The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1883-09-05
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VISITOR WILLARD
AND HIS sss PROMINENT GUESTS 70
STOP IN BOWMAN TWO HOURS.
Arriving in BoSenan ut Q p. H., and
viii be Taken Around the City
By Our Citizens.

>~~~ee~s~Sb
that President Willard and his party of
distinguished guests, composed of large
number Of congressman, eminent jour
nalists and prominent Europeans, would
arrive'in Bozeman on Friday morning
instead of on Thursday night, a. was
published in the regular programme.
1t was then arranged, at the solicitation
Of our citizens, that the party should
stay over in Bozeman two hours, and he
driven through the city to the high point
near the cemetery, overlooking the Gal
latin valley.
A meeting was at once called and on
Monday night met at Alderson's hall,
where several committees were appoint
ed, list of which follows.
Inasmuch as our citizens have but a
short time to prepare the exhibit of
agricultural produce, minerals, etc, the
exhibition will not be as complete as it
is desired, but enough will be secured to
give an idea of the fertility of our valley
and the richness Of our mipes.
All the carriages and vehicles that can
be procured will be at the depot at the
arrival of the trains, which will be fifteen
minutes apart, and q fast as the guests
disembark will be whirled around the
city and to the hill overlooking miles
and miles.
Major Gordon with his usual generosity
and enterprise will order all the available
horses and ambulances at Fl. Ellis to be
at the depot promptly on time and has
also ordered a cannon to be brought to
the depot and fred, upon the arrival of
the President.
The Bozeman Silver Cornet band will
be at the depot to welcome the guests
and copies Of the Arant Courier and Boze-
man CHRONICLE will he distributed gra-
titiously to each and every member of
the party.
From o'clock until IL M, it is re-
quested by the committee that every
business house close its doors.
The public demonstrations of welcome
and rejoicing, which both Bozeman and
the citizens of Gallatin valley will make,
ought to be attended by an enormous
crowd. Never in our history will we
see SO many distinguished men on our
own soil. Fifty cars are necessary to
transport the crowd, every item of ex-
pense being paid by the Northern Pacific
Railroad Company.
I'm 1875 Mr.. Willard began to examine
into the Northern Pacific. He already
knew more about It than any one in its
directory. 1t had an enormous land
grant that ran through the great wheat
belt of Dakota, which was becoming more
and more valuable. His examination
made him determined to buy the stock,
franchise and all; at that time it had
very little value and was worth from to
10 cents, and at these figures Willard and
his associates bought not less than $4,000
shares, and five years ago, when the
annual meeting occurred, to the amaze
ment of the old owners, Mr.. Willard
reconstructed the directory, elccting him
self president Of the company. Mr.. Viii
lard's energy since his election has been
untiring. He has sold nearly $3OOOO0O0
worth of land, and has two-thirds Of the
grant yet untouched. 1t is estimated
that this land grant alone is worth $780,
100000. That which has been sold has
brought from $3.50 to IS per acre. and
much of the rest is the most valuable
portion Of the grant. The road will be
opened in a few weeks from the Pacific
Ocean to the Great Lakes, and as thor
ougly equipped as any in the country.
At forty-nine Mr.. Willard is among the
rich men of the country, and he has
made all his fortune in ten years and
from absolutely nothing. His Oregon
steamship stock is worth 100000 and
his intesest in the Northern Pacific not
less than So OoO,O 900, a very fair fortune
for a newspaper reporter to make in ten
years.