The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1885-03-04

Editor Of the Chronicle
As promised, | suppose you will
present the railroad bill in print for the
benefit of your readers, that they may
thoroughly familiarize themselves with
its provisions and detect, as many have
prcphized would be found. the Niger
in the fence | confess that the word
subsidy has to me harsh and nnwel-
coined sound and that we were prepared
to predict that this bill would meet with
an ingloriols defeat in the hands OF or
citizens But the aspect of affairs Is
somewhat changed by the appearance
of the proposed bill, which has been
prepared carefully and honorably and
with few alterations or amend
inents will, if it becomes law, meet
with the hearty support Of many more
than it was at first supposed would vote
favorpbly upon such proposition. The
sum of $3.50, 900 in bonds asked for from
the county is mere bagatelle in COM
parison TO the benefits to be derived
from direct railway to Butte. Ii the
I $3.50 900 was to be raised by tax payable
in ten years our citizens would make
| money by the transaction. There are
many reasons for this and anyone though
| ne be crank and CROKER" must
admit that with the present condition OF
affairs the main avenues of our com
merce are completely and unfortunately
blockaded or turned in different direc-
tons. That the presence of one railroad
has been damaging and that the compile
/ ton of more will be advantageous. In
the Gallatin valley we have the largest,
the richest and the most productive
valley of Montana, whose teeming dales
and glimmering Wales will lie as idle as
the desert of Sahara unless market can
be found for its productions. That
market is Butte, only one hundred miles
away by the proposed railway, but by
present railway rates, as far as Fargo,
Dakota Territory Butte is the largest
consuming and non-producing commun-
ity IN Montana. With the proposed
railroad our grain dealers declare that
oats, wheat and all kinds of grain would
be worth thirty cents per hundred more
than is now paid. Vegetables too would
bring, with every other product raised
on our farms, an advanced sum, and Gal
latin valley becomes at once an unequaled
and prosperous community. 1t is argued
by many that Gallatin county possessing
these peerless advantages so often enum-
Grated, with its inexhaustible supply OIL
coal, must necessarily from merit alone
come before the notice of capitalists and
made the centre of successful invest
ments, large enterprises and increased
population They forget that Cooke City
with all its wealth without railroad re
MAINS dormant, Duluth with one rail-
road laid dead for years; Fargo with its
, vast tributary wealth of rich soil would
still nave been a town of 81 900 souls
In short take the history Of all success
full towns whose support is not dependent
} on mines alone and you will find tina
the second railroad was the servant oi
J their success. In Gallatin county each
and every resident farmer prides himsel
OH the Jealous interest he takes il
county affairs. On the county Treasury
he keeps a watchful eye, and while the
, counties about us are suffering from
weakening leakages, he mentally VOWS
, to protect his own county from the in
cursions of such temporary leeches. Bu
in his zealousness is there not possibil
ity Of his becoming prejudicial and BLIND
, to the discernment of right and wrong
, ~