The Carbon County news., 1930-01-02
FIGURES REVEAL y EASE IN
IMPORTANCE OF - lUsTRIAL
VAL ;
COLORADO % MOUNTAIN
STATE WITH q RE NATURAL
WEALTH THAN HERE

GREAT FALLS, MONT, Dec. 20
A composite picture of agricultural
commercial and industrial Montana
in 1929 smooths out the sharp break
in the curve of the value of 1929 farm
products compared with record crops
of the two preceding years. Offsett-
ing the agricultural decline are in
creases in the value of production of
such products as metals, coal and oil
This means that in spite of the
abrupt drop in agricultural returns,
the $306,000,000 of new wealth this
year from all sources is only $1,000,-
600 below the figure of the five-year
period.
Value of production in the state
this year is only 5 per cent below
that of 1928 and per cent under the
peak crop year of 1927 This is true
in spite of the drop of $3,00O,000 in
crop values alone as against the five
year average output.
Of outstanding significance is an
analysis of this years production in
Montana is that young giant in the
states development-man
In 1929 manufacturing has added
$72 100000 to Montana's new wealth.
This is record for Montana and is
we'll above the average value Of the
states wheat crop.
The day is rapidly coming in Mon
tana when the wheat crop important
as it is in itself, will cease to be the
index of the relative prosperity of
the commonwealth. The industrial de-
velopment of the state is already un-
der way. In 1929 new wealth other
than agricultural production amount
ed to $154,000,000 or slightly more
than half of the total. The S72,000,-
600 from manufacturing represents
the difference between the cost of the
materials and the values of the fin
ished products.
Production of Wealth
Metals mines this year yielding
S62,50O,000. Coal, oil and gas con-
tributed nearly $17,OO0,OoO. Timber
added $4,500,000. These products
from the depths of the earth ant
from the mountain sides are unaffect
ed by climatic factors and in years
to come will exert more and more
stabilizing effect on Montana's S year
ly balance sheet.
Montana is a state of diversified
capital. In her solid foundation 0.
real property and improvements to
falling $1,391 ,982,638 are found sucl
valuations as $4,000 in transporta
tion, $50,000,000 in manufacturing
equipment, $112,000,00O in street rail
roads, water works and other utilities
and $352,000,00O in unclassified in
vestments.
No other commonwealth Of TIN
eight mountain states, except Color
ado, has more wealth than Montana
Montana's labor, or that numbe
of her population engaged in gain
full occupations, presents anothe
picture of diversification. Only abou
SO percent of the 100000 employe,
in the state in 1929 were employe,
in agriculture, forestry and anima
husbandry, while the total employe,
in manufacture, transportation ant
mining was but slightly less.
PayrolIs of $25O,OOO,0O0
Conservative estimates of the tota
amount of money in payrolls in Mon
tana this year show $250,000,000, o
which $182,500,000 was for labor EN-
ployed in lines other than agriculture
forestry and stock raising. Such
payroll may be expected to reflec
only indirectly either the increases O
decreases in agricultural production
itself and is a measure of the tire
mendous purchasing power of Mon
tana people that exists apart from
the purchasing power Of the agricul
tural areas.
Recent years have brought new in
dustries to the front in Montana a
sources of new wealth each year. Flu
farming, still in an experimental
stage, promises to convert Montan
climate into valuable fur production
The business of capitalizing Mon
tana's scenery and summer weathe
by dude ranchers is fast growing int
proportions where capital investmen
will be relatively large.
The building of Montana's system
of highways is each year bringin,
increasing numbers of motor tourist
to the state. The result is million
of dollars for the state, and for tn
years to come a source of potentia
wealth as yet unfathomable. Mon
tana may ultimately find this a fac
tor of income equal to that of tn
wheat crop of present days.
Montana is now second in tn,
United States in the number of mile
lof federal aid highway under con
struction, according to an announce