Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1881-01-01

oping, and as the fine agricultural valley, il
the middle of which she is built, is settled
she will undoubtedly thrive.
Still further west-almost Oh the western
boundary of the TerritOry-lies Missoula
Commanding some Of the finest valleys III
Montana, only remoteness of location has
kept her back. But with the railroad she
will have an outlet, and, as the Bitter Root
Blacktoot and Jocko valleys are settled, she
must become an important center of trade.
Up in the hills, southeast from Deer Lodge
is built the second largest city in the Terri
tory-Butte. It's growth has been wonder
full, the result of but a few years. The city
is literally built upon quartz, and with the
quartz it lives and dies The development
of the mines is but just begun and during
the next few years Butte will probably grow
very rapidly; but to toretell it's condition ten
years from to-day one must be able to see
further into a stone than is the writer.
On the famous Alder gulch lies the former
capital of the Territory, Virginia City. Its
history is that of the gulch. Once full OF
life and bustle the wonder of the world to1
it's apparently inexhaustible wealth, its glory
has departed, and it is left without future
AS large amounts Of capital were invested
there during its prosperity, its merchants are
still drawing considerable trade from the
surrounding mining and agricultural settle
ments, but the extension OF thc Utah 4
Northern through Madison county will nee
essarily compel the wholesale business to
move to some point ON the road.
At the head Of Gallatin valley, and oppo-
site the most important pass connecting
Eastern and Central Montana, lies Bozeman.
1t is surrounded by purely agricultural set
tlement, and is therefore not subject to any
of the sudden fluctuations so common in all
mining towns. The agricultural interests of
Gallatin valley are, however, closely wound
up with the development of the mines, which
support the consuming part of the population,
and the impetus of the last four years to the
mining industry has given new life to the
agricultural settlements, which again has
caused rapid growth of Bozeman during
the last two years Situated as she is she
will always command the trade OF Gallatin
valley the finest body of land in the Rocky
Mountains, and all travel and traffic between
the Yellowstone valley and the western val
leys of Montana will necessarily pass over
the Bozeman pass and through the town.
Her people look, therefore, forward to
steady growth and great prosperity, without
q chance of any back set or even sudden
check
And now as to the future. Where is the
Denver Of Montana to be? Most of us would
probably answer in the spirit of Holmes
famous saying: Orthodoxy is my doxy;
heterodoxy is everybody else's doxy." We
can al adduce bushel of reasons why our
town should become "the town" of the flu
5ure But is it really probable that there
will ever be in Montana any town par excel
ence, overshadOwing all others, as Denver
in Colorado? | believe not.
Dur geographical conditions are altogether
different. Denver lies on the plains, in front
If the stupendOus mountain system of Col
,rado. Only through deep canyons and over
lifficult passes can most Of the mountain set
dement's be reached; but from all of them
he easiest roads run toward Denver, while
through the mountains sep
lrating the isolated towns and valleys is all
,ut impossible during the greater part of the
ear In Montana the connection is easy
between all parts of the Territory, although
he mountains divide it naturally into seven
divisions, in each of which will probably be
central town, largely independent of all
thers, as all will have direct communication
asst and west.
The first division is the Yellowstone basin.
where Miles City is now the largest town.
When the railroad is completed, the most
important town will probably be considera-
ly higher up the river, convenient to the
ne large valleys on the present Crow reser-
alton. In the northwestern part of the |
Benton will be the predomi- |
ant town, and at least for some years to I
ONE her uplands will extend far into the
ritish possessions Helena will control the
entral part of the mountain region with
ne agricultural valleys of the Prickly Pear
nd Missouri. Bozeman will be the central
oint for the valleys of the Three Forks and
allatin and a portion of the upper Yellow
One Madison and Beaverhead counties
ill have a central town somewhere in the
alley of the Jefferson, and Deer Lodge and
Iissoula will be the two radiating centers of
le West Side. These are the natural divis-
ms of the Territory, and will always remain
villages and small towns will of |
,urse spring up as the railroads are COM
eted and the population increases, and new
lining towns may arise at any time, like
laddin's palace in a single night, for time
all others, but without any
sured permanence.
If my opinion proves correct, nearly all of
0ntana's present towns have, therefore, a
light future, but all within theirown spheres. s
here should then be no strife no jealousy ,
tween them. With the prosperity of the
srrit0ry they will all become prosperous,
ID the only struggle between them should
, which can do the most for the develop $
ent of its own territory. t