114 MONTANA: INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES 



thousand head of sheep from Washiniiton have been shipped in to utilize the 

 range on the national forests which otherwise would not have been grazed. 

 Swine raising, in connection with dairying, is growing and a number of pure- 

 bred herds have Ix'cn established. So also is poultry raising, both for eggs and 

 day-old chicks, with "White Leghorns as the most popular variety. 



Lumbering operations are on a much reduced scale compared with those 

 of two decades ago, but the industry is still important. While there have never 

 been any large mining operations, the county has produced commercially gold, 

 silver, copper, lead, zinc and coal. The existence of aluminum clays is reported. 

 Beds of brick and pottery clay are also found. 



So far as the immediate future is concerned, the industrial development of 



the county is apt to be along agricultural lines. Hamilton and Stevensville have 



openings at present (1!)23), it is said, for plants making horti- 



By-Products cultural by-prcducts such as cider, vinegar and apple butter. 



IMants Excellent transportation facilities are afforded the agricul- 



Openings tural districts of the county by a branch line of the Northern 



Pacific out of Missoula, which runs south through the heart 

 of the Bitter Root valley to Darby. The western route Park to Park highway, 

 from West Yellowstone to Belton, traverses the county north and south. A new 

 state highway was completed in the fall of l!)2o. over the Skalkaho pass in the 

 Sapphire mountains, that directly connects Hamilton with Butte and Anaconda, 

 via Philipsburg. 



Hamilton, situated about midway north and south of the comity, is the county 

 seat and the largest town, with all modern conveniences. It is the principal 

 shipping and distributing point for a large area. Stevensville, in the north end 

 of the valley, is the second largest town, and in the heart of the dairying district. 

 Florence, Corvallis, Victor, Grantsdale and Darby are shipping points. 



Beautiful scenery, fine hiuiting and good fishing are among the tourist 

 attractions. The region is of much historic interest. Lewis and Clark followed 

 the Bitter Root River through the county on their journey westward in 1S05 ; the 

 Bitter Root valley was the tribal home of the Flathead Indians until their re- 

 moval by treaty 30 years ago ; the first church in Montana was built here ; and the 

 Nez Perce Indians in their outbreak of 1877 swept through the valley. Through 

 the loyalty of Chief Charlo of the Flatheads they left the settlers unmolested. The 

 INIarcus Daly racing stud which swept the American turf was establi.shed near 

 Hamilton. 



RAVALLI COUNTY — Ranks seventeenth in population (10,098); twenty-eighth in 

 area (1.530,240 aere.s) ; fifteenth in combined 1922 crop and livestock value; tliirty-fifth 

 in 1920 mineral production: twenty-first in bank depcsits. 1922; twenty-fifth in assessed 

 valuation, 1922. Acres public land, 5,280; acres state land, 26,737; acres national forests, 

 1,035,315. 



WEALTH PRODUCTION — Estimated 1922 crop value, $2,022,100; e.stimated live- 

 stock value, January, 1923, $1,856,000; metal production. 1920, $130; 1921 lumber cut, 

 16,4.")!t M. feet: tutal liank deposits, September 15, 1922, $1,777,839. 



TAXATION 1922 — Total assessed valuation, $21,732,311; total taxable value, 

 $6,658,861. Total outstanding county bond indebtedness, $531,000; total outstanding 

 county warrant indebtedness, $75,808; total outstanding school bond indebtedness, 

 $230,620; other school debts, $32,232. Total general and special county taxes, $235,341; 

 total general and district school taxes, $184,249; total municipal taxes, $22,654; total 

 state taxes, $32,288; total tax (inclusive municipal), per capita, $46.99. 



EDUCATIONAL — Number graded schools, 27; enrollment, 2,177. Number high 

 schools, 6: fiuollment, 529. 



BUSINESS STATISTICS — Number of railroads, 1; railway mileage, exclusive spurs, 

 and sidetracks, 4t>.71. Xunilier manufactures, 25; average number wage earners, 124; 

 value of products, $699,916. Number of hank.s, 8. Number general stores. 17; confection- 

 ery, etc., 4; groceries and meats, 21; lumber yards, 6: total number merchants, 191. Total 

 assessed valuation 1922 merchandise, $772,798. Number grain elevators, 4; total ca- 

 pacit.v, 130,000 Inishels. Number creameries, 2. Number flour mills, 2. Number saw 

 mills. 13. Number of lawxers, 11. Numlier of physicians, 13. 



AGRICULTURE (1920 census) — Number farms. 1,231; farm acreage. 245.965; im- 

 proved farm acreage, 114,473; irrigated acreage, 107,028; average value all property, per 

 farm, $15,451. Livestock assessed 1922 — number cattle. 20,044; number sheep, 22,817; 

 number horses, 5,898; number swine (census), 10,386. 



