Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-02-27
ine equal, is the one destined to control


. the patronage and trade of the commun
: ty or the Territory. The item of freigl
}. is such an important factor in the comp
: tation Of the cost of merchandise that
behooves every merchant to study carr
fully the question of transportation.i in a
! its bearings with a view OF ascertainir
1 which is the best and cheapest route, if h
expects to come into successful compel
ton with men of business sagacity an
4 foresight.
There are now no less than three wei
established transportation routes into an
out of the Territory-the L. P. and U. (
N. railroads and the Missouri river and tn
Yellowstone river. Each no doubt pos
sesses peculiar advantages for certain Ia
calities; but we are particularly intcreste
in ascertaining which is the cheapest ant
most advantageous one for Bozeman mer
chants to patronize during the coming sea
son.
Having intimated the probable rates OF
the first two routes. for Helena merchants
it is by no means certain that ''Outside'
camps can make as favorable terms. a
least with the U. 7. K. X. Co., for it il
customary for that company to discrimi
nate in favor of Helena. 1t is probable
that BoZcman merchants may he able tC
obtain as low rates via the Missouri river
f; to Benton as Helena merchants. but ever
then we have an additional 100 miles OF
land transportation to calculate on which
would increase the cost of all merchan.
disc at least one cent per pound over Hele-
M prices.
Now. it is very plain to us that the
merchants of Bozeman cannot expect to
compete with other towns for any reason
able share of the jobbing trade OF the Ter
ritOry. nor even to retain long their pres
ent extensive retail trade. if they continue
to patronizc the most circuitous and ex-
pensive routes in other words. if they
have to transport their merchandise in wag-
ons IS to 100 miles farther than Helena or
Virginia City merchants. This they must
do in shipping either by the Union Pacific
or the Missouri river route. If this were
our only alternative, then we might as
well prepare ourselves first as last to sur
render all hope of Bozeman ever becoming
place of commercial importance TO the
Territory at large or even to Eastern Mon
tana. But, fortunately. we have much
shorter. more direct. equally reliable and
cheaper route. The navigation Of the
Yellowstone is no longer problematical.
Boats are built and equipped suitable for
the business, and responsible parties are
now ready and waiting to make contracts
and give low and through rates from st.
Paul. Chicago and st. Louis to any point
on =" Yellowstone river and as high up
as l.. ever been reached by steamboats,.
That the Yellowstone river is navigable
as far up as Sherman for orlinaiy-sizel
during the entire boating sea-
son. no longer admits Of doubt: and
that rs low rates can be secured to that
point as to Fort Benton is equally as GER
tain. Indeed. there is such great saving
N distance and time in favor Of sherman
hat. if this route were properly encour-
'ged and patronizcd generally by our
merchants. We are confident that much
over rates than those charged to Benton
'ould DC obtained. But admitting that we
ave TO pay the same rates to Sherman as
O Benton. then tic Yellowstone route is
~ far the cheapest and best for the mer-
hants of Eastern Montana. By this
onte. merchandise can be laid down in
'ozeman as low as it can possibly be de-
vered in Helena by either Of the other
outes. On account of the unfavorable
iaracter Of the country and the wretched
ondition of the roads between Benton !
nd Helena during the greater part OF the !
season, it is extremely difficult t
Os,%srin s,,fficiont transt o. ati,yn even at
Cents pr pound On tho other hand the g
haracter Of the country and condition of S
Re roads from Sherman to Bozeman are s
} favorable for wagon transportation that G.
lere is no difficulty in securing all that is 81
ecessary at cents, or, perhaps. even less a
ian that rate from Sherman to BOzc,nan. u
1t will be observed that we have based $;
Ir estimates on Sherman as the probable p
cad of navigation, at the same time it is 81
lite evidentthat during high water. goods u
IN be delivered from so to 100 miles high in
up the river than that point. Every az
lie of river navigated above Sherman al
ould proportionally lessen the through Ia
ties of transportation. From our posi- is
'n and surroundings, from past efforts OF
I'd experience as well as from the forego-
e facts it is clearly the duty and to the re
terests of Bozeman merchants to patron la
:, almost exclusively, the Yellowstone 10
ute. Having believed in and agitated tn
e superior advantages Of this route for La
ars. it would seem like the height of in ur
nsistency and folly to desert it now III
len the golden opportunity Of realizing =
benefits are placed within our reach. 10
e are closely and intimately Unidentified en-
tn all that portion of the Territory east co
us. Its development and prosperity is M
gely our own. Almost every dollar ex- In
nded for wagon transportation on the ,.
,llowstone comes back to lis for pro- at
ce. supplies, or stock, or for materials tn
building up and improving the coun- aS
around us. IN
If the merchants of BOzeman desire the OF
velopment of Eastern Montana, the con- III
ued growth and prosperity of our beau an
III town; it they expect to offer such in ny
cements to purchasers as will guarantee OF
Increase of business or even a continu- iii
&c OF the present trade in short. If they
1sult their own vital interests they will,
every possible means, patronize and en-
irage the Yellowstone route.
MAJ. T....,. ~. 49,. pc
'' Mi