THE IRKIGATION AGE. 



309 



work all the year round, never stop earning good wages, 

 and \vhen spring comes they have a nice little bank roll, 

 saved during the winter. The climate is very healthy, 

 and there is but little sickness. The altitude is less 

 than 3,000 feet, and we are surrounded by pine forests, 

 from which we are ever inhaling the balsamic odor. 

 "Probably the best proof of the resources of the 



feet every twenty-four hours. Here also is the newest 

 and best box factory in the northwest, where Armour 

 & Co. are having their boxes made and shipped to Chi- 

 cago. Here also is the tie-preserving plant of the Great 

 Northern railroad. From here you will take the steamer 

 Klondyke, and after a beautiful trip across Flathead 

 lake, which will take nearly three hours, you will be 



Orchard on Shore of Flathead Lake and Grain Field in the Valley. 



country can be shown by the fact that the station of 

 Kalispell paid in 1905 one-fortieth of the gross earnings 

 of the Great Northern Eailroad Company. This alone 

 should show you that there is something doing in the 

 Flathead valley. 



"Now, the Indian reservation is at least five times 

 as large as the Flathead valley, the soil is just as good, 

 and the climate, if anything, a little better. I will 

 take you for a little trip over the reservation. The 

 United States land office is in Kalispell, Flathead coun- 

 ty, and all lands in Flathead county must be entered 

 at the Kalispell land office. There are 1,056 square 

 miles, or 675,840 acres of the reservation in the Kalis- 



landed at Poison, at the foot of the lake, where you will 

 find good accommodations if you desire to stay over 

 night. You are now fifteen miles south of the north 

 boundary of the reservation, and almost in the center 

 of the best land. 



"You will have noticed that the shores of the 

 lake are covered with a thick growth of fine timber. 

 Several pretty islands will be passed, where some day fine 

 residences will be built for summer visitors. At Poison 

 the land is open prairie, good soil and very productive. 

 There is quite' a ridge about one mile south of Poison 

 which prevents one looking over the reservation, but 

 when you get on top of this ridge in front of you, look- 



Farming in Flathead Valley. 



pell land office district, practically all of the best land 

 in the reservation. 



"On leaving Kalispell you will pass through some 

 very fine farming land for about eleven miles, with 

 plenty of good timber and pure water. You will then 

 arrive at Somers, where one of the largest sawmills in 

 the northwest is located, belonging to the ?ohn O'Brien 

 Lumber Company. This mill has a capacity of 250,000 



ing south one has probably the finest panoramic view 

 possible. 



"There are over thirty miles of magnificent prairie 

 land, almost level, with rich black sandy loam, which 

 has been used for a range for the cattle and horses 

 belonging to the Indians and halfbreeds. This mag- 

 nificent stretch of prairie is bounded on the east by the 

 Mission range of mountains, that rise some 5,000 feet, 



