The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-08-27
nqEREsTING FROM HELENA.
cboteau Comfy Exhibit at the FAIR
n niden of the Helena People
in Fort benton.
HELENA, Nj. IT,, August II, 1884.

RI a stranger it would certainly APP
that the hard times have not struck
PToIona with much force. Although the
~horchants complain Of dizziness la trade
hnd the scarcity Of money is lanlented
am ". many, the strides the city is making
W the way of material progress is some
limo wonderful. New buildings, and
LIS i'm course OF construction, are to
Wv coon on every hand. AS a rule, too,
.hav are OF a superior class, and many
" mem would be ornaments III ANY
oitv The ruling policy seems TO be to
'+;ck in Il building on the principal
.~horoughfares wherever there Is
for if. and the leveling and filling up
nrocpss is going Oh constantly. 1t is es-
ppn,atpd that one million dollars will he
"vnpnded in improvements in the capi-
t taI citv this year, which Is certainly u
~nod showing and the evidence of a zig
boom.
CONFIDENCE IN FOR BENTON.
find that the people here have more
confidence and faith i'll the river me-
tronolis than many of her own citizens.
Even those gentlemen with large inter-
octs at Fort Benton are satisfied with
thpir possessions there, which they lake
for Granted will be valuable in the near
fntnre. The advent OF the iron horse
into northern Montana is Dol expected
and then Fort Benton's permanent
boom will begin. [ find there is much
confidence in MI. HIPS proposed rail
road enterprise. 1t is believed here that
he means business and will be the first
70 occupy the fertile railroad field pre-
spnted 6y northern Montana. This
Gentleman, accompanied by other capt.
fHalists who will be associated with him
in the enterprise, will pay another visit
70 this section soon, so | am reliably in
formed. Then something definite will
he done as regards IA railroad.
THE TERRITORIAL FAIR.
The prospects for a successful exhibit
ton this year by the M. A. M. & NJ. as
ISOLATION were never better. The chief
attraction as usual will be the racing,
and this beyond any question will be
good. There are more horses on the
ground and in training already than
ever before, with many to come yet. 1t
will be the only meeting of any conse-
ouence this fall and is certain to attract
an immense crowd Of people. The
stock show in general. it is believed,
will be a fine one, but in other depart
ments sufficient interest has not been
taken by the association, or inducements
offered, to warrant a very grand display.
CHOTEAU COUNTY EXHIBIT.
Talking of the fair [ am reminded of
what Col. Broadwater said to me yester-
day. The colonel is n of the believers
in bench lands. He expects in the near
future to see the fertile prairies of north
ern Montana growing grain in generous
supply, and assisted only by the water
that the clouds give up. To hasten the
time when this status of affairs will OBJ
tain (Which will be a great era for Fort
Benton) he says Choteau county should
make all exhibit at the fair this year, as
was done last, only that particular at
tention should be paid to the display of
grain and other products grown on
bench lands without the aid of irriga-
ton. He suggests that samples of such
products in generous supply be gathered
and sent here where they will be prop
erly taken care of and displayed to the
best possible advantage.
Such an exhibit" said the colonel,
twill be of great benefit to your county.
The display made last year opened the
eyes of many to the agricultural re-
sources of Choteau, and there is no bet
ter way of impressing on the public
mind the fact that the bench lands are
by exhibiting the products of such lands.
To show that [ am in earnest in the
matter, although not directly interested
in your county, 1 am willing to bear my
portion of the expense Of getting up
the exhibit, whatever it may be-"
We trust that the citizens of Fort
Benton will become affected with the
~colonel's enthusiasm on this subject. 1t
isa good idea, and as the expense at
tending such an exhibit will be light
scarcely more than the express charges
steps should be taken at once to pre-
pare for it. Our crops are unexcelled
this season, and a very creditable agri-
cultural display could be made. If any
thing is to be done in the premises the
first steps should be taken at once. A
call in the WEEKLY RIVER PRESS for
such specimens to be delivered on or be-
fore a specified day would, we believe,
bring forth al abundant supply.
BEST rRoTTING RECORD.
On Saturday / witnessed a trotting
race, best three in five, for a purse OF
SoOO, between Ben Lomond. Jr., owned
by Huntley g. Clark, and Tempest, an
oregon horse, owned by Mr.. Russell, or
Walla Walla, in which the best time on
record in the territory (2:28) was made
by Ben Lomond. This time was made
the first heat, the horse spinning around
the track without a single break and
doing some of the incest work ever
Witnessed at Helena. But Lomond
failed to do so well in the next three
heats, which were taken by Tempest in
2:35!l 2:34 and 2:39. The Montana flyer
broke at the start off in each OF these
heats, and although the better %trotter,
Was easily left behind.
VEKY TRUE.
L. c. Power says that Fort Benton
needs now mora than ANYTHING else, q |