The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-10-12

The certainty that two railroads at least VIII
soon enter their town has given them o con
hdence nf yer before felt, and as = ,conse-
quence the evidence of progression anti
proven .ents can be seen on every hand. The
real estate market in Helena and vicinity 10
act i've and prices asked are far IN advance
o. those asked last year. Everybody who
can do so seems DESTROYS of getting posses
sion of real estate, as a big boom is antlcl-
pated when. the iron horse finally shows up.
Since tho Incorporation Of the city q vast
Improvement has been made in the same.
The streets have been graded, side walk
built, stovepipe chimneys~ transformed into
brick ones, and a great many other needed
changes made. The cost Of this has been
light, but the city has been beautifed to q
| great extent, and in all Of this there is 8 les
! son for Benton. The finest and largest bust
| ness house in Helena is now in course of
| erection by Kleinschmidt u Bro. Cans &
| Klein have two mammoth stores. Their re-
| tail house is one Of the finest in the Territory
! and its location is probably the best in Hell
| lena. The opera house would be creditable
to a city many times larger than Helena, and
| the same can be said Of several Of the public
! buildings. An effort is now being made to
| light the city with the electric ray and the
| prospects are that it will be successful. 1t is
! proposed to organize 8 stock company, and
/ I understand the preliminary steps to that
4 %r~J hnrr- Lao-| <olrar#] II. IT. foo+= - oil ~ ~ -
! appertaining to the welfare Of Helena her
! citizens are found to be on the alert, and as
enterprising as needs be. Another thing that
I observe is that with hardly an exception
| the people Of Helena believe there is a great
| future before Benton. ! met many here,
| and after the formal introduction the follow
ing are about the observations that would be
made, with variations, Of course.
tYou are from Benton. r.
Eyes, sir"
''Benton is improving rapidly, | believe"
Eyes, sir our town is making considera-
BILE progress this season." '
"Benton is going to be q great town, Her
location is a very favorable one and there is
no question in my mind about her rapid ad-
vaucement.
This is the gist of what more than q score
Of Helena business men told me, and the
fact that SO many Of them have established
branch houses at the river metropolis is EVIL
dence that they are sincere in their express
sions. But more branch houses are to fol.
low. Mr.. R. s. Hale informed me that he
intends next season to establish a wholesale
drug house in Benton, and Mr.. s. @. Ashby
will open a real estate and insurance Office.
Both of these gentleman will probably erect
buildings of their own. @
THE MARQUIS.
I happened il Helena during the visit Of
the Marquis Of Lorne, and with several
hundred others stood shivering in the street
an hour or more to make. sure of seeing His
Excellency. In this | succeeded and felt
very much like the Virginia lad who elbowea
his way through an immense concourse of
people to see Henry Clay and, after accom-
plishing his purpose, exclaimed in utter dis
gust: "Why, he's only 8 man !." The
Marquis is 'sonly . man. and an ordinary
looking one, too. He is accompanied BY a
>suste Of eight or ten officers and others, but
made no effort whatever to show off. I take
him tosbe a man OF good common sense. of
progressive ideas, and wlthal q man worthy
to rule. You have doubtless Heard how the
COMMITTEE Of citizens" gave themselves
away, but it win bear repetition. They
went out TO meet the Marquis and party with
the view Of escorting them to the city and
rendering them the hospitalities Of the same.
But az luck would have it they took the
wrong road and missed the party completely.
leaving His Lo1dship to find q hotel as best
he could. / don't believe the Independent
story that the committee stopped to bowl up
at Silver City and let the Marquis slip by.
The committee was composed of gentlemen
who do not engage in such capers. However
they returned rather crest-fallen, and hunt
ing up His Excellency rendered him the
freedom Of the city, . grand banquet, seats
at the opera house, carriages ETC., all Of
which he respectfully but firmly declined
The city, he said, was yet mourning the
death of the President, and it was not proper
at such a time that be should accept their
proffered favors. ButSto show some courte-
sy he invited the committee and their
friends to sup with him st the Cosmopolitan.
OF course he expected the committee would
have as much respect for the dead President
as himself and decline the invitation-but
they didn't. They invited their friends :
they ate, drank and made merry they gave
toasts and responded to them-all at the *
pense Of the Governor General. The Mar
quis, q foreigner, was 50 greiyed by the ca
lamity that hadcome upon the nation that he
refused the hospitality Of the city, but the
committee of American citizens, who heard
his iustIexcuse, turns right about and accepts
an invitation Of the same character When
visions of a banquet spread appeared before
their eyes the death of the President was
soon forgotten The Marquis had not cal
cn]ated on giving Helena q free layout, and,