them off on large
sectioned and quarter sectioned map;
third, an infinitely detailed card in
dex system, which enables the land
| seeker to learn the quality of any
land left open when his number Is
called, and which also makes it pos
sble for him to file upon a piece Of
land and know it is all right, without
having made costly trip to the res
ervaton for personal inspection.
This brief description of the plan
of the F'lathead Reservation Informa
| ton agency--as Mr.. Ranft styles
his business--is not an advertise
ment; it is an unsolicited description
made after personal inspection, re-
sulting in the belief that this system
is better than anything yet devised to
assist homeseekers at such time of
hustle and hustle.
Better Than "Locators."
THE old plan of hiring a locator"
| after securing a number Is expensive,
and after a certain tract has been
| pointed out and the fee paid the
homeseeker cannot be sure that the
irresponsible locator has given
him a correct description; nor does
he know but that the nice looking
tract shown him has been filed on
long ago. Under Mr.. Ranft's sys-
tenn all this is obviated.
IF many more Dawson county peo-
pie migrate to Missoula, it might be
proper for them to establish a sep
ate colony. There are number
there now, and If a visitor from this
section has only few hours of leis-
ure it will keep him busy to visit them
all.
The "GIendive Colony"
Superintendent Rapeje, whom all
Glendive people would naturally WIS.,
it, was out of the city. A telephone
message TO ms nome TO locate MIN
brought the information that he had
gone as far as Helena, with Mrs.
Clayton, who visited Mrs. Rapelje for
a few days and was returning to her
home in Glendive. Mrs. Rapelje said
she was beginning to feel very much
at home in the Garden city and enjoy
ing it very much, though she misses
Glendive and Glendive friends.
"Dr. E. w. Hines, a former local
dentist, has well-equipped office in
the First National Bank building,
and has built up profitable practice.
Pushing a Razor. al.
William Riebe, who managed the
Jordan hotel barber shop for a couple
Of years. is holding down a chair in
Hollingsworth's finely equipped shop
in Missoula. He purchased a five
acre orchard Homes tract just out
side the city limits, where his family
is located. Billy" says that Mis-
soula is growing out to him so rapidly
that his home will be In the city lim-
it's before he knows 1t.
"One of the Misses Nash, who for
merly resided here, and were among
the most popular in the younger So
cial set of Glendive, is employed In