The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1882-10-12
The Favorable Opinions Presented
in an Exhaustive Letter by the
Editor Of the Bismarck
Tribune.
BILLINGS BOUND TO BOOM"

Pacific. 1t is one hundred and fifty miles
west of Miles City-far enough away not to
interfere in any sense with Miles town, and
yet the citizens of Miles cannot listen with
patience to expressions in its favor. It's de-
velopmcnt, however, will add to the trade
of Miles, and / shall be surprised if this
fact is not realized ere long. In March last
Billings was born and named in honor ol
Fred. Billings, one Of the leading spirits in
any other, belongs the credit of bringing
the North Pacific safely through it's days OF
adversely He took the helm when its off.
GERS worked without salery and the com.
pany was not even expected to meet theii
office expenses. Under his administration
the credit of the road was established and
it's line rapidly extended. Through his
work attention was attracted to the enter
prise and it became possible for Mr.. Willard
to form his pool, which resulted in the
combination, which at present controls the
road Mr. Billings, however, remains one
Of the largest individual stockholders, and
takes pride in promoting its interests. He
takes a deep personal interest in this city,
named for him, and will not suffer its inter.
ests to languish, if capital III improvements
will be Of service.
THE BUILDING INTERESTS.
BY actual count Billings now has 247
buildings. where only little over six
months ago there were none. The railroad
company is erecting an extensive round
house, at present eleven stalls, covering
however, only One-fourth of the plan
Shops to match will Immediately be built
The foundations arc in for the round house
and the walls are being pushed rapidly
Some of the machinery is on the grounds
for the shops. The company contracted
for G5OOOO brick for the purpose The
brick are Of dark red and of good quality
They are using q hard blue sandstone
which abounds in the vicinity, for founda
tons. and the red sandstone from Lake
Superior for trimmings. Several brick
buildings have already been erected. Her
man Clark, who owns the brick yard, is Ell
couraging the use Of the brick in every way
possible. The brick are delivered at from
SS to $40 per thousand, and put in the wal
at from $l2 to sl5. Mr.. Clark has manu-
factured this year about $500, 600 brick and
will supply all required. He has erected
one of the
LARGEST STORE BUILDINGS IN MONTANA.
1t is 5Ox9O, two stories and basement HI
is carrying S60,00D worth OF goods.
noticed In his stock over two hundred
chests of tea--a good stock for a ST. Paul
wholesale house. He buys his tea Of i'm.
porters by the car load and other goods OF
the same plan. and believes that at Billings
can be built up one Of the best wholesale
points in the west. 1t will not be long be-
for. e!.~ X.lI 4ls.
North Pacific will connect with roads from
the south, when North Dakota, Northern
Minnesota, and Manitoba will be open to
the California trade via the North Pacific
and Mr.. Clark intends to be in position to
deal with our merchants when that time
comes.
Every promise made investors by tht
tuwnsitc company is being fulfilled. Grad
ing is now being done in front OF blocS
liz for
TIE DEPOT HOTEL.
It will be one Of the best on the line, nc.
comnodating upwards Of TWO hundred
guests. Col. Tom. Power, one of thf
shrewdest operators and heaviest dealers in
Montana, has made large purchases at Bill.
linss. and is interested in q line Of road
now being located from Billings to Fort
Benton. Its construction at an early date
is more than probable, as it opens most
excellent country, now sTarlnipg Will
herds of cattle and sheep.
The street car grade was completed some
weeks ago. The strikes in the east have
DELAYED the shipment of iron, but the cars
are already on the ground. They will rur
from Billings to Coulson, but two miles
down the river, and will doubtless do s
good business from the start.
WATER WORKS
will be provided by ditch which taps tho
Yellowstone thirty-nine miles above, ant
brings it water to point on the bluffs, liz
feet above the city. The ditch Is now
nearly completed. It is twenty-five fee
f.o,,, tLo bary,e an,hap kmcT
which increases materially its capacity
The valley through which this ditch passe:
is from four to seven miles wide and forty
miles long. and is known as Clark's Forh
Bottom. The soil is very productive ano
only needs water to make it all that can bs
desired for farm purposes. Fair crops are
and have been raised without irrigation
but judicious application of water more
than doubles the yield and improves inn
me,lsely the quality Of the grain or vegeta
bles. l[r. Meadow, the oldest settler al
Billings. who located here in 1874, had
THREE HUNDRED ACRES
in crops this year. His oats yielded sixty
bushels per acre and his wheat forty
bushels, and saw at Billings some of the
finest vegetables--potatoes-I ever saw
They were grown by r. +. Bell. Mr.. New
man has also ninety acres under cultivation
and has made money farming. There are
many other families who have settled ir
this region during the past few years. ano
all report an unparalleled country fol
stock, and fair country, even without
irrigation, for grain.
l have seen enough of the country to
know that it is far superior to the view US
ually taken of it. and to know that it viii
sustain bright and bustling town OF sew
aral thousand inhabitants, which Billings
is certain to become.
Its location is beautiful and its drainage
is perfect The waters Of the Yellowstone
are as clear as q crystal. Billings is prac.
tically at the head of navigation on the
river. The bluffs on either side OF the
town from two to four miles distant. rise to
a height Of about two hundred feet. The
snow-capped Rockies; one hundred miles
west, glisten in the sun. 1t is not OF the
beauty of this location l would write, but
of the
BUSINESS OUTLOOK.
Property has advanced wonderfully, but is
not yet beyond reach by any means. Col
Power paid 81, 500 for two lots in block Il,
directly opposite the new hotel site. There
is a low place here and the lots are rated
low; although really as good as the best,
on that account. Cyrus Thompson sold
one in the next block for 81, $50. lie has
cleaned up, as they cal. it in mining re-
gions; fourteen lets, and 81, $50 cash, from
bis investments in Billings real estate, and
has worked into an Immense commercial
trade besides.
Lots in Bismarck similarly situated to
those mentioned above, are now worth
from $1,000 to $1,000 cash, and Bismarck
has never been doomed by outside capital
or assisted by the railroad company. The
shops at Billings Will employ 26o pen, and
alone will bring over one thousand people
Fully two hundred more train men will bs
paid at Billings, giving pay roll, includ
ing the shop hands, upwards OF thirty
thousand dollars. Good building stone il
obtained readily, and brick at low rates
and as the railroad company are making
eupeTAyylAL IMPROVEMENTS,
Others will folley their example. and th<
city viii be substantially built. 1t will b
beautiticd by trees, abundant water to make
them grow being furnished by the water
works. Messrs. Clark & Co., proprietor'
of the townsite, have purchased G0. 600 acre'
of land which they viii sell to actual set
tiers on easy terms, and offer every induce
ment, ipelnding wsser for irrigation 70 IN