Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1910-04-29
MONTANA'S WONDERFUL
DEVELOPMENT

Under the caption "'rhe Past Year and
the Futures Promise" in pamphlet
entitled "'rhe Year 1909 in Montana"
issued by the publicity department of
the Bureau of Agriculture. Labor and In
dustry of the state of Montana, is the
following:
"lic year 1909 has been one Of con.
tinued and imcrcas sing prosperity in Mon
tana. Every industry has grown and
prospered. Settlers have come in by the
thousands. broken raw lands and start.
ed new farms. Cities and towns have
made extensive public improvements.
new business blocks and dwellings have
been erected in large numbers: the vast
power of the mighty Missouri river has
been harne>>cd ut Great Falls and sub
lccted to Industrial use: intcrurlan elec-
trir railway service has been inau.,.
rated: several railroad extensions have
been begun aud surveys made for others.
Large private irrigation projects have
been completed and plans for new ones
have been made. The stock industry
has flouri>.,ed exceedingly: the mining
industry maintained its great output:
and tor the first time statistics indicate
that the products of the soil exceeded in
va'ue those of the mine. Lesser indus
tries. particularly numbering. cont rilnlt ell
materially to the total production OF
wealth.
Population has largely increased as a
result OF Montana'S advantages becon,-
ing more widely known; but millions of
fertile acres are still unoccupied and the
development OF the unparalleled re-
sources Of the Treasure State has only
made IL beginning.
Montana contains the only large area
nf fertile land in the United States that
: waiting to he peopled. Of its 30
MMOM acres of arabic lands only
small portion has passed into private
ownership and much Of this may be
bought at low prices. The rest consists
Of government lands. Opportunities are
innumerable for securing. under the
homestead law or by purchase. desirable
farm lands Of character 50 productive
that within 4 few years they will reach
selling value similar to that Of the
highest priced farm lands in the richest
agricultural regions Of the older parts
tuf the Emitted States. Their value will
come to be determined by what they
produce. and Judged by returns on in
ve>tmentS. Montana farms lands have
no equal. and increases OF from one
hundred to one thousand per cent in land
values within the next ten years may
confidently be expected.
Montana has room and land for Il
million new settlers to whom the cutli-
vation of the soil will yield a support
All independence or wealth according TO
the ability and industry shown by
them. An opportunity unequaled else
where is offered to the man who desire,
to own Il home of his own and is able
I" support himself until his land be
comes productive Every month the
:,noccnpied land is growing less Some
time it will all he gone: and when tina,
time comes the end of the era of cheap
land in the 'nited States will have AZ
rived. The prudent man will not wait
Montana now has the only great area OF
unoccupicd. uncultivated. fertile farm
lands i'll the country. This condition
will not last long. Human beings who
must draw their s,lstenance from the
soil are horn every minute of every day.
but no more land is being created to
supply their needs.
The only reason why Montana is not
now among the first OF the states in the
total value of its farm products is be-
cause so small a portion of its soil has
been planted to crops. The yield Of the
acres under cultivation and the value per
acre of the crops raised place it at the
head of agricultural states in both re-
spects. When the 3O.lMN,OOO acres OF
arabic land within its boundaries shall
he producing. the annual yield of a.ri
f,I1t ,r.1 \, u.;ll l.,, h,% =
world will wonder that such rich farm
ing lands were so lightly valued and al
lowed to lay untitled tor 50 long pc
riod.
The soil is the source of wealth. and
Montana has fertile soil in almost un
limited quantities that has never been
cultivated. 1t presents the opportunity
for acquiring Il home to the man who
is intelligent enough to know an eN
ceptional opportunity when he secs i,
and energetic enough to take advantage
of it. Where in the United States Cor
Canada) can as much money per acre be
made in farming as in Montana and
where are lands bound to advance i'll
value in equal degree.
As consequence of the settlement of
the country other industries will grow
or spring up: opportunities in other line,
will arise. and the increasing density OF
population will lessen the burden and
make possible community improvement,
and conveniences not now within their
means.
The prime opportunity Montana now
offers is to the land seeker because ol
the vast areas Of government land which
is nnoccnpied and the low price at whic.,
land in private ownership may be bought
The supply of land in past years has
far exceeded the demand for it, Blu,
now there is great demand for land
and it is now passing into the ownership
of men who will cultivate it themselves.
Besides the great number Of large farms.
and ranches which have been sublivided
in tine past two years and sold III small
tracts the amount Of lands disposed of
through the United States land offices
has been almost unparalleled and the
number of entries being made is increa>