Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-01-07
EXPECT HEAVY
TRAVEL WEST TO
HUNT FOR LAND
Inquiries Received in Montana
Indicate That Huge Ranches
Soon to Be Cut Up Into
Smaller Tracts,

| Helena, Mont, Jan. 6.--Not only
| Montana suffered comparatively lit
! tie from the slowing down of war
work, but reconstruction projects
| which are expected to add greatly to
the activities of the state, are hardly
more promising and important than
, those industrial and commercial pro-
! jects which were halted by the war
shortly, it is probable. viii resume
/ full blast
Thus far, with the exception of loss
contracts by the manganese indus
tries at Butte, Phiiipsburg and Great
! Falls, no line of endeavor worth men
ton, within the confines of the Urea
| sure state, has witnessed dimunitiou
of effort through cessation of the
war. Mine, mill, farm, field and fac
! tory from border to border, with the
| possible exception Of a phase of the
! lumber industry, are in full opera
ton and expect to continue to do so,
! it is said on peace orders, for many
a month to come,
Railway development. highway ex-
pansion and the completion of irri-
cation projects, together with other
and hardly less important plans seem
to assure the state several years Of
prosperity unprecedented even in
Montana.
| A half score of railway extensions
| were on the point of initiation when,
lack of material and labor called a
halt before America entered the war.
Since this country's entrance, ana
under federal control, only one short
line, the Blackfoot extension of the
Milwaukee in the western part of the
state. has been handled. There are
no official tidings of what the gov
eminent means to do, but since the
president is known to favor any fea-
sible plan to provide employment 1t
is assumed that even while under fed
eral management these extensions
will be undertaken as soon as ma
terial can be obtained and workers
assembled.
Bills now pending for great appro-
priations for the numerous irriga-
ton projects in the state give hope
that active work on them will be
pushed during the coming year.
Large sums for highway develop
ment will be available for Montana
from both federal and state sohrces.
and 1t is understood that the state
highway commission will make every
effort to get these roads building
next spring and keep them going
through the summer.
The only dark cloud on Montana's
horizon has been the abnormal ship
ment of cattle out of the state. due
to high prices for feed ana its arc
ity.
But inquiry for lands indicates
heavy immigration and as the future
of the cattle industry, with the grad
ual disappearance of the iange must
lie with the small rancher, If is felt
that year or to will see the cattle
business established on as wide
scale and on firmer basis than be-
fore
One interesting item to Montana is
the news that war trucks will be
turned over to the postoffice depart
ment for immediate extension of he
parcel post system. Last fall trucks
We're used to haul crops from sections
without railways and ~ was saiI st
the time that a wide and conprehen-
sive use OF motors over good roads
would tend to largely increase the
population of the state within q short
period. Montana's mapnificenr die-
tances hardly can be rib5oned with
rails for many years out 4 workable
trnck system woald enable immi-
grants to till with profit outlying
lands. which. despite their richness.
have not offered proper rAaiunera-
ton because of the difficulties of
hauling products.
To-. nj