lOG MONTANA: INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES 



foot River, which flows westerly across the middle of the county. The 

 Clark's Fork of the Colmnbia (locally called the Deer Lodge River), flows north 

 and thence west across the southwestern quarter. It is a well watered, good 

 grass region. In the Deer Lodge valley the stock growing industry of ilontana 

 was established. 



The farming areas are confined to the south half of the county, in the 

 Deer Lodge valley around Deer Lodge, the Big Blackfoot and Ne^■ada Creek 

 valleys, near Helmville. and the Little Blackfoot valley around Avon. Hay and 

 grain are the principal crops, except in the Deer Lodge valley, where potatoes 

 and truck crops, which find a ready market at Butte and Anaconda, are im- 

 portant. The potato production of the Deer Lodge valley gives the county third 

 place on this crop in counties west of the main range. In the order of 

 their importance, alfalfa leads, followed by wild hay, oats, and then spring wheat. 

 In most districts stock growing is combined with crop production, the national 

 forests, which cover more than a third of the county's area, furnishing fine sum- 

 mer grazing for both cattle and sheep. 



Mining in earlier years was an important industry, principally in the south- 

 ern and eastern parts, and there are still many promising looking properties 

 inviting development. Gold, silver, copper, lead and lime have 

 High Grade been produced commercially. Near Elliston a valuable diamond 



Phosphate was found. A large part of the county is underlain by high- 

 grade phosphate deposits and it also has beds of coal, marble, 

 brick clay, fire clay, pottery clay and a variety of building stone. 



Deer Lodge is a division point on the Chicago. Milwaukee & St. Paul, which 

 maintains shops there. The largest lime burning plant in the state is at Elliston. 

 Considerable logging and lumbering is carried on. 



Railroad tran.^portation is confined to the south end of the county. The 

 main line loops of the Northern Pacific, via Butte and Helena, meet at Garrison. 

 The Milwaukee railroad parallels the Butte line of the Northern Pacific. The 

 main east and west highways via Butte and Helena traverse the county, and a 

 subordinate highway between :Missoula and Helena follows the Big Blackfoot 

 River via Ovando and Helmville. The north half of the county is practically 

 virgin mountain wilderness opened only by pack trails of the Forest Service. 



Deer Lodge, the coimty seat, is one of the oldest established towns in Montana, 

 well built and modern. Helmville is the trading center for the Big Blackfoot and 

 Nevada Creek valleys, and Avon for the Little Blackfoot district. Elliston is a 

 mining and logging village. Ovando, as well as Helmville. are outfitting points 

 for hunting parties. 



Much of the early history of :\Iontana was made in the Deer Lodge valley. 

 The discovery of gold in this county, on Gold Creek, a few miles west of Garrison, 

 by a half-breed Indian in 1852. launched the first real development of the Montana 

 region. Beautiful scenery and excellent fi.shing as well as hunting make the 

 county popular with tourists. 



.1 4o'^°r^^'-^ ^P^J^Jy—'P-^^^s thirty-first in population (6.909); twenty-fifth in area 

 (1.490,560 acres); thirty-first in combined 1922 crop and livestock value: twentieth in 

 1920 mineral production; fourteenth in bank deposits. 1922; twentv-fourth in assessed 

 valuation. 1922. Acres public land, 158,018: acres state land, 54,752- acres national 

 forests, 516,098. 



WEALTH PRODUCTION— Estimated 1922 crop value. $1,231,500; estimated live- 



??^n Ar^^y%'^''i"y'Vl' ^;'-l -^l'."'9|00: me^^l production, 1920. $33,477; 1921 lumber cut. 

 1,300 M. feet: total bank deposits, September 15, 1922, $2,318,274. 



,. „.1;AXATI0N 1922— Total assessed valuation. '$22,083,814; total taxable value, 

 $<,0(0,10o. Total outstanding county bond indebtedness. $285,000- total outstanding 

 ^2n",V- S.'^r?"^ indebtedness, $39,252: total outstanding school bond indebtedness. 

 $80.42o Total general and special county taxes, $108,860; total general and district school 

 taxes, $128, eOc total municipal taxes. $51,845; total state taxes. $33,591; total tax (in- 

 clusive municipal), per capita, $46.73. > ^ • , >. a.i lcv.^.. ym 



EDUCATIONAL — Number graded schools, 36; enrollment. 960. Number high schools. 

 1; enrollment. 222. Other institutions— State Prison, Deer Lodge. 



