The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-09-16
OHIO MAN PRAISES
M|SSOULA
z. w. ARCHER WRITES INTER.
ESTiNGLY TO HlILSBORO
DISPATCH OF TRIP.

IL was an Irish drill sergeant who
told the awkward squad to stand out and
look at itself. Such course is some
times just as desirable as IL seems
impossible, and for that reason the
letter written to the Hilisboro tDhiop
Dispatch by Il. w. Archer is of inter-
est to Missouia. Mr.. Archer. who
visited the city a month ago. tells his
views in a Straightforward manner,
and his letter gives the Garden city an
excellent opportunity to view itself as
mirrored on the mind Of the man from
the Buckeye state. Among other things.
which included a description of his trip
out, MIR. Archer says:
A Tenderfoot.
Just after passing over the great
divide we came to Missouia, Mont.
where l left the happy crowd of sight
seers. probably never to meet them
again. When / alighted at Missoula /
would not have been surprised much
had some cowboy, sitting astride some
broncho, thrown a lasso about my
anatomy just below the jaw bone and
pulled me in tow, just tn cause me to
sit up and take notice. or some bandit
with "A. saying. Hands up" or
bunch OF wild Flathead Indians with
scalping knives swinging to their sides
and n large bow and arrow awaiting
to give me the reception that they
though | ought To have. Not so. To
the contrary l was more than agree
ably surprised. for nestled I'm and pro-
1 nj h., pfuin
rounding IL is the beautiful little city
of Missoula, the metropolis of western
Montana, a second Spokane. / could
mention several places I'm the east
that would blush with shame could
they but see and feel the progressive
spirit of these western people. Stiil it
is "A natural consequence. for who Is 1t
that comes west and builds these great
cities? 1t is the progressive class of
people of the east and their money.
Missouia.
The wild and woolly west IL fast
giving away to the most up-to-date
and progressive people on earth. Their
motto. Nothing too good for u.s. Is
evidenced on all sides by colleges. high
schools. churches. lodges ana amuse-
ments. Missoula is located at the
mouth of Hell Gate canyon, where II
opens out into the MIssoula valley: IL
has n charming situation. 1t lis the
center of distribution for the Bitter
Root valley. the Missoula valley. the
valley Of the Big Blackfaot river. and
the Flathead Indian reservation. which
opened up the past few days.
over 5000 quarter sections were
drawn .by people from all over this
country. This means ut least 5000
more families for Mssoula to supply
In the future. Owing to the configura-
ton of the country. and the location
of Missoula geographically with re-
spect tn the valleys and mountain
ranges the city will not have a rival
city nearer than Spokane. Wash. over
200 miles away. The transportation
facilities tn and from the city will be
of the highest order and competition
active. Besides the two transconti-
mental lines uhe Chicago. Milwaukee
& Puget Sound and the Northern Pa
cifc) Missoula has branch line To
Darby. the southern end of the Bitter
Root valley, and IL branch line to Wal
lace. Idaho. through the now famous
Occur d'Alene mining district. both of
which are valuable fields To Missoula's
commercial interests. The G.. NJ. & p
$. Is building a branch into Canada
from here through the Biackfoot val
ley.
The valleys are rich. The soil
varies from deep black loan to
glacial gravel There are tens of thou
sands of acres of the valley tributary
to Missnula that the sod has never
been turned by IA pillow.
1.-The elevation of the city is 5000
feet. Wheat. oats. rye. barley and
vegetables are produced very album
dainty. Their production Is greatly
increased by irrigation.
Fruit Industry.
The fruit industry Il just in its in
fancy here, Apples. plums. pears.
crabs, Strawberries. raspberries. etc.
Trucking is very profitable and fine
place for poultry raising. People here
are making comfortable living ON
five acres Of ground and are saving
money besides. Bottom land can be
bought from $50 To S. per acre. hill
land s. to S.. Timber land can he nur-
chased at $3.50 per acre from the gov
eminent. Montana has practically two
climates. All that part east of the
great divide has climate whose win
tiers are very cold and has billiards,
with lots Of strong wind during the
summer. while west of the great di
vide. where Missoula is located. they
have much milder climate. The tenn
perature. according to government re-
ports for the past Is years. gives the
mean average temperature as follows:
Winter. "A degrees: spring "A degrees:
summer. Ga degrees. and fall. A de-
grees. The dry air always makes the
extremes af temperature more bear