Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 May 1894 — FLATHEAD VALLEY. [ARTICLE]

FLATHEAD VALLEY.

A PICTURESQUE AND DECIDEDLY FERTILE REGION. Rleh Farming Lind*— Excellent Timber— Varied Mineral Wealth Large Hirers and Lakes—Mild and Healthful Climate—* A Paradise for Sportsmen. Garden of the Northwest. Kalispell. Mont, correspondence: In only two localities in the United States can the Rocky Mountains be seen from a steamboat, and both of these are in Montana; first on the Missouri River at Fort Benton, east of the range, and then on the Flathead river and lake, west of it. Surprises await the tourist who descends into the moun-tain-girted valley of the Flathead, where he finds everything of a magnitude in keeping with the general features of Western Montana, where Nature has created rivers, lakes, forests, prairies, and valleys upon a large scale. The Flathead, instead of being a shallow rivulet dashing down the mountain sides, is a majestic stream larger than the Mississippi at St. Paul, r iathead Lake is th*e largest body of fresh water west of the great lakes, and is but one of a number of pretty bodies of water scattered over the valley. Situated upon the Pacific tide of the continent, the climate giies mild winters and fine summers, much in contrast with the seasons in the same parallel on the Atlantic coast. There are no blizzards and cyclones. The liberal rainfall has nurtured forests of pine and other trees, not only on the mountain sides, but in the valley itself, the timber being interlaced with prairies which give the country a park-like appearance resembling the oak openings of Michigan, Ohio, and New York. Unlike the soil where pir.e grows in other localities, here it is rich loam and makes the best kind of agricultural land when cleared. “Seeing is believing” is an adage as old as it is true, and taere are those so incredulous that only with reluctance will they accept any'but this kind of proof. To all such a visit to this valley is a source of delight, and the common admission is that "the half has never been told.” What a change, too, after the magnificent trip through the Rockies, ovqr which the railway has conquered a path, solid and safe, to pass down among peaceful and attractive prairies with cultivated fields and gardens, and see busy towns with hundreds of people engaged in the pursuits of peace and home-seeking, where only a short time ago a few Indians roamed in search of game and fish. A few years and thousands more whites will be here sharing the plenty industry is certain to give all willing to woo the earth with its treasures of field, mine, forest and water. Flathead County, formed by the last Legislature, has an area of 7, ioo square miles, a territory larger than the States of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined. The Great Northern Railway from its first station in the county on the cast to its last on the west runs a distance of miles. The Flathead River and tributaries, with logging waters aggregating 60J miles in length, converge at Kalispell, and the manufacture of lumber and shingles is becoming an important industry. The principal forest trees are the cedar, fir, birch, pine, and tamarack, the latter often attaining a diameter of six feet, instead of being a mere lelegraph pole as in the east. It makes fine furniture, samples ofiwhich were seen in the Montana Building at the World’s Fair.

There is much that is attractive from a health-giving, tcenic and sporting standpoint in this region. Snow peaks are in view all the year round, and the winters are seldom cold enough to close the streams to navigation. Lake McDonald, near by, is becoming a noted resort. Among the visitors last summer were Bishop Whipple, of Minnesota, and Vice President Webb, of the New York Central Railroad. Lakes and streams abound with trout and the hunter has chances to look along his gun barrel at deer and grouse. Farmers distant from town are said to build high fences around their gardens to keep the deer out. Skins to be seen at stores show that bear are still to be found.

The mountains in ajl directions cot»tain precious and base metals, and in the northern part of the county large beds of coal and petroleum s-prings exist. Railway surveyors have bean over a route to this semi n and also on a line south to Anaconda and Butte. New sources of wealth making are being constantly brought to light as settlement progresses- from the common centers along the railway, which gives connections between St. Paul, Minneapolis and Puget Sound. Much of the country is still Government land, and valuable traces of timber and fa-ming land can be taken up under the horned stei'd law. Two years ago the site of Kalispeh wai a vacant spot on the prairie; now it has over 2,-iOO people, several banks, three newspapers, schools, churches, electric lights, Wj.tcrwcrks, large flouring mill, saw mills, business houses and excellent holers. 1 The other towns along the Great Northern Railway in this country are C dumbia Fails, Pleasant Valley, Jennings, Troy and Libby Creek, the latter being a prominent point in the Kootenai mining district. Jennings is a steamer point L r the Fort Steele gold district in British Columbia. Kalispeil is county seat and di’vision point of the Great Northern Railway, wrtn a two-story brick passenger depot and office building. The writer is under obligations t > C. E. Conrad, President of the Conrad National Bank, Kalispell, Mont., for printed matter and other information. All applicants and inquirers will get prompt attention from the same gentleman.

JOHN HARRINGTON.