The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1880-12-22
COMMON ROADS.

proyement has not been able to keep up with
it. The cost of opening long lines of roads
through our sparsely settled Territory is very
considerable, and imposes a degree OF taxa.
ton very severe on the few who are compelled
| to bear it. Yet whatever their cost, they
must be made, and without delay, or the&de-
velopment Of the country, both agriculturally
and commercially, will be indefinitely Tretard-
ed. The amount lost to consumers, through
the almost impossible condition Of partsQf the
country is very great, sufficient, we believe,t6
| cover the cost Of construction in q very few
years. There are broader grounds for the in
terest taken by our merchants in the matter
| of road construction than the mere require
ments Of present necessity for upon them
will depend whether the trade Of the great
section naturally tributary to Benton will seek
its natural channel, or be DETECTED to other
points where business men may have the supe-
rior foresight and energy to push them ahead
of Us to favor their oWn interests. We do not
intimate that the sections we are directly in
terested in are utterly inaccessible to Benton,
or that the difficulties to be overcome in con-
s%tructing roads are such that they would re-
quire heavy outlay to render them passable,
for they are not, on the contrary, there is no
section Of Montana, taken as a whole, where
roads could be so easily constructed or at so
little cost. But they are in such an imperfect
condition, especially at certain points, that
they very materially affect the cost of trans
portation by NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
the movement Of freight. It is only at q
few points on contemplated routes that the
work Of Strengthening, bridging and grad
ing is necessary, and expenditures Of money
On those points will speedily repay its out
lay. Especially should attention be given to
the matter Of Strengthening and shortening the
roads, and in this connection the erection of
bridges is the most vital and expensive, for it
is essential that Benton should be brought
into the closest communication with her
o%utlaying districts, for although great trans
portstion lines, as the river and railroads, will
serve a general purpose, it is on the common
wagon roads that we must depend, for many
years at least, to reach the mass of our popu-
lation.
There has a great deal been said relative to
the folly Of creating Indebtedness for works
Of internal improvement, and there is a class
of conservative minds who will not or cannot
see any other outcome than inevitable bank
ruptcy, and will not recognize nor take adj
vantage Of future possibilities nor see any ad-
vantage in improvement, other than the first
and most inconsiderable results. But we be-
lieve that the people Of this district are SUI
perior to conservatism which would repress
all the development possible, and keep lis in
the condition Of immortality and %stagnation
which has been the history Of Benton until
within the past two years.
We are in favor of creating debt, if neces-
sarY, in furtherance Of any scheme Of inter-
nal improvement where the advantages and
interests are vital to our development, for it
is only by such methods that development
can be secured and its advantages retained,
and we believe that our County Commits
sioners will see the necessity of Immediate
action, and that the people at large, as we'll
as the business men most interested, will sus-
tain any reasonable effort they may make in
the direction of road building and improve
ment.
a road should be opened up the Malias as
far as Blackfoot Agency, striking close to the
mouth Of Piser creek and continuing along
with the general course of the river to the
head Of the Badger. The present route by
way OF the Teton and Muddy creek is neither
more direct nor does it open, BY any means, q
country SO rich and well Watered as the route
we have named, the settlement Of which
would add greatly to the commercial resour-
ces OF Benton.
The route to Ft. Maginnis requires q great
deal in the way Of improvement. Part of it
passes through 9 country so deficient il land
marks that during the winter season il is i'm
possible to distinguish It, and there are some
points in it only passable by roundabout ways
and with great effort. Complaints of this
route have been incessant, and accidents and
delays altogether too numerous for our own
good. The country it passes through is the
richest ii Montana. and it is our principal ar
terry with the judith. From the mouth OF
Wolf creek to the head OF McDonaId's creek,
considerable work. d the way Of grading and