The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-01-26
THE RIVER PRESS.

By private advices from BIackfoot we learn that al
old man named Joe Bell was found frozen TO death on
the trail between the Joe Haines ranch and hlmberlys
house. He was crippled with rheumatism, and IL ID
supposed that he fell down end between the influence
of the cold and his ailment found it hard to rise ana
pursue his journey, and gave up the struggle for lite.
Sassanach says (and who is Sassanach p that the
Sheriff has had an eye out on those opium dens all tne
| while, waiting like an eagle searching 1000 Tor hr
| ~eaglets, to pounce down on and raid the hapiess outfit.
| We are glad that the Sheriff keeps his eye out, and be-
lieve that his eternal vigilance is the price Of peace and
good will TO men. But don't anybody believe that the
opium dens are any better than we represented them.
They are worse.
Our readers should bear in mind theJBoard of Trade
ball, on Thursday evening, for the benefit OF the Ben
ton fire department.. The dance will be given in
Todd's hall, on the levee, and the supper, which will
be provided by Sullivan g. ILL.,, assisted by Mr.. Guth-
RE, will be served close by, in the building next to
Guthrie's. Alarge attendance is anticipated, snd the
cause is surely deserving of a hearty support. Those
| who have receiv d Invitations can, on presenting the
same, obtain tickets at any of the business houses in
town.
In addition to the new business houses heretofore
mentioned in these columns, Benton will have a store
devoted exclusively to boots and shoes. Mr.. L. S.
Stark, a young gentleman at present in the employ OF
Kleinschmidt Bros, is the party who intends opening
it, and, we understand, a new brick building Will be
put up for the store. The location is not yet decided
on. The business of Benton is fest shaping itself IN
to natural channels, the inevitable sequence CT its rap
idly growing proportions, and next fall will probably
see the wholesale and retail trade entirely distinctive
features, and carried on by entirely different houses.
Whether Idaho or Montana is to bear away the palm
cannot yet be told but each is secure in winning glory
enough, for one Territory. Butte is to have within
five years as many Inhabitants as Salt Lake City has
now. There does Lot seem TO be any doubt OF that
fact. 1t has a cluster of mines which 1t Will require
thousands of men to work SO soon as the necessary
machinery can be got in there. Early in the coming
year it Will have direct railroad communication with
the world, and then it will have a boom indeed. That
is but one district, while a dozen others claim their
fu! share of confidence. The Northern Pacific has
crossed the border from the East, and in two years the
~headwaters of the Yellowstone will be an old settled
country, so to speak, The passenger IN the palace Car
riding through that country will become an unbeliev-
er in the tales of hardship, pain and danger suffered
by those who first blezsd the trails and uprtared the
signal stations in thar land that ciyiiizationmight fol-
low. Besides her mines, Montana is full of forests
and clear streams, and whole empires in extent Of
WdFluS K 1dbS III LIZ fdA1CJ u W. sAS So1AAA6 Il
the husbandman. The long winter nights and the
cold will make homes very dear spots there, and will
make every domestic animal q pet. Il such a land
patriotism is always deep-seated; the men grow to be
a strong, brave, tender lace; and, home being the
deares spot on eaTth the mother is always the adored
centre. Such a race can always be counted upon
when courage, patience end self.sacrifce are required
|. of q people.-Salt Lake Tribune.
The proprietors of the RIVER Press, Messrs. Will
liams, Wright s. Stevens, are publishing one of the
neatest, rs we'll as one of the best edited, newspapers
in Montana. Aside from its intrinsic value as q med
Jun of fresh, intelligent thought on ell subjects OF
local and general j. terest, a well-conducted and hand
somely-prinred jou. nal is an ever-1ecurrlng Illustration
and example of that order which is 'HeaVen's first
law, ana that cleanliness which is akin to goodness,
and thus yields a coed and powerful influence on the
manners and morals OF the community In which 1t is
published.-C0urRr.
We have heretofore refrained from saying anythin g
about ourselves, believing that the press and public
would accord whatever of favor we should deserve,
and judge of our shortcomings with strict impartial
ity. But we cannot let this occasion pass without re-
tuning to it a full measure of our thanks for the way
our efforts to please and inform it have been received.
| Just three months have passed, and from every quar-
ter-through the press and in private correspondence
we have heard nothing but words Of encouragement
and praise, and, while we feel that in much we are un-
| deserving, we find a crumb of comfort in our knowl-
| edge that our efforts to please have been through a
disposition to do our best towards a generous, public,
and our shortcomings the result Of inadvertence. We
teel that our lines have fallen in pleasant places, in
thus, in the short time we haYe been before it, to have
| gained so much of its appreciation and support, and
we will continue to deserve it by q strict adherence to
the guiding rule we laid down for ourselves the day
| we bsgan-that Of strict impartiality towards it's vari-
GUS parts, and 8 thorough Identification with its inter-
ests as q whole.