The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-04-13
CRITICISM.

Some criticisms have been passed on the
MINER lately because in the attempt to dem
onstrate to the railroad magnates the superb
ority Of Butte oyer Helena in a business point
of view, and in our efforts to show some
of the reasons why the Utah Il Northern
should first be extended to this city, it has
been necessary to state some unpleasant facts
in relation to The Territorial Capital as a rail
road center and as a distributing point for
Montana.
1t has been urged that the business pr prosperity
of one city increases rather than diminishes
that of another, and that there is no occasion
for the inhabitants Of one section of the
country to disparage the business capabilities
Of some other section. With regard to the
first statement there is certainly no room for
dispute. 1t is selfevident that the prosperity
of any city in the Territory exerts a very
beneficial effect on the general business inter-
ests, for it is the means of keeping open the
arteries of trade and securing the continued
circulation of money; but as to the second
objection to the course of the MINER in
showing the superior advantages of Butte as
a railroad terminus, over the advantages
claimed by the Territorial capital, we wish
to enter a mild but determined protest,
and desire it distinctly understood that we
have nothing to take back. From the time
the Utah & Northern road was projected
the citizens of Helena have been quite posi-
tive That the Capital City would be the ter
minal point, and ridiculed the notion that the
owners of the road could be so blind to their
own interests as to construct the line to any
other city. AT that time Helena was the only
important city i'll the Territory. 1t contained
all he largest business houses. In it resided
all the men of wealth and political influence,
and there was some foundation for these
self-important ideas. But within the last
three years a great and permanent change has
occurred which they absolutely refuse to see.
The discovery and development of great
mining properties IN the vicinity of this
city have resulted in the building of a
large town which has sprung into &C.
tive rivalry with the former metropolis.
From an obscure camp containing a few how
els Butte has developed into a great and
growing city, which already eclipses Helena
in population and wealth of resources.
The market created by the employment of
hundreds of men in the adjacent mines and
mills, has greatly increased the prosperity of
the surrounding country-a prosperity much
greater and more enduring than is that of the
section of the Territory adjacent to Helena.
Statistics have been frequently published in
these columns as evidence of this fact, and
thus far no attempt has been made to disprove
them. We again repeat that the per cent. of
increase in population and wealth of Butte
and Deer lodge county is vastly in excess of
the increase of Helena and Lewis & Clarke
county. Even the Herald, the most unblush-
ing and least scrupuious of the Helena papers
when it comes down to a question Of fact, has
not yet attempted to gainsay the statement,
and thus far has made no effort to
argue the point on behalf of Helena for
fear of the ridicule which such a course
would excite among all thinking men.
The five editors of that eminently respect.
able sheet content themselves with the blind
and unsupported assertion that Helena is the
"trade emporium" of Montana, and that
they have received positive assurances that
the road will be constructed to that point
They seem to lose sight of the fact that one
mining company of this camp will dur
ing the present year ship more tons o.
mining and milling machinery into Butte
than all the merchandise for which
Helena has any use in twelve months
that the Montana Copper Company will
transport from this camp to the Eastern State.
for reduction not less than five thousand ton.
of ore, more than half o: which is already
sacked for shipment that the Gaenon com
pany, which at present has no facilities fol-
reducing the base ores which abound in suci
unmeasured abundance In the subterraneaI
depths of that great property, will also bt
compelled to ship thousands of tons else wher,
for treatment; that numerous other compa
MES at present operating mines, which, will
scarcely an exception, are improving witt
every stroke of the pick, and the permanent,
and value of which are established beyond tin
sbadow of n douht will in the near futurJ