Home-Making in Treasure State 



Magnificent Empire of Public Land, Available for Entry Under 



the Liberal Provisions of the Homestead Law, Furnishes 



Opportunity for Many Thousands of Farmers. 



ELDOM, IF EVER, has there been a finer vindica- 

 tion of the wisdom of the policy of the United 

 States government in the disposition of the 

 public domain, than Montana has furnished in 

 the past few years. The demonstration of the 

 productivity of Montana soil, together with the 

 knowledge that there was available here millions 

 of acres of government land, served to attract 

 toward Montana a tide of homesteaders such as 

 the country has never before witnessed. 



During the last few years energetic farmers 

 by the tens of thousands have learned of the 

 superior productive power of Montana's soil and 

 have taken advantage of the liberal homestead 

 laws to come to this state and get a home. They 

 are here now and they are on the high road to 

 prosperity. In every county of the state they have 

 settled and everywhere they are making good. 

 The lifegiving effect of this great agricultural development is felt on all sides. 

 In 1913 more miles of new railroad were built in Montana than in any other state in 

 the Union. Since that date there has been practically no new railroad construction, 

 due to the high cost of materials and unsettled business conditions, but during 1916 

 the Montana railroads have renewed construction work and during the present sea- 

 son it is confidently predicted that several branches will be constructed into new 

 territory within the next twelve months. 



In no way can the remarkable growth of Montana be more strikingly shown than 

 in the reports of the Commissioner of the General Land Office giving the number 

 of homestead entries made in Montana during the period when the present influx 

 of settlers has been at its height. The following figures cover the years 1911-15 

 inclusive: 



Year 

 1911 

 1912 

 1913 

 1914 

 1915 



Year 

 1911 

 1912 

 1913 

 1914 

 1915 



HOMESTEAD ENTRIES. 



Number 

 15,399 

 12,597 

 17,844 

 20,662 

 16,146 



ENTRIES OF ALL KINDS. 



Number 

 21,988 

 20,626 

 29,246 

 37,699 

 30,395 



Acres- 



Acreage 

 3,917,816 

 3,234,199 

 3,996,358 

 4,429,623 

 3,500,268 



-Original 

 4,257,302 

 3,600,260 

 4,675,840 

 5,335,393 

 4,065,439 



