The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-12-12
PRISE FOR VALLEY.

"A Neritable Paradise That Is the
way i'm which Owen II. Barnhill de-
scribes the Flathcad valley in a letter
10 the Comfort Magazine. Mr. Barn
Hill has just come into the west and has
made his home in Big Fork. il little
lake town in. the middle of the reserve.
where the Montana experimental sta
ton has its summer quarters. His let
ter is a booster phamplct in itself:
Examine map of the United States
and away up in northwestern Montana
you viii find Flathead lake. said to be
the largest body of fresh water I'm the
west. 1t lies In the heart of the Flat
head country. the Fiaihcad valley lying
on the north and The Mission valley to
the south. These valleys and the lake
are walled in on the east by the Swan
and Mission ranges OF the Rocky noun
taias. the highest peaks rising 1000
feet. above the plains below and being
covered with perpetual snow. In the
heart of Mission valley is located the
village of st. 1gnatius. founded by the
Jesuit Fathers long before the civil
war. The Catholic priests and nuns
have here large school buildings and a
fine church for the use of the Indian
population, for this is in the Flathead
Indian reservation. over 20 years ago
the Flathead Indians sent messengers
To ST. Louis to ask that the '.black
robes he sent 10 them--one OF the few
instances in history where so-cal.d
savages invited the white man to come
and teach them his religion. Many
messengers persisted on the long jour
ney before their mission was rewarded
with the coming of the priests. Nearly
all the Indians on the reservation are
members of the Catholic church. \
number of interesting stereoscopic pho
tographs of the F'lathead buffalo, show
ing herds Of them being driven to Ra-
Salii and there loaded on the cars for
their long ride to Canada, have been
taken. In taking these pictures one
man nearly lost his life, climbing Ii tire.
while the Infatuated bison trampled his
$3.50 camera into the ground. About 300
more buffalo are being shipped from
here To Canada this season. The ami
mails are practically wild. roaming at
will over vast. open territory. but they
are watched by II single herdcr. The
Conrad herd Of buffalo here in the val
ley numbers about 100 animals. The
national bison range includes aa,nuu
acres adjoining kavalli and is now be-
ing fenced. preparatory to being
stocked with bison and other wild ami
mails, The Flathead reservation is to
be opened to settlers next year. Home
steaders' registrations We're accepted
from July ID TO August S, 1909 but NJ
filings will be received until April l.
1910.
THE Flathead country is II veritabI.
paradise. a land Of fertile valleys, love-
~ lakes and crystal streams. Immense
forests of beautiful evergreen trees
ciothe the mountain sides and extend
out into thy valleys. LAUNDERING is on.
of the chief industries. pine. fir and
larch being the principal varieties 81
saw timber. Small grains and grasses
yield abundantly. hardy vegetables
grow to enormous size. and fruit does
remarkably well. In addition to the
hardy fruits. pears. prunes. peaches an.
sweet cherries are grown in favorabi.
seasons. This proves the mildness vi
the climate. due to the chinook winds
and the great, warm japanese current
of the Pacific coast. In winter the
woods are like fairylanl. wherein the
snow king Is Santa Claus and ever
tree Christmas tree"