Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1880-12-09
Helena, Montana, Thursday, December 9, 1880
Tom. G. Powers OplnlOn on Upper Mis-
souri, River Business.

Commodore T. C. Tower, recently inter
viewed by representative of the Sioux City
Journal gave some interesting facts concern
ing the future of steam boating on the Up
| per Missouri. Mr. Power is indirectly con-
nected with two lines on the river and his
| boating interests extend all the way from
Sioux City to Fort Benton.
"The season just closed" said Mr.. Power,
lis the most successful one on the river since
| 1860. There has been more tonnage shipped
over the river this season than ever before" !"
"What are the prospects for next season ?"
For the lower river, between here aud
Bismarck, not as good as last year. The up
per will be Just as good and perhaps better
than the past season" ...
"The new railroad along the river" con-
tinued Mr.. Power, will Of course affect the
carrying trade of the river between Sioux
City and Fort Pierre Next season freight
will be shipped in bulk by the Chicago &
Northwestern and Chicago, Milwaukee & st
Paul roads to Pierre on the river terminus,
and the Northern Pacific will continue to
deliver at Bismarck The freight for the
Black Hills will 90 to Pierre, that:for Mon
tana to Bismarck. This viii shut off the
lower river of course" .: ~
"This will virtually shut out Sioux City as
a main distributing points'
II should Judge so. Yet there is no reason
why Sioux City should not catch some of
the trade if proper inducements are offered
and means taken to get it here for river
transfer"
"What general effect are the railroads 60
ing to have on the river carrying trade?'
"Well, next year the Hills freight, which
went up from here to Pierre will go there by
rail. Government freight hereafter will be
distributed at Pierre and Bismarck, and the
quartermasters office at Yankton will surely
be placed at Pierre, as the railroads will
bring all freight there in bulk"
"What effect will the extension of the
Northern Pacific railroad beyond Bismarck
have Oh that place?'
"None for the next season at least. After
that freight destined for the Yellowstone
country will be carried by rail, but until the
Northern Pacific builds beyond the Yellow
stone, the bulk of all Montana freight will be
shipped from Bismarck by river. That por-
ton of the river between Bismarck and Fort
Benton is the best to boat on, because the
river is narrow and because of cheap fuel.
Since Capt Edward Mcguire of the United
States engineers has had charge of the river
improvements up there, he has greatly i'm
proved the navigation. 1t is safe to say that
within year we will have boat above the
falls, and then trip can be taken by, river
from Sioux City to the confluence of the
Madison, Jefferson and Gallatin rivers, head
waters of the Missouri, distance of 2,400
miles"
Have you decided about putting on any
new boats next season ?'
"Not yet 1t if cheaper to buy boats than
to build them. AS to what we will do next
season we have not yet decided. We will
cultivate all the river business we can get,
at any rate"
In reference to Montana Mr.. Power said
the immigration into the Territory was
large, consisting of miners, farmers and
stock -raisers. The population had increased
20 per cent within the last summer