The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1911-10-05
,,EETEFISH IDLE LANDS.
(By G.. w. Avery.)


For years the Whitefish Pilot has
been telling lis of the marvellous fer
tili,y Of the logged-cver lands sur
rounding the city. Again and again
il has come to us with stories
Of biz eabbages, turnips and vegeta-
bles OF all kinds, big yields OF
Wntat, oats, and potatoes, fine re-
turns CT luscious fruit with a mimi
man o. labor, but yet the Whitefish
logged ever land is lying idle, and a
stream of the peoples money is go
ing out to other places for produce
that we ought to be growing for the
market
These lands are not being settled
to any extent, and will not be until
they can be purchased by the Set
tier at reasonable price; which,
plus the cost Of clearing, will equal
the selling price Of the cleared land
in the market.
The fact the land is lying idle is
proof positive that they are not Of
feed for sale on the above terms;
for it goes without argument that
the people at large are land-hungry
and that there is constantly grow
xng demand for agricultural land.
Back to the farm is the direction
aof the movement of the people to-
day. "Oh," you say, "you are hurt
zng the sale of these lands by writ
ing such stuff" l say it is the
truth, and we will have the truth il
1T does hurt.
Furthermore, there is practically
no sales of this land being made
now under the present conditions,
therefore the writer cannot see what
harm is going to be done by stating
clear. cold facts. The individuals
and companies who own these lands
cannot make interest on their in
vestment unless the community is
constantly growing and prospecting
The sale, settlement, clearing and
cultivation of our idle land would be
"a tremendous factor in the growth
and prosperity of the community.
Tie individuals and companies
wlc ere holding this idle land prob
=Ily know their own business with
SFut any advice from the writer. but
1rcrn di5interosted standpoint it
locks like good business policy to
sell these idle lands at what they
are worth in the market: get their
idle capital loosened up and inves
1t in thousand and one live enter
prises which are constantly coming
'uo in a prosperous and growing
community, such as this would be
with settlers pouring in here and set
stlins and improving our idle land.
Large tracts Of this land is owned
by the Somers Lumber company. The
hlending of interests between the
sotflcers of this company and the Of
flceEs of the Great Northern Off
scials is well known. Railroads are
built to carry passengers and freight
and the settling of these lands woulc
bring the Great Northern a large
: local increase of both.
1t seems to the writer that it
would be good business policy on
THE part of the citizens to take this
question up with President L. w.
Hill and see what could be done to
get the holdings of the Somers Lum-
Der company put on the market at
"a price that would induce people
who desire farms to settle on them.
Ut the land lying idle and owned
by the Somers Lumber company
could be put on the market and sold
sOnly to actual settlers it would get
atte proposition of settling stump
Hand fairly started. Others seeing
the advantages to be derived by
selling this land would put theirs
ON the market. thereby putting the
wheels of industry and progress in
amotion.