The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-11-22
Flathead ToWnsites Sell Well

With each town filled with men who
are boosters to the core and who are
possessed of the boundless enthus-
iaSm Of the jhameseeker VINO has end
ed his pilgrimage and who is labor
ing TO make his home the best in the
state il is no wonder that the peo-
pie of western Montana are beginning
To sit up and take notice of the five
new towns. Arlee. Ravalli. Dixon. Ro-
nan and ST. Ignatius. which passed
out of the hands of Uncle sam last
week. The result Of the townsite sale
passed all hope and dreams. Ii was
a marvel to those who saw IL and to
those who have been following SIM
liar sales throughout the country.
Never before has the little Missoula
land office seen such a sight as it
witnessed last week. In times past
1t has seen perhaps, events which
were more dramatic but none. which
were more gratifying and encourag-
ing. Prospectors and lumbsrmen have
in times past filled the room in their
eagerness to file their claims. but
they We're there tn get temporary
holding only. During the last sum
IileF tlouSdIiuS PASSED. through It's
doors to register for the land draw
ing on the reservation but these peo-
pie. most of them. were trying to get
something for nothing. They We're
drawn by the gambling spirit rather
than the hope of securing a home or
making a business investment Last
week the land office saw business
men who were looking for safe in
hn MIA al IN. IL.
the property which they bought a
place or business excitedly bidding
against each other. 1t saw old resi- /
dents of the reservation bidding their
savings for lots in the towns where
they had been, born and in which they
had always lived. The people who
bought property on the reservation
las: week are going there with Il
spirit which promises much to the
new towns and which can do nothing
but make the Flathead valley the
finest and most prosperous i'm the |
state.
The buyers themselves are enthus-
iastfc-a glance ut the records will /
SHOW that one and allthey are con-
WINGED of the future Of the valley !
1T is as favorably located as any /
other i'm the country" said one pur-
chaser. Its climatic conditions are
the same as those of the Bitter Root
It's soil Is wonderfully good and the \
opportunities for the rancher are in
ostimable.'' /
Among the names of the purchas-
ers are many business men who are l
known in MiSSoula and who intend tn ,
erect stores and other places OF bust |
ness i'm the new towns. Certain lots
in each townsite have been set aside /
for school buildings and the Metho-
dist church of Missoua has pur-
chased lots in each town making il
certain that there will be places of
worship there before very long
From financial standpoint the
sale was equally successful. The
prices which the lots brought show
as nothing else could the. interest
which was taken in the sale. Judg-
ing from this standpoint the sale in
terest was great. Arlee, which was
appraised at $685. sold at a total of
S3,2f0. Dixon was appraised at $500,
and sold for Ss.329. nearly three times
It's set value. Ravalli went at about
double its appraised value. the set
price being sl,Sso and the selling price
S34l3. Roman. the little town sit
uated i'm the very heart of the res
erHation surrounded by the most
beautiful mountain scenery in the
state and set in the midst of rich
farming lands. sold the best This