MISSOULA, mi-zoo-la, Mont., city, county seat of Missoula County, situated on both sides of the Missoula River, a tributary of the Columbia River, in a beautiful and fer tile valley, called by the early settlers Hell Gate Ronde, on the main line of the Northern Pacific and the Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul railroads. The city has an elevation of 3,201 feet above sea-level and is situated in 46° 52' N. lat., and 113° 50' W. long., 120 miles by rail northwest of Helena. The city is noted for its mild and salubrious climate, the winters being mild and the summers and fall offering a really delightful climatic condition. The city has many attractions for summer tourists on account of the beauty of its environ went and the fine outing advantages of the surrounding country. Hunting and fishing are exceptionally good in this vicinity. The first log cabin was built at Hell Gate, a short dis tance from Missoula, in 1864. Worden and Company were the pioneer merchants of this district. In 1865 they built a grist and saw mill and opened a general store. The city was at that time known as Missoula Mills. It was in corporated in 1883 and the name changed to Missoula. Radiating from this city are numer ous valleys which have developed into wonder fully is agricultural sections. Mis soula s the natural distributing centre for this rich and growing territory. The chief re sources of this district are diversified farming, lumbering, dairying, horticulture and mining. There has been much development in this dis trict during the past few years. Five branch lines running out of Missoula increase the dis tributing possibilities of this section. This section contributed a large amount of the prize winning grain and apples at the Panama-Pacific Exposition and is noted for the quality and quantity of its products per acre. The city itself is modern in every respect. The street' car system, sanitary and storm sewers, pave ments, up-to-date lighting system and hand some public buildings make this one of the leading and most substantial cities of its size in the Northwest. From an educational stand point it is exceptionally well equipped. Mis soula is the seat of the University of Montana and in addition has one of the most efficient public school systems in the State. The county high school is in every way first class. There is also a Catholic academy and high school which ranks high among the accredited' high schools of the State. Practically every re ligious denomination of consequence is repre sented in the city and the majority own hand, some church buildings. The Missoula Business and Normal College gives an opportunity for business training and has a high standard. Among Missoula's public buildings are the Federal building, Land Office and Federal court, courthouse, Elk's temple, Masonic temple, Knights of Pythias, Montana block, opera house, library, Chamber of Commerce building and many other structures creditable to a city of much larger size. Fort Missoula is located
four miles to the south of the city and Bonner — noted for its large lumber mills six miles to the east.
From the standpoint of the historian Mis soula is of exceptional interest. The city is located in a district noted for its intimate con nection with the important facts in the early history of the State. The first gold in Mon tana was discovered within a few miles of this city and there is considerable mining activity throughout this district. The Flathead Indian Reservation, about 15 miles north of the contains approximately 1,750,000 acres of fine agricultural, grazing and timber lands. This body of land has been surveyed by the United States government, and thrown open to set tlement Practically all of the available land has been taken up. Over 2,000,000 bushels of grain were raised there last year. Missoula is situated in the heart of the country formerly occupied by the Flathead tribe of Indians which was ceded to the United States by at treaty made in 1855, known as the Stevens Treaty. Missoula is a Flathead Indian name or word, meaning or signifying uAt the stream or water of surprise or -ambush?' In the olden days prior to the advent of white men amongst the Indians of this section, the Blackfeet, who were very numerous, and occupied the country on the waters of the upper Missouri, and the Flatheads, who occupied the country in the vicinity of Missoula, were hereditary enemies and engaged in a continuous warfare one against the other. The place where the city of Missoula is now located, being at the western foot of the mountains, and near the mouth of a long and deep canon, with a beautiful stream of water near by, was a favorite camping place for the Flatheads with their lodges and families. The Blackfeet, having a knowledge of this fact, would often take advantage of it, and when on the warpath would secrete themselves in the willows and rocks, and from this ambush at. tack their unsuspecting enemies, hence the name, °at the stream or water of surprise or Missoula is known throughout the State as the ((Garden because of its magnificent gardens and the abundance of flowers grown here. The city is supplied with an abundance of electricity generated at its power plant on the Big Blackfoot River and transmitted by cable a distance of seven miles. Among its industrial establishments are a beets sugar factory, creamery, flour mill, sash and door factory, potato-chip works, vinegar and cider factories, brick and tile plants, book binderies and a lithographing establishment. It also has an abundance of water of the best quality, supplied by a water company from a never-failing stream coming direct from the snow-clad mountains to the northeast of the city. Pop. 18,214.
D. p. RICHARDS, Secretaiy Missoula, Chamber of Commerce.