Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1879-01-16
HELENA.
The Queen City of Montana.
From StrahOrn's New West. !

land, Is situated IN the southern part OF the
county, fifteen miles west of the Missouri
river and $50 miles north of the present Utah
& Northern terminus. Its population is about
5000, and although thrice destroyed by fire
the last sweeping confagration having oc-
Cured only four years ago-we find it a COM
pact and splendidly little city, with taxable
wealth of $2,000,0O0 to-day. Fine and ca
pacious blocks line the business streets, while
elegant and tasty residences amid beautiful
lawns and flower gardens adorn the hillsides
overlooking. Accompanying these homes,
which in all respects compare favorably with
those of Denver and Salt Lake, are numer-
Gus and very creditable churches, schools.
libraries, we'll organized and efficient Board
of Trade, United States assay office, Masonic
and Odd Fellows halls, good hotels, an asylum
and hospital, and two of the best daily and
weekly newspapers published in the far-west
States or Territories. The latter are the
HERALD and Independent, ''first, last and all
the time" intelligently representing the re-
sources and needs of their magnificent field.
A fair idea of the style of some of the edifices
enumerated above can be obtained from ac-
companying illustrations, and of their value by
the following: The Masonic Temple cost
| $45, 1000; public school, $40, 900; Assay Office
with improvements now in progress, 500, 900;
Roman Catholic Church, $4,000; Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, $4,000; court house
and jail, $35, 900, and many residences cost
from 5000 to $15, 900 each. Then there are
a fine system of water-works, with steam en-
gines and other belongings of first-class fire
department. Such enterprises as machine
shops and foundres, planning mills, sash,
door and blind factories, smelling works,
cracker factories, breweries, fur manufac-
tories, carriage works. and distillery add to
the ceaseless hum and solid wealth of the
city.
And now for some items of trade-and we
believe there is more of it to the block here in
Helena than in any city of 10000 people we
have ever seen: Two banks cared tor an
aggregate of $1,000,000 average deposits in
SO, 500, 900, bought 100000 worth of gold
silver bullion. A third institution-whose
manager refused to make a showing
doubtless increase these figures very mater
tally, and as the First National was alone in
constant operation this business is really
about its own. The First National, by the
way, is an exceptional institution Of its kind.
Its cash business frequently runs up to $780,
900 per day, and averages $780, 900 per day
the year through-or total business in twelve
months of nearly $2S, 100000! 1t paid $685.
600 express charges on its gold and silver
bullion shipments in 1878. Helena's grocery
trade in 1878 amounted to $1, 125, 900. Two
firms exhibit sales of $780, 900 each. end eight
firms grand aggregate Of s., 10000 Two
hotels, "Cosmopolitan" and ''International,
registered 12, 900 guests in 1878, and num-
Der of smaller houses probably as many more
The ''Cosmopolitan" is solid brick struc-
ture, with ''good cheer" in every corner. The
Helena post Office transacted money order
business to the amount of 1926, 900 in 1878.
Over 5000 orders were issued. and 1,5OO paid.
Of those issued quite number were on lands
beyond the sea. The two newspapers have
a capital of some $40, 900 invested, and do
business of $10O,OOO annually. One firm i'm
ports 100000 cigars. and. sad but true.
5000 dozen bottles of beer. Nine daily and
uy.WCCnIy oldSC AuCS 6oluOA AOAO SAO u"sOA
and trade of a region twice as large as the
Empire State. The men and animals thus
employed are counted by hundreds, the miles
of road traversed running up in the thou
sands, and the capital invested exceeding that
represented by good many of the shorter
western railroads. The freight lines doing
business here have 1000 men employed, the
total value of animals and wagons being
nearly 81, 100000.
Half q million dollars were paid out here
for freights alone in 1878, and the amount
has been increasing at the rate of Is per cent. |
for several years. The Western |
Union and Deer Lodge Telegraph companies,
which have lines running to nearly all i'm |
portant points in the Territory, sent and re- |
ceived 5000 private messages during the
year, besides the regular Associated Press |
kilograms. Nearly 81 ,000, 900 worth of gold
and silver were melted at the United States |
assay office, and nearly $3,0O0,0O0 worth
were shipped to the Union Pacific Railroad
from Helena by Wells, Fargo s. Co.'s ex-
press in 1873. The Helena Foundry, which
almost everything, from stamp
mill to steam engine, does business of $780,.
700 per annum. Then, in the lower part of
he city, two or three planning mills have been
busy turning out every conceivable kind OF
lumber; g dozen carriage and blacksmith
shops, turning out almost everything in their
line from horseshoe to the finest Concord
coach; robe, glove and fur factories, where
he native furs are manufactured into
he most beautiful articles of wear and ad0rn-
ment; the old Pioneer Cracker factory, turn