The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1912-05-17
NEWS OF MONTANA
Important Happenings q the
Week Briefly Told.
M1ssoULA Is RICH.
District Unsurpassed In Mineral, Tim
Der and Waterpower.

Missoula.-Strike a circle with Mis-
soula as q center and with a seventy
five mile line az radius and one will
enclose q region of Incompatible
natural wealth and of unlimited re-
sources.
Mineral wealth is here. gold. silver.
copper. lead. coal and building stone.
Timber wealth is here In unbounded
extent and is being utilized to a de-
gree which makes Missoula's territory
the greatest lumber producing section
in Montana. Agricultural wealth 10
here, limitless. and much Of IL unde-
veloped. Horticultural wealth is here
in extent surprising even those who
think they are familiar with conditions
in western Montana. Water power is
here in almost measureless quantity;
some Of ii has been developed, but
there are thousands and thousands Of
horsepower running to waste.
Within this seventy-five mile circle
are vast valley and rich mountain
ranges. all radiating from Missoula,
and all naturally centering here in the
business which they create and in the
traffic which they necessitate. On the
east the Flint Creek valley, rich in
forage and pasture. On the northeast
the immense Blackfoot region, won
derfully fertile and splendidly de.
veloped as far as the development has
progressed. On the north the Swan
river country and the Joco basin. On
the northwest the magnificent valleys
of the Flathead reservation lands.
now open to settlement. On the west.
the marvelously rich Paradise and
Plains valleys, with their great
stretches of surrounding bench lands.
On the southwest the lower Missoula
and St. Regis valleys, whose vast de-
posits OF mineral wealth are being de-
veloped and whose agricultural re-
sources and timber wealth are great.
On the south the great Bitter Root,
queen valley Of the west. whose ad-
vanced development gives ocular DEM
onstration of what the future has in
store for the other valleys in the great
circle.
In this princely empire there have
grown some splendid towns, each the
center OF an area for which II is the
distributing point In the Flint creek
valley there Is the old town OF Philips
burg and the newer town of Drum
mond. In the Blackfoot valley the
towns Of Ovando and Helmville are of
long standing and prosperous develop
ment and newer towns are coming
with the construction Of the railways.
Clinton 10 the center of a rich mining
district. Bonner is the seat of the
greatest numbering mandatory in the
state. Arlee, Ravalli. Roman and Pol.
son are being built on the reservation
lands. Plains 10 one OF the most prom
Using towns In Montana. Camas is
70 the north Of 1t. the business seat
Of rich valley. Thompson, the seat
of Sanders county. possesses one Of
the greatest water powers In the state
and Is the center OF a vast mineral
belt; II Is also surrounded by fertile
agricultural valleys Frenchtown,
Huson. and Grass Valley are thriving
iA miuB to"ho ia tue lower MlSSOul8
valley. Lothrop Is the site of an ex-
tensive sawmill pl0nt. At Fish Greek.
there 10 another great water power.
Quartz. Iron Mountain and Carter are
surrounded by rich mineral districts.
st. Regis. De Borgia and Henderson
are the district centers Of extensive
numbering operations and mining
work. Saltese Ia one of the busy min
ing camps and its district is one of
the richest in the entire west. At AL.
berton, the Milwaukee railway has
Its division shops and headquarters.
In the Bitter Root valley are towns
which are. with the development Of
the valley. becoming cities. Hamilton
Is Ravalli's county seat; it has great
saw mills, the most perfect agricul-
tural development In Montana and il
the second town in western Montana
in size and commercial Importance.
Stevensville is the development OF the
first white settlement In Montana; Il
II the center Of a splendid agricul.
tural section.
From this valley last year $50 cars
OF apples were shipped. besides many
hundred pounds and several carloads
Of the famous big, black. Bling cher.
ries. together with pears and plums.