Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1873-03-27
Helena, Montana, Thursday, March ~, 1873.
Montana Territory.

l. NAO.ASe1Aae@ AAACVAys
Land locked in the Territory of Montan'
is mineral wealth which figures do no
grasp, and which it is difficult in words to de
scribe. A land OF amazing wonders, it ha
nothing so wonderful as the profusion of it
mines. BY the united testimony of intelli
gent and impartial observers, it is to be thu
great treasurc-house of the nation; and it
wealth of grasses, grains, vegetables an(
timber only seem insignificant when com
pared with its greater wealth of gold, silver
"copper" lead, iron and COAL Holding tht
springs of the Missouri and the Columbi;
rivers and immense forests of pine and fir
it does not present the difficulties to develop
ment which environ Arizona. In the neal
future it is to be the abode of large popula
| ton, furnishing avOcatiOns and rewards fOl
all in no stinted measure.
| But Montana is isolated beyond any other
| of our Western Territories The great cen
tral highway across the continent has aided
it in small degrec-mainly, indeed, by dem
oAstrating to it's people the necessity of ade-
quate railroad facilities. The Northern Pa
cifc Railroad will ultimately furnish partial
relief But it is current in railroad circles
that that road will not approach Montana
from the east. The enterprising men Of the
Pacific coast, desiring to divert to their own
doors the large and exceptionally profitable
trade of that Territory, have, it is reported,
volunteered to take the bonds of that COM
pany and lock them up for a period, and in
consideration thereof, to build to Western
Montana, from the head of navigation On the
Columbia river, section of that road. They
see in this arrangement an entire or partial
change in the channels of commerce, by
which that immense trade is to be brought to
+l,nir II Con fn NO hn~vovpy
that while this may be a wise stroke of policy
for California capital, it will afford but par
tial and fitful relief to the industries and peo-
pie of Montana. The uncertain and inter-
mittent character of river navigation, es-
pecially in these high attitudes, is provcrbial.
The transhipment necesstated by the char
acter of the Columbia will augment the diff
fculty, and Montana must look elsewhere for
that full relief to which, by her Importance
and enterprise, she is entitled. We have OBJ
served heated discussion in the newspapers
there as to the wisdom of such public aid as
is necessary to procure the construction Of
road which shall connect the Union Pacific
with Montana, and ultimately with the
Northern Pacific. -....
We take it that those who cavi at the util-
ity of reilroad facilities have been super
seded. The Northwestern states, as they
used to be called, demonstrate the value of
this method of communication. No words
can add force to the lesson which they teach.
Civilization in America has reached that
point where railroads are an essential neces-
sity, and to the communities through which
they run they are always worth more than
their cost. We stand amazed at the pos
sible-nay, the certain future-Of the United
States, as we contemplate the multiplied fa-
cilities for transportation and travel which
near future will reveal. Montana should not
lag behind in these enterprises She should
not be content with one or two roads. If she
shall wisely inaugurate scheme which will
give her communication with the East by the
way of Utah or Wyoming and Nebraska,
the merchant princes of the Eastern marts
will not be slow in coming to it for substan-
tial aid. Chicago has deep interest III this
work. This has been principal market for
Montana products, and here have her mer-
chants purchased their goods in large guam
titles. She cannot afford to see this trade
diverted to new channels, neither can St.
Louis, Philadelphia or New York.
1T seems to us a narrow view which con-
tents Montana with the promise of compile
ton of the Northern Pacific at some future
day, and we are glad to see that few cnter-
tain it there. The occasion is auspicious. and
we trust that we shall hear of the early inau-
guration of work on road to Cheyenne,
Evanston, Ogden or Corinne, or to some
point on the central continental highway:
Such enterprises come only by sacrifices and
generous and pertinacious effort In the ef-
forts thus far put forth, and in the completion
Of so benitcent a labor, the people of Mon
lana have the cordial sympathy Of all public I
spirited and intelligent people, who watch
his with keenness that self-interest alone
cannot wholly explain. We want no ostra-
,ised, buried or isolated Territories within
he boundaries of the United States, and
,ailroads are the most potent material force
@ make out of these multiplied ''many" the
cgandary ''one." Chicago Journal. III
A YOUNG man in Minnesota has met with
he following mishap: He stepped on board
| train which. he had every reason to believe,