Montana State University Bozeman - Montanan Yearbook (Bozeman, MT)

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clustrial development. The last five years have seen a remarkable development of oil refining. Montana now refines close to 10,000 barrels of oil a day and produces practically all of the gasoline which she uses. With a number of possible oil-bearing structures still to be developed, we may hope for a greater activity in oil production and refining. During the World War Montana surprised the nation by producing two-thirds of the manganese needed when the foreign supply was cut off. Changed market conditions or more economical methods may again place the state in the lead in the production of this metal. Cadmium and tungsten have recently been added to the important products of the state, while the greatly increased demand for chromium used in the production of stainless steels and automobile steels has brought attention to our deposits of chromite. Molybdenum is another metal used in alloy-steel manufacture which is known to exist in Montana in commercial quantities. Many other valuable materials of commerce, some known, others still to be discovered, lie buried in these eternal mountains of ours, while underneath the eastern part of the state lie one-eighth of the nation’s coal reserves. Perhaps most important of all is our resource of “white coal,” the glaciers and Mountain View Mine Montana Saw Mill, Bonner Montana ranks second among the States in the production of silver.

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We produce 7 per cent of the nation’s wool. If we made 7 per cent of the blankets, textiles and carpets that are used we would bring in 75,000 more people and $36,000,000 of capital. If we only manufactured our own share of the lumber produced we would add 16,000 people and $10,000,000 of capital. We produce one-fourth of the silver and one-twentieth of the gold of the nation. If we made our share of the finer products from these precious metals we would have 35,000 more people in Montana and $15,000,000 more in capital invested. We have reason to be proud of the growth of our milling industry, which can supply Montana’s flour with one month’s output and must ship out the production of the other eleven months. And yet if we milled all of our own grain production we would have 6200 more people dependent upon that industry and would have $16,000,000 more invested. These are but suggestions from a long list of possibilities for the greater use of the raw products now exported from the state. There are also many undeveloped resources which are beginning to attract attention and which will eventually result in greater in- R xluct»on Work . Great Fall Montana ranks second amony the States in the production of zinc.

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A Montana Hay Crop mountain streams that feed our hydro-electric plants and give us abundant sources of the cheapest power in the country. Although we use more electricity in proportion to our population than any other state, we have developed less than one-fourth of our available water power resources. Industry is attracted by available sources of raw materials, by convenience to markets, or by manufacturing advantages such as power resources, available labor supply or superior living conditions. Of available raw materials Montana has superabundance. Our distance from the large consuming centers of population is offset, in the case of our raw materials, by the fact that finished products can better stand the transportation costs than can the cruder and more bulky raw or semi-finished products. Montana ranks second among the States in the production of copper. Our power resources afford ample power at lower prices even than at Niagara Falls; while the living conditions in Montana with our bracing climate, clean atmosphere, and wholesome recreational attractions should make it easy