The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-08-22
Will the Manitoba 600 Westp"

The facts already noted in these col
umns that J. J. Hill had joined Paris
Gibson, of Minneapolis, il purchasing a
large tract Of land primarily for stock
ranchlng purposes at the lower fall OF
the Missouri, forty miles above Benton
Montana, has been seized upon by ru-
morlsts as q pretext for saying that the
Manitoba railroad company intended to
extend its Devils Lake branch west
ward along the north bank Of the Mis-
souri, to Benton and beyond. The ru-
NOR embraces the suggestion that the
| great falls are to be utilized as a water
power. The fall in question cannot be
utilized, owing to the p%recipitous
character of the banks and adjacent
ground. There would be nothing for
the power to do if harnessed, as there
will be no surplus wheat grown within
500 miles Of the cataract and no lumber
forests are within reach. Besides, the
truce between Hill and Willard includes
a pledge on Wizards part to keep out Of
the Red river valley with north and
south lines, and a pledge on Hills part
to refrain from poaching on Northern
Pacific domain by going west of DEVILS
Lake. Hill's Devils Lake branch will
probably turn north and tap the Cana
dian Pacific north of the Mouse river.
Still a breaking of the truce between
Hill and Willard, or its expiration by
limitation might lead to an ambitious
movement by the Manitoba system look
ing to cross the continent along the un-
occupied belt between the Missouri river
and the British boundary. The field is
inviting one and Hill is known to
sigh for new railroad worlds to con-
= Hmm ooofn TL,:Io.ao
The above extract contains a sugges-
ton which will be very interesting to
tho people of Montana. The st. Paul,
Minneapolis & Manitoba is one of the
great railroad corporations, and but a
few months ago was an irksome rival for
the Northern Pacific, it is controlled by
a mani. J. Hill-whose executive abil-
lty and capacity for affairs has brought
him from poverty to the position of a
'ailroad millionaire. He has bought the
and adjoining tie most easily utilized
If the Missouri falls, and proposes to
ouild a town to be supported by manu-
acturing enterprises. What more nat
lral than to suppose that some day, and
soon, he will begin extending
lis railway system toward this great
ountry. He is now stretching his iron
westward through the extreme
lorth Of Dakota, and it is extremely
doubtful if he stops short at DEVILS
lake, leaving the fertile northern belt
that and the Missouri river to
occupied by some other corporation.
lnce at the Missouri, a road would be
.tended to Benton and to Great Falls,
Ir. Hills proposed town, twenty miles
eyond. It is true that a truce between
Manitoba and the Northern Pacific
ows exists, by the terms Of which the
would not extend into Montana,
ut it is rather an armed nutrality than ]
truce, and no doubt but what it will Z
e broken within a short time. Mon
ma and Dakota close along the. British
oundary isa tempting route for another :
anscontinental railway, and u q. Hill
not the man to idly watch its occupan- :
1by others than himself. The aser-
on contained in the above extract, that
lie water power at Great Falls cannot
utilized, is a misrepresentation. The
nd bought by Paris Gibson and Mr..
i'll slopes gently to the falling river,
Id while it may be doubted if n OF
e other cataracts could be utilized,
at selected by these keen capitalists
be '~harnessedv and made to furnish 2
motive power. Again, the =
'ibmae says there is no surplus wheat
thin 500 miles of the proposed man.