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• THETREASURESTATE 159: 



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Superior, the county seat and principal town, is a rapidly growing, progressive 

 place. Its location is extremely picturesque, being on the Clark's Fork river with 

 towering mountains on either side. The town now has an estimated population of 

 450, and hoasts one bank, with more than $100,000 deposits, eight retail stores, one 

 theater, two weekly newspapers. 



Along the Clark's Pork river, in Mineral county, it is estimated that 20,000 

 horse power can be developed and the development of this power will undoubtedly 

 give a strong impetus to the industrial life of this section of the state. 



There has been renewed activity in mining in this county during the past few 

 months and at the present time more than 400 men are employed on properties 

 adjacent to Superior. 



Mineral county offers unusual inducements to tourists. There is magnificient 

 scenery and the best of hunting and fishing may be found within easy access 

 of the railroads. 



In the development of the county, it seems probable that dairying will soon play 

 an important part. The excellent pasturage which the cut over lands of the 

 county furnish, together with the purest of water and a never failing market for 

 dairy products, tend to make dairying very remunerative along the Clark's Pork, 

 and this industry promises to enjoy much growth in the near future. 



The estimated population of Mineral county is 2,750 and the assessed valuation 

 of the county, in 1915, was $4,035,177. 



LAND AREA — Mineral county, which is in the Missoula land district, embraces 

 an area of 1,224 square miles, including 59,248 acres of unreserved and unap- 

 propriated public land available for entry under the homestead law, 26,285 acres of 

 state land, and 875,000 acres of national forests. Of the total area of the county, 

 171,784 acres are privately owned. 



CROP PRODUCTION — The following gives the estimated crop production for 

 1915: wheat 10,000 bushels; oats 75,000 bushels; barley 20,000; potatoes 45,000 

 bushels; hay 12,000 tons. 



In 1915, the assessor's rolls showed the following livestock: horses, 618 head; 

 milch cows, 207 head; other cattle, 351 head; sheep 88 head; swine 331 head. 



MISSOULA COUNTY. 



When the territory of Montana was divided into counties, the extensive country 

 drained by the Bitter Root, Clark's Pork and Kootenai rivers was put in Missoula 

 county. The flourishing counties of Ravalli, Missoula, Sanders, Plathead, Mineral 

 and Lincoln, have been formed from Missoula county, which still retains an 

 extensive area having a large variety of rich natural resources. 



The principal industries are farming, fruit growing, lumbering and mining. The 

 principal farming districts are the Bitter Root and Missoula valleys and the recently 

 opened Plathead Indian reservation. South of the city of Missoula, to the boundary 

 line of Ravalli county, extends the part of the wonderful Bitter Root valley 

 which is embraced in Missoula county and north and west lies the Missoula valley. 

 Around Prenchtown, 17 miles from Missoula, is an old and prosperous farming 

 community. In the Missoula valley average crops are 2% to 3% tons of timothy 

 hay to the acre, 2% tons of clover at the first crop and 2 tons at the second. 

 Great yields of wheat and oats are reported from irrigated lands. On non-irrigated 

 land, wheat yields from 30 to 40 bushels to the acre, oats 60 bushels and barley 

 45 bushels. Potatoes yield about 250 bushels to the acre, many vegetables are grown 

 and the county is splendidly adapted for dairying and has some dairy cattle of the 

 highest quality. While stock raising is not a leading industry, many head of beef 

 cattle are annually shipped to Montana cities and to Pacific coast points. 



