FLATHEAD COUNTY. 



Flathead county is located in the northwestern part of Montana. Its eastern 

 boundary is the main range of the Rocky Mountains; its northern boundary tho 

 international boundary line. The northern part of the county is mountainous and 

 distinctly scenic. Glacier National Park is proving a big asset to Flathead county, 

 as Kalispell is the gateway city to the western entrance at Belton. A line auto- 

 mobile boulevard out of Kalispell runs to Belton over the National Park Highway, 

 traveled annually by thousands of tourists, whose demand stimulate the production 

 of the farms and market gardens. 



The timber resources of Flathead county adds greatly to its natural wealth. 

 More than 20,000,000,000 feet of standing timber is in the Flathead district. Lumber- 

 ing is one of Flathead county's biggest industries, affording labor to more than 

 2,000 men annually. The Soniers Lumber Company at the head of Flathead Lake is 

 one of the largest manufacturing plants of lumber in the northwest. A large 

 per cent of its product is made into railroad ties which are processed in an 

 immense pickling plant at Scmers, Montana. 



The annual output of lumber in Flathead county approximates $2,500,000. 



Horticulture is one of the leading industries in the county, especially in the 

 Flathead Lake region, where some large and fine orchards are producing premium 

 fruit. It was fruit from Flathead orchards, largely, that carried off the big prizes 

 at the San Francisco Exposition. The big sweet cherries. Bing and Lambert do 

 exceedingly well in Flathead valley and ripen ater the Washington and Oregon 

 cherry is off the market, leaving the Flathead product in the market to itself. 



Small grain yields are very heavy, wheat running from 35 to 50 bushels per acre; 

 oats G5 to S5 bushels per acre; potatoes 150 to 500 bushels per acre; barley, rye, 

 timothy and clover heavy yields, also alfalfa is a most profitable crop, doing well 

 in the low sub-irrigated river and creek bottoms and on all soils and in nearly 

 all locations. Its great r.uccess has increased the dairy output greatly and has 

 been a strong feature behind the swine industry. 



The elevation of Flathead county is z,i)65 feet and its climatic conditions are 

 ideal. It has never known hot winds nor blizzards, and its wind velocity is the 

 lowest in the United States. The annual precipitation is 15 to 18 inches. In 1910, 

 when the northwest was burned up by a severe drouth Flathead county had a 

 fair crop. 



Some of the largest water powers in the United States are in Flathead county. 

 The Pend d'Orielle Falls at the foot of Flathead Lake near Poison has been reserved 

 by the Government for a nitrate manu acturing plant. The Northern Idaho and 

 Montana Power Company has ceveloped a power plant at Big Fork, using the Big 

 Fork river. This company is furnishing power to Kalispell manufacturing firms 

 and light to Kalispell. Its rates lor power are very low and it offers splendid 

 inducements to manufacturing firms that want power. Kalispell, Poison. Whitefish, 

 Columbia Falls, Somers, and Big Fork are the principal towns in the county. All 

 these towns are well located and prosperous with rich agricultural districts sur- 

 rounding them. 



The cut over or stump lands of Flathead county offer to settlers of moderate 

 means the best inducements in the state. There are many thousand acres of these 

 lands in Flathead valley, not far from Kalispell, Big Fork, Whitefish, Columbia 

 Falls and Poison that can be bought at the low figure of $5 to $25 per acre. 

 Some of these tracts are river bottom land, sub-irrigated and where a crop can 

 be raised every year. This land grows clover and alfalfa in abundance, making 

 the best dairy ranches. Many of these cut over claims are near the forest reserves 

 and offer locations for stock ranches as the stock in summer can be grazed on the 

 forest reserves. Every acre of this $10 land, when cleared is worth $100 for 

 growing alfalfa and clover. 



High grade farm seeds are being grown in the county for big eastern whole- 

 sale seed houses, under contract. Montana alfalfa, clover and timothy seed brings 

 the highest price of any seed offered for sale. Flathead county oifers inducements 

 to settlers in its fine climate, good water, scenic conditions, rich soil, fruit growing, 

 good roads, splendid schools, cheap lands, cheap and abundant fuel, water power, 

 dairy locations, in fact a new country yet developed with every district school in 

 the county graded, high schools, the Kalispell school having almost 600 students. 

 Some of the best farm lands sell for $100 to $125 per acre. Some of the farm 

 land is as well improved as any of the eastern farms. 



The assessed valuation of the county in 1918 is $15,538,217 including railroad 

 property. 



