122         CONTRIBUTIONS   TO   ECONOMIC    GEOLOGY,   1907,   PART   IT. 
The  problem  of  timbering  is  in  general  not  difficult  of  solution,  as  the 
roof  is  usually  compact  shale  or  sandstone.  In  a  number  of  the  small 
mines  no  timbering  is  needed.  Timber  is  obtained  from  the  various 
mountain  uplifts  bordering  or  within  the  field,  or  from  the  vicinity  of 
the  McDonald  Creek  divide  and  Rock  Creek. 
FUTURE  DEVELOPMENT. 
The  Lewistown  coal  field  has  been  and  seems  destined  to  remain  a 
region  independent  of  other  coal  fields,  and  yet  is  so  situated  geo- 
graphically that  it  can  not  well  compete  with  other  coal-producing 
sections  of  the  State  in  their  respective  markets.  East  and  north  of 
the  field  there  are  extensive  areas  which  seem  unlikely  to  remain 
other  than  sparsely  settled.  To  the  south  lies  the  Bull  Mountain 
coal  field,  which  is  receiving  an  impetus  in  development  from  the 
construction  of  the  transcontinental  line  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee 
and  St.  Paul  Railway.  This  line  passes  directly  through  the  Bull 
Mountain  field,  and  will  furnish  an  outlet  for  the  coal.  The  towns 
along  the  Northern  Pacific  in  south-central  Montana  procure  their 
coal  from  the  Red  Lodge,  Bear  Creek,  Bridger,  and  other  coal  dis- 
tricts in  the  vicinity  of  the  railroad.  To  the  northwest  is  the  Great 
Falls  coal  field,  which  controls  the  market  in  that  section  of  the  State. 
The  Billings  and  Northern  Railroad,  which  connects  Billings  and 
Great  Falls,  passes  through  Judith  Gap  and  across  the  western  portion 
of  the  Lewistown  coal  field.  Although  this  line  will  do  much  to  hasten 
development  in  the  Great  Falls  field,  especially  in  the  Otter  Creek 
and  Sage  Creek  districts,  it  has  at  present  no  direct  connection  with 
the  coals  of  the  Lewistown  field.  Even  if  a  branch  line  is  built  to 
Lewistown,  the  coals  of  that  district  can  scarcely  compete  with  those 
of  the  Sage  Creek  district,  where  they  can  be  mined  more  economically 
principally  because  of  greater  thickness  of  the  bed. 
It  seems,  then,  that  the  Lewistown  coal  field  must  continue  to  sup- 
ply a  local  market  only.  In  spite  of  this  probability,  however,  there 
is  likely  to  be  a  constant  increase  in  the  demand  for  the  coal.  The 
region  is  one  well  adapted  to  agriculture,  and  of  late  years  there  has 
been  a  notable  increase  of  population.  Lewistown  is  a  thriving  busi- 
ness center,  and  other  towns  within  the  field  are  growing  rapidly. 
With  the  disappearance  of  the  forests  in  the  near-by  mountains,  an 
almost  accomplished  fact  in  the  Little  Belt,  Judith,  and  Moccasin 
uplifts,  and  with  an  increasing  demand  for  fuel'  from  the  growing 
population  and  the  metal-mining  districts,  it  seems  likely  that  there 
will  be  a  corresponding  increase  in  the  use  of  coal  in  the  Lewistown 
