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

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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

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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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to attract the necessary labor % supply. The increasing-in cl ust rial development of Montan a not only bi ings its in- Larjte Corn Sh0cks ln Montana crease in population and increased wealth but it means greater home markets for the products of the mine and the forest, and home markets for agriculture. Extensive agricultural development, with improved methods and labor-saving machinery has caused a great over-production of farm products, the values of which are thus fixed by foreign markets, less the transportation charges to such markets. Such an agriculture can be but a reflection of conditions in Argentine, in Australia, and in Russia and other overproducing countries. Greater industry brings to agriculture home markets for the more valuable products, more intensive farming with more diversification, higher land values with a lightening of the tax burden, and better schools and better social life resulting from a denser population. Montana may well take pride in the industries which she has developed in the few years of her statehood, but A Montana Sugar Mill Fine Fruit Montana Pure-Bred Stock Montana ranks third amony the States in area.