The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-01-02

The Commodore Has Something to
Say About the Opening Of the
Reservation,
And the Booming Effect it Will Have on
Fort Benton,

During the recent %sojourn of Mr.. T.
G. Power in the city, a RIVER PRESS
reporter interviewed him briefly in ref
erence to the Big Reserve-the proba-
bility of a portion of it being opened up
to settlement by the present congress,
and the effects of such action upon Fort
Benton. The notes then made have not
been utilized until this time, as the in
formation sought was for use, primarily,
in the Holiday reservation edition"
of the RIVER PRESS.
1t might be well to state ia the prem
ises that there are few men in the north
west possessed of greater business fore
sight than L. C. Power, as is best shown
by his unfailing success in extending
his business in northern and eastern
Montana. Fort Benton, the CONNER
cial center and future metropolis of the
territory, is the headquarters and depot
of supplies Of the firm Of r. G.. Power
Is Bro, with branch establishments in
various outlying sections, and in every
case strong points have been selected,
as Is fully shown by their rapid deyel-
opment and business growth. Reeds
fort, Lavina, Belknap, Clagett, Dupuyer
and Junction City are a few of these
points which are rapidly developing
into important trade centers. In estab-
fishing branches, and hence calculating
upon the business importance of these
points, Mr.. Power has seldom made an
error. His judgment will do to banI
ON. III
In answer to the inquiry of the rt~
porter as to the prospect of the opening
of the reservation, Mr.. Power said:
There is NJ doubt In my mind but
that favorable action in regard to this
matter will be taken during the present
session of congress-. There are no
grounds of oppositioa whatever, while
every consideration of j~rrstiee, both to
the Indians and the people o. saNlontana,
demands a reduction Of this res excavation,
and a big reduction, too" d
what effect will its opening have on
Fort Benton? ?"
"When that is done look out for the
big Fort Benton boom. 1t will set this
town on fire, SO to speak, and with other
influences at work make it the town Of
the territory, as I have always main
tained.u
"What do you know of the character
of the country to be opened to settle
ment?n
II have beenlover portions of it, but
not enoughlto indulge in a description
OF to discourse intelligently on the adj
vantages and III of the country.
Gen. Ruger said to me not long age that
it is the finest portion Of Montana, not
even excepting the magnificent Judith
Basin. There are some.favored spots in
the latter region, but in the Milk river
country can be found single valleys that
contain more agricultural lands and can
support a greater population than the
whole of the Basin. This is the differ
ence. Besides being a fine stock coun-
try, the reservation, when opened up,
will develop into a great farming sec
eIC1i, aIu LII gLIA1O WILL NC LAC AOA1C vi
thousands of prosperous ranchers."
lido you know anything of the min
eral resources of that region?"
Nothing, except from hearsay. I
have no doubt there will be some good
mineral found in the mountains, but
apart from this consideration, the agri-
cultural and pastoral resources of the
country will render itIin time the most
populous and prosperous portion of the
territory. OF this there can be no
doubt.u
Mr.. Power was quite enthusiastic on
the subject and is looking forward to the
favorable action of congress with a great
deal of interest. So, in fact, is the en-
tire population of northern Montana.
Montana Wool.