Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1880-11-04
HELENA.
Graphic Portrayal of its Wealth, Indus
tries, and Enterprise.
Correspondence Salt Lake Tribune.1

I
4
| Correspondence Salt Lake Tribune
Helena enjoys the prestige cf being th'
metropolis as well as the Territorial capita
| of Montana, and as such has o prominence
| and Importance above that Of any Othel
place in the Territory. This is also the seat
of justice in Lewis and Clarke counties. In
the early days of placer mining in Montana
gold was discovered in Last Chance gulch
and soon there sprang up as if by magic, an
extensive mining camp. Prospectors located
their cabins up and down the gulch, skirtine
their placer claimss and the city has ever
since preserved the same crooked form for
the narrow and cramped Main street, upon
which the principal business of the city has
always been transacted. All around the city
evidences of former washings are seen in the
great piles of gravel that occupy hundreds of
acres of land. The product of these mines
formerly ran very high, and have yielded
already about $16,OOO,OOO, but the product
has greatly fallen off in proportion to that of
earlier years. This year the product of the
placers in and around Helena will be be-
tween $500 900 and 81 ,0OO,0OO in value. AL
though once depending almost entirely upon
the placer mining interests, new industries
have sprung up that greatly enhance the
wealth'and business of the city. Many very
valuable quartz lodes have become good pay
ing mines within few miles of the city, and
more attention is being directed to that
source of wealth and more discoveries are
constantly being made; and many of the
mines have already secured good regulations
for their extent and rich ores. AS did not
visit them because of distance and want of
time, can only speak from what others tell
me, and sum it all up in the statement that
most of the properties are doing well and are
being worked satisfactorily to owners. For
a city of 4, 1000 people this probably will ex
eel all others in the number of rich men who
have become so while residents of the city
The number of men who may be classed as
rich may be numbered by scores, and in al
most every instance they have made their
money while citizens of this place. There
is
GENERAL AIR OF PROSPERITY
about the entire city that is rather unusual
New buildings are being erected in every
and most of the residences show in
their structure and surroundings much taste
on the part of the occupants. Good church
and school buildings are provided, and the
leading benevolent societies occupy honOra-
BILE positions. Merchants carry very heavy
stocks of goods, and everything desired is to
be found on their counters. was given a
list of residents who have engaged in the
stock business, and keep great herds of cat
tie, horses and sheep. That list embraces
men who have invested each from $50 to
100000 in stock, which increases and
hrives upon the rich grazing lands found all
around, free to all who wish to avail them
selves of such ranges. The friend who gave
n this list estimates that Helena citizens
nave thus invested in stock between two and
hree million dollars, from which large re-
urns are secured. For years the
SUPPLIES OF THIS CITY
have come from the East over two distint
'outes-via the Union Pacific and via the
liver route. When the Union Pacific landed
goods at Corinne and they were hauled to
his city over road five hundred miles long.
he river route held large portion of the
rade; but as the Utah & Northern reached
,ut this way from Ogden, prices via the rail-
Tay route became more popular, and that
quite has ever since been cutting down the
proportion of goods reaching this Territory
,y the Missouri river route-and during the
,ast season there has been sharp contest
,etween the two routes, and Of the results it
8 difficult to tell at this writing. When the |
Utah & Northern made DETECTION towards
Butte it created much feeling here against
ho al %I,o% -
hould come to his place. OF course no one
lnows just where the Utah & Northern are
,Oing to extend their line, and it is even
larder to guess whittier the Northern Pacific
viii cross through the Territory, which it is
ust entering at the Eastern boundary. There
re so many contingencies connected with |
he location of that trans-continental route
hat no one can safely surmise where the
rade stakes will be set Preliminary lines
un through almost every valley and over
very pass, and still engineers are out exam
ming and determining the most practicable
ne. But one thing
THE UTAH & NORTHERN
las efectually accomplished, that of Montana
arly mails and easy communication with
he outside world. Four years ago it took
i've days to reach here from Salt Lake CITY. |
nd now the Tribune is in the hands of sub
cribers in less than two and O half days
fter publicatiOn-and yet it travels 1875
niles by stage from the Terminus, taking "a
lOuIs to do so. To tell Of the business and
Importance of Helena City would require
more time and space than are now at my
ommand. One thing in the surroundings is
worthy of mention, and that is the fine
rives and extensive ranches, with fine resi-
lences and great barns in which to store the
rain and keep the fine stock that is to be
cen in every direction. Much attention has
'een given to producing fine stock, and in
his they have been very successful Nine
tage routes centre here, all carrying heavy
nails and going and coming daily