....who was then running the first and only store in the new town.
At the time Mr. Sliter platted Bigfork, the site was nothing more than "cut over land" but at his own expense he procured a stump-pulling machine and removed all the stumps from the streets and main building lots, leaving the ground practically clear and free from annoyances in that line. In fact, he has expended in improvements within the platted area of the town practically all the money he has thus far received on the sale of lots, and he stands ready at any and all times to do more where the future interests of the place demand.
At various times Mr. Sliter has added to his real estate holdings by purchases from others less thrifty who desired to try their fortunes elsewhere, until now he owns about 800 acres surrounding the present townsite.
Mr. Sliter has the honored distinction of being the second man in this section of the valley to engage in the planting of fruit trees. He followed George M. Lakin in his horticultural efforts, and continued his planting year after year, until now he boasts of one of the largest orchards on Flathead Lake, consisting of 50 acres of fruit trees, embracing many varieties of apples, pears, plums, prunes, cherries, crab apples, transcendents, and smaller fruits, from which he annually receives a very handsome competence.
The land on which Mr. Sliter's orchard is now located, was for many years in the early days of the county, and long before the white man intruded his presence in their midst, embraced in an Indian village, or camping ground, upon which hundreds of relics have been found, and the remains of many of their dead have been plowed up from the shallow graves wherein they had been laid to rest by friends who have also long since gone to the "happy hunting ground" of the red man.
While Mr. Sliter devotes considerable time to his orchard and gives much attention to the details in caring for the same, he somehow finds ample time to look after his real estate sales and attend to many other matters pertaining to the civic improvements of the city.
In considering the future of fruit growing, which is rapidly taking the lead in the great problem of husbandry in this section of the state, and especially in the Flathead valley, it should be remembered that the development of navigation on Flathead lake, in the absence of railroad facilities, may greatly increase the advantages of Bigfork. With his naturally keen perception of the necessities of the fruit growers of this section, and his shrewd business foresight into what is likely to prove beneficial to the city, Mr. Sliter, with several other progressive citizens, has undertaken the construction of a large and commodious dock at the foot of Grand Street, near the location of the windmill on the bay, where the boats can land close to the city and thus render more satisfactory service to the public, and in connection with construction of this dock, they have taken up the proposition of dredging out the channel and the bay to the extent that boats of any draught, which can ply the lake, will be enabled to safely enter the bay and transact their business more profitably and expeditiously than they have heretofore been able to do........
I would like to thank Lloyd Fagerland of Bigfork for sending me this newspaper "find" documenting early Bigfork development and the part that my Grandfather E.L Sliter had in its development. Received by mail December 26, 1997.
ver. 9.21.00 dec1910.html